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Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seats
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dominicksmomma posted:
Ok I have a question (new mom here) my son is 8 months old and he is 29" long and 22 lbs 4oz. He has outgrown his carrier but the only seat I have for him to go into is a forward facing "big boy" seat. The directions said at least 1 yr of age 20lbs 29" length. He meets all the requirements but the age. Everyone I spoke to said that he would be ok but I want to see what you opinions are. When I took him to his Drs appointment today I forgot to ask the pedi. Any feed back would be great!
Thanks!
13 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsOk I have a question (new mom here) my son is 8 months old and he is 29" long and 22 lbs 4oz. He has outgrown his carrier but the only seat I have for him to go into is a forward facing "big boy" seat. The directions said at least 1 yr of age 20lbs 29" length. He meets all the requirements but the age. Everyone I spoke to said that he would be ok but I want to see what you opinions are. When I took him to his Drs appointment today I forgot to ask the pedi. Any feed back would be great!<br />Thanks!
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FrmGirl responded:
I would like to hear the answer to this question, too. My DS is 9 months old, 23 lb 8 oz and 29.5 inches. I did the same thing Monday...forgot to ask the pedi. Must be our mom brains!!
Hannah(28)DH(26) M/C 2007(early) Early delivery 2008 (23wks) Jude: May 21, 2008 - May 31, 2008; Gabriel: (adopted) Feb 2010.
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsI would like to hear the answer to this question, too. My DS is 9 months old, 23 lb 8 oz and 29.5 inches. I did the same thing Monday...forgot to ask the pedi. Must be our mom brains!! <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/grin.gif" align="top" border="0">
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dominicksmomma responded:
lol yea it must be our mommy brains : )
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatslol yea it must be our mommy brains : )
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roni090909 responded:
It is against the law for you to turn your baby before a year. Not to mention its definitely not in your baby's best interest. Just because they meet the size requirements it doesn't mean they are ready. Your LO still has 4 months, its not like he is 11 1/2 months old. They are actually recommending you leave your child refacing until 2 now.

I like to leave my child refacing as long as possible. Its so much safer for the child to be rear facing vs forward facing. DS was rear facing until 15 months when he out grew the height requirement for the convertible carseat.
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsIt is against the law for you to turn your baby before a year. Not to mention its definitely not in your baby's best interest. Just because they meet the size requirements it doesn't mean they are ready. Your LO still has 4 months, its not like he is 11 1/2 months old. They are actually recommending you leave your child refacing until 2 now. <br /><br />I like to leave my child refacing as long as possible. Its so much safer for the child to be rear facing vs forward facing. DS was rear facing until 15 months when he out grew the height requirement for the convertible carseat.
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j9ween2 responded:
go buy a convertible seat that does rear & forward facing. It is illegal to put a child forward facing before 1 year of age.

It is safest to keep your child rear facing as long as possible. Some European countries have kids sit rear facing until age 3
Janine (Tyler -5, Bella -3, and Giana -8 months born 8 weeks early)
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsgo buy a convertible seat that does rear &amp; forward facing. It is illegal to put a child forward facing before 1 year of age. <br /><br />It is safest to keep your child rear facing as long as possible. Some European countries have kids sit rear facing until age 3
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momtobegrunden responded:
Your LO may be tall enough and heavy enough to meet those requirements, but at only 8 months old, his neck and spine are not developed enough to withstand a collision forward-facing. You risk serious damage to his spine and neck and even death if you forward-face him now.

I suggest purchasing a convertible car seat that can do both forward and rear-facing. You can buy one very reasonably, if money is a factor for you. I think we paid under $50 for our spare "emergency" one.

