Extended rear facing

Crystal - posted on 04/07/2011

My little girl is 20 months 23lbs 32in and still RF and will until she maxes out the RF limits on her seat which is 35lbs or until she has less than 1in of car seat above her head

Trish - posted on 07/11/2010

Be careful when importing a car seat. The silly Canadian Laws may not allow you to use it here in Canada. Same with the USA, my husband and I were going to give his niece in Texas our car seat if we were to buy a new one, and the federal laws say that we cannot do that.
I have no idea why, its silly esp if it is a safer seat where they can sit rear facing longer. I can't find a seat here in Canada that allows our child to sit RF for longer than 35 pounds.

Danielle - posted on 07/10/2010

My goodness!! the guidlines there are COMPLETELY different to over here in Australia...Our guidlines are rearward facing untill 9kg and 6mths....there are VERY few people i know of that have their kids rearward facing until1 let alone after that. There are people who actually forward face their children BEFORE the recommendations here.. Its shocking!! They have just bought in rules that children from 6mths to 4yrs need to be in a forward facing car seat and from 4 yr to 7 ys be in an australian standards approved booster... I turned my daughter just over 6 months as she then reached (just) the weight restriction and was sitting completely well on her own and all the docs had said it was safe to do so. I had no idea that children tended to be in RF that long!! My daughter is now 11kgs and 17mths and i honestly couldnt imagine having her rearward facing with her carseat...i am thinking i might check out some pics of the carseats available there as i truly dont htink she would be safe OR comfortable rearfacing in the one we have...it is amazing how different the laws are but i think i will definately be looking into it further....my mother and i have always said they would be safer RF longer...it just doesnt really seem to be an option here..if i am wrong and there are any Aussies on here who do.. feel free to tell me :)

Renee - posted on 07/09/2010

I agree with the woman who said that you are just lecturing. You didn't post this because you actually had a question, you posted it so that you could tell everyone what horrible mothers they are if they don't agree with you. its the same as the posts about how everyone should bf over ff or the debates about vag birth vs c-sections or co-sleeping. It's sickening. This board is for women who want to get advice from other moms. We don't come here to be talked down to like children because we're "doing it wrong". If I wanted that, I could go visit my mother.
I turned my oldest 2 around at 1 and 20. my son however, is still rf b/c he likes to look at his sisters behind him. And most of those "informative" videos have the ff carseats only strapped in with the seat belt and MOST ppl use the LATCH system which is MUCH safer. just once, I'd like to see one of those comparison videos where the ff car seat is using the LATCH system. if you have one of those, please share otherwise take your guilt trip somewhere else, MOM.

Jesse - posted on 07/02/2010

This is one the easiest things you can do to help keep your child safe. my carseat rear faces up to 40 lbs. So i think my lil 22 pounder will be safe for a very long time!!!

Adrienne - posted on 06/27/2010

Kewl, they are really close together! Too bad you lived so far away!!

Stephanie - posted on 06/27/2010

my lil girl will be 18 months on july 12th

Adrienne - posted on 06/27/2010

I love her carseat, it cost quite a bit but I wanted something where I can still have her RF. I feel much safer driving that way and when she reaches 35 pounds then I will FF her. She is going to be 18 months July 16th and she not too tall, she is not scrunched up. She is safe and comfy, the way she should be. ♥

Stephanie - posted on 06/27/2010

wow they FF to 60lbs now YAY!! i always tell people not to get them because they only harness to 40 lbs.. but i have heard they make bad boosters because the seat belt doesn't stay in the guides, and they are out grown by height really fast

Adrienne - posted on 06/27/2010

Stephanie Andrews. My 3in1 is an Eddie Bauer. The manufacturer guidelines just as I stated are RF til 35 pounds. FF til 60 and booster til 100pds,

Stephanie - posted on 06/26/2010

added some info and a link to my note about car seat safety

Stephanie - posted on 06/26/2010

so glad to see so many educated mommies here... i had a woman from craigs list the other day tell me she had her 9 month old twins in FF seats because they outgrew their carriers.. and she thought they were safe (I'm guessing she didn't read the manual because it states for children over 1 yo)

