Forward facing

ilysarahd

Hi Ladies, Long time no see! Talk to me about forward facing in the car. It's been on my mind since technically DD is the right weight for her seat(Chicco NextFit) to go forward facing. I haven't researched it yet but I figured I'd use my best source-You ladies! 

ericalee27

Current reccomendations are not until 2 yrs old at the earliest, and that's the minimum.  The longer you can RF, the better.

eddy92482

AAP recommends 2 years. I have had this discussion with my husband about turning Cooper around. I am against it and he is for it as he too meets the weight/height for his seat. I am holding out as long as I can. But I know people who flip them around as soon as they can. I can understand why people are for it, but anatomically LO's spine is still growing and strenghing (spelling I know). I know it sounds gruesome, but personally I would prefer broken legs due to rear facing, than serious neck/spinal injuries or worse from forward facing.

ericalee27

Here are some helpful links:

 

https://csftl.org/why-rear-facing-the-science-junkies-guide/

https://csftl.org/rear-facing-car-seat-myths-busted/

 

djm31012

we are staying RF for as long as possible. However at DS's 1 yr visit..my pedi did say...realistically he is huge and will not be comfortable for another year facing backwards...so go as long as you can. So thats my plan. Im not doing it yet--but if 3 mos from now hes so big he cant fit, then we will flip him. talk to your pedi and do what you are comfortable with.

ericalee27

Ehh it's different to me. BFing for 6 months vs. not, it doesn't really matter. Forward facing too early could

Drea926

We're still RFing and shooting for 2. I have a big'un so we'll go with it as long as it's comfortable and he's happy.

lbonga1

DC2London said:

PeanutR1 said:

We haven't discussed it, but I'm starting to think about the same thing. DD is freakishly long, and it's just getting really hard to actually get her into the seat. Once she's there, she sits cross legged (which is fine), but squeezing her between the car's seat, her seat, and the roof is getting really difficult.

I remember the strange maneuvering I had to use to heave DS1 into his RF seat in my Mazda 3.  It was some interesting gymnastics.  Sooo much easier in the minivan.

All kids are different.  DS1 had only ever rear-faced, so he was perfectly content to do so until age 3.  He didn't know any different.  And he's VERY tall for his age, but he never once complained about being uncomfortable.  However, some kids get car sick RF, some kids scream bloody murder the entire time they are in the seat (and really, that's distracting to the driver and also not terribly safe).  So I'm 100% in favor of extended RF but I will admit that there are circumstances under which it's not completely unreasonable to consider FF earlier.  

I will say, though, that I underestimated the fact that a forward facing preschooler can see me snacking while I'm driving.  So now, if I want to eat anything in the car, I have to share. And that's just no fun.

I think that's the best argument I've heard against forward facing! 

DublinMama

We are still RF. He could be turned around, but we're holding out as long as he can. It's soooo tempting sometimes, because he hates the car seat. We have a DVD player that buys us on average about 30 quiet minutes. But all of our family lives 3+ hours away, and there have been some pretty dramatic car rides in this family. It's hard not to wonder if flipping him around would end the madness. 

Rynleigh

We do not plan to forward face either of the boys until they reach the height and weight limits for rear facing in their current seats - that means until they reach 40" tall or 40lbs (whichever comes first), they will rear face. Once they meet either of those criteria, they will face forward.

Rynleigh

Please do not forward face just because your child has long legs. They are physically safer having their legs crossed and protected by the seat than they are forward facing with their legs flying freely. The only time height matters in swapping to facing forward is when their head comes to high - not their legs. 

https://csftl.org/rear-facing-car-seat-myths-busted/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2598309/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16966993

https://youtu.be/Q8gU9zzCGA8
https://youtu.be/Y2DVfqFhseo
https://youtu.be/G8mFsXNXOLw
https://youtu.be/kvSQK62TOGw

Rynleigh

ericalee27 said:

Ehh it's different to me. BFing for 6 months vs. not, it doesn't really matter. Forward facing too early could

This. Your child is not going to break their neck or ribs because you chose formula over breast milk. 

tamarar5

I'm also in the rf as long as possible. I let myself be talked into turning dd's seat by my family because her seat didn't fit comfortably in the SUV and my dad was always complaining he couldn't put the drivers seat in MY CAR back when he wanted to drive. She was 18 lbs 11 oz at her one year check up and my parents we always saying, she's be 20 lbs n like a week or two. So I turned her.

