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ChilisWife
God Bless America
Member since 5/05 3571 total posts
Name:
A.K.
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Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Did most of you do this right at the 1 year mark, or did you wait longer? DS will be one soon and I really cannot wait to turn it, but I am scared and am thinking of waiting a little longer. Opinions?
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Posted 11/12/07 8:33 PM  |
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KateDevine
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Member since 6/06 24950 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
As long as he is one and 20lbs, then it should be fine.
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:36 PM |
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KPtoys
I'm getting old
Member since 5/05 8688 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
There is no harm in leaving them backwards
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:38 PM |
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pmpkn087
Life is good...
Member since 9/05 18504 total posts
Name:
Stephanie
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I haven't done it yet. He still has room in my car so I'm going to leave it backwards. In my moms car he has NO room and he gets annoyed, so I have to change it. He's way over 20 lbs.
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:40 PM |
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2kids2cats
My babies
Member since 6/05 5229 total posts
Name:
f
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I did it last week and she'll be 1 this week. My father called a person to do his that works for the safety dept and he won't do it until she is at least 14 months. She was so long and squished in my car. Lazy Dh on the other hand who hasn't put the new car seat in his car still has her in the infant carrier when he picks her up poor little thing!
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:42 PM |
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MelToddJulia
Love my Family!
Member since 7/05 29064 total posts
Name:
Mel
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I turned it forward a week before Julia turned 1.
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:45 PM |
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Lucky
Growing up fast!
Member since 4/07 12683 total posts
Name:
Dawn
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I waited a few weeks after DD was 12 months b/c at her ped appointment she was 19.5 lbs. I would like to have kept it facing backwards longer b/c I know it's safer but DD was just hating the car. She's much better since she is facing forward.
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:48 PM |
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ChilisWife
God Bless America
Member since 5/05 3571 total posts
Name:
A.K.
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by Lucky
I waited a few weeks after DD was 12 months b/c at her ped appointment she was 19.5 lbs. I would like to have kept it facing backwards longer b/c I know it's safer but DD was just hating the car. She's much better since she is facing forward.
that's the problem, my son was always great in the car until recently, and now he just complains all the time and it's hard when it is just me in the car driving
I also don't necessarily understand how the safety thing works - isn't it safer to face front if you get hit in the rear? Or am I just a physics idiot?
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:50 PM |
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KateDevine
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Member since 6/06 24950 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by KPtoys
There is no harm in leaving them backwards
I thought this wasn't exactly true. I thought I read (or heard) that if they met the requirements (1 & 20lbs) and their feet touched the back of the seat that they should be facing forward?
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:52 PM |
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Marcie
Complete Happiness :)
Member since 5/05 27789 total posts
Name:
LOVE being a Mommy!
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I didn't turn DD around until she was about 15 1/2 months.
I waited for 2 reasons. I had an infant car seat that held up to 30lbs.
And the other reason was - I felt there was no reason to change it if she was still comfortable.
We never heard a peep from her - so we left her that way
Everyone said it was safer
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| Posted 11/12/07 8:58 PM |
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Marcie
Complete Happiness :)
Member since 5/05 27789 total posts
Name:
LOVE being a Mommy!
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by KateDevine
Posted by KPtoys
There is no harm in leaving them backwards
I thought this wasn't exactly true. I thought I read (or heard) that if they met the requirements (1 & 20lbs) and their feet touched the back of the seat that they should be facing forward?
I'm not sure about this - cause my DD feet were touching for a long time.
She wasn't even close the weight yet
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:00 PM |
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dawnygirl25
Growing up soo fast..
Member since 1/06 14917 total posts
Name:
Dawn
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
we switched right at 1 year, she was exactly 20 lbs.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:02 PM |
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KateDevine
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Member since 6/06 24950 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by Marcie
Posted by KateDevine
Posted by KPtoys
There is no harm in leaving them backwards
I thought this wasn't exactly true. I thought I read (or heard) that if they met the requirements (1 & 20lbs) and their feet touched the back of the seat that they should be facing forward?
I'm not sure about this - cause my DD feet were touching for a long time.
She wasn't even close the weight yet
I said if they met the requirements and their feet touch....not the feet touching before they were one and 20lbs
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:03 PM |
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KPtoys
I'm getting old
Member since 5/05 8688 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by KateDevine
Posted by KPtoys
There is no harm in leaving them backwards
I thought this wasn't exactly true. I thought I read (or heard) that if they met the requirements (1 & 20lbs) and their feet touched the back of the seat that they should be facing forward?
I've never heard that. It is safer for their necks in a crash to be rear facing.
ETA: if their feet touch the seats before they are 20lbs and 1 it doesn't matter but once they meet the age and weight requirement it makes a difference? I don't understand your logic there
Message edited 11/12/2007 9:39:28 PM.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:06 PM |
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luvsun27
Check out my cool glasses
Member since 5/05 8135 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
<<<<ducking from the flames>>>>>
I turned DD around at just about 12 months...but she was not, nor is she now, 20lbs. She was miserable facing backwards..cried, cried, cried. As soon as she was facing forward...she was happy as a clam!
