turning car seat around

[beau_9]

ds is 6 half months old and roughly 7.5 kg's. i've been thinking of turning our s&s meridian car seat forward facing and in the reclined position however on the box it shows this position and says 8kgs. can you turn it around after 6 mths or is it the weight requirements i follow. also i've heard it's safer to keep them rear facing for as long as you can so i'm wondering when you turned your bubs around. cheers...

[Avasmum#1]

I personally waited until DD reached the weight limit but was also told a lot of places refuse to turn bubs around until 10mths as their body, no matter how heavy, is not physically capable of withholding the impact?

I am not 100% sure on how accurate that is, there are new rules coming out about child restraints etc, i think there is another thread on here somewhere, maybe check on those!

That said my DD didn't reach the weight limit until around 10.5mths anyway so they were happy to change the way it faced!

Sorry prob doesn't help, good luck though!

[ControlFreak]

I still have my DS in a capsule - but will move him to a rear facing car seat when he outgrows it - even tho the convertible seats are more $$$. I think in crash tests the rear facing position has been shown to be much safer - I would leave him rear facing as long as physically possible. Is there a reason you were considering turining him around? I know a few mums who has used a mirror so they could still see bubs and bubs could see them IYKWIM.

[feeb]

I didnt turn DS till he was 13 or 14 months, as it is safer for them to be rear facing as long as possible as long as they are less than 12kg as that is max for rear facing in safe and sound meridian..

There is no rush to turn car seat if you watch crash tests you will see why they reccomend rear facing.

Good luck

[mbear]

My DS is nearly 5 months old, and 7.6kgs.....like Feeb, i usually dont turn car seat around till after their first birthday.....when you see what can happen if its turned too early, you defn wont be in a hurry...

GL.

[sas85]

Our capsule only went to 9kgs. The convertable backwards/forwards carseat said forward facing from 8 which is when I put her in it facing forwards because she was too long for her small capsule even though within weight range and neither of our cars would fit the car seat facing backwards without pushing dangerously against the front seats. The weight limit is much more important than age - don't turn till reaches the limit - don't turn if you don't have to - we had to.

[beau_9]

oh really, that long. i don't have a problem keeping him rear facing,in fact we we're going on a road trip next month and i felt he'd be more relaxed laying down than sitting up, but i'm a little close to the dash so i was weighing up my options.
the main reason i was thinking of it is a few friends have asked me when i'm going to turn him around so it just got me thinking.
makes you think hey....a work collegue has had her ds turned around for a while now and he's only just turned 4 mths.

[MantaRay]

You definitely can't turn it around before the minimum weight. And the longer you wait the better. Rear facing is much safer and it's recommended that you keep it that way as long as possible, and at least until age 1. Our DS2 was nearly 2 before we turned him around - but he was small for his age.

I'll try and find the youtube clip on the safety aspect - once you see it you won't be in a hurry to turn the seat around.

[feeb]

People see everything with babies as a competition on who does it first!!! Just like starting solids early, BF till toddlers, and turning car seats.

Kids know no different about facing front, we had a mirror for DS on back of seat and toys attached to straps that hold car seat in position (toys with big clips he cant pull off)

[beau_9]

very true feeb, i find they do with everything....is he crawling yet, teeth, solids, sleeping....my bub was at this age..etc, ha ha i'm just enjoying my little man,

[MantaRay]

Beau - check this thread out. The link in the OP is to a really interesting youtube clip: HERE

[ControlFreak]

Thanks for that link MantaRay - if I wasn't already convinced - that would do it!

Does anyone know which carseat has the highest weight limit rear facing? DS is a chubba - he won't exceed any height limits in a hurry - but his weight might be a problem LOL!

[beau_9]

yes thank you mantray, very interesting and shocking to think that could be a real babies head/neck. i will be sure to send that link to a few friends with babies.

i think my meridian is 12 kgs, don't know of any others... maybe google it

[*Beema*]

The Meridian is 12kg, DD is 16 months and just passed 10kg a few weeks ago, and still in the reverse position, she will be staying in reverse until she hits the limit
A lot safer in reverse

[MantaRay]

Most of the ones sold in Australia are 12kgs. You do need to check though, as some are 8kg or 9kg.

[*Beema*]

Our Compaq deluxe is only 9kg, but the newer one's are 12 kg

[sweetpea678]

My dd who is nearly 16 months is still reward in a unity capusle, she still has some space, I rang sns and they said as long as she wasn't over 12kilos and as long as the shoulder straps were not below her shoulders then she can stay in it, doesn't matter if her legs are bent etc. So I think she will be in it still at 2 at the rate she grows.

[Arimeh]

We moved DD around when we came down to tassie, and rented a car, and they installed the car seat in the car prior to us picking up the car, both kids were grizzling and whinging, it was raining - and yeah - we didn't bother changing her around.

So she was 13 months at that time.