Do you plan to move your child's carseat to forward-facing at 12 months?

Question

There's no right answer here (duh!) I'm just curious. My son is very little for his age, so I'm probably going to keep him rear-facing a little longer than most people.

Answer 1

Yes I did. My son, now 14 months is 19.5 lbs and 28 inches long. He came out of the infant seat to be rear-facing at 11 months and has been forward facing since his birthday.

The public health nurse torn my head off over it, though she also went on a rampage that I refused the chicken pox vaccine as well. Our GP said "Its up to you, he's of age and length but under weight". For us, the rear seats in our car (Aristo, here sold as Lexus something or another) have the seat slightly reclined so he's more reclined forward facing than with the seat adjusted all the way back rear facing.

Its easier to see him and he's happier.

Answer 2

Yes.  My son is almost 10 months, average height I would say, he's a bit higher on the weight curve though.  I will switch the seat (he's in a convertible seat, he outgrew the carrier at around 7 months) around because my car is tiny and my knees are squished up against the glove compartment when I'm in the passenger side!

Answer 3

No. My 17 month old is still rear-facing. She seems to be quite happy with it.

My 5 month old will also stay rear-facing as long as possible.

Answer 4

My 2.5 year old is still rear-facing and I hope I can keep him rear-facing until age 3 when there is at least the hope his spinal column has fused which happens between age 3-6 years.  I wish I could keep him rear-facing for far longer.  I wish my government would force car seat manufacturers here to keep up with European and specifically Scandinavian guidelines.

I make plenty of funny faces at my kids all the rest of their lives

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PS I have Dodge Neon which is a tiny car.  After the newborn period the car seat is safer at 30-35 degrees as long as their head isn't flopping forward, and if you can not allow 2" of space between the back of the  baby's carseat and the vehicle passenger seat it is safest to have them jammed together.  So I get a decent amount of room.  Also I have the Alpha Omega (Eddie Bauer aka Costco) seat installed without the base to save on room whereas I have an Evenflo Triumph Advanced at the full 45 degree recline (younger child whose head flops forward even though he is really too old for it to) WITH the base and it takes up less room behind the driver.

http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_up...

The back surface of a rear-facing CR should be between 30° and 45° from vertical, starting with the most reclined angle for a newborn and becoming more upright as the baby grows. This recommendation is a balance between crash protection and comfort. If the CR is too upright, the head could flop forward uncomfortably and possibly pinch off the airway, especially for a newborn. If the CR is too reclined during a frontal crash, the infant could slide toward the top of the restraint, exposing the head to injury, especially for the larger, heavier baby.

Each manufacturer determines an optimum back angle for its products and specifies a way, such as a level indicator, for the user to determine that angle. However, these indicators only work when the vehicle is level, so they can sometimes be misleading. The Federal standard allows the back of a rear-facing CR to rotate downward as much as 70° from vertical during the FMVSS 213 crash test, but this extreme result reflects the test conditions and would not represent good crash performance. To meet these test requirements, some restraint manufacturers may install their position indicators so the initial angle is too upright for a small infant. For these situations, installing the seat with the indicator outside the specified zone may be necessary, or one must obtain a different safety seat. The baby’s airway must not be compromised.

To set an appropriate back angle for the child, install the CR in the car and put the baby in the CR with the buttocks in the deepest part of the CR and the baby's back straight. Jostle the CR a bit, and, if the baby's head flops forward (while awake or asleep), it is necessary to increase the angle. For infant-only restraints, some bases can be adjusted if more recline is needed, or a detachable base can be removed and the shell alone reclined a little more. Otherwise, for these and for convertibles, insert a tightly rolled towel or sheet or a foam "noodle" under the toe-end of the CR to compensate for the slope of the vehicle seat. Increase the angle of recline just enough to keep the baby's head from flopping forward, but no more than 45° from vertical.

The American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that infants born at less than 37 weeks gestation be monitored in a semi-upright position prior to discharge to detect possible breathing, oxygenation level, and/or heart rhythm problems (AAP, 2006). If a baby needs to be more reclined than 45°, he must be tested similarly in a car bed to see if discharge is appropriate, and if so the car bed must be used for travel. There is also evidence that prolonged (over an hour) semi-upright positioning may lead to reduced oxygen saturation levels even among term infants. It is therefore recommended that very young infants not be left undisturbed in their rear-facing child restraints for long periods.

As the child grows, becomes heavier, and can hold his head erect, the angle can be decreased, making the restraint more upright, to provide better crash protection. For a sleeping baby, this angle should be at least 30° from vertical. In addition to improved comfort, keeping the back of the baby's head in contact with the CR provides better protection in a crash. In some vehicles, the back seat may be too small to accommodate a convertible CR that is reclined as far as 45° in the rear-facing position. For older babies, the CR may be used at a more upright angle to make it fit in the car, but a newborn may require a smaller infant-only restraint. (9/07)

http://www.carseat.org/Technical/tech_up...

Rear-facing CR resting against front seat or dashboard

There are three reasons behind the theory of positioning a rear-facing restraint against a structure in front of it (back of front seat, or instrument panel if no air bag):

1.  It will keep the restraint in a more upright orientation during a crash, which helps keep the child from ramping up the back, loading the shoulders into the straps, and possibly allowing the head to rise over the top of the restraint.

