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Original poster

Is a forward facing carseat ok for a 5 month old?

27 replies

mustsleep · 10/02/2009 11:41

I have a 3 year old who is in a foward facing carseat that can recline etc but is soon ready to be ina high backed booster

I have a 5 month old baby who is currently in a maxi cosi cabrio but is just getting too big for the seat and looks all squashed in, and he cried whenever he is put in it and generally not happy the full time he is in it. Plus he is getting really heavy to lift in it

Now he is quite a big lad not sure how much he weighs but I wouldn't be surprised if he was nearly 20lbs. So my question is even though the forward facing carseats say thay they are suitable from 9 months if he is in the correct weight bracket is that ok?

OP posts:

Lionstar · 10/02/2009 11:41

Simple answer - NO.

Dropdeadfred · 10/02/2009 11:42

Sorry, but I dont think so.
Could you buy him a larger seat?

peachface · 10/02/2009 11:42

I don't think so, no. I think it's because of small infants' necks that the guidelines are there for rear facing only until a certain age. Best to check with your hv or a car seat manufacturer.

traceybath · 10/02/2009 11:43

no - he needs to be sitting up properly. The risks are very serious he could break his neck if in a forward facing seat at that age and you were in an accident.

ZoeC · 10/02/2009 11:43

Weight is the key rather than actual age, but at 5 months they are better rear facing no matter what their weight as they aren't strong enough.

You can get bigger rear facing seats that turn round and forward face when they are ready, that would solve the size problem.

peachface · 10/02/2009 11:45

I had a JANE car seat which was much bigger than your average infant car seat and it turned to be forward facing once ds 2 was bigger, He was able to stay in that, rear facing, even though he was a heavier chap.

Original poster

mustsleep · 10/02/2009 11:49

Thanks everyone, I know you can buy a bigger seat that is rear and forward facing but wanted to save some cash and use dd's

Will just have to wait a bit then

On the Mothercare website it says that it's completely based on weight, but I asked due to the supporting neck/back thing

Would you say that if he was sitting up unsupported that the forward facing would be ok then? Can wait a couple of months (although my back is groaning at the thought!lol )

OP posts:

Pawslikepaddington · 10/02/2009 11:53

Please wait until he is 9 m/o. Even if he is the correct weight and sitting unaided, he needs another 4 months of neck muscle growing first-they wouldn't cope with the impact in a crash, whereas rear facing the momentum pushes him into the seat instead of forwards into the car, keeping him safe.

verygreenlawn · 10/02/2009 11:54

I've got the same problem, ds3 is huge at 4.5 months, and my back is breaking lifting the car seat in and out of the car! Also I've noticed his feet have started to stick out the end of the car seat which I think isn't great. But I'm going to wait. I can tell that although he's big he just hasn't got the neck control to go into a higher category seat.

pooka · 10/02/2009 11:55

Why don't you jsut leave the seat in the car - no need to carry on carrying him in the seat if he's heavy, and you'd leave the next stage seat in the car anyway.

HeadFairy · 10/02/2009 11:59

a friend of mine works at Mothercare and they are told to check the child can sit unsupported for 15 mins before they go in to a forward facing car seat. The key is core body strength. In an accident if they are forward facing, even if they are strapped in, there will be forces that throw them forward, which if they don't have the core body strength in their neck and spine, will cause severe injuries. It's a pain to have to buy another rear facing seat, but what price can you put on your dc's health?

ShowOfHands · 10/02/2009 12:08

Just leave the seat in the car! My dd was about 25lb at that age and I kept her rear facing until the last possible minute.

It doesn't matter about the feet poking out too much as they can bend their legs. As long as their head isn't poking over the top it's fine.

In my experience all children protest about carseats at some point. It's being strapped down more than comfort most often!

verygreenlawn · 10/02/2009 12:21

I'd love to leave the seat in the car all the time, but unfortunately it's one of those that clips into a pushchair frame (Britax Vigour), and the separate pushchair seat unit isn't suitable till he's 6 months. So I can sometimes leave the seat in and carry ds3 into the car in my arms, but when I pick up ds1 and ds2 from school I need the car seat clipped into the pushchair frame.

I bought the carseat/pushchair combo because I thought it looked really safe and comfortable - ds3 is lovely and comfy with it, but I'm not!

WRT to the feet, I think it'll be OK, his head definitely isn't over the top. And there is no way he can support his head or sit unaided yet so I guess we can manage.

FaintlyMacabre · 10/02/2009 12:42

My 15 monther (about 10.5kg, 80cm) still gets crammed fits into the Maxi Cosi Cabrio.
We plan to get a Group 1 rear facing when we change cars -hopefully soon, depending on finances.

trixymalixy · 10/02/2009 13:05

No!

My DS stayed in his maxi cosi cabrio until he was nearly 14 months.

Have you taken the newborn wedge out to give him more room? A lot of people don't read the instructions and don't realise that you have to take this bit out once the baby starts getting bigger.

fairimum · 10/02/2009 14:04

My DD went into he seat unit in her pushchair at 5 months - also recommended 6 months - this was because the seat did not lie totally flat, she was fine in the seat unit as when you think about it the car seat isnt flat?? as long as it isnt long periods of time he will be fine inthe seat unit and then ou can leave the car seat in the car!

verygreenlawn · 10/02/2009 14:27

I think that may have to be the compromise fairimum - obviously not ideal but as you say at least he isn't going to be in any danger. The main issue when I tried the pushchair a couple of weeks ago was his head lolled to one side, whereas in the car seat it's held straight by cushioning, but I think somewhere in the loft I've got a neck support ... just got to find a moment to climb up there to find it!

NAB09 · 10/02/2009 14:28

timmette · 10/02/2009 17:17

I actually called up Maxi Cosi as had a similar problem and was told they can move out of the seat when the top of their heads is higher than the top of the seat if you get what I mean - as the seat is then no longer safe for them.

ThePgHedgeWitchIsCrankyBeware · 10/02/2009 17:22

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ThePgHedgeWitchIsCrankyBeware · 10/02/2009 17:31

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CantSleepWontSleep · 10/02/2009 17:33

He has to be able to sit up unsupported for 20 mins, as well as meeting the weight limit, so no.

claireybrations · 10/02/2009 17:43

No. They should be at least 9 months (1 year preferred), able to sit unsupported for at least 20 mins AND 20lbs, not just one or other of these

Original poster

mustsleep · 11/02/2009 09:32

thanks again

I have taken the newborn wedge out, I had to do it ages ago lol

I can't leave the carseat in the car as it's my parents car, neither myself or my husband drive so we have the carseat for if we are using a taxi or if my parents or friends are taking us somewhere

Our friends that drive also have a forward acing seat you see

It fine I'll just have to wait another 4 months or see if I can leave the carseat at my parents house and if they can just put it in the car when we might use it iykwim

ds is my third lo and none of them have lasted in one if those travel system carseats upto 15 months! lol they've all been too big!! We did have a rearfacing one at one point but the harness brole on it and wouldn't tighten anymore

OP posts:

Original poster

mustsleep · 11/02/2009 09:34

verygreenlawn a while ago on ebay someone was selling a wedge support you could put into the pushchair seat to make flat, so you could use your bugaboo seat etc for earlier

OP posts:

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