My eldest sister rode in a car bed (secured with seatbelts) in 1970 when she was born, because she had dislocated hips (footling breech, vaginal birth) until she was about a year old, when she went to a forward-facing car seat, then a shield booster until age 4.
My second sister, born 1973, had a seat like this, then a forward-facing seat after a year, then a shield booster.
I rear-faced until about 9 months (20 lbs.) then forward faced, then shield booster until 4 or so.
My little brother, born 1986, rear-faced until 22 lbs. in a brand-new seat, which was about 6 months for him, then forward-faced until 9 mos. (when he was 30 lbs.), then shield booster until age 4 when he was 40 lbs.