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| I, personally, wouldn't do it. The law is the law for his safety. |
| posted by Lauren on 02/14/2008 08:04 PM
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| Jaxon there are standards for each state. If you feel that your child is restrained in the carseat safely enough. I don't see the harm in it. I changed my daughter around from her rear facing carseat about a week early because she was smooshed up in the back. She is very tall for her age and her legs were very cramped. However, I did consult our pediatrician to ensure that she felt that I wasn't jumping the gun. She said a week didn't make too much of a difference. It isn't like if you get pulled over the police are going to ask you for you child's birth certificate. It is really up to you. Don't feel bad if you choose to do it and other parents don't, and don't feel bad if you don't choose to. You and your wife are raising your child not the rest of the world. As long as the two of you are comfortable with it then do what you feel is right. Good luck. |
| posted by naomi on 02/14/2008 08:10 PM
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| Jaxon there are standards for each state. If you feel that your child is restrained in the carseat safely enough. I don't see the harm in it. I changed my daughter around from her rear facing carseat about a week early because she was smooshed up in the back. She is very tall for her age and her legs were very cramped. However, I did consult our pediatrician to ensure that she felt that I wasn't jumping the gun. She said a week didn't make too much of a difference. It isn't like if you get pulled over the police are going to ask you for you child's birth certificate. It is really up to you. Don't feel bad if you choose to do it and other parents don't, and don't feel bad if you don't choose to. You and your wife are raising your child not the rest of the world. As long as the two of you are comfortable with it then do what you feel is right. Good luck. |
| posted by naomi on 02/14/2008 08:11 PM
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| Thanks naomi! My husband is all about putting him in it 12 days early. Ian is getting a bit tall for the car seat, in my opinion. His feet can touch the back seat and I don't see how that is safe. |
| posted by Jaxon on 02/14/2008 08:18 PM
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| i was going through the same questions. My son will be 12 months tomorrow and i wanted to turn him around but i kept putting it off and my friend told me that she did it early b/c her ped. told her a couple of weeks will not hurt ans long as the seat is secure. just keep im mind that the law does say otherwise and if by chance you would get into an accident that you may be fined. i feel that it can not hurt that is why i turned him around a little early at the risk of an accident and getting find for my sons comfort. |
| posted by Fabia on 02/14/2008 08:19 PM
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| It is a few days difference, it really does not matter for a few days. My daughter was forward facing at 11 months because she just got too long to be rear facing, it was uncomfortable for her, I asked her pediatrician, and she said it was fine. Call your ped and ask them if a matter of 12 days is going to be bad? |
| posted by on 02/14/2008 08:21 PM
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Hey Jaxon,
I had to put Emilie facing forward at an early age. She was well over 20lbs and able to hold her head up with no problem. She was too long for the rear facing seat, her legs were bent with her feet touching the seat back. I felt that it was more of a risk that she would have a broken leg, hip or pelvic bone if we were in an accident. My state requires that a child be over 20lbs and/or over 12 months. I don't think a few days would really make a difference.
PS: Happy Birthday Ian!!
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| posted by on 02/14/2008 09:08 PM
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| I don't know what the laws are where you live, but the law is in Michigan 20lbs and 1 year old, but there is a loophole that I have heard that it is unsafe if the child can press their legs against the back of the seat. I agree with the other girls, I don't think a couple of days will make a huge difference. Go for it, and congrats to Ian for this new step in his life to be forward facing!!!:) |
| posted by Ashley on 02/14/2008 09:52 PM
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jackie,
I had the same question ages ago, because Caroline hated the car!! I posted on a different site, and here is one responce that really changed my mi nd on things...... Hope it helps you as much as it did me.
Infant seats are outgrown when the baby's head is 1" below the top (or when they reach the weight limit, whatever comes first). My daughter had long legs so her legs hung out a long time before she actually outgrew it.
Don't worry about their legs touching the backseat. There have been no reported cases of legs being broken in an accident from being rearfacing. The bare minimum for turning them foward facing is one year AND twenty pounds. But honestly it's so much safer to leave them rearfacing longer. The AAP recommends that you have them rearfacing until they hit the rearfacing limits of the car seat. Check your manual...current seats have rearfacing weight limits of 30-35 pounds (or until the top of their head is even with the top). My daughter is 2.5 and still rearfacing. If you don't want to have her rearfacing that long I understand, but at least wait to turn her until she's 1. A lot of car seat technicians don't feel comfortable turning kids around until they're at least 2. You can ask your pediatrician but a lot of them don't know much about it. Most don't even know what they're own organization (the AAP) recommends. So for car seat issues I ask the experts. If you go to www.car-safety.org they have a free forum where you can ask car seat technicians questions. There's also a YouTube video that explains rearfacing and shows crash tests comparing rear and foward facing. It's pretty shocking when you first see it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psmUWg7QrC8
Here's the link to a faster version of the video with an explanation on the right (click more). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo |
| posted by Cara on 02/16/2008 11:27 AM
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Thanks Cara,
She out grew the infant carrier long before I turned her facing forward. I had gotten a convertible car seat and had it rear facing until her legs were hanging off the edge. It could have also been the vehicle I had at the time too. The seat wasn't very spacious. Now that she is 17 months I feel she will be just fine facing forward.
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| posted by on 02/16/2008 12:13 PM
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The state regulations are based on the averages that should work for most children in terms of ability to support themselves, size and weight. If your son is advanced in those 3 categories it makes sense to have him switch a little early. I did with my son who is now 17 months.
You wouldn't force him to wear 6 monhts clothes at age 6 months if he fits into 12 months at that time. So too if he meets the size requirmeent and is stable enough it doesn't make sense squasking him in a rear facing seat too because he is not officially one as yet. |
| posted by Afihtan on 02/16/2008 03:03 PM
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| I wouldn't be to worried about putting him in facing forward a little bit early. By the time my daughter was 11 months old her feet were smushed against the back of the seat. We turned the seat forward to make it more comfortable. You are the mother so you should decide and not let anyone make you feel bad to doing so a few days early |
| posted by Jaimie on 02/20/2008 06:10 PM
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I know it seems a little harsh, but have u seen the link and watched the video I posted above?? I'd rather have broken legs then a broken neck. I kinda look at it like this....
(Caroline hates car rides--at least long road trips) But if I've waited 1 year, what's one more if it GUARANTEES that they will be safe....... So it's a little incovient when I go out to the mall and she might scream all the way....... or even half way, but if someone decideds to slam into me, I know that she is as safe as she possible could be........... It just not worth switching her over yet.
Carolien's stats. 15 months: 32 inches long 25 lbs. |
| posted by Cara on 02/22/2008 06:29 AM
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| Well my daughter has been in a toddler seat since she turned 1. Even thought now she is almost 2 she only wieghts 25 pounds and is 30inches tall, she is just petite. |
| posted by charise on 02/22/2008 03:02 PM
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