Monica - posted on 05/22/2010

I just turned my little guy forward facing within the last week (He is a couple days past 16 mos) because we were traveling and I didn't have our mirror and didn't like that I couldn't see him rear facing. At probably close to 33" long, he is also within that 1" mark of the top of the seat - someone in the string did point out, it's not only weight of the seat, but also the height - at some point your child may be too tall to rear face to the weight limit on your seat. For my son, I think he was actually happier rear facing because now that he sees us he wants to get out and sit up front with us (he can also see whatever we're eating / drinking and makes a fuss about that). The key thing to remember is that it is safer to keep them rear facing if you can and it is not only based on the weight limit - your child must be 20 lbs and 1 yr old (because a heavier baby less than 1 does not have the neck muscle development a 1yr old has, regardless of weight). A child should never be turned around before age 1 and ideally should stay rear facing as long as possible. I do like that I can put him in the center rear seat forward facing so I hope we gain some safety there. Ultimately, there is no rush to turn them around - only if they have out-grown the height / weight limits on your car seat should you turn them. It is not a matter of knowing your child - it is a matter of safety recommendations!

Amanda - posted on 05/14/2010

I still have my daughter facing backwards. I've read that it is safer.
Our carseat says she can be in backwards until she is 30 pounds. I think that until she is 30 pounds or can no longer crawl into the backwards carseat, I will keep it that way.

Denise - posted on 05/13/2010

yes, you are the only one because you are wrong, quite simply. Your daughter is safest rear-facing for as long as possible.

Denise - posted on 05/13/2010

My son will remail rear-facing for as long as our car seat will allow it! It is the absolute safest way to travel!

Samantha - posted on 05/13/2010

I have a 16 mo. old. She is still rear facing in her new car seat & will be for a long time : )

Jen - posted on 05/13/2010

My son is 15 months old, rear facing and will remain rear facing until the limit on his convertible car seat. My daughter remained rear facing past her 2nd birthday. An article I read said broken legs are easier to recover from than internal injuries from a forward facing seat. I'm going with American Academy of Peds reccommendations which is as long as possible!

Blair - posted on 05/13/2010

Wow. I'm pretty surprised at how many people think that "feet touching the back of the seat" = OMG DANGER or a clear sign of outgrowing the seat. That's so, so wrong.

My 16 month old is still RFing. And he'll RF as long as we have a seat he fits in RFing. And then when he does FF, he'll do so in a 5 pt harness as long as he fits into a seat. Our current convertible (Recaro Como) RF to 35 lbs. When he's at the point of outgrowing it, I'll research to see if a taller/higher weight limit seat will still accommodate him for a while, and then purchase it. His safety is #1.

Honestly, EVERYONE would be safer if they could ride rear facing and/or in a 5 pt harness, adults too.

Annette - posted on 05/13/2010

I have my 15 month-old still rear facing, since he still has leg room and the experts have been saying to leave them rear facing as long as possible.

Jennifer - posted on 05/12/2010

my kid is forward facing... meets the guidelines and everything.... if i rear face her she screams and wont stop till i get out and switch her.... i did wait til she was a year old and 20 pounds before i started her forward facing.... just cant drive with a screaming tot that doesnt wanna face the back :/

Amber - posted on 05/12/2010

My doctor told me the reason they need to be rear facing is, because the muscle in the childs neck is not fully developed until the age of 2. I don't understand why the law doesn't understand that. If it's not developed why is it even sllowed for the child to be forward facing. Doesn't the law look at the facts. Makes no sense to me.

Stephanie - posted on 05/12/2010

I'm so glad to see so many mom's Extended RFing.

Deidre - posted on 05/12/2010

My son will be 16 months tomorrow and he is still rear facing. He doesn't seem to mind at all and even though it's becoming a pain to get him and out of the seat, he is safest this way and I don't plan on turning him until he hits 35 lbs, which is the rear facing limit on his seat.

Laura - posted on 05/12/2010

My son will be rear-facing until he hits his convertible limits wich is 35 pounds!! Soooo much safer! Rather him have broken legs then a broken neck if we were in an accident. He is 27 pounds and 30.5 inches.

