When did you move to forward facing car seat?

[Aphrodite]

Jack just hates being in his rear facing one now, he screams if we are in the car for more than an hour and NOTHING consoles him. We were driving back to Luton from Tamworth and we were stuck in traffic with Jack absolutely screaming and sobbing it was the most stressful experience with him yet! He is 18lbs ish now and I have seen some that say 'from birth' but dunno. Anyone else moved to forward facing with an 8 month old? If so can anyone reccommend a brand?

 

[Blah11]

He's not heavy enough and its safest to keep them facing backwards for as long as possible. What makes you think that him facing front will make him cry less?

 

[hayley x]

as far as I know, regardless of weight they have to be a minimum of 9 months old before turning FF.. it is safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible, our 19 month old is still rear facing now and is so reassuring xx

 

[My_First]

Just a question regarding this, Leo is 5 and a half months, and 22lb and there is a weight limit to my current car seat. Can he exceed this if he doesnt reach 9 months under the weight limit?

 

[stardust599]

9 months and 20lbs is the minimum hun. So you could turn him around soon and you wouldn't be breaking the law or anything.

It is safest to keep them rear facing as long as possible though. Until at least 29lbs. My LO is still in the infant carrier, she has a dummy, a teddy and lots of toys and we sing songs etc. to keep her amused. We are moving her to a combi Britax First Class Plus where she'll be rear-facing until age 2.5ish or whenever she hits 29lbs.

If you buy one of these combi seats that goes rear facing he'll still be safe but he should be happier as they are more upright and higher up too so he'll be able to see out the back window! xx

 

[Tor]

Just a question regarding this, Leo is 5 and a half months, and 22lb and there is a weight limit to my current car seat. Can he exceed this if he doesnt reach 9 months under the weight limit?

I don't think you can exceed the weight limit rear facing as the car seats have not been deemed safe for use above that weight.

To the OP have you thought about getting a combi seat we have the britax first class plus and he loves it now as he is much higher up that in his infant carrier and can see out of all the windows, maybe you could get one of these then when he is older or more than 29lbs you can turn the seat around to face forward until they are 18kgs approx. 4 years.

 

[yumyum1979]

He's not heavy enough and its safest to keep them facing backwards for as long as possible. What makes you think that him facing front will make him cry less?

I had the same problem and yes it did make things alot better because she was sitting up a little more and could see more instead of looking at a seat all day long things were more interesting .

Ellie was in a ff seat at that age and she was great

 

[yumyum1979]

Just a question regarding this, Leo is 5 and a half months, and 22lb and there is a weight limit to my current car seat. Can he exceed this if he doesnt reach 9 months under the weight limit?

I don't think you can exceed the weight limit rear facing as the car seats have not been deemed safe for use above that weight.

To the OP have you thought about getting a combi seat we have the britax first class plus and he loves it now as he is much higher up that in his infant carrier and can see out of all the windows, maybe you could get one of these then when he is older or more than 29lbs you can turn the seat around to face forward until they are 18kgs approx. 4 years.

Sorry are you saying we should keep them rf till 4 years old ? when my daughter was 4 she was in a seat that was like a booster with a seat on it that was her third seat and she just uses the booster now . there would be no way she would face the back at 4 she would get quite lonley ? god she started school at 4 ! i cant see that my self , news to me i think i should have a read up

 

[going_crazy]

He's not heavy enough and its safest to keep them facing backwards for as long as possible. What makes you think that him facing front will make him cry less?

I had the same problem and yes it did make things alot better because she was sitting up a little more and could see more instead of looking at a seat all day long things were more interesting .

