Car Seat Query

Hello A. ~ We put my now 4 year old in the Britax marathon rear facing at about 6 months when she outgrew her infant carseat we kept her rear facing til she was almost 2 she will be 5 this month & still in the britax marathon...weight requirement on these 65 lbs. The Britax marathon is a little expensive but in my opinion really worth the money. My son will be one this month we are planning on putting him rear facing in a britax marathon as well.

Hi according to NHTSA, neither child is ready.

When children outgrow their rear-facing seats (at a minimum age 1 and at least 20 pounds) they should ride in forward-facing child safety seats, in the back seat, until they reach the upper weight or height limit of the particular seat (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds).

Once children outgrow their forward-facing seats (usually around age 4 and 40 pounds),they should ride in booster seats, in the back seat, until the vehicle seat belts fit properly. Seat belts fit properly when the lap belt lays across the upper thighs and the shoulder belt fits across the chest (usually at age 8 or when they are 4’9” tall).

Hi A.,

I think it is 4 years old before they can go in a booster. I also believe it is 1 year old before the little one can go facing forward.

Good Luck, L.

HI A.
I don't think three is old enough to sit right in a booster. They don't have support when the fall asleep for 1. My friend got a high backed booster for her almost 5 yo. She's always telling her it's not safe turn around backward (almost) in it. I had picked out a car seat that went from 25-80 lb. So we just took the 5 point harness off our 6 yo's seat. We waited because it's hard to sit still, and she hadn't asked in 5 lb, and safer.
Good luck what ever you decide. A. Hajec

hey A.,

i would either consult with your ped and/or go to AAA for guidelines. i know that dealerships also conduct carseat safety inspections so it stands to reason that they would have the guidelines as well. good luck!

S.

hi A. i read kristen post and she is right with all she said 1 yr and 20 pd is the age and weight and as far as the 3 yr old goes she still needs a five point harnes to be safecheck out car seat safety or vist your local police station

First check your local state laws. Call the police department, they will have all the info you need as to state requirements.

My daughter is 4 and 40 lbs. She is in a high back booster. Is your 3 yr old in a high back booster with seatbelt or using 5 point harness?

Children should not face forward until 1 year of age AND 20 lbs. So do not move your 9 month old to face forward, this is dangerous.

I have a graco turbo high back booster that can convert to a regular booster seat. I love it. At 4 my daughter still uses the high back, even though in FL she can go without. It is just more comfortable for her. Hope all this helps.

The minimum for booster is 4 yrs and 40lbs, she'd be a lot safer in a harnessed seat. And the MINIMUM for forward facing is 1 year and 20lbs, but he would a 500X safer in a rear-facing convertible seat until at LEAST age 2. My son is 17 months and 32lbs and still rear-facing. A good site to check out is www.car-seat.org

Nine months is WAY too young to be facing forward! The rule is twelve months AND twenty pounds! And even after that, a child should be rear-facing as long as possible. So if you can keep him rear-facing for longer than that, you definitely should. My son is about thirty five pounds and will be five next month. He still sits in an actual car seat with a five-point harness. Please keep your daughter in the car seat as long as possible. Maybe you need to purchase a convertible car seat for her. It may be a little roomier than what she has now and then you can convert it to a booster when she is ready. It seems that she's a bit young for a booster right now. Good luck!!

A.,
The current safety regulations state that a child must remain rear facing in infant car seat until they reach one year old, regardless of weight. This is what's safest for your baby.

Every state has people trained and certified in car seat installation. (most states it's a the fire station), you should contact one of them and make an appointment to have both children and their needs assessed so that you are certain they are as safe as possible.

Hi A.-

I would recommend consulting the car safety group - i cannot think what the name of the group is or your pediatrician. I am almost certain you must keep your 9 month old facing backward til up to 2 years now. (This is a recent change.) Also, I have a 3 year old daughter dieing to get into a booster (same weight) and was told by a police officer friend no not until she is 4. She is devestated of course:) Like I said I am no expert and I rarely sign in due to working full time but childrens safety is a very big deal. Good luck!

Are you talking about moving your 9 month old into a forward facing seat? You can't do that in Michigan, he HAS to be rear-facing until he's 20 pounds *AND* one year of age, so he has to have his birthday before you can forward face him. My youngest is 22 pounds and 9 months and he's in a Britax Marathon.

