Your Thoughts on Putting an 9 1/2 Months Baby Forward Facing

she is a nut. thought it was the law as well. No way. In fact, i plan on leaving my daughter rear facing after 1 yr. I plan on going for as long as I can pretty much.

My pediatrician said they recommend 2 years old. My daughter was too tall to still fit rear facing until she was 2, but I waited until she was almost 20 months. She is a very strong baby. I think that is a consideration also. The doc told me that the babies neck muscles aren't strong enough to support their heads in head on crashes, which she said was the number 1 cause of crashes and that is why they recommend rear facing for so long. I felt bad about having her facing forward at 20 months!! Like I said though she is a very strong little girl and she was scrunched rear facing. Hope this helps.

Here is what the AZ Govenor's Office of Highway Safety says. You can always call them to get specifics. I called a while ago and the officer that works there is super helpful and she's super nice. No, that baby should not be forward facing.

http://www.azgohs.gov/transportation-safety/default.asp?I...

The recommendations now are actually to keep little ones rear-facing up to age 2 as long as they are under the weight limits for the seat. Up to age 2! Our seat goes to 35 lbs rear-facing and that's where my almost 2 year old will stay-rear-facing!

Your SIL is being extremely cavalier with her daughter's safety. Google internal decapitation. That's what will happen to this child if they are involved in an accident. Check out this site:

http://www.joelsjourney.org/ViewJoelsvideo.html

And watch the crash test videos how an infant reacts in a crash when forward facing and when rear-facing. Huge difference. The force of impact is distributed around them when they are rear-facing.

We had asked our doctor about our very large 11 month old, if we should switch him around. Physical maturity should not be confused with physical size. He explained, not unlike the Austin Powers scene :) that a kid with a big head (like my son's) was like "an orange on a toothpick" and explained that his neck simply could not support his head in a crash. Get that kid turned around! Even if it causes a disagreement! Sure, her other kid was fine, but were they ever in an accident? I hate to suggest it, but those youtube videos can really impact! We recently decided to upgrade our 4.5 year old to a seat that will harnass him until 65 lbs. A mistake that we make as parents is thinking that the "next step" in a carseat is a promotion, when it's actually a demotion. A layer of safety is lost each time we take one of those steps - turning them around, moving to a regular seatbelt. Good luck!

Yup... she should still be rear facing.

My 6month old was over 25 lbs (and was long enough that his knees were in his face... he was 23.5 inches and 10lbs at birth. But age 2 he was 3 feet 2 inches, so we're looking at a 6'3-6'5 inch adult ) so we HAD to switch to forward facing (they didn't have rear facing convertible seats at that time). I was a nervous wreck... but it was also common sense. It was too dangerous for him to be rear facing. A fact which was confirmed by the car seat expert at the fire department, and again when we switched to a convertible seat/booster at 9 months, because his head was over the edge of the chair (aka his neck would have broken if we were in a wreck). But because there are people like me, others will switch early and use it as justification, even when THEIR situ is totally different. But we DID get it in writing from the fire dept... because we were breaking the letter of the law in our state.

Where I'm living at the moment they recommend that children stay rear facing till AT LEAST the age of 4... 4!! My daughter is now 3½ and we just recently switched her to forward facing.. Only because she gets extremely car sick and she really was uncomfortable riding backwards. 9½ months is extremely little to have a child forward facing.. The muscles in the neck are not at all strong enough to survive a car crash.. I found it comforting to have her rear facing because I knew that is something happened she would have the best chance possible... To be able to drive around with such a little one not properly secured surprises me.. Rear facing is the best in the right chair for their size.. there is nothing wrong with keeping them rear facing for as long as possible, I would seriously find some real information and really sit down and make her understand that her little one is just not strong enough.. has nothing to do with their weight.. They have only been able to hold their head up for a little while and no where near long enough to hold up against a car crash..