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:11 PM |
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SuzyQ
Mama to 3!?!?!?
Member since 7/06 8069 total posts
Name:
Susan
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
DD just turned 1 and I'm sure she's over 20 lbs, but she's not complaining so we're leaving her rear facing as long as possible. Her feet do touch the seat, but it doesn't seem to bother her yet.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:11 PM |
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monkeybride
My Everything
Member since 5/05 20541 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
We just recently did it. Just a couple of weeks shy of 26 months. We felt it was safer to keep her rear facing and she didn't mind at all.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:38 PM |
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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
I waited as long as I could. They were in a Britax Marathon facing backwards and they weren't complaining!
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:52 PM |
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KateDevine
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Member since 6/06 24950 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by KPtoys
ETA: if their feet touch the seats before they are 20lbs and 1 it doesn't matter but once they meet the age and weight requirement it makes a difference? I don't understand your logic there
You totally missed my point. I meant that keeping them rear facing AFTER they were 1, 20lbs and had their feet touching wasn't as great. Like I said, I thought I read that the car seats were built to be turned at that age and weight (WHEN BOTH ARE MET) for a reason.
Like I said above, the 1 year & 20lb restriction was created for a reason, if their feet touched before, you can't do it, but after then it was better to be front facing.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:56 PM |
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Charly
LOVE!
Member since 5/05 12578 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
DD is 11.5 months and 24.4 lbs  I'm leaving her backwards until she complains. I really really want her forward facing, but if its safer and she's happy I'll wait.
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| Posted 11/12/07 9:56 PM |
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groovypeg
:)
Member since 5/05 2423 total posts
Name:
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
hannah was 16 months old when we turned the sear around. thats when she reached the weight requirement.
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| Posted 11/12/07 10:04 PM |
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KPtoys
I'm getting old
Member since 5/05 8688 total posts
Name:
Karen
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Posted by KateDevine
Posted by KPtoys
ETA: if their feet touch the seats before they are 20lbs and 1 it doesn't matter but once they meet the age and weight requirement it makes a difference? I don't understand your logic there
You totally missed my point. I meant that keeping them rear facing AFTER they were 1, 20lbs and had their feet touching wasn't as great. Like I said, I thought I read that the car seats were built to be turned at that age and weight (WHEN BOTH ARE MET) for a reason.
Like I said above, the 1 year & 20lb restriction was created for a reason, if their feet touched before, you can't do it, but after then it was better to be front facing.
I think I get it, It is safest in a crash to have them facing backwards. Even with feet touching and over the weight and height requirements. The rule was made because at that weight and age a childs neck has a better chance of supporting themselves and less of a chance of injury in an accident but the longer they stay rearfacing the stronger their neck muscles can become As far as I know there are no manufacturing issue with the seat (turning them around for weight/height reasons).
Message edited 11/12/2007 10:16:58 PM.
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| Posted 11/12/07 10:15 PM |
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wowcoulditbe
wow, pic is already 1 yr old!!
Member since 1/06 6689 total posts
Name:
D
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
its funny in my car (suv) dd has plenty of room still but in dh's car she doesn't and she loves it....she is not near 20 lbs yet but we'll try to keep her r'facing as long as we can...lol...this way we get more use out of her car seat too!
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| Posted 11/12/07 11:02 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
It's the law that they MUST be rear facing until AT LEAST 1 year AND 20 lbs. However, that's just the gov't bare minimum. We turned DD around at about 16 months. There is absolutely no problem having their feet touch the back of the seat. They just bend their knees. We finally turned DD around because it was getting to be more than just bending her knees. Her knees were getting close to her chest, so it was very difficult getting her in and out.
Yes, it's better to be forward facing in a rear accident, but the number of rear-end collisions is extremely small compared to front-end collisions, and the combined impact speed is extremely different. Front-end is the combined speed of both cars. Rear-end is back car speed minus the front car speed, so the impact is much less severe.
Even for adults, it's safer being rear-facing (except for the driver...  ). Rear-facing distributes the force of the impact across your entire back, and into the seat. Front-facing puts the entire force on the seat belt, which is relatively thin, plus your neck can whiplash pretty easily.
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| Posted 11/13/07 7:21 AM |
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pharmcat2000
Mom of 2 + 1
Member since 10/05 7395 total posts
Name:
Catherine
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Re: Turning the car seat around to face forward...question
Marron is 18.5 months and still rear facing. She doesn't seem to mind it at all. I guess she just figures "this is how life is". I just feel safer with her that way, even though she has to bend her knees to sit in the seat now, but from what I've read, it is still safer, as long as she is still below the weight limit for the seat to be rear facing (which she is still below).
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| Posted 11/13/07 7:24 AM |
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