What Are Your Opinions About Turning Carseat Around Right at 12 Months?

Hi M.,

My name is M. and I'm a Child Passenger Safety Instructor. Best practice is to leave your son rear-facing unilt about 18 months. This allows your son's head, neck and spine to mature, because his head is about 1/3 of his body mass. When your baby is riding rear-facing all of the crash forces are absorbed by the back of his carseat unlike forward-facing it is the harness straps. The straps are designed to stretch during a crash to help ride down the crash forces, which means his upper body comes forward. We worry with babies head weight the potential to stretch the spinal cord is greater which can call permament damage. You try letting him ride rear-facing for a little longer to allow those body parts to mature. Also, from my experience they nap better because they are reclined...forward-facing they are completely upright and have are harder time napping.

SAHM of a 7 month old baby boy.

Rear facing is not a safety risk as some might say and is actually considered the safest. I know a lot of people who keep their child rear facing even after their first birthday and after they have met the weight and height requirements to turn the child around. I wish I could have done the same, but my ds HATED to be rear facing I think because in my car (VW Jetta) he can't see anything. Here are some links that go over the benefits to staying rear facing:

Rear-Facing Links and Articles

www.carseatsite.com/rear-face_article.htm

An excellent article on why to rear-face children written by a leading researcher.

www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Reasons for why rear-facing is safest plus links.

http://myangelsaliandpeanut.tripod.com/id5.html

Testimonial about a rear-facing car seat in a severe rear-end crash.

www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

The online resource for rear-facing information.

www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbumAll.aspx

A photo album of children who are rear-facing past their first birthdays. Many are over 2 years old.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868

MSNBC article that mentions that forward-facing children are 4 times more likely to be injured in a side impact than rear-facing children.

www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&foru...
Textbook pictures comparing the differences in development between a 1 year old's vertebrae and a 6 year old's.

Hi M.,

I turned my first son's around on his birthday, and when my second son turns one, I'll probably do it on his birthday as well. As long as he's over 20 pounds, doing it right at 12 months is fine. It will probably make car rides a lot more comfortable and fun for him!

Enjoy the 1st birthday!
C.

First of all, congratulations and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your son! :-)

I felt the same way...being excited about the 1 yr milestone and being able to do things like flip his car seat around. I have heard that the longer you keep the seat flipped backwards, the better, as it is safer for your baby. We turned our son's seat to face forward at about 13 or 14 months, only b/c he is so tall that he had no leg room (his daddy is 6'4" and I'm 5'10", so he's gonna be a big boy). He really likes the view now that he's facing forward.

My point is...if you can keep his seat flipped backwards longer, that's great. Otherwise, as long as he's 20 lbs. and 1 yr, it's OK to flip it forwards. I've heard that the reasoning is b/c prior to 1 yr., babies don't have the neck and head strength to withstand the force if you were to get into an accident.

Good luck and enjoy this exciting time. The 2nd year is very fun! :-)

I have heard to wait as long as you can to turn the seat around due to safety reasons. In a crash, a carseat that is rear facing will protect by "cacooning" from flying objects as well as side objects hitting the baby. We are planning on keeping our daughter rear facing until the max on the car seat we have, which is 35 lbs., she is 14 months old right now and 17 lbs 8 oz, so we have a ways to go. It is everyones own decision on when to turn them around once they hit the required age, height & weight limit.

Happy 1st Birthday!!!!

M.

I've always heard at least 12 months.

Legally, your son has to be 1 year old AND 20 lbs. I don't know about waiting till he's 18 months. I turned it around for both my girls the day they turned one! Congrats on the birthday!

I think it is entirely dependent upon your child. I wouldn't let anyone "dictate" what the right age is for you to turn the seat around. If you feel that your child is ready and is strong enough to handle that (in the case of an accident), then I would do it. I think I waited until my daughter was closer to 13 months to do it, but it all depends on your child. Good luck!

One year old or 20 lbs.

Most convertible car seats have a maximum rear facing weight of 30#s. Check your mfg booklet, it should say. Also, ask your pediatrician when you go in for his 12 month old well-baby check-up.