Car Seat Law?

[Mommie2Bryce]

I've been told that you have to leave a child rear facing until they are a year old but I can't find any Mississippi state law that says that this is true. Anybody know where to go?

Did you leave your child rear-facing for a solid year?

[Kimberli]

They should be rear facing until 1 year and 20 lbs but rear-facing is the safest position for them to be, so my son Nicholas is 22 months old and continues to be rear facing!

I will see if I can find some info on the actual law for you...

[Mommie2Bryce]

I've heard that weight and age play a big part but I can't find anything. My pediatrician is in Alabama and we live in Mississippi. DH is determined to turn Bryce around mostly because he is growing out of his rear-facing car seat and it irritates him to seat facing the back because he feels like he is alone. I know it's the safest position but if there isn't a law I am going to be turning Bryce around sooner.

[Sarah]

I don't think Mississippi has a law about that.

http://www.dps.state.ms.us/dps/dps.nsf/divpages/ps2ohs-buckle-law?OpenDocument

Public Safety Planning - Office of Highway Safety

Child Passenger Safety Law

Mississippi law requires the following while traveling in private passenger vehicles:
all children under four years of age be in child safety seats
every driver and every front seat passenger must wear a properly fastened safety seat belt system that meets each person's age and weight requirements
every child who is at least four years of age but under eight years of age, regardless of the location inside the vehicle, must wear a properly fastened safety seat belt system that meets each child's age and weight requirements
Help Buckle for Life - buckle everyone, and keep children age 12 and under in the back!

1 year and 20 lbs. is the recommended minimum though. Logan is still rear facing at 23 months and will be until he reaches 35 lbs.

[Mommie2Bryce]

That's what I thought. I wonder how many states in the USA don't require car seat laws. I notice a lot of moms keep their kids rear facing for quite some time, is it because it's safer? What do you do if you have a tall child? Bryce is 4 months and his feet already hang over the edge of the seat.

[Kimberli]

I can't find actual laws specific to Mississippi but I encourage you to leave him until he's 1 year and 20lbs as it is pretty standard everywhere, even if it isn't a law.

The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) changed their stance on rear-facing and are now recommending rear-facing until age 2.
http://www.chatterscene.com/csboards/showthread.php?t=27543

And this website of this little guy who was 18 months and 33 lbs, forward facing, and broke his neck!
http://www.chatterscene.com/csboards/showthread.php?t=21974

Nicholas is tall for his age and is quite comfy rear-facing, his legs bend and he puts them wherever and has never once complained about being crowded! He will stay rear-facing until 35 lbs, which is the rear-facing limit on his seat!

[Mommie2Bryce]

OMG I am going to have my DH read this. Thanks so much!

[~*DASHA*~]

I turned Gracie around at 1 years old, even though she wasn't 20 lbs yet...

[Mommie2Bryce]

I go back and forth with it. Bryce is as tall as his 7 month old cousin. He is very unhappy with riding this way and most of the time one of us has to ride in the back with him, which is horrible. I do want him to be safe but for sanity-sake I want him to be happy too.

[Kimberli]

Distractions work wonders, try some new toys that are only for the car so he's excited to see them when its time for a car ride.

IMO it isn't worth being unsafe and possibly him getting hurt bad in a wreck just because he fusses in his carseat...

[Mommie2Bryce]

I know Kimberli. You are so right! I hung a little frog that plays music in the backseat and I started packing toys in his car seat now that he can grab and play with toys. Maybe it will pass?

I know that when we first put him in his seat he screamed the entire time and would not sleep in it. Now he passes out in the seat with a little more ease (most of the time)

Maybe it's a phase?

[Raquel]

keep him rear facing as long as possible! i moved my boys at about 16 -17 months and only because they were uncomfortable cuz they are super tall.

[Raquel]

4 months is way too early to be thinking of forward facing

[Kimberli]

I would say its a phase, he doesn't know there is any other way to sit (rear vs forward) so I really doubt turning him around would solve the issue.

It has worked for us to have toys in the car that stay in the car, so they are "new" toys every time we get them out for Nicholas to play with- he doesn't get bored as easily because its been awhile since he's seen them.

[Mommie2Bryce]

4 months is way too early to be thinking of forward facing



Oh Heavens no we aren't going to switch him now. LOL We were debating switching him in another 3-4 months if his attitude didn't improve but with that article I am thinking that it's probably smart to keep him facing backwards. I don't want him to get hurt.

[Raquel]

oh thats good!!!

[jmarks0406]

i switched both my kids at 10 months old because they were just to long for the rear facing

[<3 Susan <3]

I cant imagine keeping my daughter rear facing until shes 35 lbs..... My son is about to turn 5 and he is only 40 lbs....... I just couldnt imagine having my 5 yr old sitting rear facing but I do agree to stay rear facing as long as possible.

I didnt with my son because I didnt have all the information. I regret it. Emma will stay rear facing until at least a year and 20 lbs....

