POLL: When to turn carseat forward

[aMie]

When did you/will turn your carseat forward facing? As ds nears a year and is already 20+lbs, I am wondering if I will go ahead and turn it around on his birthday or wait. Is it really that much better to have it rear facing? Thanks!

[lilyka]

Our carseat goes rear facing to 35 pounds. We will keep dd in it until she is a full 35 pounds . My other two children hit that at abnout 2 2 1/2. My first two were turned around at 9 months or so because they met the weight requirments. I wish I had kept them rear facing longer. Live and learn. and yes., It is that much better.

[Cygnet09]

I have to second lilyka. We turned DD1 around at about the same age (9 or 10 months) because she had hit the weight limit and was miserable rear-facing. She did much better, but we will leave DD2 rear-facing as long as possible. We just ordered two Britax Marathon seats, so it will keep DD2 RF 'til 30+ pounds. The longer RF they are, the safer they are. There's a thread here about crash tests done comparing RF vs FF with the RF dummies faring much better.

[Mariposa]

rear facing till she outgrows the weight or height requirements

Although Abby will be a year in a couple of weeks, she is barely 17 pounds so she can't turn around anyway. BUT, even if she was 20 pounds, she will remain rear facing as long as she can. We have an Evenflo Triumph and it goes to 35lbs. It is safer for babies to be rearfacing.

Here is a link that I found helpful in deciding to keep her rearfacing and find a seat that would go up to 35lbs.

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

This is usually a hot topic so I am sure you will get lots of replies soon. I personally don't care if my baby will be happier facing forward. Yes, I love her and hate for her to be unhappy, but I would rather know she is in the safest position! Plus, since she hasn't ever been forward facing, she has no idea what she is missing.

My friend turned her son before he was a year because she was tired of him crying. She faced him forward even though I tried to convince her to keep in rear facing. She even bought a DVD player for him to keep him occupied. Guess what?? He still cries. Some babies just don't like to be restrained and by themselves back there.

Good luck in your decision!!

[kofduke]

I will keep Aaron rear-facing at the very least until he is one, and as long thereafter as I am able. Unfortunately, our convertable seat has a 30-lb. limit rear-facing, and as he weighs almost 18 lbs. at 5 months, I'm thinking a year will be about the limit- but we'll wait and see.

[padomi]

We always heard don't turn it around until 1 year old and 20 pounds. Millie hit 20 pounds when she was 7 or 8 months old, but we were still going to wait until a year. However, we had to make a very long distance drive and leading up to that drive she began to hate her carseat. We thought maybe turning it around would make her feel better. It worked. I've heard that their internal organs aren't mature enough to withstand a forward facing crash until they're at least a year, though.

[Kermit]

I voted before 12 mos by accident!! NEVER before 12 mos! NEVER NEVER! I thought the poll was about when to put them in the bigger carseat. (Wasn't paying attention, I know)

[Moon]

I turnt Sophie around in May, at 18 months. I did it because her long long legs were under her chin. I would rather have kept her rear facing from a safety perspective, her seat allowed for her to go to 35 lbs and she's 27, but Looooooooooooooooooooooooong.

[mamapixie]

Well, with DS#1, I turned him at 9 months, because he was 20lbs, and in 1996, there were no carseats available in my area that rearfaced past 20lbs.

With DS #2, he will be rearfacing as long as possible, he's 11 months now, I'm hoping he'll fit both weight and height wise in his seats(I have a Fisher Price Safe Embrace, and a Century Accel) until at least 18 months.

[Elphaba]

shoshanna is 20.5 months and is still rear-facing. she's not quite 22 pounds, and i want her to stay rear-facing as long as she can. our seat is a britax roundabout and the weight limit is either 30 or 35 pounds.
people are starting to ask me why she is still rear-facing at almost 2, and i just say, it's safer. everyone i know turns the seat around at one year, some even earlier. if shosh is like her cousin, she may not hit 30 pounds until she's 4! but i'll turn her around before then, if that's what it looks like the case will be.
anyway, i'll keep her rear-facing as long as she fits.

[lilyka]

I just wanted to point out that you dan't have to pay mega bucks for a good carseat that goes up to 35#. we paid $35 for ours (on sale but still only $50 regularly). Doessn't have all the bells and whistles of the expensive ones but does the job and installed really easily.

