8 Things Every Parent Should Know Before They Strap Their Kid Into a Car Seat

When most parents hear "rear-facing car seat," they typically make a connection to an infant seat, but the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children stay in a rear-facing seat until at least 2 years of age. This means that once a baby has outgrown her infant seat, she should continue to sit rear-facing in a convertible seat until her second birthday, as being rear-facing does a better job of protecting their head, neck, and spine in a crash. Each seat has different weight and height restrictions, but Hawker agrees that age 2 is the new minimum for rear-facing.