carseat question

Greetings all:

I've read that the current recommendation is for infants to be
restrained in a rear-facing carseat until they're about 20 pounds and
one year of age.

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

Thanks!

KD & G

My suggestion, Go to a babies r us try your son out in the seats. they do
make seats that are convertable or 3 in 1 seats. I'm in the US so not sure
where you are at. You can get convertable seats online as well. Most
convertable seats goto 30lbs in the rear facing position then to 40lbs in
the forward facing position. the seat I have which is a Safety 1st 3 in 1
seat. goes rear, forward and a booster seat later.

Jennifer

"KD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings all:

I've read that the current recommendation is for infants to be
restrained in a rear-facing carseat until they're about 20 pounds and
one year of age.

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

Thanks!

KD & G

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

that is impressive! do bear in mind though that the growing out is not when
the feet can touch the seat back, but when the head is above the top of the
seat, so if his height is in his legs he'll last longer than if he has a
long body. Also bear in mind that weight gain does usually slow down! We
expected our daughter would grow out of the rear facing car seat before age
1, but she more than just managed to stay in it.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

yes, absolutely you can buy one that goes both ways, they are known as
convertible car seats, some people use them from birth, if they plan to
leave it in the car always and other reasons, but a reasonable proportion of
babies do outgrow forward facing ones before it is really suitable for them
to face forwards (and in some states it would be against the law for them to
do so). They tend to be more bulky, so you have to choose very carefully,
which is difficult if you don't have a car. When we hired a car and needed a
seat, it was only 6 dollars per day for the seat and they would presumably
have to provide something suitable. We did own a convertible seat, a bebe
confort iseos, the thing we really appreciated about it was that it also had
adjustable sides, so we could make it narrow enough for our skinny boy, we
ended up buying it because he was too tall for his baby seat (at 15 months),
but still someway off 20 pounds! Unfortunately it was in an accident, but at
the time there was still no reason why it was unsuitable, it was probably
the smallest of the convertibles at the time as we have a very small car!

Even so you may end up getting another car seat when he is about aged 4 as
at around that stage they tend to go to a seat that is basically a booster
seat with a back and a little bit of side and head support, but that uses
the adult belt to strap the child in, rather than to strap the seat in and
then use a 5 point harness. I suggest you check out local laws carefully and
find out if there are any planned changes, so you will be best equipped to
buy a seat.

Anne

"KD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings all:
Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes?

My Britax carseat is rated for backwards facing up to 35lbs/forward facing
up to 65lbs, so yes, convertible car seats that can go backwards at higher
weights do exist.

The eddie bauer 3 in 1 convertable is excellent and priced nicely too
Tracey wrote:
"KD" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings all:
Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes?

My Britax carseat is rated for backwards facing up to 35lbs/forward facing
up to 65lbs, so yes, convertible car seats that can go backwards at higher
weights do exist.

KD wrote:
Greetings all:

I've read that the current recommendation is for infants to be
restrained in a rear-facing carseat until they're about 20 pounds and
one year of age.

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

Thanks!

KD & G

Thanks for the replies all. I'm in Canada, I'll have to take my
*little* boy shopping when he seems closer to outgrowing his current
seat, try him out in some. It is his legs more so than his body that
are stretching toward the edge of the seat, so maybe that will save us.


He is a rather big lad isn't he? It is amusing to see people's
reactions when they bring their eight month old over and he's bigger.
He started out big though, 10 pounds 8 ounces and 22.5 inches tall at
birth. I'm 5'11, his daddy is 6'5, so he really had no choice but to be
a bigger fellow. He jus turned three months yesterday, and celebrated
by rolling over for the first time. No more rolls since, but that's ok.
I'm not looking forward to having to CHASE this guy once he gets
mobile! Hee hee...

KD & G

"KD" wrote in message
ups.com...

KD wrote:
Greetings all:

I've read that the current recommendation is for infants to be
restrained in a rear-facing carseat until they're about 20 pounds and
one year of age.

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

Thanks!

KD & G

Thanks for the replies all. I'm in Canada, I'll have to take my
*little* boy shopping when he seems closer to outgrowing his current
seat, try him out in some. It is his legs more so than his body that
are stretching toward the edge of the seat, so maybe that will save us.


He is a rather big lad isn't he? It is amusing to see people's
reactions when they bring their eight month old over and he's bigger.
He started out big though, 10 pounds 8 ounces and 22.5 inches tall at
birth. I'm 5'11, his daddy is 6'5, so he really had no choice but to be
a bigger fellow. He jus turned three months yesterday, and celebrated
by rolling over for the first time. No more rolls since, but that's ok.
I'm not looking forward to having to CHASE this guy once he gets
mobile! Hee hee...