The reason a child should remain rear facing as long as possible is NOT muscle strength, NOT head control, and NOT weight. Its because a child under the age of 4-6 do not have a fully developed spine. The spine doesn't ossify (harden, fuse, form) to the skull until between 4 and 6yrs of age, and until that happens the only thing holding the skull and the spine together is soft tissue. Think of a twizzler licorice inside of a curly corded telephone cord. If you hold onto both ends and pull fast, the cord (spine) will stretch, but the twizzler (spinal cord) will snap. This is called INTERNAL DECAPITATION, and it happens to children who are 1, who are 2, all the way up to adults.

Besides the fact that its crazy unsafe, there is not one car seat on the market that allows a child to forward face before 1yr and 20lbs. So if she gets into an accident and the baby gets injured EVEN if the seat fails and its the manufacturers fault the child gets injured or killed, they are not responsible because she couldn't follow the simple instructions on the side of the seat and in the manual.

Regardless of the actual written out law in your state, each state has a proper usage clause, meaning you have to use the seat in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, and like I said before there is not one seat on the market htat allows forward facing before 1yr and 20lbs.

She's breaking the law and risking her childs life in the process. A 9mo old owuldn't stand a chance in even a minor collision. Its sad she can't regard her own childs life.

EDITED TO ADD- that regardless of how large or advanced a child is, their bone structure is still that of a child their age. Your 9mo old may be walking, talking, do the irish jig, but internally, their bones are only that of a 9mo old, and they cannot withstand a crash. It doesn't matter what your child can do, how large your child is or how strong your child is, bones only grow at a certain rate, and the bones of a 30lb 1yr old are the same bones of a 15lb 1yr old.

The law in Arizona just says that children under five must be properly restrained. I agree that she should be waiting until the baby meets the age and weight requirements, but I don't know that it is specifically outlined in the law. It isn't just about weight, but also about total physical development.

For the record, state laws have crazy exemptions from the law, as well:

ARS 28-907 (G)
The following situations are exempt from this law: Motor vehicles originally manufactured without seat belts (prior to 1972), recreational vehicles, public transportation, buses, school bus, transporting a child in an emergency to obtain medical care, or the situation where there is not enough room in the vehicle to put in child restraint systems for all the children in the vehicle. In the latter case, at least one child must be in a proper restraint system.

Here is some information I found about a program in your state. You might want to see if it is still active:

Buckle Up Baby Campaign
If you see a vehicle transporting a child under the age of 5 who is not properly restrained, you are encouraged to call the "Buckle Up, Baby" hotline: 1-800-505-BABY. When calling, leave the following information:
1. Vehicle license number and state
2. Where the vehicle was seen
3. Where the child was sitting in the vehicle

The purpose of the program is not to punish, but rather to inform. When the Police Department receives this information from you, they will send a packet of information to the owner of the vehicle. The materials describe the hazards of transporting unrestrained children under the age of 5, and encourages the owner to purchase a child restraint system. No one else is notified, and the car owner doesn't get in any trouble and is not fined. It is hoped that they will use the information to obtain the proper equipment for the vehicle and the child.

1 year and 20 pounds is just the very minimum. It is advised to keep babies/toddlers rear facing for as long as possible as it is safer. I never know why people are in such a hurry to transition their baby to forward facing...they've been rear facing since birth, so they don't know any different! My son is 19 months and is still rear facing.

9 months is too young for forwrd facing not because of the baby's size but because of the muscle strength. It is the law in NJ where we live--20 lbs and 12 months minimum. My 17 month old is still rear facing in a convertble seat. My 4 year old is nearly 50 lbs and we found a seat that can still accomodate him even though he could use just a booster seat. Every time you step down to a new care seat type your child is getting less safe because they are less well restrained. ( We do use a booster for the older one when we travel or go in someone else's car though.)

Two thoughts -

Research has shown that young children do not have the neck strength to endure an accident when facing forward. The guidelines now recommend ALL children, regardless of length and weight, face backwards until age 2. The logic is that even though their legs may touch the seat/be "cramped", it is much easier to deal with orthopedic issues with leg fractures/breaks than it is to deal with cervical/spine issues. Not to mention, you can live without our legs, but not your neck.