2.  If the rear-facing restraint is in initial contact with a vehicle structure, the child will directly ride down the crash with the crushing vehicle, which reduces the deceleration forces (and injury potential) to the child.  This is standard practice for large rear-facing restraints in Sweden.

3.  During a frontal crash, an unsupported restraint will move forward and rotate down toward the impact point.

If the gap is small or the child is on the heavy side, it is much better to be already touching any forward structure prior to a crash than to hit it during the crash. Resting against a forward seatback is only one way to achieve these benefits.  Another is a tether designed to be routed rearward (Australian method) to limit forward rotation, which one manufacturer currently provides.

Alternately, instructions for a few rear-facing child restraints state that they should not touch the front seatback in order to perform properly. One discontinued convertible model was designed to rotate to a more upright position during impact, and some infant-only restraints are expected to rotate away from the front seatback in a severe rear impact if given sufficient initial clearance.

When a rear-facing child restraint is tested to FMVSS 213, there is nothing in front of the restraint that it can contact (see picture below and in Angle of recline, rear-facing).  .

Answer 5

My son is HUGE for his age so he's been forward facing for a few months now. I think since he was 7 1/2 months. But it would have been way more dangerous to keep him rear facing. even if we were in a small fender bender I think his legs would have been broken. I made sure though it was legal and safe before I turned him around, if it wasn't then we would have been home bound or walking for months!!

But if he was a small guy then i would want him rear facing as long as possible, which ever is the safest route I'll take it when its concerning my child!! But your right it was Soooo.... exciting when we got to put him forward facing!! he LOVED it!! he laughed so hard, had one arm on each of the arm rests and looked around it was so funny!!!

My son and I were in a mojor accident about a month and a half ago and he was fine, no injury what so ever....

(thank God)

Answer 6

We're really itching to turn Ian around at 12 months, but I think we'll probably play it by ear...I'll let him sit facing rear until my husband turns the carseat around on his own ;)

Answer 7

My mom constantly tells me that I should turn my son around so that he can see everything.  I told her to get into the back seat and tell me what she can see.  Then I told her to turn around and tell me what she can see.  Rear facing lets my son look out the rear window and the side windows.  Forward facing lets him see part of the side windows and the inside of the car.  Since he already knows what the inside of the car looks like, I told her that he's better off looking out the back.  

My son is 16 months old, still rear facing, and will continue that way until he out grows his seat or refuses to sit in his car seat.  The safety benefits of being rear facing are so overwhelming that I don't understand why there is a rush to turn babies forward.  Yes, it lets you see them, but that's about it.  For me it is much easier to hand him something when he is rear facing since he's closer to me.  Plus I have the added security that if we were in a wreck that he wouldn't get whip lash or be internally decapitated.  Reaching new milestones is always exciting and something that we look forward to, but forward facing shouldn't be one of  them.

Answer 8

As much as I want to, I probably won't turn it around until he's uncomfortable while rear facing.  I really, REALLY want to turn him around, but I want him to be safe too.  

Answer 9

I plan on turning my daughter around whenever she meets the weight requirement.  She's 20 months old now and still rear facing.  She's still in her original infant seat, so I guess I'll have to purchase a new car seat too!  Oh my they grow up so quickly!

Good luck!

Answer 10

Nope. Well, my daughter is 13 months and still rear facing.

Answer 11

Most likely because my daughter is very long, and her legs are already all bent up and she's only 8 months old.

*Oh and she's reached the 20lb limit already.*

Answer 12

Well, my son is 16 months old, 25 lbs, and 31 inches long. He is currently RF and will continue to do so. It is a matter of safety. Glad to hear you are considering extended RF.

Answer 13

I know my husband is really itching to have him face forward...but I want to hold off as long as possible. I'm paranoid and I just don't really see how 12 months magically makes him ready to face forward.

I want to do more research on it before I even consider facing him forward.  

Answer 14

No.  My younger son is 17 months and 25 lbs, and still happily rear-facing.  

Answer 15

Nope, my son is actually BIG for his age, and he's 13 months and still rear-facing.

They say the baby should be 1 year AND 20 lbs. to turn them forward-facing, .. my son is 13 months and 25 lbs. and still rear-facing.

It's safer to keep the baby rear-facing as long as possible. If you're in a collision and the baby is rear-facing they *usually* only get a broken leg; where as forward facing has caused instant decapitation of the baby: death.

The baby's neck muscles are still very fragile and their head can literally be ripped off their shoulders upon impact in a forward-facing car seat.

Answer 16

I did with my daughter because all she would do is whine and complain when she could not see us.  She was also big for her age so I was not fearful at all.  My son is little so he may go longer + he has someone in the back seat to keep him company.  We'll see when the time comes.

Answer 17

I have no plan.I will just wait until I think it is time & then I will do it.Whether it be 10 months,12,15 etc.I will see how he is and take it from there.

Answer 18

Nope.  My 12 month old will be rear facing until he hist 35lbs (the rear facing limit on his seat) or until his head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat.

My mother in law said something about how it "looks retarded" yesterday and I said "I'd rather my child look retarded than be dead or seriously injured".....   ....I think I pissed her off :(