When can a child face forward in a car seat? – You should keep your child in the rear-facing position for as long as possible. But instead of using age as a guideline, keep the following in mind:
When they reach either the weight or height limit. Your child should stay rear-facing until she has hit the maximum height or weight for that position, says the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Most rear-facing infant seats can accommodate children until they reach 28 to 35 pounds or 30 to 35 inches, but keep in mind that many children will reach the maximum height before they do the maximum weight. Once a child outgrows a rear-facing infant seat, she can switch to a convertible seat in a rear-facing position, which can often be used until a child is between 40 and 50 pounds. (The specific weight will depend on your car seat model.) You can find your seat’s height and weight limits on the tag or in the manufacturer instructions. Not before age 2. Years ago, age 2 was considered the standard time to switch to the forward-facing position. Now, it’s considered the absolute minimum, because most 2-year-olds won’t be adequately protected from a crash in a forward-facing seat. Rather than basing your switch on the calendar, do so only when your child reaches the maximum height or weight limit for the rear-facing position of her convertible seat. For many, this doesn’t happen until age 3 or 4.
Any child who has outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for her convertible seat should use a forward-facing seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
When can I turn my babies car seat forward?
While 1 year and 20 pounds used to be the standard for when to flip car seats around, most experts now recommend using rear-facing child seats until children outgrow the top weight and height recommendations of the car seat manufacturer. This means your child may be rear-facing until well beyond their second birthday.
There are some situations in which facing backward may seem uncomfortable for a child—like long road trips where it seems like the little one’s legs are cramped up against the back of the seat. You shouldn’t let the baby face forward in the car simply because they seem uncomfortable or don’t like to be rear facing.
Tots are generally very flexible and even when they seem cramped up by adult standards, they can actually be quite comfortable. Adding a mirror that allows your child to see themselves (and you) while you are driving can help alleviate stress and boredom.
How long does a baby stay in an infant car seat?
Infant seat – Photo: Michael Hession An infant seat is the rear-facing, bucket-style car seat that most parents opt to use through the first year of their baby’s life, and sometimes up to age 2. (No matter where you live in the US, an appropriate car seat is required when you’re driving with an infant.) All dedicated infant seats are rear-facing-only, and the most common type snaps in and out of a base that typically stays installed in the car.
So if you’re a two-car family, it’s likely that you can get just one seat and two bases. (Some parents may decide to forego the infant-specific seat and rely on a convertible car seat rated for newborn use; they usually come with an added infant insert cushion for extra support.) All infant seats have a five-point harness, and they include a newborn insert to use from birth until a child is between 11 and 15 pounds.
(Check the manual for exact guidelines, but generally if the baby’s shoulders don’t reach the straps without the insert, you should use the insert.) Most infant seats have more than one recline option. For newborns, you want the seat in the most reclined angle possible.
Can a two year old sit forward facing?
Common Questions about Rear-facing – Why is rear-facing safer than forward-facing? Instead of having your head pull violently away from your chest, as happens when you are forward-facing in a frontal crash, the rear-facing child is cradled in their seat in much the same way as you catch a fastball in a mitt.
This video shows two 12-month-old crash test dummies each secured in the same car seat but one is rear-facing and one is forward-facing – watch how much the forward-facing dummy’s head and neck move – and remember that this video is slowed down tremendously as crashes happen quicker than the blink of an eye.
For more on the physics behind why rear-facing is safer, see here, What about their legs? Isn’t it unsafe and/or uncomfortable? The video above shows a side by side comparison of a forward-facing car seat (on the left) and a rear-facing car seat (on the right) using the same crash test dummy and the same crash speed.
Notice how the rear-facing dummy tucks into a cannonball position? No matter how scrunched the rear-facing child’s legs start, they end up super scrunched during the crash and it does NOT cause injury to the legs (or other parts of the body either).There are ZERO documented cases of rear-facing children breaking their legs, hips, feet, etc., due to their feet touching the back of the vehicle seat.
In fact, studies show that forward-facing kids suffer many more leg injuries than rear-facing kids. The leg injuries to forward-facing children occur when the child’s legs fly up and hit the back of the front seat all the while the child & car seat are moving forward which traps the child’s legs and puts tremendous pressure into the leg bones which can break them. 3-year-old happily rear-facing Besides worrying about leg injuries, many parents worry about leg discomfort in the rear-facing child. As kids get older, their feet will touch the back of the vehicle seat; this is both comfortable and safe. Ever wonder why a 5-year-old can sleep comfortably with his chin on his chest and never wake up complaining of a stiff neck? It’s because kids’ joints aren’t fully formed, which lets them sit comfortably in positions that would be painful for even a yoga master.
How long do babies stay rear facing?
When can you turn the car seat forward? – According to the AAP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children up to 3 years old should stay in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the top height or weight limit suggested by the car seat’s manufacturer. When your child hits one of these limits, they can ride in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.
Can a 9 month old car seat face forward?
