Did "older" RAs have different weight requirements for RF'ing?

[MarisaSF]

My friend was surprised that my 15-mo was RF in her MA. I explained that the MA can be used RFing to 33 lbs and that DD was happy RF.

Said friend has an RA that's maybe 3 years old. She said that she *had* to turn it FF at 20 lbs. I see that the current RAs say 33 lbs mx for RF. Were the older ones different?

I guess I just want to have a "told you so" moment with myself. }(
I don't see myself correcting her, but kinda wish she had just said, "He prefers FF so I turned it when it was safe."
I also wouldn't mind a swift kick in the butt saying I'm totally wrong! hee hee

[kphil]

They did used to be different, but only by a few pounds...30lbs, maybe? Someone else who knows will chime in, I'm sure. I thought around 3 years ago was when they changed it, too. I got our new MA just around 3 years ago, and it is listed as RF to 33 lbs (and my 31 pound almost 3.5yo is still rf in it :)). Sounds like she was confused by the guidelines that say a child rides rf to 20lbs and ff after that--those are bare minimums.

Kirsten

[hapaness]

Yeah, the older ones rf'ed to 30lbs. I unfortunately have one of those. I wish I would have paid attention to the DOM so I could have gotten the one with the 33lb limit.

[kijip]

You friend is wrong about the RA---it has never needed to be turned FF at 20 pounds. Since many babies hit 20 pounds before 1 year, most convertible seats have 30 pound limits, some 33 and some 35. There were some that were less but I can't think of any cureent seats off hand. It used to say 30 pounds on the RA label for RF but then it was pointed out by CPS advocates that they were testing and passing rearfacing with a 33 pound dummy so they updated the labeling and manuals to give us mams 3 more pounds. I have had RAs from 2001 (hand-me down) and 2003 (bought new). In 2001 it said 30 and in 2003 it said 33!

[MarisaSF]

Thanks all!
I feel bad asking the question because I can't do much with the info now. I guess I have it in my back pocket in case it comes up again with her or anybody else!

FWIW, my DD rode in her son's carseat FF for a short trip the other day and *hated* that she had no place to rest her feet. :(

[essnce629]

We have both an older RA (in my bf's car) and a newer one (in my car). Not only does the older RA have a rearfacing weight limit of 30lbs, it also has a rearfacing maximum HEIGHT limit of 30 inches! I freaked out when I found this out (when Conner was already 35" tall) and started a thread about it a while ago. Basically Julie said it was ok to continue using it to the current limits. Here's the thread I'm talking about and her response:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=13&topic_id=28333&mesg_id=28333&listing_type=search

***Latia
Conner, my homebirthed water baby, 8/19/03
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aug2003angel
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif Self-weaned at 24 months! http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/9870.gif