Front-facing your children in car seats - when?

Danalana wrote: I'm just asking because there is a debate on my Born in February board. I won't be arguing for it either way here...I just wanted to get your answers. Please don't turn it into an agruement, because I will be forced to stab myself in the eyeball.

ETA: The second choice is supposed to read "A bit longer than 1 year".

moped replied: Well I think here it is 22 lbs and 20 inches, but I am not sure....I waited til she was 11 months but 23 pounds.....so i guess a wee bit earlier than a year. Sorry.......I know I am bad!

Danalana replied: Nope. I'm not judging anybody...

A&A'smommy replied: my child will not be forward facing until she is at least 1, right now she is 20lbs (at 8months) and unless she is uncomfortable (which she is isn't) or there are other circumstances (like screaming every time we get in the car) she wont be turned around until she is 1 or whenever I feel ok about turning her around.

coasterqueen replied: Kylie hit the requirements before a year, but we kept her rear-facing until a bit after her first birthday.

Megan didn't hit the requirements until well after her 1st birthday so we didn't do it until she did hit the requirements. I can't remember the exact age, though.

mckayleesmom replied: Mckaylee was about 15 months....she was so short and was only 20lbs for the longest time....She had plenty of leg room...so I didn't move her then.

Russell was at about 13 months.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: Johnny was the only one that made it past a year.... But he was a FTT 12 pounder at a year so there was no way he would be turned yet.

Mommy2Isabella replied: We turned Isaia a little before a year. He HATED not being able to see and he was WELL OVER the 20lb mark.

Bella can BRARELY face forward, i think she is at 23lbs now. She was turned when the ped. said it was ok, and that was at I think 15 months or so ...

Calimama replied: Miabella got turned around at 19 months for the most part. Although DH is pushing for her to go back to rear facing since she's only about 23-24 lbs.

Isn't it a law that they can't be turned around until 1 year AND 20 lbs? Or is that just a recommendation? I'm not sure!!

Jamison'smama replied: I thought it was a law too but I'm not 100%. Jamison rear faced until she was about 15 months. Jack HATED the carseat and was a screamer. We turned him around 13-14 months.

Boo&BugsMom replied: Tanner was a bit before his 1st b-day because he was and still is SOOOOO tall.'

Aiden was pretty much right on his 1st b-day. He's more of a peanut than Tanner was.

MoonMama replied: I turned Brae at about 18 months.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Madison was right on her 1st birthday - she was well over the 20 lb mark by then.


Brooke was around 10 months because she has always had long legs and she was very uncomfortable rear facing at that point. She was over 20 lbs.

In PA I know it is a law, 1 year and 20lbs. I'm a criminal.

Kentuckychick replied: I've always been a major supporter of keeping them rear-facing as long as possible.

Here's what the AAP says; (link for full article at bottom)

>> Children should face the rear of the vehicle until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 lb to decrease the risk of cervical spine injury in the event of a crash. Infants who weigh 20 lb before 1 year of age should ride rear facing in a convertible seat or infant seat approved for higher weights until at least 1 year of age.3,4 If a car safety seat accommodates children rear facing to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain rear facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back.3 <<

The last part, about leaving a child rear-facing so long as the seat allows is the newer suggestion that they hope will someday become a regulation.

Most convertible carseats on the market now rear face to at the very least 30 lbs. (very few infant seats still have only the 22lb. weight limit) and there are a lot of really good convertible seats that will last years both rear and forward facing.

We bought this seat, Cosco Scenara, (dif. pattern) for Connor and Caydee -- it goes up to 35 lbs. rear facing, 40 lbs. forward. Connor was able to rear face until he was about 18 months, Caydence until she was 2. Connor still fits in the seat forward facing at 4 1/2.

The studies show that children are far safer rear facing. People question safety because of their legs being on the back seat, but while statistics show numerous neck injuries in children in forward facing seats, there are no reports of leg injuries
in rear facers.

No arguing here... I think most people change because of the child and what's easiest for them. As long as the baby is actually a year old AND 20 lbs. then in a technical sense, you can forward face them.

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/c...trics;109/3/550

PrairieMom replied: With Ben we changed him at about 11 months or so. He was well over 20 pounds, and his legs were to long, and he had been walking for quite a while by then, we were going on a 12 hour trip and felt that it was to long for him to be scrunched up like he was in his seat, plus we couldn't see him from the front. All bad excuses I know.

With Al she sat rear facing until she was 18 months or so, she took FOREVER to get to 20 pounds.

MyBlueEyedBabies replied: in CA it's 1 year OR 20 pounds. that is why the whole Brittney Spears ff carseat uproar was a bit stupid. I wont go into my feelings on the subject but my first two were ff before 1 year one I am perfectly content with that decision.

my2monkeyboys replied: Will was turned around about 2 weeks before his first birthday. He got where he just didn't like facing backwards and I figured 2 more weeks wouldn't make much difference. With Waylon, he'll be the same, I'm sure, just from his size alone. He's already over 12 lbs at 3 months, so I'm sure he'll be beyond 20 by a year.

Kaitlin'smom replied: I changed her right around 1 year mark. I dont remember what her weight was, i woudl have to look it up

boyohboyohboy replied: I remember with caleb he was turned a little early but his legs were so long he was climbing up the seat in front of him!
the other two were more petite so they stayed backwards past their one yr mark.