[makysmama]

my daughter stayed rear facing until she one and she was about 25 lbs. She was 20 lbs at 4 months so we got a convertible carseat and kept her backwards

[4BlueBlessings]

I am trying to keep Brian rear-faing as long as possible ( but I will say it's easier said than done) ... here it is law 1 year and 20 lbs

[Tracy]

In CA, the way the law is worded, its confusing. The law says 1year or 20lbs but also states to follow carseat manufacturer recommendations so because all of those say 1year AND 20lbs, thats technically what the law is.

I will admit that I moved my DD forward before her birthday. BUT, I'm talking 4 days before! AND, she was already 25/26lbs and 31-32in tall. She's not even 2 and pushing 36lbs and 37 or so inches tall! She's huge. She hated being RFing and when you mix that with her being huge and me being short, I was having massive issues getting her in her seat so I figured 4 days was close enough considering she had been big enough since 6 months! Now that said, had she been an itty bitty little thing, I wouldn't have considered it at all. Sanity or not, there is a reason for the limits. My ped also says to take into consideration their walking skills. A child that is barely pulling up or only able to take a few steps probably isn't strong enough to be FFing!

Just keep in mind that in most states, the law is 1 year AND 20lbs. Not either. Not or.

[Mommie2Bryce]

We are going to try to keep him facing the rear for as long as we can stand it.

[MamaCulby]

Ella was in her carrier carseat until her legs were hanging over the edge. Then we got a convertible car seat and she was rear facing in that until the day she turned 1 because i hated her legs being bunched up. She was sooo long. Then the convertible seat was forward facing 5 point until she was 4 and a half. Then we took the 5 point harness out and used it as a high back booster. Now, because of the new laws she's stuck in the booster until she's 8 which I think is completely assinine.

[SassySami]

my girls hated to be rear facing.. but we kept them that way tell they were 1.5 years..

my girls are really tiny.. and I was scared of something happening to them.

Kaytie is still in a 5 point because she is sooo small

[*~Kiana~*]

I turned mine around at the 1yr mark.....

[Marissa]

My son will be 2 in February and he is still rear-facing, he is now 26 pounds but he will continue to stay rear-facing as long as his seat permits him too, my son does not know any better about forward-facing and I don't see a reason why he would crave something he has never had before. Saftey comes first in my opinion.

[EthanNLillysmama]

Ethan wasnt 20lbs at a year old but was at 13 mths and now hes forward facing. Also carseats state on them to the requirements and recomendations.
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[Kasey_Lynn]

4 months is way too early to be thinking of forward facing

I totally agree. Not only that at 4months old, if you get into an accident and your son is forward facing there is no way his neck is strong enough to hold such an impact [if one were to happen, Godforbid] if he get's flung forward.

[Mommie2Bryce]

I have to agree too. We were considering switching him in 2-3 months

[EthanNLillysmama]

i wanted to keep ethan rfing longer but he kept turning his head to look at us so when he was 20lbs (and 1) he got turned around. he likes it better so he can see whos talkin to him and who hes talkin to.
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[Mommie2Bryce]

We just started taking turns sitting in the back seat with him. We asked the pediatrician and he said just do it as long as we can stand it but no earlier than 6 months.

[EthanNLillysmama]

I wouldnt no earlier than 12 mths just for safty reasons. me and dh took turns sitting in back when he was rfing til he was 1.
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[*Molly*]

No earlier than 6 months?!? That's not even legal. That's nuts. I'd rather let my baby cry. If fact, that's what we did. She had to stay RFing until at least a year. I wasn't the one who turned her though. That was my hubby. I could have smacked the shit out of him.

[<3 Susan <3]

Melissa...you should get one of those mirrors where you can see her and if you can see her she can see you :)

Thats what we have and Emma hasnt even whimpered about being back there because 1) she doesnt know anything else and 2) she can see mommy

[Mommie2Bryce]

No earlier than 6 months?!? That's not even legal. That's nuts. I'd rather let my baby cry. If fact, that's what we did. She had to stay RFing until at least a year. I wasn't the one who turned her though. That was my hubby. I could have smacked the shit out of him.

There's no law in the state of MS about car seats

Yeah I need to get one of those mirrors so he can entertain himself

[jmarks0406]

i had one of those mirrors for joseph that lighted up and you could see it at night and it looked like a fish tank i could control it in the frount with me it had a remote with it where i could turn it on and off it was awesome josepd loved that i could see him playing in it .. i loved it i regret now giving it to whom i did give it to ex freinds of ours .. UGH..

[honey23]

I hope this doesn't offend you, I understand you asked a question to get accurate info...but you shouldn't even be thinking about turning him around until he's at least 12 months. My son is forward facing, he'll be 2 in 3 weeks, and he STILL cries in the car. There are other reasons for babies to cry besides their legs being uncomfortable. My son hates riding in the car, regardless of how he's seated. It is very very unsafe to turn them around so young, even 6 months, that is ridiculous that your ped would tell you that. I would start seeing a different ped if that's the best yours has to say. Babies cry...that's just the way the cookie crumbles. I'd rather hear my kid cry out of irritation than to put his safety at risk.

[MamaCulby]

Please don't look for a law to tell you what to do. Look to science and medicine.

