When to change car seats?

[Briannabear]

Im just curious to know when you all changed from a capsule or rear facing seat to a forward facing seat.
My baby is 5 1/2 months old but she's quite petite. She weighs around 7kg. She has extreemly good head and neck control, but she's not quite sitting on her own yet - not far off it though. She is currently in a capsule and it drives her nuts!!
She tries to turn around to see me while we're driving, and tries to sit up in her seat. I also find that the seatbelt doesnt seem to fit real well anymore. My hubby has tried to adjust it but it still looks uncomfortable to me. :eek:
I know that the next seat we have for her says that the child should be either 8kg or 6 months old, but Im going insane!!!! Her safety is more important to me than anything so I wouldnt want to put that at risk. What has everyone else done? Id love to hear your opinions!
Thanks! :D

[2girls&1boy]

Hi Bec,

We put Grace in one of the Safe'n'Sound car seats. She wasn't quite 8kg but had good head control. I had it fitted by qld ambulance and he said that once they have good head control then it is usually fine for them to go into the car seat.

The just get so frustrated with being in the capsule I found.

Cheers
Paula

[razzle]

We put Eloise in the forward facing position straight out of the capsule at 8kg. She was SO uncomfortable in the capsule because she was really long. She was about 6 months old from memory. It was recommended in the booklet that came with the seat to wait until 9kg but she was so long and had head control that it seemed silly to install the seat around one way only to have to swap it around the other way later on.

[Briannabear]

Thats the problem we have with Bri! She's so long for her age! :rolleyes:

[razzle]

Then I'd just do it Becca - if the seatbelts (in the carseat) are tight and she has head control then it won't be a problem.

We squashed poor Eloise into the capsule until the hire ran out! Poor little thing - she looked so funny with her feet hanging out the end!

[Briannabear]

LOL!!! Brianna looks pretty funny too! I'll get my hubby to change them over tonight! We did actually sit her up in the new seat in the loungeroom last night, she thought it was a hilariously fun game! :D

[Chickadee]

Some forward facing seats can be reclined a little bit. Check the manual. Ours does, just a bit. I've never used it that way but you might find it gives her neck a bit more support than the full upright position. Especially when she passes out. I remember when we first turned our seat around I kept having to stop the car and turn around to push Chloe's head back up when she fell asleep. I couldn't stand watching her head bobs!

[Briannabear]

I checked that and ours has 3 levels of recline! She should be fine!

[Briannabear]

thankyou everyone for your opinions! I appreciate them! :D

[julesandbabyboy#1]

i beleive it was abt 6 mos !

[onabreak]

My husband changed her seat over today. From a capsule to a normal seat. She is 7 months old and about 8 kgs. My daughter is a bit smaller for her age as she was born 10 weeks early. We hired a baby capsule and they are hired out for six months, so I think that is when you can change seats.