My 10 month old is as big as a 2 year old, why can't I put her in a forward facing car seat?
Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at
10:32 pm
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You obviously haven’t seen the newest research recommending keeping them rear facing until the weight limit of the seat, usually 35 pounds. You obviously haven’t seen the crash test videos showing the damage to a small child who is forward facing compared to rear facing.
There have been NO reported cases of a child’s leg being broken in a crash, but there are THOUSANDS of reported cases of neck and head injuries from being forward facing at a young age.
Google it, watch some of the videos, and if you still wish to endanger your child, go right ahead.
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMFPSStXfqE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA&NR=1
http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/youtube/rear_facing.htm
welcome to america
The universally accepted rule is 20lbs AND 1 year old. Your child’s legs can be bent and it’s not hurting her.
If you don’t agree with that, you can certainly ask your pediatrician’s advice.
i turned my daughter at 10 months,,,, her seat said 20 pounds and she weighed 21 so I didnt care….. just do what you feel best,,,, just make sure her seat is for 20 and not 30 lbs
Bent legs or broken neck ….. your choice.
I switched my son at 11 months…he weighed 30 lbs at 12 months..the pediatrician agreed with my decision.
Because her spine is not as developed as a 2 year old.
Babies are very flexible, so her legs being bent does not do any harm and it is unlikely that she would suffer a broken leg in an accident.
Leave her rear facing until at least age 1 . . .and longer if you can.
No in fact, it’s better to have her legs bent. The AAP recommends leaving a child forwad facing until AT LEAST 2 years of age. Her legs bent doesn’t put her at any danger. her neck muscles are still under developed. My son was rear facing until he was almost 37 inches long and 2 years old and i should have left him longer. First of all it’s the law and second of all, switching them forward facing too early puts tehm at much higher risk for internal decapitation
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx
The rule of thumb is 20 pounds AND 1 year old. But I wouldn’t make my decision based of answers from here. I would speak to her pediatrician.
Leave her rear facing for a long as possible. Better safe than sorry.
nope its not. her neck is not strong enough to withstand the force of a car accident if she were forward facing. keep he rear facing until she turns 1. 2 months is a lot of development in a child that age.
You can get a convertible car seat and it still sits rear facing. They are for larger and growing babies and toddlers.
Toddlers can sit rear facing until 35lbs in some of these seats.
So why keep the child rear facing. Because —
#1 SAFETY, your child may be large but, that doesn’t mean her muscles are ready for a collision sitting forward. Actually it is recommended the longer the better. We switched my daughter at 14 months and I still felt that was a little too early.
#2 Its the law, you can go to jail for child NEGLECT AND ENDANGERMENT, for not following the proper precautions.
Honestly, #1 should do it for you, its your baby’s like though, so not my decision. I would keep her rear facing until the legal MINIMUM… 1 year AND 20lbs. That is a minimum.
Buy a car seat that FITS her. I bought my baby a BRITAX Boulevard car seat and it taller than his infant carrier, so I;m able to still put him rear facing despite the fact that at only 8 months he is 30.5 inches long! I can put him rear facing until he is 35 pounds on this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Britax-Boulevard-Click-Convertible-Berkshire/dp/B001E5CDVY
They also recline, so you would have more space for the legs if needed. Invest on a new carseat; this one will last until she is in school.
good luck
Her neck muscles and spine aren’t strong enough yet. Her bent legs are fine, and wouldn’t you rather have a broken leg than a broken neck or spine? You can talk to her doctor, but I wouldn’t change to front facing this early.
"Isn’t it a bigger safety concern to have her legs bent in case of an accident than to turn her convertible car seat into a forward facing one?"
No. Legs can be repaired, broken necks cannot.
Her neck is not developmentally ready to withstand the force of an accident. Also, there have been no reported cases of broken legs due to rear-facing on car accidents. Just fold your little ones legs and keep her rear-facing. It is the safest position she can be in.