8 month old - 22lbs and 30 inches

[Unregistered]

I apologize in advance - I'm sure the info is somewhere on this site - but I don't have time to search... My son will be 8 months old next week. He's in the 95th percentile at 22lbs and 30 inches. He's in a rear-facing Britax Roundabout 55. I've read the height/weight requirements and am still confused - when can I turn him front facing? There's no way he'll make the 2 year mark rear-facing b/c his knees will be in his face by then.... I'm wondering if he'll even make the first year mark b/c he's getting so long. When can he be front facing and are the recommendations based on an average child of 2 years or based on physical development of an infant's body?

Thank you in advance for any help - despite the answer to this probably being somewhere on this site.

 

[kalamos23]

Dd was 32.5" and 32.5 lbs at 1 year and we made it to a week before 3 years old rear facing, so it is possible. Thankfully there are seats out there that allow big kids to rear face for longer now! Since it sounds like he is also heavy and tall, I would recommend the Diono Radian, as that for sure will get him to at least 2 rearfacing, and more than likely to 3.

Dd outgrew the radian by weight rear facing at 45 lbs, but can still fit comfortably by height and she misses rear facing. I added a pic of her rear facing shortly before she outgrew the seat. She was about 41" there.

I know there are other seats out there, I think the complete air has a tall shell and goes to 40 lbs rear facing, and there are others that I cannot remember off the top of my head, but maybe someone else will chime in!

Oh, the requirements are based on ossification of a child's skeleton, and specifically their spine and their head size in relation to their body. Ossification happens between 3 &6 years old, iirc, and is not dependent on child's size. that is why it is really important to stay rear facing for as long as possible.

Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Car-Seat.Org

 

[wendytthomas]

Welcome.

The information is based on the fact that a child's skeleton does not ossify until close to six years old, so between a proportionally large head and an unossified spinal column, the spinal cord is very much at risk. So you want to rear face to *at least* two years, preferably closer to four.

http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/

His knees in his chest is not a safety issue. Being forward facing at eight months or a year is a safety issue.

However, you also have a seat that is not known for its shell height or leg room. May I suggest instead a Safety 1st Complete Air, Diono Radian, Maxi Cosi Pria, or Evenflo Triumph 65? They all rear face to at least 40 pounds with significantly taller shells and more leg room than your current seat.

To demonstrate the legs, here are my kids at various ages.

27 months, Combi Coccoro:

26 months, Britax Wizard:

4y3m, same Britax Wizard:

5y1w, Sunshine Kids Radian:

So as you can see, the legs really aren't an issue. And even if they were going to be injured, far better the legs injured than the spine. One is easily fixed. The other, not so much.

HTH

Wendy

 

[Jessica61624]

My son is also large. He was 22lbs and 29 inches at 9 months. He also started walking at 9 months and has slowed down tremendously. At 23 months hes 34 inches and 29lbs.

Like pp said the Britax seats aren't the best option for exteneded rear facing with larger kids. Here is my 4 year old in a Britax marathon(same shell as the roundabout)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8gU9zzCGA8"]Front facing or Rear facing? Car seat safety TRUE STORY crash test videos - YouTube[/ame]

 

[SeattleRain]

Wow, I had no idea that Piper still fit RF until after 5! When did you turn her around? Your kids are somewhat petite so I guess I can see how that would work.

OP, you definitely want to keep your kids RF for as long as possible. Beyond the really impressive safety statistics, I find life is just so much easier with a RF toddler. He sleeps so much better because he's so reclined. I'm able to balance food and drinks on his lap so much better than if he was FF. He also never kicks my seat while he's throwing a massive temper tantrum, which is a big plus.

 

[Jessica61624]

Here is my picture!


View attachment 14787

 

[Brianna]

Hi and welcome to car-seat.org! I had the same thoughts about J when he was about that age- I thought he wouldn't make it long rear facing because he was over the 97th percentile for height and weight- he still is now! You've already been given great info, I just wanted to show you another high percentile boy rear facing past 2, there's a picture of him in my signature. That picture is about 4 months old but he still fits rear facing.

 

[tanusscott22]

We discovered that the legs being up the seat back was much more of a visual problem for us, than it ever was a comfort issue for our son. He is very happy, and sits cross legged, or frog leg (like most of the photos have shown) and has never complained about his legs hurting or being uncomfortable. Since he doesn't complain and he is so much safer rfing, we finally realized that leg room was a problem we had in our head, and that in reality it didn’t bother him at all. It was just something we as parents had to get over. Knowing the safety benefits, really helped us put is out of our mind. Like Wendy said a leg can be fixed pretty easily, a spine/head/neck, not so much. Hope this helps

 

[mommyfrog]

Here is my neice on her 3rd b-day rear facing in a Britax. She stayed rf in it until she was about 3.5 when her mom bought a Radian, partly to rf longer and partly because she needed 3 across at that time. You can see that although her legs are bent, she is in no way uncomfortable like that. She just moved ff at 4y4m, 41" and 40 pounds. She still fits rf but my sister wanted easier preschool drop off and pick up plus she kept kicking her sister in the face!!

 

[DanaherMama]

My son has the Boulevard 70 (also not known for great leg room) but is doing fine in it! At his 1 year check up in October he was 34 inches tall and 24 lbs...he is now 14months old and still has a good amount of growing room! I will definitely need to get another seat to rear face past 2 but I don't doubt that he could stay rf to 18m-2yrs.

 

[laurenm]

Just wanted to add another RF in a Britax - my 2 yr almost 8 month son, 32 lbs, over 37" is in a Boulevard 70. He's happy as a clam! It's getting harder for me to get him in & sat right but knowing he's safer makes it worth it.

 

[Unregistered]

My daughter was turned to ff at 3 years, 2 weeks, and she was about 33lbs. I don't remember her height but she was usually in the 75% for height. We had to turn her FF because her brother was born and I can't fit two RF in my prius.

Her little brother now is almost 3, still RF, 30lbs, and is currently 37" tall. he usually sits cross legged. Both my kids have britax marathons.

 

[wendytthomas]

Wow, I had no idea that Piper still fit RF until after 5! When did you turn her around? Your kids are somewhat petite so I guess I can see how that would work.

I turned her at 4y8m, but I needed room in my backseat after she turned five, so I switched to the narrow Radian and turned her rear facing for the shoulder space for my passengers.

Wendy