I am really confused and need some one to get me tsraight on this. I was under the impression that children had to be rear facing until one year of age and they weighed 20lbs. Now the other day I was reading an article in a gerber flier and in there it said they had to weigh 20lbs or be a year old. Now which is it? DS is 20lbs and needs to be out of his infant carrier. We are putting the carseats in tomorrow and I know DS woudl love to face foward but can I legally put him that way?

Our doc says 20 lbs AND one year. It's so much easier for them to be front-facing, but we were told that it is safer for them to be rear-facing until they are a year old. I don't know what the laws actually state and I'm sure it's different in different states, but safety-wise, we were told 20 lbs AND one-year. I also just took and infant and child CPR class to become certified and that was a point they stressed in the class which was also on the test at the end to get certified. Personally, I wouldn't risk it. My DD is 7 months old and 20 lbs (she outgrew the infant seat lengthwise at 4 months!) and it's rather difficult to maneuver a 20-pounder into a rear-facing seat, but we will do it until she's a year because we were told it's safer for her. It's certainly not more convenient this way.

I also was told 20lbs and 1 year old. My DD was 20 lbs at 11 and a half months, so since she was so close to a year, we put her in the front facing seat at that time. And my DS is 5 and a half months now, and if he's real close to his first birthday like out DD was, then he'll start facing forward as well, but no sooner than then. They have the bigger car seats that can face backwards until you need them to face forwards, which might be what you have to do until the 1st birthday.

As far as laws go, I have never heard of any about what way they face; just laws that they have to be in a car seat. I would guess what you read was a typo a big typo too because they do have to be 20lbs. AND 1 year for safety.

I did a lot of research on the safest seats and already purschased the "big boy" seat. I don't plan on installing it until mid Janurary, but it will be backwards. Like another poster said, I don't think it's going to more convenient but certainly the safest.

I bought a child carrier/carseat that held up to 35 pounds and 30"+. I didn't want to have to deal with a snowsuit and a regular carseat in the dead of winter and used the carrier with a nano bag system. Worked great! Then when DS turned one, I switched to a regular forward facing carseat -- good up to 40 pounds.

What if your child is 20 lbs but only 6 months old? (Now please dont think Im abusing my son by over feeding him, but yes, he is at least 20 lbs. I'm only 5'2 and 115 lbs so Im not sure where it comes from, but he was born at 9 lbs and is off the charts in his height as well)
...his feet are hanging off of his current infant carseat

What if your child is 20 lbs but only 6 months old?
...his feet are hanging off of his current infant carseat


He still has to be 1 before you place him forward. Check the weight limit and height limit on your current car seat, if he's over the limit it's time for a "big boy" seat which would need to be placed rear-facing.

Don't worry DS just turned 6 months and is 20lbs and his feet hang over. That is why I was starting this thread. My DH did some research and they have to be rear facing in a regular car seat when they hit 20lbs and are still under one year. Are you still carrying him around in the infant carrier??? I carry DS around and he is over 20lbs. It kills!!! But I just haven't put the regular car seat in yet and will be very soon. Also, the infant carrier aren't meant to be used once they reach 20lbs.

My DD is 20 lbs at 7 months. She is also in the 97th percentile for height. It's a pain to maneuver her into the rear-facing convertible car seat, but we do it because it's safest for her. She outgrew the infant seat in height at 4 months! From everything I've read, it is okay for their feet to be hanging over and touching the back seat of the car when they're younger than one year. Supposedly, that's safer than having them front-facing prior to a year old. That's the trade-off. It's hard when your kid doesn't fit the typical mold but you have to do what's best for them, not necessarily what's most convenient.

The infant carriers are not meant to be used past 20 lbs, OR 26 inches, whichever comes first. If they are too long for them, they should be put into the bigger car seats. It can be dangerous to keep using them if they are too long and hanging out. If you were, god forbid, in an accident any parts that are hanging out can be crushed or pinched between something. LynnDewlad1, my son is 20lbs at 4 months, so don't feel bad, lol!

Yes I carry my DS in his carseat and am now 21 years old with a bad back. Im a single mom too so a very strong mommy at that!! It gives your arms a good work out huh

Ratatosk- what brand holds them to that weight. I would rather just buy a new car seat, than switch right now. I like being able to keep him in the car seat if I just run quick errands..........

I read somewhere that the reason you need to have the baby rear facing until 1 year of age regardless of the weight is due to the babys head. It had something to do with the babys ability to control the head.... that is why they say 1yr AND 20 lbs..... not just 20 lbs