ADVICE ..BABY TOO HEAVY FOR CAR SEAT

**dette** · 23-12-2012, 08:50 PM

Hi ..advice needed.I have a new LO starting in march.Ive just popped in with xmas prezzie and card and parents asked me for advice on car seat.The LO is only 6 month but he is a BIG boy (like a tiny sumo wrestler..he is soooo cute)..He has reached the weight limit for his car seat and parents have bought the next one up but its forward facing and they are worried about him not being rear facing incase of accidents and his little neck.
I've had a little look about on the internet and cant find much.I think they should have bought one that faces backwards and they are right to question their purchase but i personally havent had this problem ,all my LOs are tiny so i dont feel i can advise .....Does anyone have experience of this and what did you do... thanks in advance x

**blue bear** · 23-12-2012, 08:57 PM

I use a Britax one that faces backwards and then forwards, bigger babies fit in in backwards for longer than in the carry type one.
If they are not sure tell them to go to halfords for guidance one if my parents did and found them very helpful

**PixiePetal** · 23-12-2012, 09:06 PM

my DS was a big baby and out of his baby car seat at 5 months. I bought a seat which could face either way although he went straight to forward facing - this was a long time ago and I know rules change. It was a baby confort which has inertia reel safety belts, reclined and had adjustable side for babys width as they grew. Suited him well. I would say parents should have waited and try out what suits - could they return or swap seat?

**snufflepuff** · 23-12-2012, 09:28 PM

I have a britax first class plus, which can be used rear facing until 13kg. (Not sure how big the baby is but my son wasn't 13kg until about 22 months and he was always above the 75th centile so above average.)
You can also get extended rear facers which I believe can be used rear facing until 25kg (I think)

**Helen79** · 23-12-2012, 10:17 PM

Did they say how much he weighed? Have parents maybe got confused with the minimum weight to move them to the next stage seat and the maximum weight for the baby seat?
They can stay in the stage 0 baby seat until they're 13kg, just looked at the weight chart in ds's red book, it looks almost impossible for a 6 month old to be 13kg. The 99% percentile line is about 10kg for that age.
If he's still under 13kg then he can stay in a rear facing baby seat for a while longer.

**kel1983** · 23-12-2012, 11:50 PM

We bought a britax carseat that faces forwards or backwards. This sounds like th best option for this family. It has great support too for babies head

**Rachael's stars** · 24-12-2012, 12:50 AM

My little boy was exactly the same 36lb at 12 months old!! He was really heavy in his but they need to stay rear facing until they are 9months regardless of weight as there bodies wouldnt be developed and strong enoigh to withstand an impact if frontfacing ( or thats how i understand it). Once we moved on from the carrier seat we got the next stage up and rear faced it. It is hard when they get to this stage specially when there little legs overhang the seats but its never long until they are big enough to face forward x

**sineadquinn** · 24-12-2012, 08:29 AM

Hi
I think what someone else said may be right that there getting confused with moving then at minimum weight. My boy was big and could have been moved earlier but I kept him in this baby seat till he was 9 months. I may be wrong but I read as long as when they are in the car seat there head doesn't come over the top then they should be fine regardless of weight.

**dette** · 24-12-2012, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Helen79

Did they say how much he weighed? Have parents maybe got confused with the minimum weight to move them to the next stage seat and the maximum weight for the baby seat?
They can stay in the stage 0 baby seat until they're 13kg, just looked at the weight chart in ds's red book, it looks almost impossible for a 6 month old to be 13kg. The 99% percentile line is about 10kg for that age.
If he's still under 13kg then he can stay in a rear facing baby seat for a while longer.

he was 28 lb a few week ago !!!which is just under 13kg and his little legs are hanging over the seat and he fill the seat completly.the max weight is for the seat is13k ...i'll be on here complaining about my sore back and dislocated shoulders when he starts in march ..

**dette** · 24-12-2012, 10:19 AM

i've just had a look at my own car seats and one of them can turn to face the back like some of you have described ,i've just text parents to offer to lend it to them until their ,not so little ..little one is old enough to face forwards.
you cant be too careful .now all i need is bigger muscles to carry him around

**Helen79** · 24-12-2012, 11:01 AM

he was 28 lb a few week ago !!!which is just under 13kg and his little legs are hanging over the seat and he fill the seat completly.the max weight is for the seat is13k ...i'll be on here complaining about my sore back and dislocated shoulders when he starts in march ..

Have you weighed him yourself or just parents? Looked in ds's red book again, he wasn't that weight until he was 2.5years

On the weight charts your mindee is totally off the chart!

**dette** · 24-12-2012, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Helen79

Have you weighed him yourself or just parents? Looked in ds's red book again, he wasn't that weight until he was 2.5years

On the weight charts your mindee is totally off the chart!

they told me his weight last night ,but if you see him you wouldnt be suprised he is MASSIVE kind of like a ball ,i'll weigh him myself when he starts but seriously he's a big boy

**rickysmiths** · 24-12-2012, 11:22 AM

Gosh I would be recommending he sees the Health Visitor urgently. He should not be that heavy at that age so either the parents are feeding him far too much or there is something wrong and whichever it need urgent attention. I would not be happy carrying one that heavy to be honest.

**sarah707** · 24-12-2012, 11:49 AM

Watch your back and shoulders / wrists!! I had a little one a few years ago who was very heavy and not very mobile and I really struggled to lift him.

I suggest you see if you can get on a manual handling course before you start with him. I learned a lot from mine.

Hth

**dette** · 24-12-2012, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

Watch your back and shoulders / wrists!! I had a little one a few years ago who was very heavy and not very mobile and I really struggled to lift him.

I suggest you see if you can get on a manual handling course before you start with him. I learned a lot from mine.

Hth

i did manual handling last year was useful .my biggest problem is i already have a bad back so i think i should sort some physio out to strengthen things up before he starts,lifting in and out of travel cots are my biggest killer.will have him 4 half days so only wednesday to recover .

**dette** · 24-12-2012, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

Gosh I would be recommending he sees the Health Visitor urgently. He should not be that heavy at that age so either the parents are feeding him far too much or there is something wrong and whichever it need urgent attention. I would not be happy carrying one that heavy to be honest.

once hes started i'll be better placed to advise,just done nutritional training so will be able to look at that.dont know anything about his diet at all yet but filling out an all about me after xmas which might identify what going wrong,hes just started to roll so maybe now that he is becoming active he wont carry on at this level..hopefuly !!! i'll just have to look on the positive side ..i wont need to go to the gym to get a work out