It turns out, at her two year check up, she was still only 19 lbs and she had been forward facing for a year. That was the last time I let my parents talk me into something child related. When I think of what could have happened, it takes my breath away.

Rynleigh

Car seat safety isn't about pride and personal parenting choices. Unless there is a medical reason why a child must be forward facing (not common, but some children with very serious medical conditions require special seats that cannot rear face), there is no justice for your child in forward facing them early. You are not doing them a favor by forward facing them any more than you are by letting them get on a boat without a life vest. 

kleigh926

We'll do RF for as long as possible. She isn't 20 pounds yet, so she doesn't meet the minimum weight requirement even if we wanted to turn her. 

cinnasugar

DC2London said:

I will say, though, that I underestimated the fact that a forward facing preschooler can see me snacking while I'm driving.  So now, if I want to eat anything in the car, I have to share. And that's just no fun.

This.  For real. "What are you eating?  What are you drinking?  Can I have some????"

Felicity86

My twins are very tall, and there's no way I'd turn them forward facing before 2 years of age. I don't want to sound like a mean mom, but their safety comes before their comfort. Plus we're not in the car for very long periods. However, if I had a baby who had car sickness I might change my tune...

downtown80

DC2London said:

PeanutR1 said:

We haven't discussed it, but I'm starting to think about the same thing. DD is freakishly long, and it's just getting really hard to actually get her into the seat. Once she's there, she sits cross legged (which is fine), but squeezing her between the car's seat, her seat, and the roof is getting really difficult.

I remember the strange maneuvering I had to use to heave DS1 into his RF seat in my Mazda 3.  It was some interesting gymnastics.  Sooo much easier in the minivan.

All kids are different.  DS1 had only ever rear-faced, so he was perfectly content to do so until age 3.  He didn't know any different.  And he's VERY tall for his age, but he never once complained about being uncomfortable.  However, some kids get car sick RF, some kids scream bloody murder the entire time they are in the seat (and really, that's distracting to the driver and also not terribly safe).  So I'm 100% in favor of extended RF but I will admit that there are circumstances under which it's not completely unreasonable to consider FF earlier.  

I will say, though, that I underestimated the fact that a forward facing preschooler can see me snacking while I'm driving.  So now, if I want to eat anything in the car, I have to share. And that's just no fun.

100% agree!!! We just turned our 2.5 yo around, and she's always asking me what I am eating or drinking! LOL

ally2011

PeanutR1 said:

ericalee27 said:

Current reccomendations are not until 2 yrs old at the earliest, and that's the minimum.  The longer you can RF, the better.

I think we all know what AAP says at this point, but they also say to exclusively breastfeed for 6 months and never ever use bumpers. That doesn't work for everyone.

Not the same thing. Car accidents happen exponentially more often than SIDS. Not choosing to breastfeed is not more likely to result in infant death. Forward facing too soon is. My dd is 75% in height and if she has to ride with her knees on her ears she will. But right now she fits just fine in her Chico key fit or britax blvd.

wifeofadam

A child doesn't get too tall for RF.  When their legs get longer they simply sit with them crossed.  My oldest didn't turn until he was almost 4.  #2 didn't turn until he was 3.5.  #3 turned at 2.5 only because it's the only way four carseats would fit in the car, but she would have happily sat RF for longer.

Out of ignorance, I turned my oldest FF at age 1.  A few months later I saw the videos posted above and turned him back around.  He never once complained.

Rynleigh

Per crash test safety standards, if the ears come above the top of the seat, they are too tall to rear face (i.e. once they've outgrown the safest height to use the harness system on - that is when they must FF with a lap and shoulder belt in the booster position).

wifeofadam

Rynleigh said:

Per crash test safety standards, if the ears come above the top of the seat, they are too tall to rear face (i.e. once they've outgrown the safest height to use the harness system on - that is when they must FF with a lap and shoulder belt in the booster position).

This.  When I said a child doesn't get too tall, I meant that their legs don't get too long for it.  There are five and six-year-olds that comfortably RF (so long as their seat is made for them to do it).

