When did you swith your kid's car seat modes?

walnutgold · Jun 12, 2016

I'm curious as to what other parents have done. When did your little one(s) make the switch from RF only to convertible? When did your kid(s) start forward facing? When did they start using a booster full time? HBB or NBB?
For me:
DS1 (8) outgrew his RF only seat at around eight months and switched to a convertible shortly after his first birthday and switched to a HBB full several months after his seventh birthday. He started using a backless booster for carpool around age six.
DS2 (6) was in an RF only seat until age two and is still rear facing for medical reasons.
DS3 (5) was in a convertible from birth and started forward facing shortly after his fourth birthday in one of our vehicles. He also just started using a HBB for travel.
DS4 (3) used a convertible from birth (but still just barely fits in a Graco SnugRide 40) began forward facing to travel at approximately 3.5.
DS5 (18 mo) still rides in his RF only seat (Graco SnugRide 40) with lots of room to grow.
DD1 (18 mo) also still in her RF only seat (Graco SnugRide 40) with just a little more room to grow than her brother.

wendytthomas · Jun 12, 2016

Ideally kids will rear facing to at least two, but closer to four is better, or even older.

Kids shouldn't switch to a booster until they are of the correct size and emotional maturity to use it properly 100% of the time. For some kids that's five, some kids that's seven, so about six a good number are ready.

A backless for carpool is fine when they're booster ready, but for full time use I'd encourage that after the high back is outgrown, and if there's support from the car to the top of the child's ears for whiplash protection.

They should use some sort of booster seat until they fit in the adult seatbelt better without a booster than with, usually 10-12 years old.

They should sit in the backseat until the teen years.

Wendy

griffinej5 · Jun 12, 2016

I've only got nieces, but I get to make decisions about how they travel in my mom's car and with me. I'm not exactly sure when they were switched from buckets to convertibles. The older one was turned FF first at around 4.5, and she was too close to 40lbs for me to want to constantly monitor to know if I needed to turn her. The extend2fit came out, I ordered one, and put her rf again. I think under our care, she's been in a booster twice for 5 minute rides. The almost 3 year old, she's a peanut. There's a decent chance she'll stay rf till she outgrows the seat, and go straight to a booster.

Dillipop · Jun 13, 2016

My oldest just turned 13- he moved to a convertible at 3 months. Went forward facing at 13 months, then back to rearfacing from around 18 mos to 2. Harnessed until 6, HBB until 8 or so, NBB until almost 12. Seatbelt for about a year now.

Almost 10 year old- infant seat to 18 mos, rearfacing convertible until 3, harness until 7, HBB until 8 or so, currently in a NBB until he 5 steps.

5.5 year old- infant seat until almost 2, rearfacing convertible until 3.5, harness exclusively to 4.5, HBB pretty much exclusively starting a little after 5, though still use a harness for long trips. For short trips, she sometimes uses a NBB.

13 mos old- infant seat until 8 months, rearfacing convertible currently.

Keeks64 · Jun 13, 2016

My oldest (7) was brought home in a safety 1st 22 rear adjust. I moved him out of that seat & into a rear facing Alpha Omega at 5 months.
I moved him FF at 11.5m - before I was a tech & before I knew better
When he was 2 I realized my mistakes & got educated, I moved him into a rear facing Britax Marathon 65.
I moved him forward facing into a Frontier at age 4. He moved into a booster full-time at 7

my youngest (4) Was brought home in a Snugride 35 & used it until he outgrew it at 14m. He then moved RF into our marathon RF. I moved him FF at 3.5y. He's now FF in a Foonf. Plan is to not outgrow the Foonf until at least age 5!!

brooksfamily · Jun 13, 2016

My DD is almost 3.5. She rode in her infant bucket in both cars until 5 months. Then we left the seat permanently docked in one car and put a convertible in the other. At 6 months we took it out completely, because she didn't ever fall asleep in the car anymore. We continued to use it for air travel until she outgrew the seat.

She still rides rf in all vehicles although she has forward faced a few times in a pinch in other vehicles. She's pretty tiny so we plan to have her rf to 4 and then she can decide.

flutie128 · Jun 13, 2016

Well, my DS started in a Graco bucket and when it got to heavy was put in a Graco convertible and went FF at 1 since I didn't know better and he was close to the RF limit either way. He was harnessed until 6-6.5 in a Nautilus and was in a booster until 10-10.5 when he 5 stepped. DD was in the same bucket until 7-8 monthes and then RFed until 3.5. She was harnessed until 6.5-7 and has been in a booster since, she is currently 8.

