Car seats
How long a child stays in each type of car seat, including rear-facing as long as possible versus switching at the legal minimum.
How long should our child stay rear-facing and in a booster seat?
In short: Parents choose between 3 main approaches: Rear-facing to the seat's limit; Rear-facing to 2, then forward; Legal minimum. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: during pregnancy.
- Evidence
- Well established
- Best settled
- During pregnancy
- Part of
- Raising the child
Car seats: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 3 approaches.
1. Rear-facing to the seat's limit
The child faces the back of the car until they reach the seat's height or weight limit.
2. Rear-facing to 2, then forward
The child faces the back until two, then turns forward.
3. Legal minimum
You follow what the law requires and no more.
Car seats: what does the evidence say?
Well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it.
AAP: rear-facing as long as possible
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
Car seats greatly reduce injury in crashes, and facing backward protects a young child's head and neck. Pediatric guidance is to stay rear-facing as long as the seat allows. Laws set a lower minimum and vary by state and province.
Questions to ask each other
- Who will learn how to install the seat properly?
- How long do we want to keep the baby rear-facing?
- How will we handle relatives who use their own cars?
More in Safety, risk and independence
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.