Comments on babyREADY: Rear Facing Car Seats to the Age of 2!!

My daughter is 15 months / 26lbs / 31.5inches, and...

2010-01-26T21:55:22.627-05:00

My daughter is 15 months / 26lbs / 31.5inches, and if I am to understand the information above correctly we should keep our kids rear facing as long as weight allows and disregard the height restrictions... even past the age of 2. I don't think my daughter will be 35lbs at age 2 so could stay rear facing. Is that right? Regardless of height?

Thank you Sam. In that case I plan on keeping her...

2009-12-04T16:45:16.384-05:00

Thank you Sam. In that case I plan on keeping her rear facing until she is 2. or weighs 30 pounds but i cant see that happening anytime soon.

Rickie.

@rickie Length (according to Transport Canada and...

2009-12-04T12:34:22.406-05:00

@rickie

Length (according to Transport Canada and every ortho-surgeon I've ever encountered other than Dr. David noted above) is not anywhere near as important as weight. Weight and physical development should be your biggest guides according to all of my sources.

My daughter 19 months/ 23 pounds/ 31.5 inches is g...

2009-12-04T11:18:44.422-05:00

My daughter 19 months/ 23 pounds/ 31.5 inches is growing to the length limit of her britax marathon and we had planned to keep her rearfacing much longer. Is the hight restriction as imortant as the weight. She is still WELL within the weight. I thought we would have the oportunity to keep her rear for much longer than this??

Help please.
Rickie.

@ Gunfus: I really don't know of a petition but p...

2009-11-11T13:13:52.576-05:00

@ Gunfus:

I really don't know of a petition but perhaps there ought to be. It's really about education and safety, isn't it?

Where do we sign the petition of RF carseats until...

2009-11-11T11:34:59.811-05:00

Where do we sign the petition of RF carseats until a later age.. or at least leave the decision to the parents, no?

We got hassled from both sides: we didn't turn the...

2009-10-27T17:04:19.480-04:00

We got hassled from both sides: we didn't turn the Boychick at one year (why would we? rear facing is indisputably safer in case of accident), but we did turn at 1.5 years, because car trips were AGONY before that (and due to the size/configuration of our car and the carseat, the passenger's knees were squished something fierce against the dash/air bag -- and often someone would sit in back with him, where, for reasons I won't go in to, we didn't have a safety belt at all -- which are also safety considerations), and we had to do a 10 hour drive at that point. So depending on who you asked, we did it "too late", or "too soon" -- but really, we just did it when it worked for our family, in that very particular circumstance.

I had no problems with his "squished legs" (he never seemed to mind, and he's a tallll baby), and I actually found it far easier to get him in and out of the car with the seat rear facing, but when it came down to he could scream every time we needed to be in the car but be safer in the slight risk of an accident, or have everyone's life be much easier on a daily basis, we went with the definite ease rather than the potential risk.

But that was just our choice, in that situation. When we put his carseat in his grandparents' car, when we were in back with him, we put him back rearfacing: why not? It's safer, and having someone back there made him be much happier with facing the rear. Our hope is, if we have another child (and get a car with complete seatbelts in the back!), the Boychick will be able to entertain hir more, and we'll keep hir rear facing longer.

Which is all a very long winded way of saying: I'm glad this information is out there, and just because one doesn't/didn't follow it, for whatever reason, doesn't mean one has to feel like a "bad parent". Thanks Sam.

You know, I always get a chuckle when people use t...

2009-10-27T15:00:54.076-04:00

You know, I always get a chuckle when people use the "legs are too long to be rear facing" argument. I guess to me it comes down to the fact I'd much rather have an injured kid than a dead or paralyzed one. In addition, it was never an issue for any of my four kids - and trust me, they were tall. They sat cross legged, sat with their feet on the seat of the carseat or sat with their legs straight and their feet resting on the seat back. They really, seriously, did not care. Sometimes they were fussy in the car, and that was life. Sometimes I don't like wearing my seatbelt either, but I still have to. Yes, some kids have a really rough time with motion sickness facing backwards, and that's when the parent needs to decide what is best for *their* child in *that* circumstance.

Ultimately, it's the parent's decision. However, I'm damn glad, as a parent, that SOMEONE is out their giving me ALL the information so that *I* can make an educated decision. What I do with that information is MY choice, and once I have it, I can never say "if only I had known...."

As for where you can find seats in your area or th...

