When are we supposed to turn the carseat?

nikki&timothy · September 2012

My daughter will be 11 months on the 15th of this month and weighs 20 pounds I'm not sure how tall she is but she is getting to tall for her legs to be facing the seat. When are we supposed to turn them around or get them the next carseat up?

smilelari · September 2012

Get the next car seat up as soon as she outgrows the current one (depends on the seat) or as soon as the current one is impractical (those infant seats are heavy to lug around). The next seat will be a convertible which can both rear face and forward face. Keep her rear facing until she outgrows the rear facing limit of the convertible seat. The current rec from the AAP is rear facing until at least age 2

memali26 · September 2012

By law you can turn them forward facing at 1 year and 20lbs.

BUT! The newest recommendation is to keep them rear facing as long as possible - until at least 2 years olds, or until they outgrow the convertible seat by height/weight. It's a myth that they are too tall to rear face when their feet touch the seat - my 2.5 year old is 37 inches tall and still comfortably RFing. She crosses her legs, throws them over the sides of the seat, or bends her knees. Kids are ridiculously flexible and comfortable in positions adults can't even get into

The next car seat you'll need is a convertible seat. It can be used rear facing or forward facing. We have this seat and are very happy with it:

https://www.evenflo.com/product.aspx?id=317&pfid=3711

brewcitybride · September 2012

2

Ms5586 · September 2012

Her legs aren't a concern facing the seat. She'll learn to cross them or move them and find a comfortable position. The recommendation is that they rear face to 2, or until they outgrow the RFing recommendations on the seat by height/weight. Research "internal decapitation", and look on youtube for forward facing vs. rear facing crashes - you'll be amazed at the difference RFing makes in a crash.

PurpleDrewbie5 · September 2012

memali26:
By law you can turn them forward facing at 1 year and 20lbs.
BUT! The newest recommendation is to keep them rear facing as long as possible - until at least 2 years olds, or until they outgrow the convertible seat by height/weight. It's a myth that they are too tall to rear face when their feet touch the seat - my 2.5 year old is 37 inches tall and still comfortably RFing. She crosses her legs, throws them over the sides of the seat, or bends her knees. Kids are ridiculously flexible and comfortable in positions adults can't even get into
The next car seat you'll need is a convertible seat. It can be used rear facing or forward facing. We have this seat and are very happy with it:
https://www.evenflo.com/product.aspx?id=317&pfid=3711

Yes this. It is much safer to remain RF until 2.

lageorgiapaperie · September 2012

What kind of seat are you using? Still an infant carrier or a convertible?

You can switch to the convertible whenever, but it should still be rear facing until she's 2 (AAP recommendations).

If's she's in a convertible seat already, her legs will adjust. Babies aren't developed enough to withstand a crash forward facing. Much better to have a broken leg than something much worse.

nikki&timothy · September 2012

lageorgiapaperie:

What kind of seat are you using? Still an infant carrier or a convertible?

You can switch to the convertible whenever, but it should still be rear facing until she's 2 (AAP recommendations).

If's she's in a convertible seat already, her legs will adjust. Babies aren't developed enough to withstand a crash forward facing. Much better to have a broken leg than something much worse.

She is still in an infant carrier.

Ms5586 · September 2012

lageorgiapaperie:

If's she's in a convertible seat already, her legs will adjust. Babies aren't developed enough to withstand a crash forward facing. Much better to have a broken leg than something much worse.

This is morbid, but it really made an impact on me. At the end of one of the youtube videos it said:

Broken leg - cast it

Broken neck - casket

You decide.

Still gives me chills.

dragon_chica · September 2012

Yes, I'd much rather my children suffer broken legs then necks. DD is almost 3 and she's still RF-ing. We plan to turn her on her 3rd birthday. We plan to keep DS RF-ing until 2 y/o the minimum and even though I'll probably wait closer to his 3rd birthday. Not long ago a 2 y/o from AZ was in a crash and had an internal decapitation so even at 2 I don't feel it's right.

SuperCuteBenz · September 2012

My DS is 2, almost 35" and 28lbs. He is still rear-facing without issue. He doesn't know any different, and is happy that way. I think that he likes that he is facing his sister, so she keeps him company.

Both my kids went through a brief period around 13-15 months where they cried in the car, but I contribute it to not wanting to be strapped down in the seat more than anything else. His legs are fine, he can see out the window, etc. Its not as bad as people make it out to be.

My DD rear-faced until 2, and then again from 2.5 to a bit past her 3rd birthday. She loved rear-facing and still complains that she needs somewhere to put her feet now that she is forward facing.

I just ordered my DS the Graco Size 4 Me, because it is the tallest rear-facing seat on the US market now. I am planning on rear-facing him until at least 3, because it is SO much safer.

mben1119 · September 2012

2 years. Get a convertible seat for now, but her legs aren't a concern.

brewcitybride · September 2012

Just was at DS's appointment and just discussed this with the doc -she said babies usually outgrow the infant seat in height before they outgrow it in weight. For example, DS is 20 pounds, but 28 inches long. His seat is good up to 25 pounds, but only 29 inches long, which is a common height for infant seats. She advised putting him into a rear-facing convertible seat as soon as we can.

brewcitybride · September 2012

Oh, I thought you meant when can she be out of her infant seat. No, she should stay rear-facing as long as possible close to 2.

wenniezoo · September 2012

2yrs

My LO is 10months but already 26lbs, 32" He's still rear-facing and seems pretty content with it, no leg cramp issues. If you feel that your LO is cramped, maybe buy a bigger car seat? They should all be convertible between rear and forward-facing. We got the Britax marathon.

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