Forward Facing Toddler Seat.

the law is one year and you will love having her face forward (so will she).

I think you can place her anywhere in the back, but either side is usually much easier in and out.

Good Luck!

The law says one year AND 20lbs. to face forward. It's safest to put them in the middle of the back seat, as long as there is a seat belt that works properly to hold the car seat. If there is no seat belt, the passenger side in the back is the next best thing.

I was told for safety reasons to keep my daughter rear facing as long as i could.She stayed that way until she was 20 months.The law says until they are 1 and however many lbs.I was also told the middle seat is the safest.I always think what if someone hit me on the side her carseat is on.so,it would make since.

Hi J.! Once your daughter is 20 pounds and is 1 year old, then it's ok to turn them around to forward facing. You should always have her car seat in the middle though. That is the safest place for them to be, even when back facing. When my daughter was 4 months old, her feet were also hanging out of the infant seat, so we got a covertable car seat and faced it backwards and when she was 1 year old, she was over 20 pounds, so we turned it around and she jsut turned 2 and she is still in the same car seat.

http://peoplestel.net/~eulas/carseatsafety.html

If you're concerned about the law, it is one year. If you're concerned about safety, they recommend to keep them rear facing as long as possible. Each car seat has a max weight & height for rear facing so check your manual. Here is a quick video of the benefits of rear facing that i found pretty informative.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=kRP7ynNI8mI

Hello J. - when it was time to change my son around I simply wen to the Highway Patrol and they helped me with readjusting the straps (apparently they had to go on the top) and showed my how to put the car seat in the right way. Every Highway Patrol usually has a carseat adviser and also my insurance State Farm also has an adviser. Thanks, D.

Hey J.,

Saftey First! I went to a class about car seat safety and what I learned over the course is that your child has to be a certain weight and age to start facing forward. The age is 1 years old (because their bones are stronger at that age), but I don't remember the weight. But it should be all in your hand book. But I have a 14 mth old who is in a larger car seat that faces forward. I have a small 2 dr car, but I have enough room in the rear. It is suggested that you put the car seat in the middle, because of airbags. Just check your handbook, or you proabbly can find the information online. Good Luck!

Dear J. F,
It depends on the state you live in. California it's 20 pounds and I beieve 2.5 feet. I know on the weight is correct not sure on the inches. My kids were in a foward facing car seat before 1. They were in it at around 6 months old. they are very tall for their age. My 7 year old is 5 ft tall and weighs 120 pounds and my 5 year old is 60 pounds and 4 ft tall.
I thinks it's when their feet touch the back of the seat where their feet are flat on it it's time to turn around. We always had our kids by the in the middle when they were younger and transfered them to where the doors were when they got older. Alot less stress on the back. When you upgrade to a forward facing car seat they will need to use the seat by the doors. They all require a shoulder back belt. When your child gets to a booster seat then you have a choice of either a shoulder lap belt and or using a booster seat with a latch that goes over the child. any questions please contact me M. Petersen

You might want to check w/the police department or highway patrol in your area for the weight/height requirements for forward-facing but I'm pertty sure at one year old, she can sit forward. They may even be able to help you install the seat & show you how do it properly yourself. This is usually done for no charge. As far as the placement in the backseat of the carseat, everything I've read says to put the seat in the middle as most accidents are on either side of the car so the child is safer in the middle. Some carseats don't always fit properly in the middle so you may need to put it on the passenger side. Refer to the directions of the carseat for help. Sometimes, independent baby stores will offer help along w/the 2 departments I mentioned above. I know I was very anxious to switch both my boys forward-facing & did so just before their first b-days. It was so much easier to get them in & out of the car & they much happier facing forward & seeing a different view. Hope this helps!

We got my daughter a forward facing seat as soon as she turned one, which is the law, I believe. She was also long for her age and was very uncomfortable facing backwards, her feet were all scrunched against the seat. We never had her seat in the middle, though, we always had on the passanger seat because we had my sons booster on the other side so there wouldnt have been much room in the middle. You can put it in the middle, though.

Like a PP said, you can keep them rearfacing for as long as they are comfortable, I think it is up to 36lbs,(not positive) It is the safest position for them and it is okay for their legs to be curled up or touching the back seat, it won't hurt them as they are used to the semi-fetal position anyway. Jaiden loves being rearfacing so I am not going to change it because it is the safest way for them. She is pretty little but getting taller and until she can't take it anymore, I am keeping her rearfacing.

