# Big 6 month old - outgrowing RF seat help!



## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

We have a Cosco Scenera convertible car seat that DS has used since he outgrew his bucket seat at 3 months old. (not even joking about that.) It is only rated for RF to 35lbs, and DS is nearly 30lbs, and 31" long! He's just barely 6 months old. I know he's supposed to stay RF til at least age 1. Anyone know of an (affordable) RF seat for heavier babies? I am very concerned, since he has almost outgrown the seat in height too, I think the straps are on the second highest setting now.

TIA!


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## mysticmomma (Feb 8, 2005)

I believe there is a new radian that comes out soon that will go to 40 pounds, but your babe will probably slow down weight gain soon.


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## BeckC (Nov 27, 2006)

I agree that your son's weight will probably plateau soon.

There have been rumors about the Radian being tested to 40 lbs, but I've been hearing about that for a while. So far there are no official plans. That said, if they do come out with a 40 lb Radian, it would be a great choice for your son.

Graco just came out with a seat called the My Ride that RF to 40 lbs. The shell is not super tall, but depending on your son's torso height, it might be a good choice for you. I'd try him out in the seat before you buy but definitely check it out. Legally you can turn a baby FF at 12 mo and 20 lbs, but it is much much much safer to keep them RF much past that. As long as you can keep him RF the better.


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

Wow, $150 for an extra five pounds? That hardly seems worth it, if his growth doesn't slow.


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## BeckC (Nov 27, 2006)

It does seem like a lot, but it is the only seat on the market right now that can RF beyond 35 lbs.

A child who is under 12 mos cannot FF in any seat on the market. It is also law in most states that a child cannot FF unless they are at least 12 mo and 20 lbs.

And even if you can make it to 12 mo RF I would seriously consider spending the $150 for an extra five pounds. It really can be a life saving purchase.

Make sure to check out Joel's story. He was only 18 mo old and 33 lbs (had just outgrown his 33 lb RF limit seat) when he was in an accident.

American Academy of Pediatrics Statement on Rear Facing
The Importance of Rear Facing - a short video explaining well, the importance of rear facing
Sacred Journeys - Rear Facing Rocks - a great site with lots of good info and links
Joel's Journey - warning, this is about a child who broke his neck in a car accident
RF Crash Test vs. Forward Facing Crash Test - actual crash test footage
Rear Facing Photo Album - this shows pictures of older children rear facing


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

I agree with BeckC regarding the necessity of keeping a child rear-facing as long as possible and definitely beyond the first birthday.

Also, a child who is 35 pounds before a year is likely to reach 40 pounds LONG before he is ready for a booster, so you will need a seat with a higher weight capacity forward-facing -- the MyRide harnesses to 65 pounds.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

There is one new-to-the-market seat (graco my ride?) that rf to 40lbs. There is word that a new radian will, but no date or for-sure on that.

Other than that all seats top out at 35lbs rf at the highest.

BUT you will certainly need another higher priced seat- probably a convertible. Scenera's don't last that long height-wise (or weight wise in the case of a heavy baby)

-Angela


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

Thank you for all those links! I know how important RF is. And it is state law here. I am just dismayed that it would cost that much. If DS keeps on gaining at his current rate of 5lbs every two months than it would be really tough to spend $ that we barely have for a seat that would only protect him for another two months. He has a WBC on Tues, so we will see if his weight gain has slowed any.







: DS is just a really big guy, EBF. He's a joy, but I do worry. Even if his weight gain slows and I buy the other seat, I do worry about him after that. Surely he will gain more than 10 lbs in the next year. This is so stressful! I love my big guy, but he has his own challenges!


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## notjustmamie (Mar 7, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nerdymom* 
Surely he will gain more than 10 lbs in the next year. This is so stressful! I love my big guy, but he has his own challenges!