Tamara - posted on 05/12/2010

My twins are 15months but only 19.5 lbs 27.5 inches but i already told my hubby they are rear faceing until they hit the 35 pound mark on there car seats.. all my friends think i am crazy but the videos make sense plus my dr said would you rather have them uncomfortable or dead take a pick.. so i am going with uncomfortable as they are growing taller once they get bigger they can easily fold there legs.. As a person who was almost killed 2 yrs ago half a mile from home. I would rather play it safe...and keep them protected than hurt..but it is always parents choice after 20lbs..

Lauren - posted on 05/12/2010

My son is still rear facing because it is so much safer. He will continue to be rear facing until he reaches the 40lb weight limit for rear facing in his car seat.

Stephanie - posted on 05/11/2010

Adrienne Marquardt, what seat so you have? the only 3-in-1's on the market go to 50lbs harnessed.

Stephanie - posted on 05/11/2010

Tiffany Tanner , the people I'm "lecturing" are Beverly putting their children in danger and NOT following the manufacture guideline or the law. Because there is NO seat on the market that allows you to Forward face before 1 year of age

Chantelle - posted on 05/11/2010

My son was front facing by 12 months, but he was 29lbs, walking and he was almost 30" long, very incomfortable for him. He is 3 years old now. My duaghter is 16 monts and we switched her at 14 months, she was barely walking and barley 20lbs but where she was so long and her feet were crunched up we decided to switch her. I think it is what ever you are comfortable with, we all know our own children, and what most of them can handle, go with your gut, but I defently waited until both my kids were 20lbs AND 1 years old...

Karen - posted on 05/10/2010

my 1st born was RFing until 23 months. My 2nd is only 15 months old and is still RFing, with no plans to turn her around yet.

Kayla - posted on 05/10/2010

I would have loved to do extended rear facing, but didn't... My son hated rear facing and hated going into the car until I turned him around when he was 13 months

Ashley - posted on 05/10/2010

My son is now 16 months and we switched him to forward facing at about 14.5 months. My husband, son and myself were actually in a car accident almost 3 weeks ago and honestly i'm happy we switched him forward facing. We had an EXCELLENT car seat for him and he had no injury at all (and I thank god for that!). But I feel if he was still in a rear facing there would of been more problems for him. We were rear ended and hit so hard that not only did they hit us but we hit the person in front of us. I think making the switch to forward facing and having such a good car seat saved my son!

Maggie - posted on 05/10/2010

My daughter is 16 months, 28.5 inches and 22 pounds. She is still RF and her seat can rear face to 35 pounds. At her 15 mo. appt, the nurse practitioner asked if we had turned her around and I told her no because the AAP recommends rear facing to age 2. She said it wasn't a widely recognized idea and told me to turn her around. But I didn't.

Katie - posted on 05/10/2010

we are also still RF at 16 months, and i have done the research which proves without a shadow of a doubt it is safer (i dont blindly follow the law of 1 yr without researching it). the pediatricians are not educated in carseat safety, just like sleep advice, they only give their own personal opinions on those matters, med school does not cover it! the european union recently came out with research showing how children should be rear facing until FOUR years old, since that is when their bones get stronger and more adult-like, so their necks can better withstand the impact of a crash FF. i am told in europe there are carseats that allow RF longer than in the USA, but i dont know.

this is a direct quote from the AAP (http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/c...)

"If an infant car seat is used, the infant should be switched to a rear-facing convertible car seat once the maximum height (when the infant’s head is within 1 inch of the top of the seat) and weight (usually 22 pounds to 32 pounds) have been reached for that infant seat as suggested by the car seat manufacturer.

Toddlers should remain rear-facing in a convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model, or at least the age of 2."

Erika - posted on 05/10/2010

We are still rear facing. If it's safer then we're trying it.

Denise - posted on 05/10/2010

dont know about anywhere else but here in PAthey extended that law to 2 years of age

Beth - posted on 05/10/2010

We're front facing our daughter and has been since she turned one. Our major reason why is that our daughter was getting carsick and gaggin, so since we've spun the seat around she has been fine, otherwise, I probably still have her rear facing.

