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Original poster

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

12 replies

mustsleep · 10/02/2009 11:41

Hi

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:
FiveGoMadInDorset · 10/02/2009 13:37

No, he needs to be able to sit as well.

fairimum · 10/02/2009 13:59

it is more about the development of the neck muscles - my DD is 8.5 months and weights 18.5lb although she is wide and went through a period of being unhappy in her cabrio - having done alot of research on forward and rear facing she will be staying rear facing as long as possible - just imagine a whip lash like injury to an adult, this is very likely to cause a broken neck in a baby moved forward facing too soon. legs bent up are fine (as someone said to me rather broken legs in an accident than a broken neck) - as long as his head is not poking out above the back of the seat he is fine! My dd just goes in with no coat etc on and a blanket over her if cold, also we don't carry her in it anymore it stays in the car! if you really feel it is too small there are a few car seats taht go from birth - 4years that goe rear facing and then forward facing once they are bigger! in a lot of countries they are kept rear facing til 4 - can now get these seat here too!

ConnorTraceptive · 10/02/2009 14:03

My HV said that ds2 could go in at 5 months because he was within the weight limit, but I kept him rear facing for as long as possible.

Although we had a stage 1/2 carseat that can be rear or forward facing so he had plenty of room.

crokky · 10/02/2009 14:08

You need to keep him rear facing until he is at least 9m regardless of his weight or anything else.

My DD (who is now 11m) grew out of her stage 0 carseat when she was 5m. She is very tall and her head began to stick out. She was also heavy. Anyway, I bought the Britax First Class - it is the size of a 9m-4y car seat but it can be belted in rear facing or forward facing. Currently, my DD is still using it rear facing at 11m as it is FAR safer that way. I think (not quite sure) that in other countries, babies are not allowed forward facing until age 1 at least.

theyoungvisiter · 10/02/2009 14:13

I think in Sweden they are not allowed to go forward facing until around 3 - when we recently travelled there with DS (2 and a half at the time) he was put into a rear-facing car seat in the hire car and was most cross! He spent the whole journey shouting "the seat is wrong mummy, turn me round!"

But he's far safer that way and for my next baby I have bought the first class and will be using it rear-facing until his legs are too long.

Incidentally you should sit rear-facing on trains for the same reason - rear-facing passengers are far more likely to survive accidents.

NAB09 · 10/02/2009 14:18

Too young ime.

He has to be able to sit well and hold his head up properly.

It is weight not age.

A baby didn't die from having their legs squashed up but they could in an accident if in a seat not appropriate for their size.

Qally · 11/02/2009 23:26

If you think about it, no adult can stretch their legs out fully in a car, either, and if babies started out that way in carseats we'd probably not bat an eyelid. It's the contrast between roomy and fully extended, and curled up, that's not appealing to me. They aren't worse off than we are, but they are worse off than they were, iyswim.

IdrisTheDragon · 11/02/2009 23:30

He is too young.

Marthasmama · 11/02/2009 23:34

mustsleep - Have you taken out the infant part? Don't shout at me if you have, it's just we were worrying about our 4 month old as she seemed really squashed. Then we realised that we needed to take out the infant bit. We felt a bit duh, as she now has loads of room! You might not be as thick shortsighted as us but I thought it was worth mentioning.

differentCupID · 11/02/2009 23:35

no way! Keep him rear facing until his head is out of the top of his current car seat and he is nearer 29lb weight plus can sit unaided. It's all to do with muscle strength and until they are about a year old they tend not to have the muscle strehgth to withsatnd a car crash.

nappyaddict · 11/02/2009 23:39

No. It is recommended that children stay rear facing until 20lbs AND 18 months.

AnnasBananas · 14/02/2009 18:34

Too you, stay rear-facing and can sit unaided and steady.

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