2009-10-27T12:31:37.509-04:00

As for where you can find seats in your area or the best seat for your vehicle, I would recommend contacting some of the companies (via the links listed above) and ask them directly. They will have more information about products and usage as well as what new products they are creating than I have.

I am sorry for this to read as a default answer. My problem is that I can't know every car and every car seat and so I work with each seat as I come to it. Seats and car vary so much from province to province and country to country that it's easier for you to get the accurate answers you need by contacting the companies directly.

It would appear that several people have chosen to...

2009-10-27T12:28:20.605-04:00

It would appear that several people have chosen to comment Anonymously so I can't address you personally. Some of you have conflict with regard to the content I have included in my post and you have every right to do so.

I am a certified Child Restraint Technician (certified through St. John Ambulance and Transport Canada) and don't ever remember in the content of the course I took suggesting that "once a child's feet fit flat again the rear seat they can suffer damages to their rib cage and organs in a rear collision." In fact it was repeated over and over and over again in the course taught by St. John Ambulance (and created by Transport Canada) that children should remain rear facing as long as the seat can support their weight whenever and wherever possible.

As for the response from Dr. David, he is the very first orthopedic surgeon I have ever come across who has suggested that "as soon as your child's legs are hindered by the back seat and they are within the weight range of the car seat then they should be switched." The orthopedic surgeon I am friends with as well as the chiropractors, osteopaths and other musculo-skeletal specialists I speak with regularly argue strongly in favour of protecting the child's life by leaving them rear-facing and yes, perhaps deal with a broken appendage on that living child if a collision is to occur.

We are allowed to disagree. As someone who has seen the inside of FAR TOO MANY damaged vehicles post collision, I assure you I am not taking a "keep the child rear-facing for as long as possible" stance simply to be argumentative. I want babies and children to live. That's all.

And Dr. David, I am NOT trying to "make the parent, who decides to forward face their child, feel like a bad parent." I can't make anyone feel badly. They make their choices as I make mine. I am here to present information that they may not otherwise have heard.

Im curious... if you are leaving a child rear faci...

2009-10-27T12:08:12.006-04:00

Im curious... if you are leaving a child rear facing and "folding" their legs how can that be safe? I understand that RF is better for neck and back support in an accident (I was just injured in an accident and suffer extreme pain daily!) but according to St. John's Ambulance's people, once a chi;d's feet fit flat against the rear seat they can suffer damages to their rib cage and organs in a rear collision, as their knees will bend into their chest.... I don't understand who's opinion is best in this situation.

I am very confused as to how the concern for ortho...

2009-10-20T09:25:56.940-04:00

I am very confused as to how the concern for orthopedics is paramount to the concern for the stretching and snapping of a spine and/or spinal cord during a collision. The risk of serious life threatening injury is both valid and greatly reduced by rear facing our toddlers. Kids naturally sit with their legs folded up, it may seem uncomfortable to adults - but it generally isn't for them. Any accident that may injure their legs because they were rear facing would surely have caused greater injury to their spine/neck/head had they been forward facing.

Sam I understand your points but to be honest you ...

2009-10-17T05:02:37.375-04:00

Sam I understand your points but to be honest you can wrap your child in bubble wrap and make them even safer. Please do not underestimate the "squishing of the legs". There are many factors that come into a car ride and if it is for any length then the legs are going to get very tight and could eventually become painful. As an orthopedic surgeon I know the benefits and non benefits of stretching and it is extremely important whether you are 5 months or 5000 months. As soon as your child's legs are hindered by the back seat and they are within the weight range of the car seat then they should be switched. Of course it is up to the parent but please do not make the parent, who decides to forward face their child, feel like a bad parent.

Hi, I am looking for a RF carseat that has a hig...

2009-10-16T19:53:12.959-04:00

Hi,

I am looking for a RF carseat that has a high height/ weight limit and will actually fit into my 2 door Honda Civic. I am on the waiting list for one of the new Safety First airbag ones but am afraid that it will not fit into my car. My daughter is 8.5 months old, 30 inches long and is alomst 23 lbs. Right now she is in a Graco Contempo carseat that goes only up to 32 lbs but she is outgrowing it height and we need a bigger seat asap. We would like to leave her RF as long as possible past her first birthday, is there any hope?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

THanks

Thanks for the info. My son is almost one, and I ...