If you're still not convinced, please google "forward facing before one year". There is a lot of great information out there!
Me(29). DH(40). DSD(15). DSS(9). DS1(2). DS2(10/6/10).
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsYour LO may be tall enough and heavy enough to meet those requirements, but at only 8 months old, his neck and spine are not developed enough to withstand a collision forward-facing. You risk serious damage to his spine and neck and even death if you forward-face him now.<br /> <br />I suggest purchasing a convertible car seat that can do both forward and rear-facing. You can buy one very reasonably, if money is a factor for you. I think we paid under $50 for our spare "emergency" one.<br /> <br />If you're still not convinced, please google "forward facing before one year". There is a lot of great information out there!
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peachyisthelife responded:
Yup all the gals are right. You need a CONVERTABLE seat. Convertables you can do forward or rear facing. All those reasons, against the law, neck and spine aren't strong enough yet, all that is true. Definitely don't do rear facing yet. They are recommending rear facing as long as you can. I had my 2yo rear facing up until about her 2nd bday and I only had to change her because we had our 3rd baby and my 4yo couldn't get to his seat in the back row of the van with the baby's carseat on one side of the van and my rear facing carseat on the other side.
Cathryn~~~Jared 4yo~Brooke 2yo~Leah born July 2010
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsYup all the gals are right. You need a CONVERTABLE seat. Convertables you can do forward or rear facing. All those reasons, against the law, neck and spine aren't strong enough yet, all that is true. Definitely don't do rear facing yet. They are recommending rear facing as long as you can. I had my 2yo rear facing up until about her 2nd bday and I only had to change her because we had our 3rd baby and my 4yo couldn't get to his seat in the back row of the van with the baby's carseat on one side of the van and my rear facing carseat on the other side.
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Jennifer Shu, MD responded:
Thanks for your question! Everyone who has posted so far is absolutely correct--the child must be a minimum of 1 year AND 20 pounds before legally and safely turning face-forward in a car seat. In fact, it is now recommended that babies stay rear-facing in the car as long as possible, within the height and weight limits of the seat. Convertible seats allow babies to face the rear for much longer now, often up to 18 months to 2 years of age. Turning baby forwards too soon puts her at greater risk for whiplash and neck/brain damage.


For more information, check out http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving Safety/Child Safety/4 Steps for Kids: Rear-Facing Seats
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsThanks for your question! Everyone who has posted so far is absolutely correct--the child must be a minimum of 1 year AND 20 pounds before legally and safely turning face-forward in a car seat. In fact, it is now recommended that babies stay rear-facing in the car as long as possible, within the height and weight limits of the seat. Convertible seats allow babies to face the rear for much longer now, often up to 18 months to 2 years of age. Turning baby forwards too soon puts her at greater risk for whiplash and neck/brain damage.<br /><br /><br />For more information, check out <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving Safety/Child Safety/4 Steps for Kids: Rear-Facing Seats">http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving Safety/Child Safety/4 Steps for Kids: Rear-Facing Seats</a>
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FrmGirl responded:
Thank you ladies for your comments/suggestions. Thankfully we have a used convertable car seat (not expired) but are going to buy our own new one now.

Thank you for letting us know it is illegal. Mostly, though, thank you for letting us know the real reason why our LO's should be rear facing---the risk of serious injury in a crash. I did not know that!!

