Too Small for next stage car seat?

[shanks313]

My dd is 12 months and was weighed a few weeks ago and was 18lb 4oz.We have already got a new car seat for her and are patiently waiting for her to grow into it.She can sit up very well and holds her head well for long periods.Recently shes started sitting more upright in the seat.
We would like for her to be in the new seat by end of March as we have another baby due then.
I have read that she has to be 9kg for the new seat because you go by weight because of the harness.
When talking to a few friends they have told me I should move her into the new seat as shes the right age and holding herself well.Would it make any difference that whenever shes weighed its when shes naked and with her clothes on she could be ready for the new seat?
I dont know what to do as Im trying to follow what i have read or been told by car seat fitters but other people are telling me differently.

We moved dd into 2nd stage when she was about 10mths- I wasn't sure what she weighed but thought it must've been quite close to 9kg, however when I had her weighed a couple of months ago when she was 18mths she was only 9kg oops!

However, she couldn't have stayed in baby car seat until then! It is meant to be 9mths and 9kg not one or the other but I don't know how crucial the weight is to the safety of the seat?

My dd looked much happier in the 2nd stage seat and I'm sure it was safer than the crappy Jane rebel infant seat she was in before.

i understand that it is strictly the weight that decides. We are in the same boast, DD is 1 next Tuesday but still only 8.5kg approx (according to our scales, haven't been to clinic since 8 month check lol) and we have the next car seat sitting in the house, just waiting! Incidentally she sits up , cruises and been walking for about 6 weeks.

But I will definately wait until she hits the magic 9kg mark - obviously it's your decision but I would recommend hanging on, apparently the rear facing seats are also safer than the forward facing ones so best to keep then in longer if possible.

ROSPA advice on car seats here. It says

Only move them to a forward-facing seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the baby seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.

HTH

the reason is something to do with the ratio of the weight of there the head to the rest of the body...

apparently before 9kg it is dangerouse for the head to be forward facing as it will fling forward when forward facing due to head / body weaight ratio

Not sure how to explain it but i wouldnt let a child under 9kg forward face

and it is weight NOT age that you must go on...

weight is the important factor and age is a guide

Deffo go by weight not age. The weight of the child is an integral part of the weight of the seat assembaly.

In any case it is far far safer for her to be reward facing and IMO you shouldn't move her just because of a new baby, and certainly if she is not big enough.

DD3 is still in her baby carrier at 22m (although she is small) because it is safer she will stay there for a couple more weeks when she has outgrown it.

Weight is the first factor to consider before moving her up to the next stage, then it's a question of is her head over the top of her car seat and finally age and development are the least important- a minimum of nine months old and able to sit completely unsupported for about 1/2 an hour. Group 0+ car seats are generally suitable until she weighs about 29lb.

If you can keep your baby in a rear facing seat, do so for as long as possible because they're far far safer in head-on or rear collisions (shudder thinking about it). Rear facing seats take the impact of the collision and avoid injury to the neck and spine.
A friend's baby weighed 9kg and had outgrown his seat, but was too young for a forward facing seat. My baby is 6 months younger and our seat lasts until 13kg, so we did a swap. Is there anyone you can swap with or can you borrow another rear-facing seat?

is her new one forward facing only , some can rear face until they are ready to turns around. She does need to be at least 9kg before you change.

hee hee - got dd weighed yesterday - she's 8.8kg at 5 months old!!! Won't be putting her in a forward facing seat though - she can only just sit up!

I too had this problem

My youngest was scrunched up in his rear facing baby seat but not heavy enough to move into the forward facing one. This means that if we had an accident, he would have caused himself all sorts of damage. (picture knees up by his ears lol)

My HV told me that if a baby can sit up unaided, then their neck is strong enough for them to move up into the next seat.

My ds2 was 16 months old before he was 9kg....it would have been silly for him to still be in a baby seat at that age.