2009-10-08T21:23:56.702-04:00

Thanks for the info. My son is almost one, and I was anxious to get him front facing until I read this post and saw a you tube video about a boy named Joel. Now I am looking to keep my son rear facing for as long as I can. I live in the US. Do you have any suggestions on a good inexpensive car seat that will keep him safe. I was looking into the Evenflo ($68) model at Walmart.com, but then I'm concerned that maybe I will get what I pay for. I am on a tight budget though and I can't afford a Britax Roundabout which is about $150. What do you think? Please email me at mtmrod1 {at} gmail {dot} com.

Thank you for the information.
Marcia

What about height restrictions? We have a Britax ...

2009-09-25T11:46:45.700-04:00

What about height restrictions? We have a Britax Diplomat, my son is under 30lbs but over the maximum standing height - he is 32.5 inches now. What can I do? Are there any carseats on the market he can safely ride rear facing still? Sunshine Kids and Britax both seem to have a limit at 32 inches (only 30 inches for our Diplomat)...

GREAT info! I live in the US and it seems that mo...

2009-08-17T15:15:41.042-04:00

GREAT info! I live in the US and it seems that most parents cannot WAIT to turn their kids seat front-facing. I'm expecting my 1st child in March and will be leaving them rear facing as long as possible!

ALSO, can you give me any info RE: used vs. new baby car seat carriers? I've tried (with not much luck) to find SOLID proof that a NEW infant carrier is more safe than a USED carrier.
You can email me at cristin (dot) wilson {at} gmail {dot} com
Cheers! Cristin

Very interesting post. There are many things to co...

2009-08-17T02:47:14.693-04:00

Very interesting post. There are many things to consider for the safety of the children in the car to prevent any injuries while they are in the car.

I stand corrected. According to the Safety 1st si...

2009-08-16T16:25:44.936-04:00

I stand corrected. According to the Safety 1st site - I was looking at the site from a store before and not the Safety 1st site itself - the new seat is only safe as a rear facing car seat until baby is 35 lbs!!!

HELLO!! TRANSPORT CANADA???!!!??!! Can you hear me? This issue needs to be remedied NOW!

@Annie: I am with you. I wish Transport Canada t...

2009-08-16T16:20:23.413-04:00

@Annie:

I am with you. I wish Transport Canada took a more proactive role in working to protect our children. I am very excited about the new Safety 1st seat that goes to 50 lbs. I didn't look to see about height restrictions though.

For our family (we're tall as you know!) height en...

2009-08-15T18:47:15.653-04:00

For our family (we're tall as you know!) height ended up being more of an issue than weight. I kept my daughter rear facing until she outgrew the height limit on the our convertible car seat. She wasn't quite 2 years old at the time, but I felt okay turning her around at that point.

My son unfortunately outgrew everything height-wise before I was comfortable making the transition. We did everything short of using illegal car seats to keep him in a 5pt harness for as long as possible before switching to a booster. But I still didn't feel he was ready when we finally did have to make that switch at 3.5 years old because he had outgrown the tallest FF car seat on the market.

I wish Transport Canada would realize that parents want to keep their babies safe as long as possible and approve some seats with higher weight and height limits.

@Alison: Hey there. I don't know what to tell you...

2009-08-15T01:04:28.396-04:00

@Alison:
Hey there. I don't know what to tell you. Most of the parents I know with children over one who still keep their baby rear facing simply fold the legs. I am sure this bothers some children but most are pretty okay with sitting cross legged. I have very tall children for their age (judging by their height when standing with their peers) and we folded their legs. They just got used to it. Did they love it? Probably not, but they weren't fussy on the car at all when they were really small.

I guess, for me personally, it is more about their safety then their happiness. I can't tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do. Everyone has to make their own decisions based upon the best information they can find.

Hey Sam.... my reason for moving my son to forward...

2009-08-14T22:38:43.977-04:00

Hey Sam.... my reason for moving my son to forward facing was not due to boredom factor, or because he reached the age and weight limit, etc. was due the length of his legs. He has always been really long with very long legs and was constantly "squished" sitting backwards because his legs had to be scrunched up in order to fit him in his seat. And, I have the Britax Marathon so needless to say, I turned him forward facing at the age of one.
Any suggestions???

@cndflybaby: I am not sure that I understand your ...

2009-08-14T19:58:32.735-04:00

@cndflybaby:
I am not sure that I understand your question but let me answer what I think you might mean. The reason for having the "upper limit" on the rear facing is for the impact that it has been tested to withstand and the fact that even if your child is that heavy a knowledge that they are still safe facing backwards.

Does this answer your question?

What is the reason for having an upper limit for r...

2009-08-14T19:28:33.166-04:00

What is the reason for having an upper limit for rear facing if the overall upper limit is say 40 lbs?