Forward-facing car seat age – Many parents want to know the right age for a forward-facing car seat, but this is not as straightforward as it may seem. Legally, your child can travel in an ECE R44/04 approved car seat facing forward once they are 9 kg, which is approximately age nine months.
What is the weight limit for rear facing car seat?
How do you know if your child is outgrowing her rear-facing car seat? –
- Height: As we said before, just because your child’s feet or legs can touch the vehicle seat back doesn’t mean she’s too tall. Instead, make sure there is at least ONE INCH between the top of the car seat and the top of your child’s head. That means the car seat is still offering adequate support in the delicate head/neck area. If there is less than one inch clearance, you need to buy a bigger seat.
- Weight:
- Infant rear facing car seats usually have a weight limit of 22 pounds or more. This should be clearly stated on the label on the side of the seat itself and in the owner’s manual.
- Convertible seats usually have higher weight limits than infant seats. Most have rear-facing limits of 35 – 40 pounds. Some newer models have rear-facing limits of 45 – 50 pounds or more. These make great options for extended rear-facing.
What is the maximum rear facing height?
All of the newly published AAP recommendations for rear-facing car seats: –
Rear-facing until reaching car seat’s limits. Infants, toddlers, and children should ride rear-facing for as long as possible. That usually means maxing out your infant car seat’s height and weight limits, which tend to be about 30-35 pounds or 30-32″ tall, depending on which infant car seat you’re using. Then, new convertible car seats provide height and weight limits that allow your child to ride rear-facing until they are well over 2 years of age. Use 5-point harness when forward-facing. Once your child does transition to forward-facing, they should use either a convertible car seat with a 5-point harness, or a combination booster with a 5-point harness, for as long as possible (i.e., until they reach the manufacturer’s height or weight limits for the 5-point harness). In other words, don’t transition early to a belt-positioning booster. Extend the use of a belt-positioning booster, As we point out in our article about the most common car seat mistakes parents make, parents tend to stop using a booster car seat way too early. Once your child transitions from a 5-point harness to a belt-positioning booster, the AAP recommends they keep using the belt-positioning booster until they are tall enough that the vehicle’s seat belt falls correctly on their lap and shoulder (i.e., not on their stomach and neck). The AAP suggests that the belt-positioning booster should be used until children are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall and are about 8-12 years old. Always use a seat belt, You probably realize this already, but you’d be surprised how many parents let their children sit in the car (or wander around the car) without a seat belt at all. Bad idea, it only takes one person to rear-end you and send your child ejected out of the car onto a busy road. Keep them buckled at all times! Once they transition from a belt-positioning booster to using your vehicle’s seat belts, make sure they are always using the lap and shoulder belt to optimal protection. In the back seat until 13, This varies state-by-state, but the AAP policy recommends that children remain seated in the back seat of the vehicle until their 13th birthday.
Over the past 10 years, about 15,000 children under 14 years old died in car crashes. The proper use of a car seat can reduce the risk of injury of death by more than 70%. With statistics like that, why risk your child’s safety?
How much does a 2 year old weigh?
Your 2-year-old child’s growth – At 2 years old, your toddler is growing, growing, grown — to a length that just might predict her future height. Most 2-year-old girls weigh 19½ to 32½ pounds and measure 31½ to 36½ inches tall. Boys typically weigh 21 to 33½ pounds and measure 32 to 37 inches tall.
In fact, so much growth has happened these past 24 months that, by now, children have generally reached half of their adult height — so simply doubling their current length can give you a rough guesstimate of your tot’s future stature. As for your toddler’s body shape — chubby thighs, pinchable cheeks, bigger belly — she’s likely to slim down as she gets older, especially if she’s within an average height and weight percentiles right now.
Still, if you suspect that your child is showing signs of being overweight, talk to your doctor. You can expect the pediatrician to track your child’s height, weight and head circumference on a growth chart for at least another year; after 3 years old, doctors will likely just track weight, height and body mass index.
Why should babies be rear-facing?
Why is rear-facing better? –
- Rear-facing is still the safest way for children to ride, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics which recently updated their guidelines in 2018.
- Every transition actually reduces the amount of protection a child has in the event of a crash. P arents really shouldn’t rush transitioning kids out of rear-facing seats and later, into boosters before they’re ready.
- A rear-facing car seat will absorb most of the crash forces and supports the head, neck and spine. When children ride forward-facing, their heads – which for toddlers are disproportionately large and heavy – are thrown forward, possibly resulting in spine and head injuries.
- Many car seats manufacturers have created seats that allow children to remain rear-facing until they weigh 40 to 50 pounds. Even many infant-only seats have a higher weight limit to 35 or 40 pounds.
- Evidence does not support that children will suffer leg and foot injuries if their feet touch the seat. There are no known harmful effects of riding rear-facing longer, while the benefits of doing so have been observed for years. Children have many ways of making themselves comfortable when facing the rear and can ride safely that way, as long as they haven’t reached the weight or height limit for rear-facing in their seat. For many kids, this could be well past two years. In Sweden, children routinely ride rear-facing until the age of four.
