is it time to turn their carseats?

thiswillbe

I'm agonizing over whether or not I should turn the kiddos' car seats to FF. They are 27 lbs (DD) and 30 lbs (DS) and 2 years old now (oooh, probably time for a new ticker, eh?). They've been uncomfortable RF for a while, but we've been keeping them RF for safety. DS complains on a daily basis that his seatbelt is hurting his "wee wee," I think probably because he's pretty much on top of the buckle part (which he wouldn't be with the repositioning of the buckle that comes with FF). We also think that the way he wrenches himself out of his carseat when we unsnap him contributed to his recent dislocated elbow. After the elbow thing, we decided to turn them FF, but I'm having trouble bringing myself to do it.

I have to admit, one motivating factor is that it's a struggle to get them in to their carseats. If they don't want to get in, stiffening their legs makes it well-nigh impossible to get them buckled (this is DS's favorite trick). I am kinda hoping that FF would make it easier to get them in (and also that they could start getting themselves in for the most part, which would make daycare pick-up easier).

All that said, I of course don't want to jeopardize their safety for convenience and comfort. So, thoughts? I know we've talked about this before, but can you remind me when you turned your kid(s)?

ctbride08

We turned RB at about 2y 1m.  Given all you wrote, i would flip them and not think twice about it.

ps - since we changed her FF, getting in and out is so wonderful - she can mostly do it herself!

2brides

We turned the kids around 15m (it was before the 2y old recommendation.) I think that turning car seats in a personal decision based on your comfort, but you have met the recommendations!

2mommiesinoh

I turned Ky at 14 months or so. I know it is early (safety wise not state law wise) but she screamed bloody murder the entire time she was in the car. It did not matter if it was 5 minutes or 35 minutes. So honestly mommy could not handle that 3 days a week at 6:15 in the morning. I tried everyhting else to make it work and nothing helped. I flipped her and it was instant silence in the car unless something was wrong with her. She was just over the 20 lb mark and per our car seat limits could ahve stayed RF for another 5-6 inches and 15 lbs but for mommy's sanity it had to be switched.

cookiemonster03

Yes, i think its time, at least for DS!

Meegs10.13.06

Gwen is still RF in Trav's car (bigger carseat), but we recently just switched her over in my car since she got too tall to RF. She LOVES it, it is so much easier to get in and out of the seat. Even though we had to, I still felt a lot of guilt switching her around, so I understand where you are coming from. But she's a big girl and physically meets the requirements.

Honestly, while she still has an inch or two in Trav's seat, we might (depending on how she does during her next ride in his car) end up switching her around there too, since she rides in both cars each week and I don't know how she'd do going back and forth. The difference in the ease of getting her into the seat have been that great.

Good luck with whatever you choose and know that you did a great job keeping them RF this long. 

Two*True

Meegs10.13.06:

Honestly, while she still has an inch or two in Trav's seat, we might (depending on how she does during her next ride in his car) end up switching her around there too, since she rides in both cars each week and I don't know how she'd do going back and forth. The difference in the ease of getting her into the seat have been that great.

DD is RFing in my car but FF in DW's car.  She LOVES DW's car (she's FF there because it's a jeep and impossible to get her in RFing).  If both of us are going somewhere she will request (by request I mean whine) to go with DW.  There isn't an issue with her going back and forth though.  She knows she is RFing in my car and she has to cross her legs.  I will keep her that way as long as I can but if she were uncomfortable I wouldn't hesitate to turn the seat.

Meegs10.13.06

Two*True:

Meegs10.13.06:

Honestly, while she still has an inch or two in Trav's seat, we might (depending on how she does during her next ride in his car) end up switching her around there too, since she rides in both cars each week and I don't know how she'd do going back and forth. The difference in the ease of getting her into the seat have been that great.

DD is RFing in my car but FF in DW's car.  She LOVES DW's car (she's FF there because it's a jeep and impossible to get her in RFing).  If both of us are going somewhere she will request (by request I mean whine) to go with DW.  There isn't an issue with her going back and forth though.  She knows she is RFing in my car and she has to cross her legs.  I will keep her that way as long as I can but if she were uncomfortable I wouldn't hesitate to turn the seat.

This is good to hear. I'll wait and see how she does going in his car before making any decisions. It was becoming a 20 minute battle to get her in her carseat every evening for him, and it would take me 10 - 15 minutes every morning of "fighting" to get her buckled. With the forward facing she's practically jumping into the seat.

He has the longer commute, but my car gets better gas mileage. I insist on having my car on my work from home day and on the weekends, so I get it Sat - Tues, and he takes it Wed - Fri. We just switched the seat around, and my work from home day is different this week, so she hasn't gone back to his car since the switch. Hopefully she'll be okay with knowing that Mama's car has the FF seat and Daddy's car is RF. Fingers crossed because I really would like to keep her RF longer, but the fighting to get in and the yelling on the way home was putting Trav so on edge.

thiswillbe

Meegs-- glad to know my kid isn't the only one fighting getting in their carseat. I swear, the looks I get from some of the other daycare parents...