BananaBoat · Jun 13, 2016

DD1:
Infant bucket birth-1 y o
RF convertible 1-4 y o
FF harness 4-6 y o
HBB 6-8 y o
She will be 8 next month and will use a backless for short trips, HBB for longer trips

DD2:
Infant bucket birth-1 y o
RF convertible 1-4 y o
She will turn 5 next month and is still FF harnessed full time. Eventually she'll booster train next year and be in DD1's HBB next year.

When asked about the front seat, my answer is always when they are old enough to learn how to drive is when they can sit up front.

Brianna · Jun 13, 2016

J- bucket until 6 months, RF to the limits of his convertibles- which was 2.5 in one car and 3 in another. FF harnessed until 6.5 with occasional booster use after 4. Still in HBB at nearly 7.

J&A- buckets until 15 months, now RF in convertibles at 17 months. They'll most likely be RF to 4, they have Extend2Fits which RF to 50 pounds.

lilti9er · Jun 13, 2016

Chicco KeyFit infant bucket until 1 yrs old.
RF in Chicco NextFit convertible until approx 2.5yo, turned FF for a day & then turned back RF.
FF in Britax Pinnacle at 3yrs 3mos for 6 months in my car when in-laws came to stay with us. She was still RF in their car (clek fllo) & DHs car (chicco nextfit).
After in-laws moved out, switched her back to RF in clek fllo in my car.
She's 4yrs & 4mos, 39-40" tall & barely reached 38 lbs this week. Once she hits 40 lbs, we will FF her in the Britax Pinnacle to be replaced in DHs car. She will remain RF in the clek fllo in mine until she reaches one of the limits.

jacqui276 · Jun 13, 2016

DS was in his rfing bucket seat until 5 months when he outgrew it (giant baby) then rear faced until 2yrs 10mo when he hit 45lbs and outgrew his radian rfing. He is currently 4 years 4 months and riding harnessed ffing.

DD was born before I knew much about car seats and they had much lower limits. She was in her bucket seat until 10mo when she outgrew it, then was unfortunately turned ffing at that time since none of the affordable convertible seats rfed past 10kg. She outgrew her convertible ffing just shy of her 4th birthday so started riding in a booster. She rode in a booster until she was 10.5yrs and started 5-stepping. She is now almost as big as me and rides with just a seat belt.

bnsnyde · Jun 14, 2016

We have Graco 40 and it lasted to 18 mos. then hit height limit.
Now baby #6 is in it at 13.5 months.

Generally I RF to 3+ and booster at 5 or 6.
I do high-back only unless I cannot fit it, in which case I do low back.

Current 9 YO is 58.5" so likely can ride seabelt only most vehicles.

Kobain's Mommy · Jun 14, 2016

DS-
Infant seat- Graco SS took him out about 10-11 months
Convertible FR- 3 years old was FFing in the convertible for less than a month before the accident.
FF Harness- He just turned 6 and is still harnessed. Has lots of growing room so keeping him that way till he out grows the seats.
HBB- At 5.5 years started booster in my parents' cars

DD-
Infant- SR 32 18 months. Could have made it till 2 but totaled in accident.
Convertible- 3 years. She could have gone longer but her long legs could kick her brother in the face.
FF Harness- She's 4.5 years and still in the harness. No plans to booster train soon as she's got ADHD and no impulse control.

Nedra · Jun 17, 2016

DD1:
Infant seat until about 1 year old. RF convertible since then. Currently 3y3m. Will likely switch to FF sometime between 4-5 years old.