[Foobar]

WE are planning to move Goo's seat around at 12 months. She's at the right weight and I feel that she wants to see the world from the oher direction.

I understand those who want to keep their child rear-facing.

[AmandasMom]

DD is almost 3, and is still rear facing. I had to buy a car seat that was rear facing till 35lbs, but safety and security is worth much more then the price we had to pay for a new car seat.

[MamaStace]

I will turn her forward facing when she hits 20 lbs. She is now 8 months and barely 18lbs, so we have a bit to go. She's still in her infant seat at the moment. With my DS, I turned him forward facing at 8 months. I had gone to a carseat clinic, and the policeman checking the seats actually gave me $hit for having him still rear-facing, and didn't believe me when I told him that it's safer to stay rear-facing (this was in 2001, so it's not like it was that long ago!) Shows you he had no idea what the heck he was doing.

[NoraB]

After hearing about the safety issues, I had planned to keep DD rear facing as long as possible. However, she's always hated the carseat w/ a passion. Often, the only way I can keep her happy is to sit back there, lean over, and nurse her. Of course, when I have to drive, she usually has a meltdown b/c I just can't stretch my nipple far enough to reach her . I finally figured out that I could calm her by reaching my arm back and letting her hold my hand/fingers (so not comfortable!). Anyway, the other day we were switching the carseat to another car and decided to give foward facing a try. She was calm and happy the entire car trip!!!! I'm still very conflicted about keeping her foward facing, but I'm pleased that she's actually enjoying car trips now. More than likely I'll keep her foward facing. With any other kids, I'll keep them rear facing as long as they tolerate it.

[mamapixie]

Just remember that with any convertible carseat EXCEPT Britax(and the Cosco Alpha Omega), the straps MUST be in the top slots when the seat is moved to forward facing. The lower slots are not reinforced for forward facing use, and should always only be used for rearfacing use

Mamastace, honestly, I can't see how the techs at that check had gone thru any of the NHTSA training. It is drilled thru your skull that you should NEVER forward face before 1 year of age, and the new curriculum says to rearface as long as possible(I took the training in 1999, and started to re-take it in Dec. 01, but had to drop out of class due to my oldest being sick). And, all the check up forms I've ever used point out that if the child is under 1 year, and forward facing, it is a mistake, and the parent isn't allowed to leave the check with the child installed in the seat that way.

[sleepies]

i did it a bit earlier.....

it is BEST to keep them rear facing.

if they are happy rear facing there is NO NEED to turn them around early!!!!! i'd keep them rear facing as long as the manual says it is safe. heck, id keep them rear facing until they are in highschool!


we turned him around early because he would FREAK out when he could not see me. he screamed as if you were beating him from the moment he was put in the car until the moment you took him out of the car.

it was very dangerous for me to drive with him screaming.


my car seat said it was OK to turn around at 20 pounds and before a year.

my doctor said that it was also ok. because alex was big and strong. he said that they say one year to encapsulate ALL babies even the small and premies.

we turned him around at like 11 months, maybe 10 months, but he was walking....well....etc. very sturdy with his muscles and strong.

you have to read the manual though, NOT ALL car seats are safe before a year AND 20 pounds. be sure what yours says before doing anything.


if he didn't cry he'd still be facing back


EDIT---
to nora B

I had same issues as you! im glad we did it early, but our doctor and manual said was ok.

another option. = earplugs you can wear when you drive, will keep the noise of the screaming to a minimum...or if summer you can roll down windows and that minimizes the noise of their screams...

i hated it. i was SO GLAD when he was able to enjoy the car. it will happen for you too

[fluffernutter]

My DD is 21 lbs and 14 months. She'll stay rear facing for as long as it's physically possible. Here are some helpful links.

Rear facing as long as possible
Carseat laws by state
Crash test videos (scroll to bottom)

[aMie]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I will keep him rearfacing as long as possible, since ds is okay with it. I may be kinda weird but I think it would be easier to strap him in as long as he is rear facing than if he were forward facing, plus I run around a lot with my mom & grandmother and so he loves sitting back there and playing with them. Thanks!

[MamaStace]

I agree mamapixie, I really didn't question him too much, I was a bit stunned at the time I guess, and I assumed being a policeman he would know the rules. I just got the kids seats installed professionally again and this time by people who I made sure were certified!