very tall 4 month old

My four month old baby is 29inches long and 22 pounds, I know rear facing is best but I think he is too big for rear facing the reason I am unsure is because all the literature says the baby should be 1 year old before switching. I don't know what to do

Research has shown that rear-facing for as long as possible is best and depending on where you live legally you can't turn them around forward-facing until 1 year. What kind of carseat do you have? Most of the convertible seats (not the infant carriers) have a rear-facing weight limit that is high enough you should be able to keep your baby rear-facing for quite a while. My son is long, but not very heavy, and I plan on keeping him rear-facing as long as I can, his seat goes up to about 30 lbs rear-facing, so we have a long time before I plan on turning him around. I know there are others on here who can tell you why rear-facing is better more than I can. I don't think your baby is too big to be rear-facing at all. HTH, Sarah

Most infant carriers are outgrown by either weight or length between 3 and 9 months. You don't mention the seat you have your baby in currently, but if it is a carrier (the kind that detaches from the base) he very likely has outgrown it by height and weight. Many have a 20 lb or 26 inch height limit. THe overall height isn't critically important, but rather the top of the child's head in relation to the top of the child seat shell. When the top of thehead is within an inch of the top of the shell the seat is outgrown by height. This could be at 25 inches or 28 inches depending on where the child carries his or her height. My 2 month old is 24 inches long according to the pediatrician, yet she is still in the bottom slots of her Graco Snugride.
The next step would be a convertible seat that can be used rear-facing until 30, 33 or 35 lbs depending on model, and then forward facing to 40 or 65 lbs again depending on the model.

Children don't mind folding their legs when rear-facing, in fact my 27 month old still rides RFing at 27 lb and 36 inches and seems quite comfortable.

Right now, you need a rear facing convertible. You need a seat with a rear facing weight limit of at least 30 lb (remember, toddlers *must* stay rear facing until they weigh at *least* 20 lb and are a minimum of 1 year old, and longer is safer - see "<a href="http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html" target="_blank">Why Rear-Facing is Safest</a>," "<a href="http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx" target="_blank"><font color="#0000ff">Rear-facing - Unmatched Safety</font></a>" and "<a href="http://www.parentsplace.com/babies/safety/articles/0,10335,240282_263876,00.html">Rear-facing car seats: What you need to know</a>"). A 5 point harness generally provides better protection in a crash than an overhead shield does (see "<a href="http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/fivepointshield.aspx" target="_blank">Five-Point Harness or Shield - Choosing a Safer seat</a>" for more ).

If you can say, "Yes," to each of the following questions (see "<a href="http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/ConvertibleShop.aspx" target="_blank"><font color="#0000ff">The Best Convertible Seat</font></a>"), the seat may be the right one for *you*.
1-Does it fit your child?
2-Does it fit your vehicle?
3-Does it fit your budget?
4-Will you use it properly each and every time you go somewhere?

My daughter outgrew her infant carrier seat at almost 4 months old, too, but now at 2.5 years old is still rear-facing comfortably & SAFELY ... the URL in my sig is a picture of her She's now 25 pounds & 40" tall.

don't turn around

Whatever you do, don't turn your baby around!!! He does not have the muscle control to hold himself in an accident. He should be 20 pounds AND 1 year old. there are plenty of carseats that he can be in rear facing, even if his legs are a little scrunched. I actually kept my daughter rear facing beyond 1 year because it is safer, she just got into a slight indian-style seating position, and never fussed of complained! Don't turn your baby, you will put him in danger!!

Unregistered said:

My four month old baby is 29inches long and 22 pounds, I know rear facing is best but I think he is too big for rear facing the reason I am unsure is because all the literature says the baby should be 1 year old before switching. I don't know what to do

Click to expand...

Whatever you do, don't turn your baby around!!! He does not have the muscle control to hold himself in an accident. He should be 20 pounds AND 1 year old. there are plenty of carseats that he can be in rear facing, even if his legs are a little scrunched. I actually kept my daughter rear facing beyond 1 year because it is safer, she just got into a slight indian-style seating position, and never fussed of complained! Don't turn your baby, you will put him in danger!!

Re: Re: very tall 4 month old

[ He does not have the muscle control to hold himself in an accident. He should be 20 pounds AND 1 year old]

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This is partly true - it is true for adults as well. No-one has enough muscles to hold him/herself up in a crash - which is why everyone moves (often violently) towards the impact of a crash. However, the minimum guidelines in turning a child around have nothing to do with muscle control - it has to do with skeletal control. Around one year of age (and 20 lbs), the skeletal system of a child will ossify. Ossification helps it be better able to withstand the forces of a crash. One year AND 20 lbs is the guideline as it is the age/weight when the risks seems to *downgrade* from death to injury/serious injury (including paralysis).

Sara