is it too early for a forward facing seat?

[Shelsy]

Hi all, Im new on here but really need a bit of advice! My dd just turned 7 mths yesterday and is extremely long for her age! She is still in a rf seat but her feet hang over the edge! She looks quite uncomfortable when she is in the car as she has to rest her feet up against the back seat.

I know you are not supposed to put children in ff seats until at least 9 mths or until they can sit up for 30 mins alone. My dd can sit up for approx 10 - 15 mins unattended. I bought a ff seat which is from 9 mths - 4 yrs some time ago but is it too early to start using?

Really grateful for all comments xx

[FunnysInLaJardin]

oh, I didn't know that! DS2 who is 2 has been in a forward facing one since 6 months, he was far too long for his pushchair car seat. Twas 6 months with DS1 6 years ago. Ah well, they're both fine. Why do you have to wait until 9 months?

[sugarandspite]

I really don't think you should move her yet. It doesn't matter how long their legs are, they are not 'too big' for the infant seat until their head is level with the top of the seat or they are over the maximum weight limit.

It truly is so so much safer to keep them in this seat as long as possible - we've only just moved our DD into the next stage seat at 15months.

[sugarandspite]

Also, remember that tge next stage car seat will support her head much less and she will be much more upright - so not only more dangerous in a collision but also can make breathing harder and lead to lower levels of oxygen in the blood during medium - long journeys.

Have a look on you tube at forward facing car seat crash tests and see for yourself the forces that act on a baby in a crash. And remember, these videos are only shot at 30mph!

[Jewson]

My ds1 and 2 went in at 6mths cz they were rather squashed in rf. the ff seat we've got reclines so is fully supportive it goes by weight also not age. The age is just a guide also the rf car seat got too heavy to carry with ds in it. He's much happier in ff now

[Shelsy]

I have no idea why that's the preferred age! I was just trying to read up on it as the car seat I bought was from 9 mths I wanted to know why it was from that age and if i could use it any sooner. I also got some info on here which stated to wait until at least 9 mths or until able to sit up alone for 30 mins. i'm sure my dd would be fine using a ff seat but just wanted to get some advice on the safety. Thanks x

[Northernlurker]

It is really DANGEROUS to put a child forward facing until they are the required age. In an accident their spine will not stand up to the additional forces. OP and everybody else please do not move your child in to forward facing until the minimum age. If you are concerned go to an independant baby shop and ask their fitter for an opinion. If necessary buy another rear facing seat but do not put a young baby in a seat designed for an older child.

[Northernlurker]

some info here. I moved all of mine in to ff after the min age. If I was doing it again I think I probably would consider keeping the rear facing for longer still.

[silverfrog]

it wasn't 6 months with dd1 nearly 8 years ago - it was 9 months or 9kg.

it is far safer to keep them rf as long as possible. slightly squished up legs are far preferable to internal decapitation in the event of an accident - an all too real possibility given that an infants neck muscles are not strong enough to properly support their heads.

OP what is the weight limit on your baby seat? most of them go up to 13kg, I believe. dd1 was a huge baby (off the top of the charts for height and weight) and she stayed in her rf baby seat until she was 12 months+ (can't rememebr exactly - was a while ago now!) and then we moved her to rf toddler seat.

dd2 is 5, and is still rf.

[silverfrog]

sorry, my post shoudl say 9 months and 9kg.

dd1 hit the 9kg before 9 months, but she still fitted fine into the baby seat (which was rated to 13kg)

[Shelsy]

thank you so much for the advice on the dangers as i actually feel guilty for not knowing that putting her in a ff seat could affect so much, even her breathing. I will now def wait until she is older to move her. thanks again

[TheSkiingGardener]

We kept DS in a rf until he was about 18 months. They manage their feet just fine. The risks in a collision are far greater in a ff than rf. Less than 9 months is definitely too early.

[Northernlurker]

Thanks for coming back OP. I was a bit surprised at the responses you'd got but it's like a lot of things - once you know it's so clear but when you don't know it's easy to make mistakes whilst thinking you're doing the right thing.

[Rikalaily]

Bent legs don't matter when rearfacing, it's to do with thier neck strength so it's not recommended to ff them until at least 12 months as long as they don't exceed the weight limit on thier seat (even though the stupid seat makers say from 9m). Even my 2 99 percentile babies were kept rear facing until over 12 months. It really isn't worth the risk, no matter how bored they get rearfacing, just hang some toys from the handle above the door to keep them happy. Dd3 was 17 months when she went ff and she's still on full recline at 22 months.

[beepbeep]

You can get RF car seats that then change around to be FF (ours was a concorde one), the seat itself is much bigger than the bucket seats that go on travel systems so the baby can stay rear facing for as long as you want really. They can be used from birth and then until then go until the child goes into a high back booster. Ours 3DCs were all in a pram then buggy, saved us having to a buy a bucket seat at all.

[Shelsy]

thank you northernlurker... I was putting her being comfortable first not knowing what the true dangers of moving her into a ff seat would be. all advice is great so thank you again x

[Iambaboon]

I just came to this section to ask a similar question

My DD is 7.5 months. She weighs 12kg. Her head is poking above the back of her maxi cosi rf seat

Now I hear what you are saying about rf. We have to switch the seat between 4 different cars on a daily basis and mine and granny's cars are teeny weeny and even with her maxi cosi in the back the front seat has to be so far forward no one can sit in it. I understand the available rf seats can't quickly and easily ve moved. I don't think they'll even fit in the small cars and they cost so
Much we can't afford ne let alone one for each car

What would you do in our position? I really font know what the solution is

[Rubirosa]

I wouldn't put a 7 month old in a forward facing seat due to the risk of snapping her neck. Maybe get a bigger baby seat?

Are you really sure she is 12kg? Doesn't that put her way off the charts? My ds was still fine in a baby seat til his head reached the top at about 18 months, and he didn't weigh 12kg even then.

[UnderwaterBasketWeaving]

For info, just-turned-1yo DS is in this extended rear facing seat. He's 9.5kg and almost exactly 50th centile.

It fits him well (although he is rather short of leg like his dad! ) and he sleeps brilliantly in it fully reclined.

I'd fully recommend this seat. It comes with an infant booster to make it suitable from birth.

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

My daughter is very tall/heavy for her age and always has been. At 7 months she was broaching the edges of being too big for her RF seat, by 9 months there was no doubt about it.

I went by two criteria: she was over the weight limit (9kg) and her head was over the top. I'd wait until 9 months and then change which is within guidelines.

If the govt are planning to change the rules to 15mos, I think they're going to have to change car seat design. There is no way my DD would have fitted in her baby car seat at 15mos. She is 2.5 now and as big as a 4 year old so we're having to move her into her third car seat which doesn't even have integral seat belts. Scary.