My four year is 37 pounds and is also in a Marathon and we're just getting ready to move him into to the Graco Nautilus. It's a booster that has a 5-point harness and converts to a high-back booster with a seat belt, then just a seat booster. The main reason we're moving him is that we need the second Marathon for our second car.

There are many many many reasons to keep both of your kids in their current seats. Ultimately, it's about their safety.

You can check out this site: http://www.michigansafekids.org/

I have a friend who's a car seat tech there in GR. I can put you in touch with her.

Please please keep her in a 5 point harness as long as possible. It is SO much safer. Your kids are so very special to you and there are so many idiots on the road. There are a lot of great seats out there with higher weight limits now.

She is much too young and small to be in a booster seat. PLEASE consider purchasing a seat that has an internal 5pt harness that goes over 50lbs. The Graco Nautilus is an excellent option...It has an internal harness weight of 65lbs. Our 5yr old son is currently in one. It runs about $150 on average and can be converted to a High back belt positioning booster, and then a backless booster as your child grows.

As for your baby, it is safest to keep him rear facing as LONG as possible. Children simply do not have the upper body strength to withstand crash forces forward facing until they are closer to 2-3yrs old. A convertable seat with a 30+lb rear facing weight limit would be ideal. All of my children have been rear facing well into their 2nd year.

I'd rather keep my kids rear facing or in a 5pt harness longer giving them a better shot at surviving a crash than take the chance that an adult belt or forward facing seat will protect them.

The weight guidlines on seats are the absolute MINIMUM for safety. Do you want to give your children the Minimum amount of safety?

I can't remember what the age/weight/height requirement is for your 3 year old... I know I moved my daughter when she was 4, atleast 35lbs and 39 in tall. Yours seems a little small yet, height and weight are more important that age when making this switch. As for your son, he is absolutely not old enough yet. When making this switch, age is just as important. Even though he weighs enough, his is still too young, his neck muscles aren't developed enough to sit front facing. There are convertable seats out there that convert from rear to front facing, that would be the best option for him right now. There is lots of research that shows that even at 1 (the legal age to move them to forward facing) their muscles still aren't strong enough.

For your 3 year old, the longer they can stay in a 5 point harness, the safer they are. Mine is almost 5 and still in a 5 point harness seat that holds him up to 55lbs. You wanna see what I mean by safe, check out some of the booster videos on youtube from crash tests.....the easy of a booster is not worth jeapordizing my sons safety to me. As far as the 9 month old, they have to be 20lbs AND a year before the seat can be forward facing. This is because their bones (back/neck)and muscles are not developed enough to weather a crash well if they are facing forward...I know switching them around is tempting but not work the risk.....

I am proud owner of Evenflo's Triumph Advance Deluxe car seats, 4 of them, 2 for my car and 2 for my parents. They are big, but they are safe and side impact tested too. Best part is you can adjust the height harness by pulling up and not having to unthread anything, You can losen and tighten easily with the lever and crank on both sides of the seat for easy access and to wash the cover you rip it off and don't have to uninstall the seat. Good luck in your search!

for your 3 yo check out the gracco nautilus! I bought one after reading another thread on here and it is excellent! It starts out as a 5 pt harness forward facing with latch. Then later on can convert to a high back booster and then onto a backless booster. Our old car seat was getting too bulky to lift my two year old up and over into and she really wanted a cup holder. Walmart has the best prices on these!

From the sound of it you are using a forward facing car seat, but one that doesn't convert into a high back, belt positioning booster seat. My recommendation would be to move her to a high back belt positioning booster seat. Check the size recommendations though to make sure that she is a) tall enough and b) weighs enough. My girls were able to convert around the age of three, however, we struggled with our youngest because she would put the shoulder part behind her. We actually had to convert her back to a 5 point harness for a few more months.

As far as your son goes - while he is 20 pounds, he does need to remain rear facing until the age of 1. If the car seat you want to use can not be used in the rear facing position, then you shouldn't use it until he is one year old, and that may mean purchasing him a different car seat, as most infant carriers (assuming that is what you are using) is only rated to 20 lbs.

In addition to the other posts that echo my sentiments, I'd like to point out that American Academy of Pediatrics recommends rear facing your child for as long as possible with a MINIMUM of two years.

Please, please, PLEASE do not turn your 9 month old forward facing yet. His spine is not strong enough to handle the force of a crash.

If you are still not convinced, please watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo

If it is a high back seat then it is more than likely a high back booster seat and there are weight and height requirements for moving them to a booster without a harness. Also your 9 month old is NOT old enough to be forward facing. They have to be 20 lbs AND 1 year old by law, the peditricians and car seat companies are now saying they should not be forward facing until the age of 2. So at a minimum you have 3 more months until this is possible.

