7mo car seat dilemma WWYD?

[niamh29]

My DD is nearly 7 months but weighed her today and she's 9kg, she's tall too (98th percentile) we're wondering should we move her to a forward facing car seat soon, she looks ok in her car seat but is there a reason why we should change her now she's 9kg?

No, keep her in her rear facing as long as you possibly can, it's safer. Fine as long as her head isn't above the back bit, if I remember correctly.

Keep her rear facing as long as possible. Have you had a look into extended rear facing?

They are much safer rear-facing until 4 years.

However at a minimum it should be 9Kg AND 9months, so I'm afraid she is just too young. Most 0+ seats go up to 13Kg so why would you want to change too early unless she was too tall for the seat?

You need to look at your car seat instructions - I thought most of them were 13 or 15kg max weight.

I think there is confusion between the next stage not to be used before 9kg and the fact that most infant carriers are safe up to 13kg. It is likely most children would be too long before they get to 13kg but there is no need to change when they are 9kg. And has been mentioned here rear facing is safer.

That's great, thanks, don't want to move her particularly as she looks comfy in her seat just wanted to make sure it was safe for her to be in there. Thanks again.

What is the weigth limit on the seat that she's in?

Providing that she's still within the weight limit and her head's not over the top of that seat then she's fine to stay in there for now.

You can get rear facing seats that will last her until about she's about 4 years old for her next seat - well worth considering in terms of safety.

The reason behind the 9kg weight is a marketing ploy to get parents to buy the next stage seat as their child is now 9kg. really the stage 1 seats are not to be used before the child is 9kg, there is no rule you have to take her out of the 0stage at 9kg
You only need to change her seat if she is over the top weight limit, usually 13kg now or if her head is at the top of the seat. You shouldn't change her before 9m either.

No, definitely not that is way way too young - I had the maxi Cosi Cabrio fix which is fine to 13kg. Mine stayed in them until they were at least 14 mths - they were big chunky boys too. Even then they still looked too little in forward facing..

Check your car seat limits, if it's the recaro young profi plus then she should be ok until about 15 months. My DS is still in his at 10months + and we're going to keep him in it until we absolutely can't. Think of all the money it's saving you.

I've found a bit of unsuspected peer pressure on this issue, as if we're holding the baby back in some way! You can get advice on the MaxiCosi website, but it's along the lines of the advice you're getting here.

My DS was 7 months when he went front facing. He was big. It was fine. I dont understand how a 10 kg 7 mo is different from a 10kg 9mo really.

Because children get stronger as they get older mask.

The strength of their neck muscles is very important in controlling their relatively oversized heads. When they are rearfacing this is far less significant if you were to be involved in an accident.

Most rear facing seats fine until 13kg.

A 7 month old doesn't have the head and neck control of an older baby, so would do less well in a forward facing crash.