Second, you can tell her what you think, send her links to research, etc. ultimately it is her choice.

No matter how much you think she's wrong, research supports an alternative view or laws are put in place, she will do what she thinks is "best" for her child.

There is a reason they make rear facing car seats for kids beyond 20 lbs. I agree that her child should be out of the "infant" carrier car seat, however, the forward facing choice is a VERY bad one.

I just hope she never has to learn how wrong she is.

I was in a 4 car accident in January. My 11 month old daughter, even though she was 18 pounds, was in her rear facing seat. We were hit from behind and pushed into the truck in front of us. The ambulance driving came to see us at the hospital and told me that my daughter escaped injury only because she was restrained properly. Car seats have instructions for a reason. Your SIL is taking a chance with her daughters life! Even pediatricians tell you to keep your child rear facing. The ambulance driver told me that as long as my daughters legs weren't cramped, I should keep her rear facing (even if she reached 1 year and 20lbs) for as long as possible.

Google the laws in your state and print them for your SIL. I believe the law in our state is 1 year and 20 lbs. Keep bugging your SIL until she restraines her child properly. You may just be saving your neices life!!

I'm in Texas, so I don't know what the laws are in AZ, but YES....it IS a law that they have to be 20 lbs. AND 1 year of age here. A lot of recommendations are now stating that kids should stay rear facing even longer (until age 2) if possible. What she is doing is very dangerous. Just because she has a 9 month old that is on the large side does not mean that the baby has the strength in her neck muscles to keep from getting seriously hurt in an accident. I would NEVER turn my baby around that early. Both of my kids were on the small side and weren't 20 lbs. until well after they were a year old (around 15 months for both), so they stayed rear facing longer than most kids. I would research the laws in AZ and send her the link if it is, in fact, a law there. This would hopefully convince her that she needs to turn that baby back around. If it isn't a law, it still isn't safe and if your husband has any influence on her and could possibly convince her, then he needs to try. It truly isn't safe for her baby. Good luck!

I DID turn my son forward at 9.5 months as well. He was 23 lbs and he was doing ALL the things a one yr old would do. He started exclusively walking at 8 months etc. The main reason for moving him to forward facing was because the car seat straps were hitting his thighs and not his hips because he was so long. Having said all of that there is NO WAY I would have moved him forward facing if he was not over 20 lbs and was not doing all the physical things that a one year old could do.
I would advise her to keep her child rearfacing.

Our pediatrician told us that it is now recommended to keep children rear facing until 2 years.

AZ law states:

Infant Seats
Birth to age one, designed for children from 7 to 20 pounds
Infants should be in a reclined infant car seat or convertible seat in the infant position to protect the delicate neck and head. All straps should be pulled snugly. The car seat must face the rear of the car and should never be used in a front seat where there is an air bag. The infant must face the rear so that in the event of a crash, swerve, or sudden stop, the infant’s back and shoulders can better absorb the impact. Household infant carriers and cloth carriers are not designed to protect an infant in a car and should never be used.

Convertible Seats
7 to 40 Pounds
The convertible car seat is placed in a reclined rear-facing position. After children reach at least 1 year and 20 pounds, the convertible seat can be turned forward and placed in the upright position in the back seat of the vehicle.

we had to turn our dd forward facing before a year, but she was over 20 pounds and her legs went halfway up the seat, so she was very uncomfortable forward facing. But we talked to her pediatrician first and he said it was ok.

The requirements are at least 1 year of age and 20 lbs.However that's the requirements,that's not what is the safest!My Husband is a car seat tech,and a baby that age is not developed enough to with stand the force of a car accident while facing forward.She can be seriously injured or even killed.Have her watch the videos on youtube,type in forward facing vs. rear facing.The child dummy thrashes around rather violently!In fact when my Husband saw a video to get his car seat tech license he didn't suggest rushing into forward facing at 1 year old and 20 lbs!I'm sorry to be frank but facing a baby that age forward is lazy!And to say she should be fine we did it with our other child is stupid!Were they in an accident with the other child at that age?If you have any further questions or my Husband can be of any help please don't hesitate to ask!

