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ChilisWife
God Bless America
Member since 5/05 3570 total posts
Name:
A.K.
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Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
Is this illegal? Or just inadvisable?
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Posted 6/14/07 9:42 PM  |
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CunningOne
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Member since 5/05 26975 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I didn't. My son I turned at 14 months, my DD I just did at 13 months.
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| Posted 6/14/07 9:43 PM |
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Charly
LOVE!
Member since 5/05 12578 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I don't think it's illegal, but I wouldn't do it (although its SOOOO tempting.) It has something to do with their neck muscles not be developed enough to sustain an accident. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
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| Posted 6/14/07 9:44 PM |
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ChilisWife
God Bless America
Member since 5/05 3570 total posts
Name:
A.K.
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
My son has such great and strong neck and head control already (at 7 months). I wouldn't dare do it anytime soon, but I'm not sure he will wait another full 5 months because he's getting very antsy with his feet smushed against the back seat, and twisting his neck around trying to see us!
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| Posted 6/14/07 9:57 PM |
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EmmaNick
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Member since 12/06 16001 total posts
Name:
*
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
Posted by ChilisWife
My son has such great and strong neck and head control already (at 7 months). I wouldn't dare do it anytime soon, but I'm not sure he will wait another full 5 months because he's getting very antsy with his feet smushed against the back seat, and twisting his neck around trying to see us!
Why would you take the risk? It's recommended for a reason.
"You first held your new baby gingerly, in awe and amazement, taking special care of her head. You will be cradling that precious head for months, outraged when you hear about a baby suffering, or dying, from Shaken Baby Syndrome. You love to watch her, to just stare at her.
Think of how tenderly you always support baby’s head. During their first year, babies’ neck muscles are not strong enough to support their heads unassisted. When he is leaning back, you have to support the back of his head. But if he is more upright, that little head can fall forward, backward or roll to the side. Without support, his head goes where gravity and motion send it.
A rear-facing seat holds your baby at a more reclined position than a forward facing seat. Try it yourself. Place an empty seat in the rear-facing position, and they turn it around. See? The rear-facing seats should recline at 45 degrees!
Okay, you say, but my baby can hold her own head up now, and she is already 20 pounds even though she is not a year old.
Wait before you turn her around.
Cars move quickly, zig and zag, stop fast, run through holes and hit bumps. It takes considerable strength to counter all those movements. Think of how tired you are after a long drive. Think of how startled you can be if the driver has to make a quick move when you were not paying attention to the road. Your baby is never prepared for those sudden movements.
Now think about driving with an open drink, hot or iced, held between your legs. You would never do it, would you? Why? Your baby’s head suffers the same motion that would spill that drink in your lap.
Is your baby’s neck strong enough for you to play bouncy games without supporting him head, to fly him through the air like a plane? If not, don’t rush to turn the seat around.
If your baby weighs 20 or more pounds before his first birthday, you should be using a convertible seat in the rear-facing position.
Speak with your pediatrician about the best time to turn your baby around; all babies are different and have different needs. Never compete with your friends to see whose baby turns around first!
Some safety experts, postulating that mild Shaken Baby Syndrome may be suffered through months of accumulated shakes from unsupported motion in a baby carrier, bike seat or forward-facing car seat, would like to keep children rear-facing through 18-24 months. "
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:08 PM |
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ThreeSkis
LIF Infant
Member since 4/07 151 total posts
Name:
Jamie
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
Posted by ChilisWife
My son has such great and strong neck and head control already (at 7 months). I wouldn't dare do it anytime soon, but I'm not sure he will wait another full 5 months because he's getting very antsy with his feet smushed against the back seat, and twisting his neck around trying to see us!
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends children remain rearfacing as long as possible, but they have set a minimum of 1 year old AND 20 lbs. This is a MINIMUM.
Please watch this video and do your own research before making your decision. At about 1:30 into the video, you will see footage of crash test dummies in front impact collisions in both forward and rearfacing carseats. Just imagine your child being in that seat. There is a huge difference!
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:12 PM |
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ChilisWife
God Bless America
Member since 5/05 3570 total posts
Name:
A.K.
