The value of children’s car seats should never be underestimated, and is one of the most important aspects of safety for your child. As your child grows, their safety needs change, and car seat needs change. For many parents, it can be confusing to know the best time to move from infant car seats to convertible seats, and then to booster seats. Understanding the limits of your car seats and the safety recommendations you should adhere to will help you identify the best time to change your child's car seat.

When to Change Car Seats for Children: A Comprehensive Guide

What Is a Rear-Facing Car Seat?

Rear-facing car seats are specially designed specifically around the height, weight, and body development of an infant under two. While an infant’s head and neck are unable to handle a collision or sudden brake, rear-facing car seats provide support by having the child face the opposite way of the forward momentum. This, alongside the extra cushions and braces to support the neck and head, makes rear-facing car seats the only choice for infants. 

Most rear-facing car seats have a maximum weight limit of 28 to 35 pounds and a maximum height of 30 to 35 inches. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that your child might reach the maximum height before they reach the maximum weight. A child cannot be placed in a forward-facing car seat before the age of two, and many should remain in a rear-facing seat for much longer than that. Though you may be looking forward to dealing with less hassle with a forward-facing seat, a rear-facing seat is the absolute safest option for your baby. 

Infant Car Seats

Infant car seats are the best option for a newborn baby, and are also by easy to use. Infants under one year old must use a carseat in a rear facing position. In fact, rear-facing positions are the only available option for infant car seats. They lock into a carseat base, and are removed from this base with the push of a button. Lightweight infant car seat options rely on bulkier bases to provide extra safety, but the seat itself is much easier to transport, due to its lighter weight. Most infant car seats can be used from birth until 32 lbs. or 32 inches in length, depending on specifications of brand and model. 

Convertible Car Seats

Convertible car seats can be either rear-facing or front-facing. Because these carseats accommodate both positions, they last much longer, and can be used throughout infancy and into older years. On the other hand, they are often bulkier than non-convertible carseats. 

When to Move to a Convertible Car Seat?

Your child should move to a convertible car seat if they have reached the weight limit of a rear-facing car seat. Oftentimes, the rear-facing position of a convertible car seat accommodates higher weight limits. If transitioning from a rear-facing car seat to a convertible car seat, your child will be able to continue to ride in the rear-facing position. You can switch your baby to a convertible car seat around the age of one, if they are within the range of minimum height and weight limits. 

What is the Weight Limit for Rear-Facing Car Seats?

The rear-facing position of a convertible car seat can usually accommodate up to 50 pounds. However, height and weight limits vary by model. Instructions for your car seat should be followed. Once your child exceeds the weight limit and is ready for the next stage, the convertible car seat can be turned to face forward. Forward-facing seat limits are typically around 65 pounds. Refer to your carseat manual for specific instructions.

Booster Seats

Booster seats are a car seat without a harness that raises your child up to provide the necessary height for your child to use the vehicle's shoulder and lap belt safely. Children who use booster seats are 45% less likely to be injured in the event of a collision, than children who wear only seat belts.

When to Move to a Booster Seat

Once your child outgrows their convertible car seat, it's finally time for them to take the big step into a booster seat. Boosters help position children with seatbelts, placing them across the chest instead of resting on their belly and neck area, which can otherwise be dangerous in an accident. A booster seat is appropriate for children between 40 and 100 pounds, depending on height, so your child can be positioned safely.

What Is the Best Age for a Booster Seat?

While a booster seat is appropriate for children between 40 and 100 pounds, children should also be a minimum of 4 years old to safely use a booster. Usually 3, 4, and 5 year olds can continue to ride in a forward-facing carseat, and most are even small enough to continue riding in the rear-facing position. Only when your child reaches the maximum height or weight limits for a car seat, should they graduate to a booster seat. The height limit of a booster seat is usually 49 inches, or around four feet tall. Though your little one might be eager to be a “big kid” and stop using a booster, your child should be in a booster seat until they reach the maximum height. This means that most kids will use one until ten, but could be in a booster as late as twelve. 

When Should I Switch My Child's Car Seat?

Your child should only move seats when they exceed the height or weight designation of their current car seat. Remember that there's no need to rush.  Just because your child might meet the minimum standards for the next stage of car seats, they are best protected in their current seat. Your child's safety is what matters most, and if you don't think your child is ready for a major change, it's okay to take a step back and evaluate the height and weight limits of your current car seat.

Rear-Facing Versus Front-Facing Car Seats

Riding in a rear-facing car seat helps prevent a major injury to your child in the case of a car accident. You should use rear-facing car seats as long as possible without exceeding the rear-facing limits. When your child grows past the limit of the rear-facing position, switch to one that's front-facing with a 5-point harness to keep your child safest.

Keep Your Child Safe With a Beautiful Car Seat

Your child deserves all the safety in the world, and that's the backbone of every product sold by Hazel & Fawn. We know the importance of keeping your child safe and protected, and our high-quality car seats give you the peace of mind you need every time you step into the car with your child. Feel free to browse our car seat selection and car seat accessories or discover our wide range of toys — like a Holztiger Dinosaur — that your child can enjoy in the comfort of their new car seat!