Again, thanks for all the input ladies and thank you Dr. Shu for the article reference!
Hannah(28)DH(26) M/C 2007(early) Early delivery 2008 (23wks) Jude: May 21, 2008 - May 31, 2008; Gabriel: (adopted) Feb 2010.
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsThank you ladies for your comments/suggestions. Thankfully we have a used convertable car seat (not expired) but are going to buy our own new one now.<br /> <br />Thank you for letting us know it is illegal. Mostly, though, thank you for letting us know the real reason why our LO's should be rear facing---the risk of serious injury in a crash. I did not know that!!<br /> <br />Again, thanks for all the input ladies and thank you Dr. Shu for the article reference!
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dominicksmomma responded:
I just wanted to say thank you ladies!!!! Im a new mom and Im sooooo lost. Im glad I asked for you opinions and see what you all had to say. If I would have listened to the other people I know telling me it was ok and if an accident occured I would have been devistated if anything happed to my son. Than you ladies again and happy holidays!!!!!!!!
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsI just wanted to say thank you ladies!!!! Im a new mom and Im sooooo lost. Im glad I asked for you opinions and see what you all had to say. If I would have listened to the other people I know telling me it was ok and if an accident occured I would have been devistated if anything happed to my son. Than you ladies again and happy holidays!!!!!!!!
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5ylver responded:
thank you so much for asking this and everyone for the replies. I just bought a convertible car seat for my little girl she's only going to be 6 months old but she is very big for her age, she's in the 95th percentile. I was thinking she might be ready for forward facing but I was on the fence about it since convertible car seats cannot recline when facing forward. Now that I know all this info about the neck and head just not being able to withstand a car accident I am definitely going to keep her rear facng as long as possible, she is tall 26 and a half inches long and just barely under 19 pounds already so hopefully she can fit in it rear facing longer than 1 year old. I didn't even know it was illegal. so thanks again for posting this and everyone for all the advice and help
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsthank you so much for asking this and everyone for the replies. I just bought a convertible car seat for my little girl she's only going to be 6 months old but she is very big for her age, she's in the 95th percentile. I was thinking she might be ready for forward facing but I was on the fence about it since convertible car seats cannot recline when facing forward. Now that I know all this info about the neck and head just not being able to withstand a car accident I am definitely going to keep her rear facng as long as possible, she is tall 26 and a half inches long and just barely under 19 pounds already so hopefully she can fit in it rear facing longer than 1 year old. I didn't even know it was illegal. so thanks again for posting this and everyone for all the advice and help <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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gorgh567 replied to 5ylver's response:
I'm the same way, I do my best to remain neutral. It's hard, if you communicate with the person the other person dislikes, then you fall out of favor with them! I simple can't dislike a person, just because someone else does, I just can't.
Toyota Estima Hybrid | Used Mazda Tribute
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsI'm the same way, I do my best to remain neutral. It's hard, if you communicate with the person the other person dislikes, then you fall out of favor with them! I simple can't dislike a person, just because someone else does, I just can't.<br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sbtjapan.com/ks-toyota-estima-hybrid">Toyota Estima Hybrid</a> | <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sbtjapan.com/ks-used-mazda-tribute">Used Mazda Tribute</a>
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Zaysmama replied to gorgh567's response:
The car seat I have only goes up to 26in and my son is not even 3months yet and is already 24 & 1/2 in.. just because he has outgrown that infant car seat does not mean that he is ready to be forward facing. I have already bought a convertible car seat that reclines for a rear-facing position and that is what I will do until he is atleast 1 year... maybe more.

hopefully you have gotten enough feedback to keep LO in a rear-facing until atleast a year... Its much safer!! Good luck and I'm glad you asked instead of just switching before he/she is really ready!... Better safe than sorry!
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsThe car seat I have only goes up to 26in and my son is not even 3months yet and is already 24 &amp; 1/2 in.. just because he has outgrown that infant car seat does not mean that he is ready to be forward facing. I have already bought a convertible car seat that reclines for a rear-facing position and that is what I will do until he is atleast 1 year... maybe more. <br /> <br />hopefully you have gotten enough feedback to keep LO in a rear-facing until atleast a year... Its much safer!! Good luck and I'm glad you asked instead of just switching before he/she is really ready!... Better safe than sorry! <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
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luv2bfishin replied to Zaysmama's response:
Grandpa here. In order to make a decision, you may want to watch a short video of my grandsons story, who was 18 mos & 33lbs, frontfacing.......and snapped his neck! Thank god the 12 month / 20 lb rule has been cast aside. To see the video, go to joelsjourney.org
Report This| Share this:Forward Facing VS Rear facing car seatsGrandpa here. In order to make a decision, you may want to watch a short video of my grandsons story, who was 18 mos &amp; 33lbs, frontfacing.......and snapped his neck! Thank god the 12 month / 20 lb rule has been cast aside. To see the video, go to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.joelsjourney.org">joelsjourney.org</a>
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