The Graco Snugride 35 is just one example of a car seat that allows kids to ride rear facing longer. It's for infants from 5 to 35 pounds and less than 32 inches tall.
You know to keep your baby riding rear facing in her infant or convertible car seat in the back seat until she’s at least a year old and weighs at least 20 pounds. But did you know there’s a movement a foot to keep infants and toddlers riding rear facing much longer than that? Many manufacturers of infant and convertible car seats are upping the weight limit in the rear-facing mode to 30 – 35 pounds. (Note: Infant car seats are only used rear-facing; they’re never used foward facing.) With the new upper weight limits on many car seats in the rear-facing mode, kids can conceivably ride backward until they’re 2 ½ to 3 years old, as long as they’re within the height and weight limits of the seat.
Statistics show that riding backward is safer. Kids are up to 75 percent less likely to be injured in a crash. But what do you think? Any downsides to riding this way longer? If your toddler was within the weight and height limits in the seat in the rear-facing mode, would you still be tempted to turn the seat around before she turns 2 1/2 or 3? Why? Just curious.
I look forward to your comments.
I use the Britax Marathon for my daughter. My husband actually put it in last week because my daughter outgrew her Cicco one. I love it! My daughter seems very happy and comfortable in it. Ours is from Bye Bye Baby.
Thx for your comments, Cynthia!
–Sandra