When did you move carseat to forward facing??

Maddy'sMom wrote: Hi ladies!

Just curious when you all moved the carseat to face forward...?

My girl is about to be one (sniff sniff) and she weighs about 21lbs...daddy wants to move her around at her birthday, but I have heard many moms say they wait longer now, because it is safer for them.

Her carseat goes up to 30lbs rear facing (Evenflo Triumph)

Is it safer to keep them rear facing a bit longer, or did you all fllip them at a year?

Thanks!

coasterqueen replied: Yep, I hear it's much much safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible and it's possible up to the weight of the seat. Their legs being too long is not supposed to be an issue to turn them around.

I had planned on keeping Kylie rear facing as long as possible but DH won that battle and she was turned on her 1st birthday.

Maddy'sMom replied: LOL....dh is trying to win this battle as well!

A&A'smommy replied: We turned Alyssa around at about 13months and almost 20lbs (or she may have been 20lbs can't remember) anyway I have heard its safer too but I didn't have a choice at the time. Go with your gut feeling if you want to keep her turned around then do so if not then don't your the mommy LOL

angelhair replied: I agree with the ladies, if you want to wait a little longer then by all means do do. it is what you are comfortable with. I turned the seat around with my son a little over a year old. I think either way is fine love dee

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Wil has hit the 20 lb mark a long time ago, but we're still waiting until after his first birthday. I can't wait! He has very long legs and I look forward to seeing him when I turn around!

Jamison'smama replied: Jamison was about 16 months when DH won the battle--I have to admit--it did get soooo much easier!

kimberley replied: we just turned Jade about 3 mos ago (21mos) because i won that battle

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Eep.... I turned them around when they hit the 20 lb mark AND were able to keep their head up on their own... I think both were like 5 or 6 months old....

Jamison'smama replied: Here it is the law to wait until 1 year AND 20 lbs.

luvbug00 replied: Mya was small blah blah so even though she was too big lenth wise she still waighed under 20 past her first birthday. Keep it back as long as you are comfortable.

Maddy'sMom replied: Yes, 20 lbs AND one year is the rule here for forward facing too....

LOL.....your little ones were 20lbs at 5-6 mos? Goodness! I think my dd was still in the infant carrier at that age!

I will plan to keep her rear facing at least till after her bday, and I will ask her pedi about it at her 12 mos well visit.

Thanks ladies for the opinions!

jacobsmama replied: I also turned my son's around about 11 months old b/c he is legs were so long they were going up the seat and it didn't look safe. He is a bigger boy though and was over the 20lb mark as well but do what suits you best.

Marie_S replied: Branden is only around 18-19 pounds but when he turns 20 pounds we will buy him a forward facing carseat.

P.S what country is it the law that baby must stay rear facing till 1 year old?? I live in Canada and I haven't heard of that here.

Sunflower04 replied: Joey was a year when we turned the car seat around.

Mommy2BAK replied: We turned Blakely's car seat around when she hit 20 lbs. She didn't really fit in it anyways, her legs were too long. I really like seeing her when I look in the back seat rather than just seeing the back of her

amynicole21 replied:
In Canada the law is 20lbs or 1 year - whichever comes first. In the US it is 20lbs AND 1 year.

kit_kats_mom replied: K got turned around at about 18 mos when she finally hit 20 lbs. I would have left her rear facing but the sippy cup exchange was becoming a problem.

I read that the resoning for leaving them rear facing is that it helps them support their heads in the event of an accident. Even as toddlers their heads are larger than ours are (proportonatly) and imagine what a big fat head on a little noodle neck would do in an accident. Snap right off! Ok, not really snap off...I'm exagerating, but explain that to your DH. Maybe that will help you win the argument.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Well I couldn't wait...his birthday is next week...so around he went last night! Yes, the law is one year and twenty pounds, but my poor kiddo's legs hit the seat and I just feel we're ready.

DblTblDad replied: I wanted to turn the carseats around sooner but Sofi wanted them to stay rear facing until their first birthdays. Their legs were long and I think they looked squished back there. We were going on a very long driving trip a week after their first birthday so we turned them around andt hey were much happier. I like them front facing now because I can see them better.

My3LilMonkeys replied: My daughter was turned around at 9 months because she has long legs...her poor little feet were so squished she would cry constantly in the car.

I agree that you should keep them rear facing as long as possible if it is comfortable for your child...it is much safer.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: Logan is a little over than a year yet, but still doesn't weigh 20 lbs. So he still rides backwards. Can't wait to turn him, but it could be more than a month or so.

MyLuvBugs replied:
I'm so glad that my kid isn't the only one that's well over 20lbs already. Lorelei is 9 months and is around 25 lbs and 30+ inches long. Definately got my husbands genes.

But we're planning on turning her around at 1 year, b/c she's sick and tired of facing backwards and not seeing anything.

MyLuvBugs replied:
I thought the law is 1 year and 20lbs all across the US???

lesliesmom replied: I turned them around as soon as I could. Even though my son was on the small side he still was 20 pounds on his first birthday. It just was so much easier for me on my back and seemed to make the kids happier to see where they were going.

CantWait replied: We flipped at one year, dh thought he would like it better not facing the seat. He did, go figure

massagemommy replied:
Actually in the US the law is by state; in our state it's 20 lbs. OR 1 year. We turned the seat the second we learned that (7 1/2 months) because our little one is *miserable* rear-facing. He's truly a different baby in the car since we have allowed him to front-face. I know plenty of babes who just eat up the rear-facing position, though, so you never know.

six_kids_at_28 replied: My kids were like 23 lbs by their 1st bday...we turned them around anywhere from 13-15 months