When to change from rear to front facing carseat

Xdancer

We have a Jané Racing group 0/1 carseat. It recommends changing it from rear to front facing at 9 months/ 10kg which my daughter now is.
I would prefer to keep her rear facing until 12 months, but feel I should follow the guidelines. Obviously her safety comes first, but looking at her and the seat I honestly don't feel I would be compromising her safety by leaving it rearfacing for another while and reviewing the situation regularly.
What would you do?

liliq

Do you turn the seat you have to forward facing or would you be buying a new seat?
If a new seat, you can buy extended read facing car seats. They're expensive, but a lot safer in a crash and they can stay in them until they are around 4 years old.

Xdancer

liliq wrote: »

Do you turn the seat you have to forward facing or would you be buying a new seat?
If a new seat, you can buy extended read facing car seats. They're expensive, but a lot safer in a crash and they can stay in them until they are around 4 years old.

I turn our current seat around and it can be used up to 18kg

liliq

Are her head and neck well supported? That is another important considertation as well as the weight.
I kept my son in his group 0 seat for a little longer after he hit the weight limit- he didn't go from 9kg to way over that weight quickly, so it wasn't like he was way over the limit all of a sudden.
Personally, I see where you're coming from, and I agree that it's very little for them to be forward facing- they often still have very limited muscle control etc.
If I was doing it again, I'd leave my son in the lower weight limit seat for longer also, but it's a decision you have to feel safe making.

Little My

We went to a Mothercare information evening when I was pregnant and they said it's more important that their head is below the top of the car seat to ensure head and neck support.

Obviously they didn't say its okay to ignore the manufacturers guidelines, but they emphasised that the length of the child was more important than the weight.

I wouldn't turn a baby forward facing below 1 at the very least. We are currently looking for an extended rear facing car seat. (Speaking of which, does anyone have the Britax two-way elite?)

Gurgle

If there's still room for her legs in the seat, it should be kept rear-facing imo.

Xdancer

As it's also a group 1 seat her head is nowhere near the max head height and she has plenty of neck support.
I think I might leave the seat as is for the moment but will keep on eye on it and change it around if necessary.

Thanks for your comments

Moonbeam

Until about 3 years old is best but if the child is very big you might want to switch them sooner.

caprilicious

Little My wrote: »

We are currently looking for an extended rear facing car seat. (Speaking of which, does anyone have the Britax two-way elite?)

I have the Britax Hi way which I think is similar if you want to ask anything about it?

XDancer I think if her head is well below the top of the seat then personally I'd keep her in it. Might be no harm mailing the manufacturers for reassurance though?

staticdoor71

I had to move my daughter today into a front facing seat as she's too long for her rear facing one. She's well able hold her head and meets the weight requirement and is far happier. she's 5.5 months old. i had hoped to get the year out of her rear facing one like i was assured when i bought it. but she's too long and its a tight squeeze.

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Moonbeam wrote: »

Until about 3 years old is best but if the child is very big you might want to switch them sooner.

We also have an ERF seat. junior is 2 and 3 1/2 foot tall. Its the safest option as thez go back into the seat in the event of an accident instead of getting whiplash from being forward facing.