Hi, You cannot place your infant forward facing til 1 year or more. Actually it is best to keep infants rear facing for as long as possible. Is your 3 year old using a 5 point harness or the regular car belt? I would not put a 3 year old in a "regular " booster. Actually I recently changed my 4.5 year old to his high back booster with just the car belt and I don' feel he is very safe. I intend to purchase a Graco Nautilus so he can remain in a 5 point harness to 65 pounds.

My 45lb 5yr old is still in a 5-point harness. It is a LOT safer than a booster.

In regards to the 9mth old he has to be 1year AND 20lbs to be forward facing. It is safer for the child to be rear facing as long as possible. So they need to be 20 and 1yr not one or the other.
The 3yr old is still kinda small for a booster - it is normally 4yrs and 40lbs unless she is extremely tall for her age (where her head is above the back of the current car seat). Knowing what her weight and height is go to babies r us and look at the information cards in front of each car seat that will help as well.
I work at babies r us and I know it is a pain (I have a 3 1/2 yr old 37lb little girl and she is still in her 5 point harness). Here is a great link http://www.infant-car-seats.com/states/car-seats-laws-Mic...
They do sell a car seat that turns into a booster so when she does turn 4 you don't have to get another seat. They are called 3-1 seats. Good luck

Just so you know, Michigan law does not state four years and 40 Ibs for a booster seat. It states that children need to be correctly restrained in the car for their size and age. There are high back booster seats that take children from 30 Ibs but you also need to see how tall she is because that affects whether or not she is big enough to be safe in the seat. Five point harnesses are always the bet though. Your nine month old does need to be rear facing until at least 20 Ibs and one year, and I believe "they" are now recommending rear facing until two years old. Does your daughter's current high back not rear face? Most of them do now, they are usually convertable.

Hi A.,

I don't know about your 3 year old but I can for sure tell you that your 9 month old cannot legally face forward yet. I was so excited in September when my son turned one. The law had been 1year and 20lbs. Well right before his bday the law changed to 2 years. As long as he can sit up ok he should be fine in the high back car seat but he should remain rear facing.

M. B.

For your 3 year old: The absolute bare minimum to be in a high back booster seat is 4 AND 40ibs. However, the longer your child(ren) are harnessed, the safer they are. For your 3 year old I would suggest this seat. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3009610

It harnesses to 65 ibs keeping your child safer longer. Once your child outgrows the harness (when either a.) shoulders are above the top slot where the harness comes out OR they are above 65ibs) you pull the harness out and it transforms into a high back booster.

For your 9 month old: Rear facing is 5 times safer then forward facing. The bare minimum to turn him is 1 year AND 20ibs. However, many outlets, including the American Academy of Pediatrics is now suggesting that they would like to change the minimums to 2 years old AND 30ibs in order to be turned forward facing.
(my daughter is almost 2 and 29ibs and I just flipped her FF this summer)
What seat is he in now? Where are his shoulders in comparison to the slots on the seat? How much does he weigh?

Hope this is a good start on info. If you need more info on which seat I would reccomend for him, please let me know how much he weighs and what seat he is in now. Your best bet would probably be a convertible at this point, but for now he must remain rear-facing to remain safe in the car.

--S.
CPST
'I do my best work in your back seat!' :P

no no and no..

your 9 month old needs to be rear facing until he is 1 year old AND 20 pounds.. so he is not old enough--- so he needs to stay in his current seat rear facing.

The law in michigan is kids must be in car seats until 8 OR 80 pounds.. so you have a long long way to go.

Depending on her size .. you daughter may be getting large for her current seat.

I highly recommend britax car seats.. they are comfortable for the child and easy for the parents .. I would rather buy my kids slightly used britax than cheap new seats.

Look for a seat that has a 5 point harness and a high weight limit.

there are seats that go up to 65pounds now which would probably be a 6 or 7 year old depending on how big they are.

We bought graco nautilus.. but we hate it .. cant recommend it .. it does go up to 65 pounds with the harness and then it is a booster for up to 100 pounds.

Some people below are saying that the American Academy of Pediatrics states that children should stay rear-facing until at least two years old. This is inaccurate. They state "Use a seat that can be used rear-facing by children who weigh more than 20 pounds and keep your baby rear-facing as long as possible into the second year of life, or at least until he has reached his first birthday." Here is the link:
http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm#ConvertibleSeats

It is true that it's best to keep him or her rear facing as long as possible but when my daughter turned 1, we had to turn her around as she had run out of room for her legs when the seat was facing backwards (she really tall for her age).

