Can I use old car seat from DD1 with new car seat laws?

[Mummyhug]

It's my understanding that the new car seat laws/guidelines mean that children have to be rear facing until 4 years old or a certain height.
Now DD2 is almost ready to come out of her carry type car seat and go up to the next stage. We had saved DD1's car seat for this occasion but while it's excellent condition, it's forward facing.
I don't want to break any laws and especially don't want to put my daughter in any danger by using the forward facing seat but a new car seat is an unplanned expense and very hard to find the money this close to Christmas.
I also only have a three door car so fitting a baby in rear facing would be a nightmare. I know some swivel around but again an added expense.
So I guess what I wanted to know is do the new laws apply to existing car seats or just new ones?
Thank you

How much does dd2 weigh?

If she's over 9kg you can legally forward face her. I wouldn't recommend it to be honest but legally you can.

Legally you can, they just recommend rear facing as it is safer, lots of people do still choose forward facing seats.

If you buy rear facing, you can get something like cybex sirona where the seat rotates. So you can strap them in forward facing then turn, and in reverse to get out

If you are talking about iSize seat laws then they are only applicable to new iSize seats and it is to rear face them until 18 months old. The new and old guidelines will run side by side for several years as iSize seats are all isofix and not everyone has isofix in their cars.

What age/weight is your lo as they can stay in the infant carrier until 13kg? There is a cross over in the weight guidance for the older seats as they can legally forward face from 9kg but it is best to rear face them until they are 13kg

Sorry, it's until 15 months, not 18 months but the rest is correct

She's only about 18lb she's 6 months but she's very tall, her head is right at the top of her current car seat and the straps don't move up any higher so start down her back.
She definitely needs to move from this car seat but I don't know what to put her into.
I'll be honest I haven't checked the weight guidelines on the DD1's car seat yet but I know DD1 went straight into that from the carry car seat and we bought it from mothercare with all the proper advice.

6 months is too young to forward face as her head is still very heavy compared to the rest of her body, so if she's too long I would see if you can get an extended rear facing seat.

She's too light for the forward facing seat too

AT 6 months she is way too young to forward face. And 18lb is only 8kg so way too light. You know they can stay in baby seat until their ears reach the top of the seat.

If I'm going to have to buy a new one, I think I'd like one of those multi stage ones that see them right through. Can anybody recommend one that's handy for a three door car and doesn't cost the earth. I saw one advertised the other day and it looked perfect but it was £400!!

That's not true with baby seats as they are too big when the top of their head reaches the top of the seat. The ear height thing is true of forward facing seats

www.halfords.com/kids-zone/car-seats/baby-car-seats/joie-stage-0--1-2-child-car-seat

Is it definitely ears Art?

I'd thought it was top of head for some reason. DC 1 and 2 went in a FF seat around age 1 as they were pretty big. DD is little and only just over 9kg at 17 months.

I was happy keeping her on the 0+ one to keep her RF as long as possible. I do have a bigger RF seat in our other car but dh has the infant one. He wants to put the FF group 1 seat in his car for her, but I'm keen to just leave her. :)

www.kiddicare.com/p/Joie_Stages_Group_0_1_2_Car_Seat_in_Caviar.htm?product_id=640763&utm_source=pla&affiliate=KC-google-shopping&gclid=CjwKEAiAmo_CBRC9qbGQssjqi28SJABYTgZxK9lkj0XtwnnnO0UlQZTLn7m5Jq4oXLrGvKuo07ByXRoCBzbw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Currently £99 at Kiddicare.

X post with demented. Phew I thought id googled it recently. Her head isn't quite at the top yet. I think she might get to big for the harness first tbh. 0+ ones aren't that big.

IT depends what you need. You can buy a rear facing seat now like joie for about £100 ish for 0-4/5 years. But if you have a two door only car you will really find it easier to get a seat that rotates so you can strap In and out forward, then turn. They will cost more ££

I just checked the car seat we have and the guidelines on the safety advice is from 9kg. She's not quite there yet but when she is do you think I'll be ok using it? My husband is adamant that we're going to use it but I'm not so sure

No she will NOT be ok, she's 6 months old. If my nearly-5 year old is rear facing then your baby definitely needs to be!

Can't you ask relatives for money towards a new car seat for your daughter as her Christmas present? I'm pretty sure people would rather do that than buy a load of toys you probably don't need anyway.

THIS explains why rear facing is so much safer for children.

Oh, and it's perfectly safe to have a rear facing car seat in the front (provided you can turn the airbag off of course). That would make it easier to get your daughter in and out of the car. www.carseat.se/rearfacing/position-in-vehicle/front-seat-safety/

Thank you for that link Alice that's really helpful. My husband has his opinions which are obviously always correct it's handy to have some information to throw at him when he starts arguing his pathetic case.
Definitely need to get a new seat, Ive started selling a lot of her baby things this morning- moses basket, swing etc to try and raise some money towards a new one.

Also unfortunately my car doesn't have an airbag switch. Ford want to charge me £250 to have one fitted. Would have made my life so much easier if I had the switch

Joie spin is £250, possibly one of your best options.