infant to toddler car seat when to switch? In general, children should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they are two years old or have reached the maximum weight and height limits for their convertible car seat.
If you believe your child’s legs are being cramped while being rear-faced, it might be time to change them over so that they face forward.
There is no rush though! Just make sure that you follow these five rules when transitioning from an infant to a toddler car seat:
-Make sure the seat is rear-facing.
-The harness straps must be at or below your child’s shoulders and fit snuggly on their hips.
-Your infant car seat has a base that easily snaps into the back of an adult seat in any vehicle without additional equipment needed.
-If you are using LATCH connectors, move them to lower anchors if available on the new car seat model (refer to the manual). If not, continue with top tether anchorage points only until child reaches maximum weight or height for convertible belt positioning booster mode .
Once they reach this limit remove the upper tether anchor completely so it cannot cause injury during a crash event by submarining under the lap portion of the safety belt. Do not use both lower and upper tethers simultaneously.
-Wait until they are two years old or reach the maximum weight for their car seat before turning them around to face forward (rear-facing).
What are the requirements for a forward-facing car seat?
Young children should ride in a forward-facing car seat until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. That is usually around age four or when the child has outgrown the rear-facing height or weight limit of his/her convertible car seat, which can be as early as age two but no later than age four.
An exception to this rule is if your child’s pediatrician says it’s okay for him/her to remain in a harnessed car safety seat because he needs more support due to illness (for example, muscular dystrophy) or physical disability that makes using an upper body harness unsafe or ineffective.
If you want your child riding with just a lap belt after reaching either stage mentioned above, talk with your pediatrician first.
When can I turn my Graco 4ever forward-facing?
When your child is at least two years old and weighs between 22-65 pounds.
How long do babies face backwards in the car?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies face the rear of the car until they are at least two years old.
Can my 1-year-old sit in a front-facing car seat?
Yes. Children can ride in a front-facing car seat until they are at least 20 lbs and one year old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
This is because it’s safer for children to face forward instead of rearward-facing before their second birthday. Rear-facing seats keep all forces away from your child’s head during accidents; however, this puts them closer to the point of impact when an accident happens.
A study by AAA shows that infants under two years old who were involved in vehicle collisions while riding with parents fared better than if they had been strapped into adult seat belts or even some infant car seats.
The AAP recommends keeping infants rear-facing as long as possible, up until age 12 months or until they outgrow the height and weight limits of their rear-facing convertible seat.
When can my child sit forward-facing?
Your child can begin sitting forward facing once they are at least 22 lbs. and one year of age, or when their shoulders reach the top harness slots – whichever comes first.
They should be able to sit upright unassisted for an hour without becoming tired before you move them into a forward-facing seat with a harness (or convertible car seat).
Once your child has outgrown the rear-facing height limit on their infant carrier (at around 18 months), it is generally safe to switch them over to this type of restraint; however some parents choose instead to upgrade directly from an infant carrier to a convertible car seat if their infants still fit within its height limits.
If your baby doesn’t meet these requirements but more than 20lbs., check with your car seat manufacturer to see if they recommend moving them into a convertible car seat.
At what height do you switch to forward-facing?
Generally, when your child is about one year old and reaches 20 pounds (about nine kilograms), you can switch to forward-facing. This height may vary depending on the car seat manufacturer’s instructions.
How long can 4-month-old travel in a car seat?
This is one of the most common questions we get. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants should ride rear-facing in their car seats until they are at least two years old or reach the maximum weight/height for their seat (whichever comes first).
There has been some debate about this rule, but it’s really important to always follow manufacturer guidelines when using a child restraint system like a car seat or infant carrier. And if you’re unsure which direction to go with an age recommendation, err on the side of caution and keep your baby rear-facing for longer!
It isn’t worth risking injury just because someone else says it’s okay earlier than what manufacturers suggest; you won’t be able to control other people on roads safe enough to keep your baby safe.
How long should you ride in the back with your baby?
This is a question that many parents wonder about, and it depends on your child. But generally speaking, the car seat experts recommend keeping babies in rear-facing seats for as long as possible.
When should carseat be forward-facing?
Since kids can stay rear-facing until they are two years old, the answer to this question is a bit more complicated.
Generally speaking, though it’s recommended that you keep your little one forward-facing for as long as possible because the bones and muscles in their neck aren’t strong enough yet to support them properly while remaining safe from injury or paralysis if there were an accident.
The longer you wait before switching over to a front-facing car seat, the better off everyone will be!
Should the baby seat go behind the driver or passenger?
Many parents are confused about where to put baby car seats. The infographic below shows the safest way for babies to ride in their infant carrier, which is behind the driver at all times. If you can not see it click here to read more or visit our website today!