https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 11:06:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1542738 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:18:39 +0000 sumer08 1542738@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO is 19 months, and as of now, we are not planning on turning him around until after he turns 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541428 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 06:09:36 +0000 looch 1541428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: we had a rather large Audi and our seat was fine there, check for the seats that allow bracing against the seat in front, if you're interested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541393 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 04:17:07 +0000 Kemma 1541393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: FF at one is still the norm here in NZ, the majority of the mainstream seats are designed to be turned at one and it's so unusual to meet anybody who're still rear-facing past even eighteen months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541391 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 04:08:05 +0000 Cherrybee 1541391@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Yeah, 9 months is the standard age to FF in the UK. Our second car is a Nissan Micra and doesn't have back doors (you have to push the front seats forward and climb over them into the back) - it's not unusual for people to put car seats in the front of those kinds of cars..... ERF and all that jazz is just unheard of here! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541386 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 03:55:53 +0000 lamariniere 1541386@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I'm thinking it does have to do with small cars. My MIL just informed me that my 8 month old nephew is going to switch to forward facing soon because he is almost too big for his bucket seat and the new car seat is ok to face forward at 8 kilos. Here in Austria I have seen toddlers sitting in the front passenger seat in their car seats!!! I'm just glad we don't have a car to deal with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541384 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 03:40:24 +0000 Cherrybee 1541384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: That's the problem we're facing here in the UK. We decided to get ERF car seats (Britax Dualfix) as a result of this thread but have found that they will only fit in one of the three cars DD will be travelling in (we have two cars and she goes in my inlaws' car three days a week). I think ours cars here in Europe are a lot smaller than the cars in the US. I wonder if that's why it's not law here? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541374 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 02:20:51 +0000 lamariniere 1541374@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched around 14 months. But we moved to France at that time and were using a borrowed car (from my ILs), which was pretty small by US standards. And since my husband and his family are all very tall, our Britax wouldn't fit rear facing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541359 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 00:55:29 +0000 Ree723 1541359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just switched this past weekend and DD1 is now forward facing at 21 months. I wanted to keep her RF'ing until 2 at least but the car seat takes up so much more room in that position. With an infant capsule also in the car now, and my mum's extended visit, we really need that third seat back there so we made the decision to switch. Not ideal but I'm ok with it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541352 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 00:44:00 +0000 prettylizy 1541352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just flipped D1 because we couldn't fit her behind my seat RF and needed to install our infant seat behind the passenger. She just turned 2 and if we could have gone longer we would have </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541338 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 00:02:21 +0000 birdofafeather 1541338@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>she's still RFing at 14 months and we got a carseat to accommodate her 98th percentile height to RF as long as possible! she's no stranger to road trips and i don't think anything can be as bad as her screaming and crying every time she got in the car from 3-6 months. :(</p> <p>ETA: for us, as long as possible means 3-4 years old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541328 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 23:45:21 +0000 aMohror 1541328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just switched our LO last month (19months) It took her that long to reach the 20lb Mark. It was just getting more and more difficult RF. She's much happier in the car now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541315 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 23:18:05 +0000 Pepper 1541315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a toddler mom yet, but LO is 9 months, and we plan to RF as long as possible. 2 would be the earliest I would feel comfortable turning him FF. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541292 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 22:26:44 +0000 Running Elley 1541292@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't switched yet and DS is 18 months and 28 pounds. We're planning on rear facing him until at least 2...hopefully longer.</p> <p>Almost all of my IRL friends switch their kids at 1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541285 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 22:22:45 +0000 deerylou 1541285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We will absolutely rear face as long as possible. I'm prepared for frustration and tantrums because of it, but I hope to push through. It's definitely something I feel passionate about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541274 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 22:12:18 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1541274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're not sure! J is 25 months, 27 lbs and I think 32-34"(??) and we are still RF. I agree that getting him in is a pain - we have a ford fusion which isn't terribly small but it's not very big, so it's cramped back there. I can't put him in and my body/head at the same time. I kind of have to fold him into a seated position and "blindly" put him in the seat, then buckle him in. We'll keep going as long as we can, though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541241 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 21:49:49 +0000 junebugmama 1541241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>J2 is 31lbs and 92nd percentile for height. He's rear facing and will remain that way for as long as possible. I have seen 3 cases of internal decapitation working at the hospital from small children involved in car accidents where they were forward facing. I will push it as long as I can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541226 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 21:43:15 +0000 sera_87 1541226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most likely going to switch him to FF when little brother comes along in August and we have to move his seat to the drivers side. He'll be 24months which would be the minimum id feel 'safe' switching him anyways. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541032 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:53:31 +0000 googly-eyes 1541032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our ped always asks and reminds us to wait til 2, but as you've said, the best laid plans....</p> <p>I honestly don't know how long we will make it after 2. Every car ride is an uphill battle...but at the same time Im not 100% sure ff would change that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541014 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:48:28 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1541014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched Charlie at 1 before the new guidelines came out. We only ride in a car a couple times a year and he hated car seats. Forward facing made it a million times better.</p> <p>We switched Olive shortly after one for the same reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1541011 Wed, 02 Apr 2014 19:46:32 +0000 irene 1541011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We switched between 18mo-2 years but I vote 2 years anyway.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517890 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:48:55 +0000 winniebee 1517890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't watch the videos. </p> <p>He's RF in my husband's car still (Volkswagen). In mine, he's FF. We switched him around 21 months. I don't know how much he weighed then, most likely 23 lbs and 33 in. I know all of the research, etc. However, I'm short and have a big car and literally I couldn't get him in rear facing anymore since he would tantrum getting into the car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517864 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:38:09 +0000 rachiecakes 1517864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: no worries! these are all the things I'm thinking about :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517851 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:34:57 +0000 Cherrybee 1517851@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Well, I'm stunned!!! I did a bit of research online and showed him when he came in from work, fully expecting a frustrating and ultimately futile debate. Well - he looked up a few things himself and agreed that it was much safer! We're getting the £400 car seat!!! :happy: </p> <p>@rachiecakes: Thanks for posting this question and apologies for the semi-threadjack! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517630 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:33:59 +0000 Crisark 1517630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: You're not alone. It isn't the popular option right now so I honestly think most aren't admitting to it.<br /> A will be a year in two weeks and we will be switching her soon.<br /> However more so because she's 23lbs and 31inches long, less because of her age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517624 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:32:23 +0000 rachiecakes 1517624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I never have either. Any time I see what could happen with any product that's all I can see when DS is there and it freaks me out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517620 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:31:52 +0000 bpcmarj 1517620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She was under 18 months old but she had reached the RF height limit for her seat. Everything I read said until 2 or once the height or weight limit was reached. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517607 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 13:29:35 +0000 Foodnerd81 1517607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I won't watch the videos either. I believe it's safer, that's enough for me. If I watched the videos I feel like I would never let her in the car until she can drive herself and I just can't handle it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517468 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 12:51:15 +0000 Mamasig 1517468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Around 15 months - DS was already 30 pounds by then. Plus I'm pregnant and it was getting too hard to get him in it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517200 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:32:55 +0000 plantains 1517200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sammyfab: I am still traumatised. The smell, the fact that it gets everywhere and there is no escape ugh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddler-moms-when-did-you-switch-to-forward-facing-car-seat/page/2#post-1517194 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 11:29:54 +0000 plantains 1517194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rachiecakes: We once went on a roadtrip from NYC to Gloucester, MA and she barfed 7 times. 7. </p>