when do you turn FF?

At what age do you turn your LO FF?

  • 2

    Votes: 6 11.1%
  • 3

    Votes: 25 46.3%
  • 4

    Votes: 11 20.4%
  • 5

    Votes: 2 3.7%
  • 6

    Votes: 3 5.6%
  • other

    Votes: 19 35.2%

  • Total voters
    54

mom2ari

New member
Just wondering when people choose to turn their LOs FF? My DD just turned 1 and is already 22lbs, but she will continue rf for a while. Just purchased her a TF. She was previously in a SS1 and I know she has room left to grow, but I got nervous that she would grow and I wouldn't be ready :eek:
 
ADS

Maedze

New member
The people who post here as a general rule follow and recommend the 'best practice' recommendation, which is to keep their children rearfacing as long as possible.

Most of us keep our kids rearfacing at least three years, barring an unusually heavy child or a special situation.
 

MommyBoha

New member
My DD is 3.5 years old 29lbs and still RF. She will continue to RF until 32.5lbs or she has less than an inch of shell above her head
 

libranbutterfly

New member
Whenever they outgrow the set by either height or weight. Both of my girls had to turn before three, but I am hoping that by the time I have my next child, there will be seats to keep them RF longer.
 
I said three, because I am fine with a three year old ffing, but my 3.5 year old is rfing, only because she likes it better and still is with in the proper weight and height of her seat to do so.

That said if a situation arises where it is very inconvenient, for her to rf, I turn her till the situation passes now.

Like this week coming up, I will be visiting family in NH, I am going to have her ffing while there because I will need to carry my sister mom and dad in the minivan, which has captians chairs in the second row, and then the third row is the typical bench seat, I had two rfing seats, a my ride, and a marathon, in the second row, but how are my sister and dad and mom supposed to get to the third row, they cant crawl under the rfing seat like my 7 year old does, so one of the seats will turn around for her for the week, no biggie, she is old enough, its not too huge of a deal now.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
DD1 was 4.5 when she hit 33 pounds. She went FF then. DD2 was 34.5 pounds on the Dr's scale at 3, she went FF then. So I voted 3 and 4 :thumbsup: (DS in my siggy was RF to 13 months, which was OLD when he was that age, because seats only went to 20 or 22 pounds back then and most kids went FF before a year because of it :eek:)
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
I have no hard and fast rules. I turn them when its just time for us. If thats 3 or 5 or some other age. When i know its just time i turn them. Dd1 has health problems and autism and is super tall. When she was 3y6m it was just "time" to do it. It had been two years of torture. Although she was only 24 lbs, it was just time. Not to mention, keeping her rfing to the max of the seat was not at all realistic. She would have hit 35 lbs at like 8 years old

Now dd2 is.completely normal and loves the car. Therefore she'll stay rfing until the max of the seat


So i have no hard and fast rules. Every child, every family, every car, and every situation has different circumstances so thats why personally i have no set rule for rfing or when to go to a booster.
 

frugalmom

New member
I think we are about to turn dd this weekend.

She is almost to the max of her seat .6lbs away. And I am just not comfortable with the MR65. I like seats that tether.

She is 3 years 4 months. I am having a really hard time with it actually.
 

Splash

New member
Whichever limit they hit first. Limit of the seat, the vehicle, the situation, the child, the parents. Some kids that might be a year, some 2 years, some 6 years. For my first child, it was slightly over two years for a variety of reasons. I don't anticipate it being then for my second child but I am certain it will be by three.
 

Lea_Ontario

Well-known member
My older two kids were both turned at about their 2nd birthday - a few weeks before I think, actually, but not by much.

My little Bear though - he's happily RF still at 2½, with about 3½-4 pounds of growth left in his True Fit. So, he'll likely be about 3 yrs or so when he has to go FF.
 

skylinphoto

New member
No hardfast rules/limits for me.
My 3 yr old is rfing and i have plans to do so until he either reaches the weight/height limits of his seat or it just becomes inconvenient. Right now, it's still working for us and he's safe so that's all that matters.
My 15 month old will be a different story. I will probably turn her before she reaches the limits of her seat because she is tiny and could probably stay rfing forever.