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I guess it just seems like he is so big - he is already 20 pounds (and in a convertible seat, rear facing)
thanks for the info!
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:29 PM |
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MelToddJulia
Love my Family!
Member since 7/05 29064 total posts
Name:
Mel
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I turned Julia's foward a week before she turned 1.
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:35 PM |
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SweetCin
My green-eyed boy
Member since 5/05 13499 total posts
Name:
Cin
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
At a child emergency class this week they said the reason it should be rear facing to a year is that the baby's pelvis could not withstand the force of a crash; when it is rear facing the seat/baby's back take the force.
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:40 PM |
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CathyB
Member since 5/05 19403 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
With my daughter we turned it at 16 months, with my son we plan on waiting until he reaches the rear facing limits for his seat. It's just so much safer for them.
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| Posted 6/14/07 10:42 PM |
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Calla
My girls
Member since 7/05 4303 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
Don't do it. If he is straining to see you, maybe you can get him one of those unbreakable mirrors that latches on to the back of the seat?
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| Posted 6/15/07 7:34 AM |
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
We turned him at 11 months
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| Posted 6/15/07 7:43 AM |
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Marcie
Complete Happiness :)
Member since 5/05 27789 total posts
Name:
LOVE being a Mommy!
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
DD turned one last week and I have not turned it around. I will not until my doctor tells me to and even then I might wait.
I want my DD to be safe as long as possible - plus she doesn't seem to mind
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:21 AM |
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jinglemommy
I <3 my boys!
Member since 12/06 1389 total posts
Name:
Kelly
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I thought it was illegal. I thought the law was now 20lbs AND 1 year old.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:24 AM |
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dawnie
Barb-Never removing this pic!
Member since 11/05 3932 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I think it is illegal. I waited as long as possible since it is safer to have them rear facing.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:25 AM |
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snuggleupagus
I'm a rolling machine.
Member since 9/06 2064 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
With my first, I turned her around at 1 year, but only after her check up confirmed she was 20 pounds. Had she not met both requirements, I would've left her rear-facing. I plan to do the same with my son.
If for no other reason than IF we were in an accident, I wouldn't want to have to explain to cops or drs. why I had my child turned around before I should have.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:28 AM |
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lullabella
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 2246 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I did at 10 months. My son is a very big boy and physically could not fit in his carseat facing backwards. He screamed everytime I put him in.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:30 AM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I only did it when the pediatrician agreed that it was ok. I was considering doing it earlier & asked during a checkup. He checked out Madeline & said I need to wait several more months.
I know he's trying to find you but consider it his time to learn to entertain himself.
If your pediatrician thinks it's ok, then do it. If not, it's not worth the possible devastating consequences and what ifs that would follow.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:30 AM |
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BabyAvocado
Happy New Year
Member since 5/05 17334 total posts
Name:
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I did not. I think I turned him around at around 14-15 months.
I'm not sure whether it's just inadvisable or also illegal but I wouldn't do it unless you at least get the okay from your pediatrician. I personally don't see any reason to do it before the recommended age and weight limit - not worth the risk.
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| Posted 6/15/07 9:38 AM |
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KangaMom
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Member since 1/06 4593 total posts
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
No and we plan to keep DD rear facing as long as possible
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| Posted 6/15/07 10:01 AM |
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mominmarch
LIF Infant
Member since 9/05 276 total posts
Name:
Victoria
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
I turned Alison 1 week before her birthday. Only because sh got sick in the car and I had to take the carseat out to strip it and clean it.
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| Posted 6/15/07 10:35 AM |
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NJmom
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Member since 8/05 4987 total posts
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Re: Did anyone turn the car seat forward facing before 1 year old?
it's not recommended to turn the seat around just because they reach 20 lbs and 1 year old. That is the bare minimum! it is recommended to keep them rear facing until they reach the rear facing weight limit of your particular car seat. Turning the seat around is not a milestone. It is actually a step down in safety. JMO, but I'm keeping DS rear facing as long as possible.
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| Posted 6/15/07 10:51 AM |
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