I have 6 mo. old and I have a rear facing car carrier. The problem is that the weight limit on this carrier is 23 lbs. In a few months here I will have to buy a new car seat. But when do you switch from a rear facing to a forwarding facing one?
Becky,
This is the State of Tennessee site on car seat safety.
http://www2.state.tn.us/health/FactSheets/childsafety.htm
As for your question:
When you get the next size up get a toddler seat that can be rear facing so that she can use that one until she is 1 and ready to be turned around.
Check out Graco's website, it has a car seat selector where you can put in baby's age, height & weight, this will help you make a decision. www.gracobaby.com
Becky, I found the following information on http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm
Hope this helps!
Rear-facing seats
All infants should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. That means that if your baby reaches 20 pounds before her first birthday, she should remain rear-facing until she
Infant-only car safety seat
turns 1.
There are 2 types of rear-facing seats: infant-only seats and convertible seats. Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants, and then converted to a forward-facing position once the child is old enough and big enough to do so safely.
Infant-only seats
Small and have carrying handles (sometimes come as part of a stroller system).
Have a built-in harness that covers the child's upper torso.
Can only be used for infants from birth up to 20 to 30 pounds, depending on model.
Many come with a detachable base, which can be left in the car. The seat clicks into and out of the base, which means you don't have to install it each time you use it.
Convertible seats (used rear-facing)
Are used rear-facing for infants from birth to at least 1 year of age and at least 20 to 22 pounds. Can also be used forward-facing by older children.
Have higher rear-facing weight limits than infant-only seats. These are ideal for bigger babies.
Have the following 3 types of harnesses:
- 5-point harness - 5 points of attachment: 2 at the shoulders, 2 at the hips, 1 at the crotch
- Overhead shield - A padded tray-like shield that swings down over the child
- T-shield - A padded t-shaped or triangle-shaped shield attached to the shoulder straps
Hi Becky,
I'd recommend a convertible seat which can be used rear facing until your baby is old enough for it to be turned around to forward facing position.
http://www.thecarseatlady.com/car_seats/rear-facing_seats.html
They must be both -- 1 year AND 20-22 lbs before you can turn them around.
Cindy
I don't know about now, but when I had my youngest the law was 1 year of age and minimum of 22 pounds.
A child shouldn't ride forward until they are 20 lbs and 1 year. We are going to have to look into a convertible seat ourselves. Our 3 month old is over 20 lbs now. I think the convertible ones have a weight limit of 30-something lbs when facing backwards, but everyone I've talked to says they definitely have to remain backwards 1 year.
Danielle
Hi Becky,
Well, you are suppose to keep then facing backward until a year old. My daughter grew out of her infant carrier before then though. We got her a convertible carseat. It's awesome. You can make it go backward, forwards, and become a booster. So it is really worth the money to get this one rather than have to keep buying carseats. Hope this helps!
Leticia
You do not switch to a forward facing seat until the baby is at least 1 year old AND 20 pounds! What you need is a convertable seat. It can face backward until the baby is at least 1 year and 20 pounds and then turn around to face forward. I recommend the Britax car seats highly. They are strong and heavy and very safe; however, they are a little pircey. The Britax roundabout goes up to 40 pounds. The Maraton and Decathelon go up to 65 pounds. My son will be 5 years old in a couple of weeks and he weighs 43 pounds. If you bought a Britax Marathon or Decathelon, it would probably last until the child is at leas 6 or 7 years old and maybe longer. By then your daughter would be ready for a booster seat. Check out their website at www.britaxusa.com
Everyone who has newborns: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE check the height and weight limits on your infant carriers!!!!
My daughter outgrew the length LONG before the weight. We HAD to buy a convertible carseat. Plus, it just makes more sense financially.
I see kids who are hanging out of their infant carriers all over the place. They should be in a convertible carseat until they are 1 year AND 20 pounds- as stated by previous posters.
We bought the Britax Marathon for my daughter (3 1/2). She would still be in it, but baby #2 came along and needed the convertible even earlier than my daughter. Plus, our daughter wanted a carseat that had a cupholder, etc.
Also another pet peeve of mine- the chest clip on the carseat should be at armpit level, not down in the tummy area. Any lower than armpit level and the clip itself can actually damage internal organs in an accident.
The law in Tennessee is that the child must be 20 pounds AND one year of age before turning around to face forward. My children have never been 20 pounds before at least 15 months. They've grown too tall for the carseat & I had to buy a larger one that could face either way. I recently saw an internet article that suggested children continue to face the rear until they were at least 36 months old. I couldn't handle the screaming, so I turned my kids around to face forward when they hit 20#. Good luck.
You should be able to find one with a higher weight limit facing to the rear will also work facing forward after your baby turns 1 year old. Our son is 7 months and we had to switch car seats a couple months back. The one we found works up to 35 or 40 pounds facing forward.
Hi, I just wanted to add on to the other responses. The MINIMUM is 1 year and 20lbs- but it is MUCH SAFER to keep them rear facing for as long as possible!!
My son hit the height and weight limits of his infant carrier at 6 months old, we purchased a good convertable seat and he stayed rear facing until he was 20 months and outgrew the rear facing limits of the seat we had. There are seats (ei Britax)that last much longer rear facing (I have seen 3 year olds still RF).
If you have questions about them I would talk to a car seat techincian in your area for suggestions etc.
HTH
Georgia law states that a baby cannot turn around until one year of age. My baby is off the growth charts in height and weight, so I had to buy her a big car seat at 4 months. I bought one that converts from rear-facting to forward-facing to booster-seat so I wouldn't ever have to buy another seat.
a good website...
20lbs AND 1 year old is the recommendation. There are many different and safe car seats that can be used both as a rear and front facing car seat- saving you the hassle of having to change again.
Becky,
Every states guidelines are different, but most states will not allow a child to ride in a forward facing car seat until they are 20lbs and 1 year old. I had to switch my son at 8 months into the next car seat because he had outgrown his infant carrier. I researched and found a 3-in-1 car seat, by Eddie Bauer, that could be used rear facing, forward facing and converts to a booster. Several companies make them.
Good luck.
Hi Becky! You'll make the switch to forward-facing at the one year mark, but you can buy what is called a "convertible" car seat that faces the rear until you are ready to go forward, at which point it will last until you are ready for a booster seat. I suggest BabyCenter to browse around first, because you can read parents' reviews. The prices aren't always the best, though, so then go shopping for your seat. Also, going to Target and pulling their seats down to put your baby into them is helpful. Good luck!
You are supposed to switch when they are 12 months, PLUS a certain weight, PLUS a certain length. I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but your doctor will know, and so will the owners manual in a new carseat. You can buy a converting carseat. Mine converts from rear facing to foward facing to high back booster to booster, so it is really nice to only have to buy one carseat. I paid more for it, but in the long run, you save money with it converting. Just when you go to buy a new carseat, make sure it converts. The only problem is, it isn't like the carrier, and you can't take the carseat in to the stores with you anymore!!
The rule that your baby must be 20lbs. and 1 yr. old before you face her forward. Hope this helps.
mandee