Not necessarily. Weight gain does slow down dramatically after six months, for the most part, I would guess, because kids get mobile. He'll soon be crawling and climbing and walking and that will use up a lot of calories that he's not expending now.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

He will outgrow the scenera sooner, rather than later. It's a stop-gap seat in that regard. So do plan to buy a more expensive seat in the fairly near future ($150+)

-Angela


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

OK, thank you all for the info. I hope he does slow his growth! I love BW but geez he's getting heavy!








DH and I are talking about getting the Graco My Ride next payday. I'll







: that they have it at the PX for a discount. If not, I guess we'll be paying full price. I'm not saying DS's safety isn't worth it, but it sure does hurt the pocketbook sometimes.


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## paxye (Mar 31, 2005)

My EBF (until 11 months old) guy was over 30# before 6 months and kept gaining until he was 14 months old and 43#...

At about 7 months I realized that he had been over the limit for about 2 months then... (he was at that point about 34#) We bought the Radian which was good at that point until 35# and he outgrew that soon after but it was still a good buy because of the higher weight FF...

I talked to the guy at Sunshine kids, I talked with the techs on the carseat safety forum, I talked to the Canadian Road Safety people and was told that legally there was just no other option then to turn him then... It was hard and I hated it but I did it...

My other two were RF until nearly 2 so it felt really wrong to do it...

Because I had no choice, I switched him back into the triumph and was at least able to keep him on an incline for a little while until he outgrew it at 40# and then put him back into the Radian (all three of my kids are in Radians)...

Anyway... Hopefully yours won't keep growing like my "little" guy and his weight will stabilize and you will have other options then I did... I would have loved to have the New radian when we were in that position because it would have given us a few more months...


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## ashleyhaugh (Jun 23, 2005)

if they dont have it at the px (ad i doubt it, it seems like they only ever have crappy infant seats and cruddy evenflo convertables) try going to aafes.com and then through centric mall. there are a couple of baby stores, at least one i know, because i got my stroller through it, and they usually have free shipping plus some sort of discount too.


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

paxye,







she's such a cutie!! I'm sorry you had to go through that, but it is a relief to hear that I'm not the only one with this problem.


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## kalamos23 (Apr 11, 2008)

I have a big baby (though not as big as yours - she is just tall and proportionately heavy, 32.5" and 30lbs. at 10mo.) and I would get the MyRide65 for sure. It just came out! Fwiw, DD was EBF til about 10m but her rate of growth slowed some after 6months - hopefully your baby does the same!


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## halomancer (Jun 2, 2005)

My DS was that big at 6 months, too. His weight gain slowed down, and he is still under 36 pounds at 23 months.


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ashleyhaugh* 
if they dont have it at the px (ad i doubt it, it seems like they only ever have crappy infant seats and cruddy evenflo convertables) try going to aafes.com and then through centric mall. there are a couple of baby stores, at least one i know, because i got my stroller through it, and they usually have free shipping plus some sort of discount too.

Thank you I will check this out!








: that his weight will plateau!


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## MariesMama (Sep 26, 2008)

Walmart.com has the MyRide - you can have it shipped to the store for free, if there's a Walmart near you.


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## Shiloh (Apr 15, 2005)

Joel's Journey
Thanks mamas for posting that.
We are about to buy little man #4 a new car seat...and my oldest is 15, so I've been through a few changes in car seat laws.

I will now be searching for a sturdy rear facer for my little dude after reading the blog on Joel's Journey.


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## Dahlea (May 15, 2008)

Ours is a huge kid too, and I have been really worried about what to do. He hit 30 lbs a couple of weeks ago (at 8.5 months) and has really slowed his weight gain (used to gain 5 lbs a month, took him a month to gain .8 lbs to 30 lb) so we're planning on the Myride, because we just can't swing a Swedish seat. I know it seems crazy to think they will slow down, but they do. I thought mine would just keep going, but he has really slowed the past month.