You can find a lot of sources to explain why rear facing is always best. Here is just one:

http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Do your best to convince her to change this behavior. She is putting her child at risk. Maybe have her ask her pediatrician if she won't talk to you. I have no doubt her doctor will tell her to turn the carseat around.

Good luck,
K.

Hmmm is it the law? My 14 month old is still rear facing except for in dads truck it just won't work with 3 carseats.It is very unsafe that she is forward facing she hasn't developed the upper body strength of an older child she is yet to be over 20lbs but if she wants her daughter that way all you have to do is let her know it is unsafe

I look at it this way - the law is that children must be rear facing until they are 1 year old and 20 lbs for a reason. I would hate to get into an accident to test the law and end up injuring my child or worse (God forbid!). Rear facing is safer and many people - me included keep their children rear facing past the minimum time for that reason. My son was closer to 18 months before I turned his seat around, purely because I had read repeatedly that this was the safest option for him in the car.

Everyone has to make their own parenting choices. Is your SIL the type to actually listen to her brother or will the extra convincing cause her to dig in her heels? It may or may not be worth it to find a few articles from reputable sources that explain why rear facing until 1 year (or beyond) is safer, depending on how you think she'll take the information. Will she take it as help, or criticism?

This may sound like an awful thing to do to a family member and since it is the law, you could call the non-emergency number of local law enforcement to see if they would be willing to have a talk with her, or ticket her to make a point.

Or you can just leave it alone and pray that nothing happens to test the safety of her choice. Good luck in whatever you decide.

I have been told by multiple police officers from many different cities that the longer you keep your child in a rear facing seat, the safer it is for them. Facing backwards actually helps alleviate pressure put on the child's neck, head and shoulder not to mention their chest if you are involved in an accident. Also, on every car seat, whether it is an ifant carrier or a convertible seat-turns into a booster, it states that your child should be rear facing until they are one year old AND x number of pounds. I work at a nation wide retail store and I have never seen a child seat that stated one year old OR x number of pounds. When it comes to your own kids, I feel its always better to be safe than sorry. Unfortunately, you can only give advice to other parents, you can't make them follow it.

When my son was 20 pounds he was still under a year old. We have a friend that is a police officer and he told us the reason you do not turn your baby around in the carseat until they are both 1 year and 20 pounds is because their neck muscles are more developed when they are a year old and can withstand a car accident better. Hope that helps!!

I know it's a law where I live, but not sure about every state. I would check with a local police department.

Hi. I thought it was one years old and 20 pounds as well. My daughter was almost 20 pounds at her 6 month check up and our pediatrian said it was ok to turn her around when she finally hit it. Now at 8 months she is 21 pounds. I thought he was crazy so I got a second opinon and he said it was ok too. They both said that the one year 20 pounds thing comes from that most babies hit 20 around 1 years old. But if you are anything like me, I have big babies, my son was 10lbs 2oz adn 22 inches when he was born and my daughter was 8lbs 7oz and 20 inches.(Shes thinning out now that she is almlost walking. So they said babies usually triple their birth weight by 1. So mine would be well over 20 pounds by 1 and meaning it would be ok to turn them when they hit 20 before. They both also said if we still had concerns to call the state police, they will tell you the laws. I think you should talk to your pediatrian and see what they say and then call the police and ask what they think. Your friend might already have that info. Becareful trying to convince an other mother of her parenting. Dont lecture.
Before anyone yells at me, we still have her facing back until she is one.! Just telling you what two different pediatrians said. Good Luck!