Ellie was in a ff seat at that age and she was great

If you get a combi seat (stage 0+&1) like the Britax first class as other PP's have mentioned, the baby can see much more as they are higher up

To the OP - the absolute minimum for ff is 20lb and 9months x

 

[yumyum1979]

Thanks i will look into that

 

[Aunty E]

It's all done on weight rather than age, 9 kg or 20lb being the minimum. Teddy is forward facing in a Maxi Cosi Priori because I was going to crash. Honestly, it was like torture for both of us, and I did every sodding thing to cheer him up, we had the airbags deactivated so he could go in front, he had mobiles, toy arches, stops every half an hour, NOTHING worked. NOTHING. I would get so worked up that a couple of times I nearly rammed a car in front because they were stopping me from getting where I had to be and getting Teddy out of the seat. He rubbed blisters on his heels, through socks, from kicking and screaming in his seat. He would cry so much he would vomit. When we went on holiday I spent the entire journey crying right along with him, while trying to drive safely. I know that if I have a crash, he is less safe, but believe you me, the likelihood of us crashing has been reduced significantly.

 

[nicole_]

btw the age has nothing to do with it, its weight. my LO is 18lbs at 5 months and theres not a hope in hell hes going to fit in an infant seat at 4 months on, hes squashed now!
im like you and want FF as my LO cries everytime the car stops and im constantly jumping in the back through the seats while were moving
however me and OH have discussed it after watching the crash videos and we think getting a rear facing bigger seat would be better
but im torn because i think LO would be happied FF :/

 

[flower74]

My LO is nearly 5 months and 21lb and as above he's not going to push another 4 months in his current seat, we will buy a FF seat have read a little about RF but def going to FF just as I did with my older sons. Not sure when we'll make the transition! X

 

[aliss]

My LO is still rear facing (ERF) at almost 16 months, he was nearly 20lbs at 4 months and IMO there was really no debate about it, he was far too young, he couldn't even hold his head up properly at 4 months.

 

[going_crazy]

It's all done on weight rather than age, 9 kg or 20lb being the minimum. Teddy is forward facing in a Maxi Cosi Priori because I was going to crash. Honestly, it was like torture for both of us, and I did every sodding thing to cheer him up, we had the airbags deactivated so he could go in front, he had mobiles, toy arches, stops every half an hour, NOTHING worked. NOTHING. I would get so worked up that a couple of times I nearly rammed a car in front because they were stopping me from getting where I had to be and getting Teddy out of the seat. He rubbed blisters on his heels, through socks, from kicking and screaming in his seat. He would cry so much he would vomit. When we went on holiday I spent the entire journey crying right along with him, while trying to drive safely. I know that if I have a crash, he is less safe, but believe you me, the likelihood of us crashing has been reduced significantly.

While this may be true, surely it would make sense to ensure your baby's neck and spine are strong enough too? IMO at 5/6 months old, most babies wouldn't be safe in a ff car seat, especially when the law recommends group 1 seats are for 9months+?

 

[Aunty E]

I think it's a matter of personal judgement, after the law is satisfied. Teddy was standing up while holding onto the furniture at four months, so in my opinion was fine to be in a forward facing seat at five months, when he weighed 23lb. My daughter on the other hand didn't hit 20lb until she was one, and stayed rear facing until then. I really like the Priori. He's mostly reclined in it and looks very comfortable and safe. And more importantly for me, he doesn't howl the entire time we're in the car, vomit or injure himself struggling.

 

[special_kala]

Both my girls rear face and will do until 3 minimum

 

[special_kala]

Happier or safer? Thats not really a hard decision surely?

 

[ProudArmyWife]

my LO is almost 6 months and 20lbs. shes basically outgrown her infant seat we will be moving her to a bigger seat in a little over a week or so. just have to make it out to my moms house to pick up the seat. it will RF with her till 40lbs if i chose and FF to 65lbs and can also be used as a booster seat up to 100lbs. was a bit pricey but i think it will be worth it. im hoping to keep her RF at least till 9 months hopefully longer but we will see how it goes

 

[ke29]

As the others have said RF as long as possible. My LO has a Britax First Class Plus and is higher up so can see out of the back window and both side windows.