KD & G


sounds like my 'little' fellas! they are all big, dh is as tall as yours,
but i am a few inches shorter than you. All the time people say about all
my boys "how old is he" and when i tell them their eyebrows shoot up and
they say 'he's tall isnt he...". It gets to be a little problem when
people expect them to be able to do stuff that an older kid would do.

the car seat rules here in oz have most people turning their kids around
before 1, i dont know what hte exact rule is actually. how vague.

good luck with your little guy.

chris

"Nina Pretty Ballerina" wrote in message
u...


sounds like my 'little' fellas! they are all big, dh is as tall as yours,
but i am a few inches shorter than you. All the time people say about all
my boys "how old is he" and when i tell them their eyebrows shoot up and
they say 'he's tall isnt he...". It gets to be a little problem when
people expect them to be able to do stuff that an older kid would do.

the car seat rules here in oz have most people turning their kids around
before 1, i dont know what hte exact rule is actually. how vague.

good luck with your little guy.

chris


I'm in Australia too, and I thought I'd see if I could find out what the
rules are here. You're right, they do seem to be vague. I found this on the
VicRoads site:

"What's the law?

a.. By law, you (the driver) are responsible for ensuring that passengers
under the age of 16 are restrained correctly.
b.. The restraint must be approved, match the child's size and weight, be
fitted correctly to the vehicle and adjusted to fit the child's body."
A Queensland government website had this to say:

"Seat belt laws

Babies weighing less than 9kg must be protected in an approved infant
restraint (for example baby capsule).

Children weighing between 9-26kg (roughly at age seven) should be restrained
in an appropriate Standards Australia approved child restraint (for example
child seat, booster seat or child safety harness). There are different
restraints for children of different sizes, but if not available, normal
seat belts must be used.

As a guide, children weighing more than 26kg are suitable for the standard
approved seat belts used by adults."

Liz

..

Canada's weight restirctions for car seats seem to be a bit stricter
then the US, but I have seen car seats that go to 35 lbs for rear
facing and 48 lbs for forward. I highly recommend getting one of
those, rather then the 40 lb forward facing limit. My daughter didn't
hit 20 lbs until about 6 months, but she outgrew the 40 lb limit
shortly after her second birthday!

KR


KD wrote:
KD wrote:
Greetings all:

I've read that the current recommendation is for infants to be
restrained in a rear-facing carseat until they're about 20 pounds and
one year of age.

However, my three-month-old giant is already 20 pounds. At over 26
inches tall, he's also in danger of outgrowing his carseat in the not
so distant future.

Do rear-facing carseats exist in larger sizes? And are there carseats
that can be used both forward and rear facing? I'd hate to have to buy
ANOTHER carseat once he's old enough to face forward, especially since
we don't even own a car! We do rent cars and travel with others
sometimes, so we still do need one.

Thanks!

KD & G

Thanks for the replies all. I'm in Canada, I'll have to take my
*little* boy shopping when he seems closer to outgrowing his current
seat, try him out in some. It is his legs more so than his body that
are stretching toward the edge of the seat, so maybe that will save us.


He is a rather big lad isn't he? It is amusing to see people's
reactions when they bring their eight month old over and he's bigger.
He started out big though, 10 pounds 8 ounces and 22.5 inches tall at
birth. I'm 5'11, his daddy is 6'5, so he really had no choice but to be
a bigger fellow. He jus turned three months yesterday, and celebrated
by rolling over for the first time. No more rolls since, but that's ok.
I'm not looking forward to having to CHASE this guy once he gets
mobile! Hee hee...

KD & G

the car seat rules here in oz have most people turning their kids around
before 1, i dont know what hte exact rule is actually. how vague.

It's wierd, but having turned my daughter round at age 1 because weight wise
it was appropriate, I am not all that happy about it, she hasn't complained
about being uncomfortable, but to me she just doesn't look that safe, we
keep the seat reclined, but even that doesn't look very safe, her head
doesn't seem well supported, but there is no going back now, at least there
isn't without spending lots of money, plus it would be close to impossible
to use a convertible seat in the rear facing position in our current car.

I was much happier when we turned out son round, I don't think he had quite
reached the weight, but that's not law in the UK, but he was 16 or even 17
months and when we did it, it seemed right as he was sitting up really well
and supporting his head, even when tired.

I know there are reasons why the age is 1, but I honesty think 15 months
would be more appropriate.

Anne