These seats typically have weight and height limits for the rear facing position that allow you to keep your child rear facing longer. Baby s shoulders must reach the lowest shoulder strap slot.

What S New In Car Seat Safety Allegro Pediatrics

Parents should check the car safety seat manufacturer s recommendations for maximum weight a child can be to use lower anchors.

Weight limits for infant car seats. Each manufacturer has individual and specific recommendations for weight guidelines so check with the manufacturer of your car seat for specific guidelines pertaining to the seat. Infants and toddlers should ride in a rear facing car seat infant only rear facing car seat or rear facing convertible car seat until they are 2 years old or until they have reached the weight and height limits of their car seat. Legs bending or pushing on vehicle seats is not a safety concern or a reason to turn forward facing durocher says.

New car safety seats have the maximum weight printed on their label. The american academy of pediatrics aap recommends babies be in rear facing seats until age 2 or until they reach the car seat s height or weight limit. Children under age 1 should always ride in a rear facing car seat.

Use a rear facing infant or rear facing convertible safety seat as long as possible up to the rear facing height or weight limit of the seat. If a baby under 1 year old grows too tall or too heavy for an infant car seat a car seat with a higher rear facing size limit is strongly recommended. Each car seat has its own minimum and maximum limits so check your car seat s instruction manual before using the seat.

Baby meets minimum weight usually 4 or 5 lbs. These are the basic requirements. This means that a linebacker 1 year old can remain rear facing up to the maximum height and weight of the car seat this usually means around 40 to 50 pounds and up to 44 to 49 inches tall depending on the make and model.

Lower anchor weight limit 65 lbs weight of car seat. All lower anchors are rated for a maximum weight of 65 pounds total weight includes car safety seat and child. Once the babies reach the proper weight weigh more than 20 pounds and acquire appropriate skills they can pull themselves up they can be moved to a front facing car seat.

Properly install according to instructions in owner s manual rear facing in the back seat. Babies and toddlers weighing about 20 40 lbs and between 1 4 years of age can ride in such convertible seats. Although this means that some larger infants and toddlers might have to graduate to a rear facing convertible car seat there are several models of infant only seats with higher 30 to 35 pound weight limits that should get you to the next car seat safety milestone.

The weight limits for a rear facing car seat range between 5 pounds and 22 or 35 pounds states the american academy of pediatrics. That s usually 30 to 60 pounds 13 6 to. If your car seat does not have a label you can determine the maximum allowable child weight for lower anchor use by subtracting the weight of the car seat usually available in the car seat s instruction manual from 65 pounds.

The seat may include an infant insert to help raise baby.