Joy - posted on 05/10/2010

@Joy Nix, she can (and will) bend her knees when her legs get long. It is still safer then forward facing and these little guys are so flexible that she'll still be comfortable. As they say, better broken legs then a broken neck.

Tiffany - posted on 05/10/2010

Stephanie Andrews, I think it is nice of you to want to inform people on carseat safety. But it seems that you are doing more than informing... you are lecturing. We are all parents to our children and really don't need someone telling us how to position our children in our cars. You asked who still had their kid rear-facing and who does not. People are answering your questions, but if it is not what you want to hear, you jump all over them. I am not trying to be rude, but I think that many of your responses are rude. As long as people are obeying the laws regarding carseats and paying attention to the manufacturer recommendations, they should be able to position their child accordingly without you trying to convince them otherwise. Like I said, it is one thing to inform, but you are lecturing. We are all adults and are capable of deciding what is best for our children.

Joy - posted on 05/08/2010

Our daughter is still rear facing because of the safety issue but will probably have to change to forward facing in a couple months cause she is tall for her age, she is just about flat footed to the back seat and that will pose a new safety issue cause if their legs are scrunched up against the seat that makes it less safe for her legs if we were in an accident.

Adrienne - posted on 05/08/2010

My daughter is 15 months old and sits RF in our vehicles. Our carseat is a 3in1. RF til 35 pounds. FF til 60 and booster til 100pds. She is only 30 1.2 inches tall. Her legs are not scrunched up either. She will remain RF until necessary. I would rather my child with broken legs than be possibly paralyzed because she is FF. I have watched many safety videos regarding RF and FF infants and will follow the guidelines of the manufacturer of her carseat. So.. until she is too tall to be FF she will remain RF for as long as necessary.

Joy - posted on 05/08/2010

The current AAP recommendation is 2 years and my pediatrician didn't even know that.

Dee - posted on 05/08/2010

At my sons 15 month appointment the pediatrician said that they are working to change the law from 1 year to 2 years of age and suggested a turn him around if the seat guidelines allow it. A lot of people don't realized that there are height requirements for rear facing and my son at 31 inches tall is at the borderline of being to tall to be rear facing according to the guidelines. His weight is well under the 35 lbs for our Britax seat but it is his height that is almost to tall. It is important whatever decision is made that it meets the recommendations of the seat itself. I am keeping my son forward facing and will continue to practice safe driving skills (no cell use, speeding, eating/drinking) while driving with him in the car. If they change the guidelines, they will have to change the design of seats to allow taller children to fit safely in them rear facing.

Whitney - posted on 05/08/2010

We're still rear facing, legally we have to since my daughter isn't 20 pounds yet, but we plan on hopefully rear facing until atleast 2.

Stephanie - posted on 05/08/2010

DOCTORS AREN'T CAR SEAT TECHS!!! most of them just know the laws and still tell people wrong information.. NO CHILD SHOULD BE FORWARD FACING BEFORE 1 YEAR AND 20LBS, AT LEAST.

Karmen - posted on 05/08/2010

well my son can get out if his rear facing coz he cant see his parents... he has never hurt himselve in the car seat and his 16 months old.. and the doctors and everyone else said he was old enough...

Stephanie - posted on 05/08/2010

first off it has nothing to do with being able to walk or sit up by themselves its the bone structure. NO CHILD SHOULD BE FORWARD FACING BEFORE 1 YEAR AND 20LBS. that is the LAW. and there are no reported cases of broken legs in an accident with a RF seat, but there are with children in a FF seat. i suggest everyone join www.cafemom.com and join the car seat group (type it in the group search). they have several car seat techs in the group and lots of great info. they can answer all your questions

Karmen - posted on 05/08/2010

my son is 16months old and has been in the forward facing since he was 7months old.. his the right height and weight. it all depends on the child if he can sit up by himself and hold his head up..

Linda - posted on 05/08/2010

My daughter's 16 months and is now in a foward facing seat as she outgrew her rear facing and like Amy out daughter is quite tall so in her rear facing one her legs were bent up so she wasn't very comfortable