That is sooooo not safe!!!!! I can see if she was outgrown the weight limit on a convertable car seats rear facing. BUT I would call the safety department and find out for sure. i'm going to do that with my son since he is almost to the height and weight limit for a my Britax Marathon. (I know, he is HUGE) I really can't believe people ignore LAWS like that. Not only if she gets in an accident and her daughter is hurt, she could get slapped with a HUGE fine and if the cops are really not H. they could start an investigation. My friend had that happen to her when she was pulled over for a ticket. Here is a links with some facts you can confront here with.
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/qt/rear_facing.htm

View this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8

I was told that it was the law by the fire department who checked my carseat to have them rear facing until 20 lbs AND 1 year and that they were thought on whether to change the law to 35 lbs due to safety issues... However, it's really not worth it to lecture them and possibly harm the relationship for a decision that they feel comfortable with.... the baby is probably safe although not as safe as he could be, but you could talk to your fire department and get them a pamplet like the one I received that gave all that info and why to keep them rear facing that way they are informed and if they still choose to have them ff then I would drop it......

I had our local fire department install my car seat. They have 2 people certified to do it. It is a law 1 year AND 20 lbs. You should have her go there that way theres an expert telling her.

NO! I work at a Rehabilitation hospital. She should take her baby, her car seat and her car and find someone who is certified to install car seats. The health department, hospitals, insurance companies, some car dealers, should be able to let you know how to get a hold of someone who can do this. The baby and her bones/muscles are not strong enough in an accident. The law is to 20 lbs AND 1 year and now they are pushing towards 2 years. Is it worth it for convenience to have a baby in the hospital suffering? I hope not only you, but your husband and any literature or websites you can find can talk some sense into her!

yeah in CT it is the law and it really is dangerous, google it, I dont want to scare you but you can scare yourself. LOL......I kept my LO till 16 mo 22 lbs and I really really wanted more, I bought a seat that can keep them back till 35 lbs but she has cried facing backwards since day one and I could not take it anymore...she stoped crying (you can tell I feel bad about it bc I feel the need to explain it LOL). keeping them back as long as you can is best really maybe you can email her some of the links that show the accidents? that is too scarry though....good luck and thanks for being so caring about your sil kid!

A baby's neck muscles are not strong enough to withstand a collision if front facing at that age. If they get pulled over, they will be ticketed. It is the law. 1 year AND 20 lbs.

She will only resent you for butting in. It is the law in some states and in others it's not. Here's a link to car seat laws by state.
______________________________________________________
http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/childsafety_laws....
The way I read this is that if a child is 5 years old and under they have to just be in a car seat in Arizona. No preference for rear or forward facing.
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http://babyproducts.about.com/od/statecarseatlaws/qt/ariz...
This one says the same thing.
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I would find out the law for sure and then have a conversation with her. Tell her that you always thought that it was for the babys safety and you were concerned so you looked up the law. Then tell her what the law says and ask her if she talked with her pediatrician about it or who it is that misinformed her that it is safe for her baby to be forward facing. Let her know that the risk of being in an accident is not worth it to have her baby forward facing until the baby is the correct weight/age.

Yeah that's too young to be forward facing. Although I will say that I put my daughter in a front facing car seat at 11 months. My reasons were because she was 21 pounds and very tall (in the 90th %) And she was awful from day one in the car. She hated her car seat and going on rides. Even just a short drive to the store was awful. She would scream at the top of her lungs the whole way there and I would already be at my wits end by the time I set foot in the store or where ever we were going. So at 11 months I switched her to front facing to see if that would help and it totally did. She still didn't last forever in the car but she was good for at least a 10 to 15 min. drive. So i'm not saying your SIL is right at all but maybe she has a reason for wanting to switch her so early? I still think 9 months is way too young.

It actually is a law and more and more pediatricians are saying you should keep children rear facing in a convertible seat til 2. Much safer in a car accident as their neck muscles aren't strong enough.

My son is just 9 months old and almost 22 lbs. We had to get a new car seat when he was 8 months old because he outgrew his infant seat. HOWEVER ... he is still facing the rear and will continue to do so at least until he reaches one if not longer. There are plenty of convertable carseats that can face the rear and face forward (when the time is right). 9 1/2 months and 18 lbs is not the right time for that. I thought it was a law as well (unsure if its true) but almost everything you read states that a child should be rear facing until they are 1-year-old and at least 20 lbs for the sake of the child's safety.