Drea926

It's funny....so many of you ladies talked about having your LOs just sit with crossed legs in the car and it never occurred to me that DS does this naturally when he gets in. Or he'll just bend his knees and splay out like butterfly legs. 

Totally random - I just never even thought about it!

SidraJedi

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

TarheelMama202

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

ally2011

verovladamir said:

We were told with DS to leave him rear facing as long as we could, but that was only for a little over a year. He would honestly become ill everytime we went somewhere. It was horrible. After consulting with the doctor he suggested that in that case it would probably be fine. 

Now I'm having the fight with ILs because they insist that Ellie is the same age as Nate was when we turned him around so it should be fine. But obviously we don't have the same problems so I wan't to wait. 

They don't get a vote. Not her parents.

jllmb79

DD#2 is a lot smaller then DD#1 was at 1 yr. DD#2 will rear face as long as she doesn't exceed height weight recommendations for her car seat.

DD#1 is almost 3 yrs old 40 inches and 30 lbs and still rear facing.

nlp1990

TarheelMama202 said:

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

I love our radian too! I am recommending it to everyone!

tamarar5

nlp1990 said:

TarheelMama202 said:

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

I love our radian too! I am recommending it to everyone!

I haven't seen a radian in person. Are they as big as they seem in you tube reviews? They look HUGE. Has anyone used it right from birth? The RXT is rated rf from 5- 45 lbs, but it's so tall, I can't picture how it would fit in anything smaller than a semi, lol!

wifeofadam

TamaraR4 said:

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

I love our radian too! I am recommending it to everyone!

I haven't seen a radian in person. Are they as big as they seem in you tube reviews? They look HUGE. Has anyone used it right from birth? The RXT is rated rf from 5- 45 lbs, but it's so tall, I can't picture how it would fit in anything smaller than a semi, lol!

I've used them from birth for my last two. We have three radians (although they are the older version made by Sunshine Kids). They are really long and heavy, but very skinny. They don't seem bigger than other convertible seats we've had, just heavier. Also, I had three of them in the backseat of a Honda Civic for nearly two years (two RF and one FF) and they fit very comfortably.

TarheelMama202

+adamwife+ said:

TamaraR4 said:

nlp1990 said:

TarheelMama202 said:

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

I love our radian too! I am recommending it to everyone!

I haven't seen a radian in person. Are they as big as they seem in you tube reviews? They look HUGE. Has anyone used it right from birth? The RXT is rated rf from 5- 45 lbs, but it's so tall, I can't picture how it would fit in anything smaller than a semi, lol!

I've used them from birth for my last two. We have three radians (although they are the older version made by Sunshine Kids). They are really long and heavy, but very skinny. They don't seem bigger than other convertible seats we've had, just heavier.

Also, I had three of them in the backseat of a Honda Civic for nearly two years (two RF and one FF) and they fit very comfortably.


Exactly this. They are very tall, but much less bulky all around than most convertible car seats it seems. Ours fits comfortably in the back of our Honda Accord.

Justinlove

Dd1 rearfaced until just over age 3 and never complained. We plan to do the same for DD2. We do it for safety, but I think they like the "face to face" car seat positions right now so they can see and talk to each other.

ally2011

TamaraR4 said:

SidraJedi said:

Aaaaaand...

another reason why I am so thankful that I found the bump and joined because I wanted to talk to other pregnant ladies and I ended up learning so much about everything. I never would have thought to RF for longer unless my pedi suggested it. Thanks to you gals on the bump I am so well informed in my choices!

FWIW the choice I made was to buy a car seat with very generous height and weight limits to RF (Diono Radian RXT) and to RF until she outgrows that height and weight limit.

I would just like to say that I love our Diono Radian. Best. Carseat. Ever. 

Tarheel out!

I love our radian too! I am recommending it to everyone!

I haven't seen a radian in person. Are they as big as they seem in you tube reviews? They look HUGE. Has anyone used it right from birth? The RXT is rated rf from 5- 45 lbs, but it's so tall, I can't picture how it would fit in anything smaller than a semi, lol!

Our bed bath and beyond had them in person.

penguingrrl

I don't plan to turn my son until I absolutely have to. If we can, I will keep him RF until he goes into a belt positioning booster (not joking). My very tall 4.5 year old (44") occasionally rides in her brother's RF radian, so there's no way a child who is 2 or under can't fit RF.