Boring thread I know but: When are you supposed to move on to the next carseat?

[happydaze77]

I understand that the front facing ones are suitable from 9kg but I thought the current advice was to keep them rear facing as long as possible, and they're ok until 13kg. However most people I know, with babies the same age as dd, have already moved to front facing.

DD is 11 months and very slightly above average height, and weighs about 20lb. We still put her in her rear facing group 0+ car seat. Her legs hang over the edge but her head does not yet come above the top. However she pulls her upper body forward and away from the head/side cushion mainly to be nosy and I'm concerned that, if we were in a collision. her head and neck would not be protected by the seat at all, of that makes sense?

My concern about the front facing seats is that they would be very upright and she may find it difficult to fall asleep comfortably in them on the rare occasions she does sleep on a car journey

TIA

Until their head is level with the top of the seat.

But I'm told the law will soon be changing to need to keep them rear facing until 15 months. Have a look at youtube videos of crash test babies in accidents - babies heads are heavier and neck weaker than adults so the sort of accident that would give an adult whiplash could have life threatening consequences for a baby.
Or look at this web site.
A mumsnet thread converted us and now i'm a big fan of rear facing.

My DD is 16.5 months and still in her "baby" rear facing seat. DC2 is due in march and she will stay in it until he/she arrives. DC2 will then use it and will move her to forward facing. She's only dinky though which helps. She's probably only actually around 9kg and still comfortably fits into 6-9 month clothes!

I'm a bit puzzled by this too, dd is 13 mo and still in first seat but everyone I know with a similar aged child has had them forward facing for months often saying their child was just too big for the first one even when they are much the same size as dd. She seems comfortable and her head isn't above the back but like op's dd she's always leaning forward. Mil has gone on since she was about 3 mo about how bored she must be facing backwards but not convinced she'd see any more the other way round!

DS is 19 months and still in a Maxi Cosi Pebble with a isofix base which I anticipate has 1-2 months of use left. To be honest I don't think people realise just how much a child can 'fill' the seat before becoming too big for it. I'm happy to post a pic of DS in his seat if that would be helpful (He's very average size).

Thanks everyone.
A picture would be really useful mrscog (Must admit though I don't know how to post a photo )

If you are considering getting a new car seat have a look at www.securatot.co.uk/rear-facing-car-seats which has lots of rear facing car seats that are stage 0+/1 which are suitable for up to approx 4 years or 18kg.

We've got the Besafe Izi Kid X3 Isofix. My ds is 14 months and taller than average, but I think will fit in it for a good long while.

Happydaze, I'm not getting DS out of bed now (!!!) for a photo, but I'll try and remember to take one tomorrow :)

of course

I think a lot of people move their DC onto the next seat too early as they see it as a milestone..."oh yes, my darling DC is sooooo big and sooooo advanced that they need to be forward facing". Rear facing is so much safer and it's not as if your DC knows that there is a whole exciting world of forward facing out there so I'd leave them as long as possible. DD is about to turn 4 and still fits into her 9mth - 4yrs car seat easily, both on height and weight. Most of her friends who are the same height (if not slightly shorter) and don't look any heavier have been in the next stage car seat for at least 6mths. DS is 16mths and still fits comfortably in his cabrio fix. If he leans forward, it's because I haven't pulled the straps tight enough. If they're tight, he can crane his head forward but can't actually lean forward. As soon as he gets too big, then he'll go into DD's car seat and DD will go into the next stage seat but I'm happy to leave me as they are for as long as possible.

DD is 13 months, 10 kg and not yet at the top of her Maxi Cosi group 0 seat. I think we'll make to Christmas. I don't know anyone else who hasn't switched either but I don't really care.

We intend to buy a rear facing Group 1 seat in the next month. We are going to the Glasgow Pram Centre to see what fits in both cars. We would love to be closer to the Car Safety places in either Milton Keynes or Belfast but Glasgow is enough of a trek!

I moved dd1 out of her rear facing maxi cosi when she was 11 months as her feet were squashed and head was level with the top.