The law is 20 pounds AND 1 year of age for a reason. Their skeletal system is not fully matured. Try and educate your friend!

Will the baby be safer if she was rear-facing? Of course. As my pediatrician said, we'd ALL be safer facing backwards in a car. I have a feeling that your SIL already knows this and, for some reason, just doesn't consider it all that important. Doesn't mean she doesn't love the baby, it's just that some parents are more safety-cautious and some, well, aren't. To be fair, rear facing car seats aren't always that safe either. When my daughter was just five months old, we were at a red light in our SUV when someone slammed into the back of us at over 50 mph. So for my daughter, who was facing the rear, it was like a head-on collision...which is something that being rear facing is supposed to prevent. Fortunately, my daughter was protected by the hand of God, but it was still the most frightening experience of my life.

If you've already had a discussion with your SIL about this, and she shrugged off your concern, I would probably just let it go. Anything else you or your husband say will probably only upset her (she'll feel like you're questioning her parenting decisions...which you are). Honestly, she'd have to live under a rock to not know about the recommended age and weight requirements for facing forward, so her decision has already been made in spite of that.

I understand you're worried, but try to be comforted in the fact that, at the very least, your neice is restrained in the vehicle. After our car accident, I made a promise to never put my children in anything smaller than a full-sized, fully framed SUV. It's just simple physics that says they'll be safer in most crashes that way. But does that mean it's okay for me to lecture my family members/friends that drive smaller cars? Absolutely not. Just...try to keep that in mind.

You should keep babies rear facing for as long as the seat will capacitate it, because it is the safest (and yes, THE LAW until 20lbs and one year). Most of the time you can go well over a year rear facing because seats usually go to at least 30lbs rear facing. I was unfortunate in the fact that my daughter weighed over 35 lbs by her first birthday and we had to turn her at one year old, but if she was smaller I would have kept her backwards for as long as possible.
I agree with other posters to have her go to the local FD and have them install the seat!

no way!!!!!! This scares me......I believe it is the law!!!! Maybe print something out and give it to her stating the law.
IT blows my mind that parents are so quick to have their child forward facing...they are risking their childs life.
I would do whatever you can to change her mind even if it causes a fight...this is for the baby.
Just looked at my info from ped office...gave me paperwork on the law.
It states baby has to stay backward facing until the meet both....1 year of age and over 20 pounds...not one or the other.
People are playing with fire when doing it earlier. Is it really worth your childs life??????

You are right to be concerned, because what she is doing is very dangerous. A 9 1/2 month old does not have the physical maturity be safe is a forward facing car seat. Just because she got lucky with her older child does not mean she will be lucky this time. What she is doing is foolish and dangerous. Ask her if she would give her children a loaded gun to play with? Maybe the child is too weak to be harmed and maybe not, but it is too big a risk to take. If she needs further convincing take her to your local fire station and let them talk to her.

This kept my children rear facing until 18 months.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo&feature=re...

that is extremely dangerous! yes, it IS a law. they are actually now saying that children should not face forward until closer to the age of 2 now! they even recommend 35 lbs! i did not know any better with my first and i had her turned around at 11 months, because she was 21 pounds. i feel so guilty about it now! i wanted to keep my son backward as long as possible. He is 20 months and 28 lbs right now and i JUST turned him around. i didnt even really want to, but it was becoming extremely difficult to get him in the seat with how tall he is and it was turning into a battle. he wanted to sit forward like his sister (now 4). 18 pounds and 9 months is waaay too young to be facing forward!

It is absolutely a law!!! NO child should ever be forward facing until at least a year/20lbs. Actually, the American Acadamy Of Pediatrics is now recommending that you keep them rear facing until at least 15 months. Bottom line is, it is much safer.

I will be honest with you..Its her child you need to let her make the decision for herself...if the baby is more advanced and has strong neck and back muscles then she should be ok...I am not sure if it is actually "the law" or not I just know it says that on all carseats...If my sister in law or who ever told me that what I was doing with my child was wrong and I shouldent do it that way I would be pissed so depending on what your relationship is...