Knowing when to forward face car seat

[Tigger001]

I'm just wondering at what age or cues your LO gave you that made you change the car seat.
I currently have the silver cross Wayferer car seat, which I have on the back seat , rear facing. My DS is 13 month, only small at 19lb, but is really alert and knows everything that going on.
Any advice on the next car seat to get ?

Legally it cannot be before 15 months in the uk now, but it’s safest until they’re 4yrs. I have freakishly tall children, so it was more around 2.5yrs when my eldest outgrew his car seat completely. My youngest is still rf at 18 months and quite comfortable.

Leave it as long as possible it's so much safer!!!

My tall almost 2 year old is still rear facing and will be for the foreseeable future. It’s a lot safer. Do some research before you turn him round and make sure you are happy with the compromise on safety.

Its actually not necessarily illegal to forward face before 15 months, it depends on the seat. I-size regulations state 15 months minimum, but older seats are fine

We got the Joie 360 as a second car seat. It's great as you can stay rear facing, but turn to front facing if preferred.

We noticed from about 2 years DS vomited when rear facing on long journeys, but didn't vomit forward facing. That's when we decided to let him stay ff

As long as possible! DS was rear facing until he was five.

We waited until 3.5. We were planning on leaving it to 4 but she was complaining about being uncomfortable.

We stayed rear facing until DC weighed 18kg. Over 4 years for both.

Iirc a 20lb child will be subject to a force of 600lb in a 30mph crash - safer to rear face for as long as possible.

Keep them in the baby seat until they outgrow it. Then you can choose either a forward facing toddler seat or lots of seats can rearface until 18kg now. Between 15kg and 18kg they can move into a high backed booster seat.

Thank you everyone, I thought the general consensus would be that, my DS keeps trying to look round the seat to us in the front. With this advice , rear facing it is for some time yet.

Dd started screaming as soon as i went near the car when holding her, would stand in the seat and refuse to sit. I then has to lift her legs to try and get her to sit down. Every single time. It was too traumatic for both of us so we went forward facing. Now not a bother.

Get one of these so they can see Mirror kept our DD happier as she could see us

With ERF seats they are often much happier as they are higher than a normal seat so get a better view.

‘my DS keeps trying to look round the seat to us in the front.’

I strongly recommend a car seat mirror on head rest in front of your little one. My ds loves this and can see me in the front and I can also see him..

my DS keeps trying to look round the seat to us in the front.

And if they were ff they would probably try and look round the back of the car!

Keep them in the seat as long as you can

Rear facing as long as possible. Our eldest was RF til she was 4.5 and we switched her just before she started school. They actually can see more facing backwards too so it’s good all around.

Its only 15 months if you buy an isize car seat.

I'm planning on turning her forward facing before 2, but will play it by ear with her.

I have isofix on my front passenger seat so she is happier there.

I've bought a 360 car seat so can just turn forward facing when we are ready.

Rear facing is a lot safer but if LO gets upset being in the car rear facing then i'll turn her forward facing