It is best to leave your son rear facing as long as possible. My daughter didn't hit 20 lbs until 16 months. We kept her rear facing until about 17-18 months, and only switched her because of her height. She is tall for her age, and was extremely cramped being rear facing.

My stepson, until he was 7, was sitting in a 5 point harness at times. He loved sitting in the 5 point harness seat. So when it wasn't winter he would sit in it. During the winter with his big coat, he couldn't quite get it to latch. I figured it was safest for him sitting in their, so we let him do it. He has already told me that once he is able to legally be out of his booster in a few months, he wants me to leave it in the car so he can see out the windows better. His mom doesn't have him in a seat, and he can't see out the windows. (that's a WHOLE other issue)

I encourage my kids to be in the seats as long as possible. They will grow up fast as it is, bu you want to make sure they are safe at all times, just in case that accident happens.

sorry to disappoint, but no and no.

Your 3 year old can't go into a booster until he/she's 4 they should also be closer to 40lbs.

Your little one has to be at least 1 year old to turn forward facing. However, when you face them forward they have MUCH GREATER chance of major neck/spinal injury if you were ever in a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration only sets 1 year AND 20 lbs as a minimum... if you read through their research, the recommend to keep your child in a rear facing seat for as long as the set allows (for height and weight).

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm

If you click on the link above you can find people local to you to tell you all of the requirements.

This one is a 30 second video to show you the difference in a crash test. It's even in a different language so you don't need to hear all the sentimental stuff people usually put into these videos... this way you can just see what you need to! :)

Hope that's been helpful!

(as a side note, my daughter is 21 months and just over 20lbs and is still rear facing after I saw these videos I'll be keeping her that way until she reaches her car seats recommendations for height or weight... then I'll turn her ff).

A. ~
Michigan law says 4 years AND 40 lbs....so it's too soon to move your 3 yr old to the booster seat.
D.

hey A.,
yes your daughter could be old enough height and weight wise for a booster, BUT kids are much more safer in a 5pt harness. my older two kids (who are 6 and 4) have been in booster seats for a while now, but this week they will be going back into a 5 pt harness thanks to kyledavidmiller.org. i would keep her in a 5pt harness still if you can afford a higher weight carseat. my youngest is in a my ride 65 by graco and I LOVE this seat. i can be rear facing up to 40lbs or until thier head is 1 inch from the top, and 22 lbs-65lbs forward facing or until thier ears are at the top of the seat. my 6yr old still could fit into this seat with no problem. but we do have our youngest in this seat rear facing and he will be 2.5 yrs in january. he likes to be rear facing which is 5x safer!! i would rather have broken legs than a broken neck. he will just prop his legs up on the back of the seat or just cross them. they do have some good priced seats that do go up to 65 lbs, just make sure your daughter fits the seat well and its in your car right! a car seat isn't going to work right if its not installed right. as for your 9 month old keep her rear facing as long as you can its safer. just because the law is 20lbs AND 1 year doesn't mean you have to turn them around at 1. the aap recommend to keep babies/toddlers rear facing as long as they are under the weight and height of their carseat or until they hit their 2nd bday. if you have your daughter in a infant carrier still check and make sure she isn't too heavy for that seat, and her head is 1 inch below the top of her seat. if she is too tall or heavy DO NOT use that seat anymore. contact kyledavidmiller.org if you have any questions they are really great at helping when it comes to car seats,(the owner lost her son at 3yrs old when they got into an accident and he was in a booster seat) they have a lot of videos showing the reasons why its better to stay rear facing, why being a 5pt is better than a booster seat. or even your local child seat tech they will help you instal your seats right. i know sparrow hospital has one here in lansing. good luck with your choice.

B.

Technically, doctors say kids need to be 40 pounds to be in a booster, but my son is only 37ish pounds and he's in a booster. This is the one I bought http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8342859 ... as for your 9 month old, if he doesn't fit in the infant seat anymore, you can put him in a larger car seat as long as it can be rear facing. This is the one we have for my daughter (my son used it too when he was too big for the infant seat) http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Deluxe-Convertible-Vand... ... this color doesn't have the best reviews, but we love it; it is a bit cumbersome as far as getting it into a smaller car, but it's pretty great.