For both of my kids, I shoot for age 3.5-4 yrs old if possible. :)
 

christineka

New member
When too tall or heavy for a 35 pound rfing seat. Ds is in one that rfes to 30 pounds. When needed I will buy him one that rfes to 35. (Or 40)

My dd is 4.5 years, 30 pounds and still rfing. She will till she hits 35 pounds around age 5.5 yrs.
 

natysr

New member
We just turned him forward facing just less than 2 months ago. He will by 5 in August.

He never complained about rearfacing and was very comfortable, but he once he weighed in at the doctor's office at 32 pounds (his marathons have 33 pound limits) then we turned him.

We feel incredibly blessed that he was able to rearface for so long.
 

bobandjess99

Senior Community Member
I turned dd at the limit of her seat, which was at the time, 30 lbs. now I know much much more, and ds will Rf to the limits of his seats, which will be 35 or maybe 40 pounds or more, depdnding on what might come out in the next couple years!!!!
 

emandbri

Well-known member
Jacob was turned at a year which was extended rear-facing back in 1997! ;)

Daniel was 15 months and he got too tall for his roundabout.

I didn't like turning him so early and was excited when the marathon with the tall back came out.

Benjamin was turned twice once at 2 years 4 months when he was 34 lbs, he then lost weight (I think he had mono but didn't get a blood test done) and I turned him back rear-facing again and turned him at 2 years 8 months and 31 lbs. I would have kept him rear-facing longer but my van had captain's chairs and with two rear-facing seats it would be hard for the older kids to get out of the back.

Elizabeth will be 3 next month is 35.8 lbs and rear-facing in a graco my ride. I will keep her rear-facing until she outgrows it or longer if another seat comes out that she fits in.
 

Simplysomething

New member
Whichever limit they hit first. Limit of the seat, the vehicle, the situation, the child, the parents. Some kids that might be a year, some 2 years, some 6 years. For my first child, it was slightly over two years for a variety of reasons. I don't anticipate it being then for my second child but I am certain it will be by three.

I like this response. Because it's not always a simple answer.

My oldest son went forward facing prior to his first birthday for the same reasons Jools did, the seats available to us at the time only went to 20/22 lbs rear-facing. His infant seat went to 22 lbs, his convertible only went to 20. At one year, he was 27 lbs. He'll be nine in July.

My four year old rear-faced until he was 2.5. While he could have rear-faced longer, I chose to turn him.
 

lynsgirl

New member
I voted "other," because it's not an age thing so much for me as "limits of the seat." Ds2 was 4 yrs, 2 mos, when he hit 33 lbs and I turned him FF in his MA. Ds3, however, will probably reach 33 lbs before age 4 (likely right around 3ish). He is 2 yrs 8mos right now. I will probably not buy a newer MA, TF or a MyRide just to keep him RF longer, since I have more seats than I use already. I *might* buy one for dd2 (3.5mos) once my older MA expires. It is almost 5 yrs old.

I would say that if ds3 had reached 33 lbs right around age 2, I'd have bought something else. I feel better about age 3, minimum.
 

elle7715

Member
DD was 3.5 before she was FF in our car. But a couple months after she turned 4 I had her RF in her brothers 35 lb limit Radian for about 6 weeks. She had lost weight because of a series of flu/sickness and fit again. Now that she's around 36 lbs her FF days are over. I'm not going to buy a new seat to RF her to 40 lbs at this point.

DS is almost 2.5 and has never been FF. I imagine he'll be RF until he hits 35 lbs or we're in a situation where he needs to be FF so we can fit baby #3's convertible seat in our tiny car. That's at least a year away so he'll make it to 3 years RF as well.
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top