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Confused about car seat regulations? Find baby car seat advice here.

Car seats

6 mth at 20lbs, when fwd facing seat?

12 replies

Nicr1 · 19/12/2012 23:33

My lo is 6 months and weighing 20lbs 7 oz and is sitting up on his own for the past month. When do you let your baby seat forward in the car?

OP posts:

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breatheslowly · 19/12/2012 23:39

There is no hurry. Rear facing is much safer. This link explains why. DD is still rear facing at 26 months. We had a talk at our antenatal classes by our local road safety officer who said that they should stay in the first car seat as long as possible and they are safe in there until their ears reach the top of the seat.

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BertieBotts · 19/12/2012 23:46

9 kilos/20lbs is the minimum weight for facing forward, I wouldn't do it yet - her neck wouldn't be strong enough to support her head if you had a crash. The advice about sitting up unaided is outdated, we have new guidelines now :)

It's best to keep them rear facing for as long as possible, if you don't want to buy a rear facing second stage car seat, then that means keeping them in their baby seat until they outgrow it. Contrary to popular belief DCs can often fit in them past a year - DS was 18 months and he's fairly tall!

You'll know he's too big for the seat when the top of his head reaches the edge of the seat shell, or he reaches the weight limit of the seat, which should be printed on the underside, but for most UK-sold car seats is 13 kilos or 29lbs.

It doesn't matter if their legs hang off the end of the seat - they usually bend them when sitting in the seat anyway, and bear in mind it's not a good idea to put babies into car seats wearing coats, because it means that it's impossible to tighten the straps safely enough. So if you're finding it hard to squeeze him into the seat wearing a winter coat, drop the coat and put a blanket over him once he's strapped in instead.

HTH :)

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SamSmalaidh · 19/12/2012 23:50

Stay rear facing as long as possible, much safer. I wouldn't go forward facing til 9 months at a minimum, 12-15 months is better.

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lagoonhaze · 20/12/2012 08:41

Please listen to the above advice (although I thought it was top of head in infant seat and tips of ears in extended rear facing seats).

It is going to be illegal from next year (date not yet know) to forward face a child under 15mths (regardless of weight) and to be honest even new law isnt really adqaueate - 2.5 yrs is the minimum I would like to see.

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lagoonhaze · 20/12/2012 08:43

www.facebook.com/louise.arnold.14/posts/475054425880147?comment_id=16334939&ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/RearFacingTheWayForward?fref=ts

Like the above facebook group for more info too. Really good page.

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TeamBacon · 20/12/2012 08:44

lagoonhaze - "It is going to be illegal from next year (date not yet know) to forward face a child under 15mths "

Really, in the UK? This is great news. Does that mean there will be better RF seats on the market for this age range? Obv it would be better up to 2 years or so, but it's a start :)

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worldgonecrazy · 20/12/2012 08:44

The Besafe Izi Combi Isofix is rear facing to 25kg so that should give you plenty of growth room.

As everyone else has said, rear facing is much safer for your little one until he is around 4-5 years old.

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Skiffen · 20/12/2012 08:50

We've got a klippan triofix that will go rear facing til they're a bit bigger, forward facing with garness, then forward facing with belt until 12. So, although it seems expensive you'll not need to buy another.

Please don't turn a really little one forward facing. Serious injury to the spine is a real risk if you have an accident.

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aufaniae · 20/12/2012 09:31

We've just gone forward facing and DS is 4.

It's much, much safer to be rear facing. We got our seat online from these people

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lagoonhaze · 20/12/2012 09:49

www.anec.eu/attachments/ANEC-PR-2012-PRL-017final.pdf

www.anec.eu/anec.asp?p=newsletter&ref=02-01

Its a start isn't it!

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lagoonhaze · 20/12/2012 09:49

www.anec.eu/attachments/ANEC-PR-2012-PRL-017final.pdf

www.anec.eu/anec.asp?p=newsletter&ref=02-01

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IndigoBarbie · 24/12/2012 22:28

I really second everyone who's mentioned extended rear facing. I had to emergency stop yesterday with my LO 2.10 in his rear facing seat - and he didn't even wake up. A miracle actually, he just kindof stayed put. The seat completely absorbs the impact. If he was forward facing, there would have been that almighty thrust of his wee body and head :(