A baby should NOT be turned around until their at least 12 months (give or take a few days of course) only because of the strength of their necks.... it doesn't matter how big or small they are. It has to do with the development of the bones and muscles in the neck and how they are not strong enough that's most important.

Just because there's no law doesn't mean it's safe to forward face him whenever you want to.

[Sarah]

The right car safety seat
Infants—rear-facing
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should ride rear-facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital. They should remain rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer. At a minimum, children should ride rear-facing until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds.



http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Unfortunately, some carseat advocates and even some pediatricians are not fully aware of the important safety benefits that rear-facing carseats provide. Some still adhere to obsolete recommendations from many years ago. In fact, the policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics says, "Children should face the rear of the vehicle until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 lb to decrease the risk of cervical spine injury in the event of a crash. Infants who weigh 20 lb before 1 year of age should ride rear facing in a convertible seat or infant seat approved for higher weights until at least 1 year of age. If a car safety seat accommodates children rear facing to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain rear facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back."

Whi infants are safer rear facing:
http://www.carseatsite.com/rear-face_article.htm
This scenario is based on actual physiological measures. According to Huelke et al,1 "In autopsy specimens the elastic infantile vertebral bodies and ligaments allow for column elongation of up to two inches, but the spinal cord ruptures if stretched more than 1/4 inch."

Real accident experience has also shown that a young child's skull can be literally ripped from its spine by the force of a crash. Yes, the body is being held in place, but the head is not. When a child is facing rearward, the head is cradled and moves in unison with the body, so that there is little or no relative motion that might pull on the connecting neck

[Marissa]

MamaCulby and Sarah are correct. Please consider all this info before turning your child around before the 12 month mark. I know some people think that for their sanity they turn their kids around, but think how insane you would be if god forbid something happened to your child because you turned him around so young in the car....... Also remember that rear-facing is just as important as strapping your child correctly. With chest buckle aligned with the armpits and that the straps should be snug, and that when rear-facing the straps should be below the shoulder. Car Safety is an extremley serious situation.

[EthanNLillysmama]

I agree.
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[EthanNLillysmama]

I also had a mirror and that helped alot cause i could see him and he could see me. Cause of the mirror i got to see ethan clap for the first time.
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[Mommie2Bryce]

I'm going to keep him rear facing as long as possible. He seems to be getting better with someone sitting back there with him. Once he goes to sleep he is fine. DH and I talked about the other day because I want to keep him facing the rear for as long as possible but DH wants to switch him as soon as possible. Grrrr..

[Raquel]

why is he in such a hurry to turn him around? does he not realize its safer for him to be rf?

[Mommie2Bryce]

He is stubborn and thinks that just because there are reports of kids dying that there are no reports about how many kids have survived being turned around. I just started sitting in the back with Bryce so we didn't have to have the argument anymore.

[Kimberli]

He is stubborn and thinks that just because there are reports of kids dying that there are no reports about how many kids have survived being turned around. I just started sitting in the back with Bryce so we didn't have to have the argument anymore.

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!! Even if there were 1 child that died in a wreck because he was forward facing too soon, that's 1 child too many for me and more then enough reason to keep my child in the safest position!

And while Sarah's post was correct on the AAP recommendations, they've actually changed those and I will get and post the newest recommendations, to stay RF until age of 2, for you to read!

[Kimberli]

AAP comments on rear-facing car seats. There is a well known myth that toddlers in rear-facing car seats whose feet can reach the back of the vehicle seat are more likely to suffer injuries to their legs in a car accident, however these injuries are NOT common in rear-facing seats.

New research indicates that children under 2 years of age are 75% less likely to die or experience serious injury when they ride in a rear-facing car seat and, toddlers between 1 and 2 years of age are 5 times safer than toddlers who ride in a front-facing car seat.

The reason behind this conclusion is pretty simple. When an accident occurs and a child is rear facing the force of the accident is distributed evenly over the entire body, forward facing children, because the force of the car crash is concentrated on seat belt contact points, can suffer from neck and head injuries because children’s necks are weak and their heads are disproportionately large for their little necks. Dr. Bull, who wrote the commentary for Pediatrics, states, “…it is far better to send children to orthopedic specialists to have lower extremities treated, than to send them to neurological specialists to have cervical spine injuries treated.” Makes sense!

According to the AAP, all infants should ride rear-facing in an infant car seat or convertible seat. If an infant car seat is used, baby should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) are reached for that infant seat, as suggested by the car seat manufacturer. Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2.

To see if your car seat is installed properly and to find a certified passenger safety technician in your area, visit www.SeatCheck.org or www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm. You also can call 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243) or 888-327-4236.

http://askdrsears.com/news/headlines0809.asp

[Marissa]

Kuddos Kim!

Tell you hubby that children who survive while Forward-Facing are children who are OLD enough to be in that position and also harnessed correctly, even then a lot of children suffer other injuries which can be devastating. I am not saying Rear-Facing will not cuase a death or injuries BUT the chances are less........ keep him rear-faced why take chances.

[<3 Susan <3]

Thanks for posting that! I didnt know that