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## caro113 (Aug 25, 2008)

My daughter was gaining at least two pounds a month until she hit eight months. Now her weight has settled and she seems to gain maybe half a pound.

I have the True Fit seat. It's RF up to 35lbs and FF up to 65lbs. You can buy it online for 180 I think but Target carries it for 190. It's a ten dollar difference, yes, but you get it right away and don't have to pay shipping, so I think it evens out.

I'm hoping to RF until she's at least two years old. I'd like to go until four years but I'm not sure when she outgrow the RF. Either way, she'll be in a carseat with a harness until she's 65lbs, so probably at least six years.


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## nerdymom (Mar 20, 2008)

DS has slowed down a whole lot. And we did order the MyRide 65, and I feel so much better about him in it! It was worth every penny, because I know I've done all I can to keep him safe in the car. Whatever else happens I can't control, ykwim? He also seems a lot more comfortable, which also makes me feel good.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *caro113* 
Either way, she'll be in a carseat with a harness until she's 65lbs, so probably at least six years.

Just FYI- it is HIGHLY unlikely she will make it to 65lbs in that seat. Seats are usually outgrown by height, not weight.

-Angela


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## bobandjess99 (Aug 1, 2005)

If it makes you feel any bettr, even though I do TRULY understand how had it is to believe, chances are, the growth will REALLY slow down. DD was a gigantic baby too. She was 31 pounds at 8 months old, and did not hit 35 lbs until she was a little over THREE years old!!!


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Just FYI- it is HIGHLY unlikely she will make it to 65lbs in that seat. Seats are usually outgrown by height, not weight.

-Angela

In general, this is true. The TrueFit is a seat in which children have a *chance* to make it to 65#, but it's definitely not a sure thing,


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## Evergreen (Nov 6, 2002)

I'm just here posting another big baby- weight gain slowed down post!









My dd was only 6 lbs at birth but 20 lbs by 4 months old. She started walking at 8 mos and was ....22 lbs at 12 mos. She is now 6 years old and 40 lbs.


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## marisa724 (Oct 31, 2003)

We just went through exactly this with my DS2. We have a Roundabout that can be RF till 33 lbs, and I was panicked because he was already 29 pounds at 6+ months. I knew I'd need a different seat for him eventually, but I thought for sure we'd get through the first year at least with this one!

He's now 14.5 months and to the best of my estimation, about 30 lbs. He's also at least 6 inches taller than he was at 6 months, and has been walking for a few months now. He's not slim, by any means, but he's definitely slimmed down a lot! I think we'll get a few more months out of the Roundabout now!

My DS1 was the same, though he wasn't quite as big. 24 pounds at 6 months, 26 pounds at a year -- then 28 pounds at 2 years. Now he's 5 1/2 and I'd be shocked if he's much over 40 lbs. (He's in a Marathon, though!)


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## THBVsMommy (Mar 13, 2007)

Just another post from another mama who had a really big baby. DS outgrew his infant seat at just 4 mos old and we bought a Britax Decathalon. I was so sure it would last him til he around 6 since it harnessed up to 65#. Little did I know how tall he would get as his weight plateaued.. and he is now too tall for his Britax. We just ordered him a Britax Frontier, and hopefully it gives us atleast 2 more years of harnessing. I don't even want to consider a booster until DS is atleast 5.. but I'd prefer older.

Like I said at first, he was 20 lbs by 4 mos old, and 35 by his first birthday. However, he maintained that weight for over a year, and at three years old weighs in between 43-45lbs. It's very possible your LO's weight will slow down drastically in a few mos.


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## ErikaG (Nov 12, 2005)

If you do decide to look for a new seat-

The Graco MyRide 65 rear faces to 40 lbs
Radians made as of September 2008 rear face to 40 lbs, even if they have the old sticker on them
And there's a third seat that rear faces to 40 lbs, but I can't remember.

But as many people have pointed out, it's possible that your baby's weight will slow down soon, and may level off or drop.

Good luck.


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