Car Seat Question?

meheron80

Our 8 month old is looking really uncomfortable in her car seat lately.  We don't have a winter coat on her though its freezing since they are not made for it and we use tons of blankets in the car... but again, she just looks like she is almost outgrown it.... So the hunt began and I fell in love with the Nautilus Car seat.  Great reviews on-line etc... We bought two (one for dad's car and one for mine) because Target was having an amazing sale getting them basically BOGO.  Then I got home (were wrapping them for xmas) and was playing on-line a little more and realized that the car seats are FORWARD Facing only? 

So here is the hot question... What are people's TRUE thoughts (not what just came out in 2011) about turning your kiddo around at 1 year of age in the car? 

I haven't made up my mind yet... and if backwards facing until 2 is the new thing why are they still selling car seats for kids 20lbs that are forward facing?  And if she can't turn till age two where they heck do her feet/legs go?  She is already crossing her legs and she is only 22 lbs.  Frustrating..   

This is what we purchased

Nautilus? 3-in-1 Car Seat

Finally, the car seat that parents have been searching for is here. Our Nautilus? 3-in-1 car seat helps keep your child secure in a 5-point harness, from 20-65 lbs. When she?s ready, it converts to a belt-positioning booster from 30-100 lbs. And as she continues to grow, the Nautilus grows with her, transitioning into either a Highback or Backless booster for a comfortable fit up to 100 lbs. Extensively crash tested, including side-impact testing, outfitted with reinforced steel and thoughtfully designed with plush comfort features, this 3-in-1 car seat is will last your little travel companion well into childhood.

frlcb

There is a reason that 2 is the new recommendation, it is infinitely safer to RF. Why risk it? Return the seat and get one that rear faces longer. Kids figure out how to cross or bend their legs, it is not uncomfortable for them.

autumnmichele

Wait until 2, its best for LO.  That's what the recommendation is for.

katlizabeth

I love the nautilus.  We have two for ds and are getting another one.  Dd will move to one of them once she's older.  I am a believer in the rf until 2 though.  Ds did until he was like 28 months.  I'd get a booster for inbetween, but that's just me.

LadyXaverian

My TRUE feeling is that the recommendation was made for a reason, and I will follow it. I'd exchange the Nautilus for a convertible car seat if I was you.

lauti

The law in most states is to keep them RF until at least 1, nevermind the current AAP recommendation of 2.

I would for sure return the Nautilus and get something that RF.  Something like the Nautilus isn't even recommended until after 2.  It doesn't fit smaller kids well at all.

MrsCarroll.6-10-07

Scout2005:

Since you asked, I feel very strongly about leaving children RFing until the reach the height/weight limits of their seats.

https://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/health/policy/22carseat.html?_r=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA

 

That video in particular is quite compelling, IMO.

I will not turn my daughter around until necessary. 

 

eta: They are still selling them because it is not the law to leave them RFing until 2, although several states are looking into changing that. At this point, it is only a recommendation, but that's enough for us. 

I know it's frustrating with all the seemingly endless changes to what they suggest for kids. You have to wade through it and make your choices based on the info out there. This particular subject is one I feel kind of strongly about; I just hate to think of a child being seriously injured - or killed - if it was preventable by simply leaving the seat RFing, you know?

 

ALL OF THIS. Some days I hate, HATE, dread, shoving my DD1 in her RF car seat because she's nearly 30 lbs and fights me. But it is safer. She bends her knees or crosses her legs and she is just fine. Anyone that says "Well I did it early and my kid is fine" is just plain lucky. I don't want to push my luck when it comes to my kids' safety.

RayRay007

This is the first time I heard of age 2 as the current recommendation. I was going to say that if they are the minimum weight and are close to age 1 (like, 11 months) I would  think it would be ok to turn them, but probably not at 8 months. I will reconsider that now.

MrsCarroll.6-10-07

RayRay007:

This is the first time I heard of age 2 as the current recommendation. I was going to say that if they are the minimum weight and are close to age 1 (like, 11 months) I would  think it would be ok to turn them, but probably not at 8 months. I will reconsider that now.

minimum weight and "close" to a year old does not mean that their spinal cord is developed enough. That is the reason they are suggesting keeping them RF longer so that their spinal cord doesnt snap or stretch during an accident.

SuperCuteBenz

https://www.joelsjourney.org/

The funny thing is that people automatically assume that their children will be more comfortable forward facing. This isn't exactly true. My DD rear-faced until 2, forward faced until 2.5 and then asked to rear-face again. She prefers it. She loved resting her feet up on the backseat or just folding them. She doesn't really have anywhere that she can put them forward facing, and she likes that her seat is reclined rear-facing, so if she falls asleep in the car, her head doesn't fall forward. She rear-faced again until she was a little over 3, and then I turned her. 

Both of my kids have gone through phases where they dislike their car seat around 13-15 months or so, but we have stuck it out. I plan on rear-facing my DS until at least 2, if not longer. He is a lot bigger than DD though, so we will see when he outgrows his seat.

 Here is an example of how my DD sits (her chest clip is slightly too high in this picture). She was 3 years and 2 months old....

 

 

lylahlove

I'm with everyone else - I would return the seat and get a convertible.