DD2:
Almost a year old -- still in an infant seat in one car. Has been in convertibles in the other two since maybe 7 months or so.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Angela814 · Jun 20, 2016

DD1 (born May 2006):
Outgrew the Snugride at 6 months (29")
Outgrew the Marathon RFing at 2.5 year (32 lbs/39-40")
Outgrew the Marathon and TrueFit FFing at 4.5 years - moved to a Nautilus
Outgrew the Nautilus by torso height at 5 years
Outgrew the Vivo at 8 years
At 10 years, 85 lbs, 4'11" she 5-steps in most vehicles but still needs a NBB 3rd row center of our VW Routan minivan

DD2 (born July 2010):
Outgrew the Snugride at 9 months
Outgrew the Graco MySize at 3y11m (40 lbs/42")
Started riding in a booster in one vehicle at 5y9m and is harnessed in a Frontier in the other vehicle

DD3 (born March 2013):
Outgrew the Safety 1st OnBoard Air at approx 15 months
Currently RFing in either a Graco MySize or SK Radian XTSL

Suzibeck · Jun 20, 2016

Dd1 (20 yrs next month) was in an infant seat for about 4 months, when she was too heavy to lug around. Then she rear faced until 9 mo, when she hit the 22# max for her seat. Ff until 3, when she outgrew her convertible and the combination seat we had. Booster until she could 5 step at age 10 or so.

Dd2 (16) infant seat for 4-5 months, rf to 15 months, ff to 5, booster until 11ish.

Dd3 (14) infant seat until 14 months, rf until 2, turned back rf at 2.5 until 3. Sometimes rf until 5. Booster until 12.

Dd4 (8 yo) infant seat, about a year. Rf full time to 4.5, ff until 6.5ish (40#), still boostered (usually high back).

Gray's Mama · Jun 21, 2016

DS

Baby bucket until 6 months
Convertible RF: until 3 years old
FF in a 5 point harness until 6 years old

He is 6 years 3 months old and we just switched to high back booster a few weeks ago. We harnessed until now partly due to him being short but also because of him having adhd and impulse control issues. He's now tall enough and mature enough for a booster.

We're having a new baby in August and starting in a baby bucket

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

Hrsutlow · Jul 9, 2016

DD1: Infant bucket seat until 14 months old, turned her forward facing when she outgrew the RFO seat. Turned her back rear facing at 2.5 and she RF'd full time until 5.5. She was harnessed full time until 7.5, now she's 8 and in a HBB full time.

DS1: Infant seat until 9 months, RF convertible until just before his 6th birthday, now he's 6 years 3 months and is harnessed in a combination seat in our van and a HBB in other vehicles.

DD2: Used RF convertible from birth, now is 2.5 and still rear facing

DD3: Used RF convertible from birth, now is 1.5 and still rear facing.

Keeyamah · Jul 9, 2016

Quinn: RFing in his True fit from birth until just after 2, he was about 33lbs and it had a 35lbs limit. Harnessed until 5.5, when he went into a booster full time. Had been booster training prior to then, he has been told he can take the back off his booster when he turns seven later this year, as he is at the top height adjustment now.

Sean: RFing until earlier this year at about 3.5 and about 37lbs. Currently harnessed forward facing in his Radian at almost 4 and 40lbs. Won't start booster training until at least 5.

Posting this reminded me I probably need to update my signature, lol. I'm on my phone and Tapatalk so much I'd forgotten about it.

lanwenyi · Jul 12, 2016

DD - RFing full time until 4.5 (Graco infant carrier for 2 mths, then Britax Blvd until 4; sometime in there, she got a radian, then another which she rode in until 4.5)
- then booster trained at 4.5, part-time booster riding (rides less than 20 minutes), part-time rfing until 5.5 (all longer rides)
- full-time hbb since 5.5 (still in a hbb at 8yrs 10mths) - uses a nbb for travel

DS - RFing until 6yrs 11mths (maxi-cosi infant carrier for 4mths, then Britax Blvd, then TFP, then Nextfit and sureride, then Radians, then SF Advance Air+ EX)
-FFing at 6yrs 11mths when he outgrew Radian by weight (and then complained about being rfing in the SFAA+EX)
-Currently (7yrs 0mths), FFing in TFP, Radian, and Frontier Clicktight

DS remained RFing so long and is still harnessed bc he has a growth disorder and bone-age delay.

DD's path is more similar to my "ideal" (RFing until booster ready, usually around 5-6, then straight to booster), although she booster trained earlier than I planned due to a broken limb. She did fine with it, so we let her keep a booster in one car for short trips, but I wouldn't normally put a 4.5 yo in a hbb!

When did you swith your kid's car seat modes?

New member

Admin - CPST Instructor

New member

Well-known member

New member

New member

New member

Well-known member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Well-known member

Car-Seat.org Ambassador

New member

Active member

New member

New member

Active member

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics