2 and 30

According to child safety advocates and the American Academy of Pediatrics, age 2 and 30 pounds is the new 1 year and 20 pounds. Did that confuse you? In the past, the general rule was that a child should be turned forward facing when they hit one year old and reached 20 pounds. Recent research has determined that children are safer if they rear face until at least two years and 30 pounds or to the full limits of their seats (Article: Stay Rear Facing). I turned the boy around when he was 18 months and just barely over 20 pounds. A couple months later I was in a car accident that totaled my car, and required getting a new seat. I went to some knowledgeable people on babycenter for advice. When I got our new Britax Marathon a month later, I put that puppy in rear facing and that is how the boy has been until this past Sunday when he truly was to close to the top of the shell to stay that way. So at 3 years, 4 months, 3 weeks, 6 days and 30 pounds I flipped his car seat. That night as I was buckling him in he asked if I was happy that he was facing forward. I had to reply that it made me sad, because it meant that he was growing up. He patted my head in sympathy.

Last day rear facing

First official day of forward facing

My new passion!

No, I don't have a man in my life other than Séamus. No, my new passion is car seat safety. It has been slow growing, but I think I might be borderline obssessed. I still can't believe how uninformed I was prior to my accident last July, and this after doing some research on seats. I wish everyone could have the ladies at the Car Safety Board of babycenter at their disposal. My little man will be rear facing in his seat until he is either to tall (likely) or to heavy (not so much since he is only about 24-25 pounds). He will be in a harnessed seat until he is 6 or 7, and then in a really good booster.

Thank you ladies from the bottom of my heart. The safety of my son & my beloved nephew are due to your sharing of information and your knowledge of car seat safety in unsurpassed.