Roundabout Question

[julieakc]

I am wondering when I need to turn my RA to the forward facing position. My son is 19 months, 24 pounds, and around 32 inches. I still have him rear-facing because I learned from Julie and the CPS Safety website that this is safest, otherwise I probably would have turned him around after he got to the 20 pound/1 year mark. Anyway, DS's head is below the top by somewhere between 1-2 inches (my estimate). I know the manual says he can stay in the seat until the top of the ears are level with the top of the seat, but I assume this applies to him in the forward facing position only, right? So when do I turn him around?

I'm not in a rush now since I have been enlightened by this fine group of people that it's safer, but I know it's only safer if he still fits properly. He's on the small side so I know he won't reach the 33 pound limit anytime soon.

I'm trying to remember now why I bought the RA instead of the Marathon since that one is larger...I think it was because I thought the RA would be a better fit in my CRV, but maybe I should have gone with the Marathon....

Thanks for your help.

[Joolsplus2]

Would you believe, that "tops of the ears even with the top of the seat" rule applies to rearfacing, too? I guess you could say Britax has a great deal of faith in the safety of rearfacing! I rather like the AAP's recommendation of "top of head even with the top of the seat", which is sort of in between and is still very adequate for most kids. If you click on the link in my sig, that bottom picture is my dd in her MA in my old CR-V...it fit fine, but dh and I aren't very long legged-folks (she also fit RF in our old style, small, Toyota Prius behind the driver, lol).
Anyway, if he's happy and you're happy, then just keep it up...maybe you can make it through winter with no issues (carry him over the mud puddles to keep your car clean ;) ).
I wish everyone would take MY idea to make the minimum FF "age 2 or 30 pounds" rather than one and twenty, which is based solely on the fact that RF seats used to only go to 20 pounds... maybe I should write to the AAP with that, lol.

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[julieakc]

Thanks so much Julie. I knew you would have the answer for me. I like your compromise about the top of the head being even, having his head go past the top of the RA rear-facing jsut doesn't seem like a good idea. With your compromise I just might make it to his 2nd birthday, or pretty close, unless he goes on a big growth spurt.

Thanks again!:)