As I explained in “10 Car Seat Mistakes You Didn’t Know You Were Making”, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that children remain rear-facing (or RF) until age 2 at the absolute minimum. This recommendation is regardless of height or weight, meaning even if your one-year-old is the size of a three-year-old, they should still be RF for another year. For children under 2, RF is 500% safer than forward-facing.
After age 2, the AAP—and other groups that advocate child passenger safety—recommends that they remain RF until age four or until they outgrow the rear-facing height or weight limits of their seat.
Here I will address some common questions and concerns that parents have about extended rear-facing (ERF). You may be surprised to learn how easy it is to keep your child safer for longer!