You may have heard that the American Academy of Pediatrics revamped its recommendations of when children should begin facing forward in their seats and when they can lose the booster as they get older. Parents have thought for years that their babies could be turned to face forward in their car seats at age 1 or when they hit 20 pounds. It’s a big milestone when baby can turn and face mom and dad, have her toes tickled or at least is easier to check up on in the rearview mirror. But pediatricians now say it’s safer to leave children facing backward until their second birthday. The lead author of the latest policy statement, Dr. Dennis Durbin, said, “The first recommendation [is] that all infants and toddlers remain in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they outgrow the height and weight limits of the seat.” The last recommendation was issued in 2002. “There has been some evidence that’s come out since the last recommendations were issued that suggest that kids up to age 2 who stay rear-facing are at a significant lower risk of injury in a variety of crashes,” Durbin said.

The rationale is that babies’ bodies are better supported in this position than in an upright, face-forward position in which their necks and heads may be less restrained. And the recommendations go further, affecting elementary school-aged kids who sit in a booster seat. Previously, the recommendation was age 8, but pediatricians say size matters more than age, and kids should sit in a booster until they’re 4′ 9″ tall. For some kids who thought they’d already graduated to the seat belt, this can be disappointing and potentially keep some tweens in a booster seat, much to their embarrassment. And kids shouldn’t be moved up front until age 13, according to the guidelines. Basically, use a car seat until the child outgrows the guidelines listed in the car seat manual. It’s better to deal with a child’s chagrin at riding in a booster seat than to compromise her safety.