Do I HAVE to move him at 40 pounds?

[TahliasMom]

may i hijack this thread too? I know my DD is only 13 months and I"m thinking way ahead but how long do kids need to be in car seats/boosters? we're in CA if that matters. is it a combo of weigh and age limit? I have the MA so I was hoping I don't have to buy another car seat/booster unless we have #2! and another dumb question...why do you have your kid still in rearfacing position? We switched DD few weeks ago, she just hit 20 lbs, 32 inches, mostly because she was very uncomfortable. dd is very long and had to scrunch her legs to be able to fit into the seat...we have a honda crv (2002)

TIA!

[luvbeinmama]

CA law requires a child safety seat until the child is 6 yrs or 60 lbs. I heard a rumor from a friend (totally unresearched by me, so take it for what it's worth) that they are trying for 8 yrs or 80 lbs.

[TahliasMom]

oh cool. no more seats to buy! well unless there's #2 and CA changes the law to 80 pounds.

thanks

[Joolsplus2]

Oh, you are SO not lucky :P...the 1999 Camry has it's own special note(in the tether manual) that it's a big old pain in the butt to install a top anchor, unfortunately. Though, $70 isn't bad...I know a mom who paid like $200 to get it done! Most cars of that vintage just have a bolt and you screw the part in, but that lovely Camry has some extra part that needs to be cut out and takes a lot of time, so the labor charge is higher. Still....it's cheaper than a new car, right? ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Joolsplus2]

You can stil get a ticket for a 6 yo in a seatbelt only, because it will fit her so poorly that it's not being properly used, basically. The laws of physics are considerably tougher than the laws made by some gutless politicians who don't really care about keeping kids safe, so you basically MUST use a booster till about age 10, in most cars for most kids, because seatbelts are designed for the 160 pound dummy to be restrained and protected, NOT a 6 yo kid...most of whom basically fly out of seatbelts or suffer serious internal organ injury because they put the shoulderbelt behind their backs to be comfortable.

So, after the Marathon, you'll be popping down to Walmart for a $14 Cosco Ambassador, or by then you'll know more about the deadly side impacts that most people can't survive, and you'll buy a Parkway with EPS Foam surrounding her little noggin like a motorcycle helmet from that oncoming Ford Expedition bumper ;)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Joolsplus2]

Check the link in my sig, basically under "front facing too soon?"...you have to rearface babies as long as the convertible seat allows, because the crash forces in a frontal crash are so severe the heavy little head flies forward and can snap that spinal cord. I've heard of kids as old as 2 and 3 who suffer broken necks while forward facing. Broken legs rearfacing? Nope. Not a single case in a properly installed seat. We should ALL ride rearfacing, and olden-days astronauts always did, to protect their spines during splashdown (see the videos on that cpsafety page...pretty dramatic...)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[TahliasMom]

the only reason we switched DD to forward facing is that she was getting really cramped and uncomfortable. DD has long legs and had to sit there with her legs scrunched and started resisting going into the car seat. how do you avoid that?

[Joolsplus2]

They are really more comfortable when they have more options to rest their feet and legs...my 4 yo was never uncomfortable putting her feet up on the seatback or crossing her legs. Though, I know 1 yos can often be resistant to being strapped down in anything, because they are eager to get up and play! Maybe you can turn her back later when she's older and able to understand that it's comfortable and safer (toddlers are pretty smart critters ;) ). When you catch them sleeping with their knees bent under their chests, butt in the air, you know they are quite comfortable in yoga-inspired positions WE could never tolerate, though :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[TahliasMom]

Julie, you're such a wealth of info!!!! And I'll wait until I can explain to DD before switching her back. I totally understand about the yoga inspired positions! my dd loves the knees bent under the chest, butt in the air sleep position. We get a kick out of it!