The law doesn't indicate where the carseat can be in the car. The middle is fine. The "recommendation" is that it's best to put a child in the back seat. My husband has had to take her in his small pick up truck before...she sits forward, in her cars seat in his truck. (Here's where were hear a collective sigh from all the mothers who think we are monsters for putting our daughter in ANY front seat) You do what you've got to do...and we haven't broken any laws.

I believe the weight is 20 lbs and 1 year of age. Look at the small sticker on the side of your car seat. It will have the instruction there on weight and age.

It's funny, if you read the California civil code, it mentions not one thing about forward facing seats and requirements. It only talks about 6 years old and 60lbs and up can be out of a car seat.

I have actually turned my daughter around at one. She also is very tall for her age. I have a 2 door car and i place her in the middle of the back seat. That way for one she can see what is going on and for two i can tilt my mirror and look at her but i also have the harness that connects to the fastner at the top of the back seat to make sure the car seat doesn't come forward or fall over to the side. kinda secures it to the back and then it is seat belted in. Check out this web site it may be of some help... http://www.region.peel.on.ca/health/carseat/choosing/forw...
It says that if the child weighs at least 22 lbs. (10 kg) or
the child is one-years old. let me know if this helps. R.

My brother in law is a sheriff and he says 20lbs & 1 year old. If they meet both of those then its time :) Hope that helps

As far as I know, the CA law is one year AND 20 lbs. My pediatrician says they should stay rear facing until they are “Steady Walkers”. He explained that in the case of an accident, pre-walkers do not have strong enough spines to safely endure a forward facing collision.

I hope that this is of some help. ;-)

Janell

On her first birthday is when the little ones legally can turn around. It is safer in a rear facing seat, but I was eager to turn my little one around too. The safest place for your baby is in the middle of the back seat, so try her there. She'll be able to see you and it might make car trips a little easier. My baby girl loves to sit there, because she can see the road.
Have fun and be safe.

Hey there.. We got my daughter one of the seats that sit up more straight then her rear facing did.. And we always put her in the middle, that way she can see and stuff.. When we had our car she was kicking the seat too cuz shes really tall too.. But with her in the middle its not quite as bad.. :)

We turned ours around when she was just under 20 pounds. Our doctor said she was so close it was OK.

30 pounds is what they say for booster seats, but our docter says 40 pounds. And even then, you really should keep them in the 5 point harness as long as they fit.

And the car seat should always be in the middle if you can do that (no bucket seats or other car sears for other children.)

The Costco makes a great car seat. We have a 3-in-1 that she used backward, now forwatd & will turn into a booster. And we have the standard 2-in-1 that goes from forward to booster.

There actually is't a defined law about weights and measures regaurding the car seat and turning it around. The recomendation is 20 lbs and 1 year. Unfortunatly ifyou have a lrger child you may have to turn them sooner, but ask your pediatrition about it. My son was in the 95 % in weight and off teh chart in hieght, and we turned him around at 10 months, he was too big to be facing backward his knees were in his chest.

The reason you want them back ward as long as possible is so that in the event of an accident thier "body and back" are craddled by the seat, but by one they should be strong enough to have a harnes br safe for them...

This really is one of those places where all the lines are not clearly defined everywhere, if you are not feeling confortable, I wuld ask your pediatrition, they are very knowledgeable about this!
And can let you know if they think your baby is ready rather then you trying to guess.

H.

We had our seat professionally installed when my daughter was 8 months. The installer said that ideally they should stay rear facing to 15 months and could even stay until about 30 lbs. That is the ABSOLUTE SAFEST place for your daughter to be. The guy told us to cross her legs in front to help with the space issue.

That being said, I totally get the squished leg thing. The manufacturers recommend until at least 1 year old.

Decisions, Decisions!

If your daughter isn't "complaining" about being squished, I would leave her rear facing.

Good luck,
K.

Hi J.,

My son is almost 30" long and we still have him rear facing. We did have to buy a convertible car seat for him, though, because the infant seat we had was for children no longer than 29.5 inches and (I think) 30lbs. Through the classes I went to, a child can be turned around after they are 1 year, but can stay rear facing for as long as you (and they) are comfortable, up to about 2 years. We are planning to wait as long as we can just for the extra safety of being rear facing, but he will probably be turned around before the end of this summer.

We also have/had a small 4 door car and we have always put him in the middle of the backseat. I have always heard that it is the safest spot in the car.

Hope this helps!
M. M.

They really should be in the rear facing position until they're 33-35 lbs... its the safest for them. They used to tell you to turn them around when they were about a year old, but new studies have shown that its safest for them to stay in that position until they're bigger. Also, if you can, the best place for the seat is in the center... but some cars can't accomidate that.