New RF/FF Carseat report

FutureMrsDenman · June 2009

They recommend RF until age 4!

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=7818004&page=1

We're planning on RF for as long as we can, an DD is fine with it so far. I don't know if we can make it to 4 though!

shouldbeworkin · June 2009

So, am I supposed to turn my kids back around now? They didn't even tell you to do extended rear facing when my almost 4 y/o was a year old.

DandelionMom · June 2009

I'm not sure they even make rf seats that would allow for that. My almost 3 year old is 35 pounds, isn't that past the rf limit for most seats?

darlene'smommy · June 2009

They now have the Graco my ride that rear faces to 40 lbs. dd is still rear facing in her seats. And I think I heard radian was testing to 40 lbs but not sure who said that.

DandelionMom · June 2009

That's good to know. Hopefully with this report, more seats will be available.

EMT · June 2009

I have an SUV and I'm fairly certain we couldn't comfortably have two kids rear-facing. I would think only huge trucks/SUVs could accomodate this?

veloelle · June 2009

EMT:
I have an SUV and I'm fairly certain we couldn't comfortably have two kids rear-facing. I would think only huge trucks/SUVs could accomodate this?

Ditto, but I have a Jetta. No way could I fit 2 RF carseats and DH be able to drive w/out eating the steering wheel. Part of me rolls my eyes, and part of me thinks its needed. I'd have to buy a new car.

I was just watching Looks Who's Talking, and John Travolta put the 3-point baby seat front facing in the front seat. I had to laugh because the movie isn't *that* old; how far we've come in a very short time on carseat safety.

heyitsme · June 2009

I am all for extended rear-facing but I will tell you that there are probably no seats in the US market right now that will allow most children to RF until 4. In Europe, particularly Sweden, there is an abundance of seats that RF to 55 pounds.

In the US we only have ONE seat that RF to 40 pounds (the new Graco MyRide) which is great for RFing an average or short kid who is heavy, but doesn't have a tall enough shell to sit an older RFer until 40 pounds.

There are other options for tall/skinny kids such as the First Years TruFit and the Sunshine Kids Radian that RF to 35 pounds and have tall shells (since the 1" rule applies when RFing in convertibles just like infant seats).

I'm hoping that this article and the recent release of the MyRide prompts other car seat manufacturers to look at higher rearfacing limits in order to make this a reality.

joseysbride · June 2009

Maybe they should just start building cars with the actual back seat facing backwards?

veloelle · June 2009

joseysbride:
Maybe they should just start building cars with the actual back seat facing backwards?

That would definitely keep me from having to plunk down $$ for a new car! I love that experts think it's just a $400 carseat. Uh well, for some it means thousands of $$ if you have to buy the CAR to fit the $400 carseat. I don't think car manufacturers have ever had a conversation with A) a mom or carseat manufacturer or C) car seat safety expert.

heyitsme · June 2009

joseysbride:
Maybe they should just start building cars with the actual back seat facing backwards?

While I am no expert and am thinking about this, here are the reasons why that might not work as an option:

1) Car seats currently aren't tested on rear-facing bench seats. All car seat manuals say they can't be used on rear-facing seats.

2) If the back seat of a car (let's say your typical sedan) was facing backwards, then the back portion of the seat would probably be just as close to the front seats as the back portion of a RFing car seat. (Did that make sense?) Therefore it would still be "cramped" persay.

3) In most cars, the back of the back seat acts as a divider between the passenger area and the cargo/trunk area. That would need to be addressed because flying cargo could be dangerous in an accident.

4) Kids would still need car seats until they fit properly in the seatbelts in the back seat (that would be RFing). So the child would be FFing (but backwards).

The thing is, a lot of people (not saying you, this is general) complain that their child hates RFing, wants to see things, cries RFing, etc. and so they turn them... if the backseat of a car was RFing then what would they do? FF them? Someone is always going to want it the other way around...

DaiLyght · June 2009

Didn't the AAP just update their recommendation to 2 years very recently? The article states it's still 1 year.

I believe there is a minivan on the market that has second row captains chairs that turn backwards.

dallystarr · June 2009

My DH and I were watching that the other night too! We both said the same thing..it hasn't been that long and wow..And that seat looked funny too.

heyitsme · June 2009

Also, I'm not sure there's enough of a market for people wanting a RFing seat.

penguingrrl · June 2009

Honestly, I don't know whether we'll be able to even make it to the current (new) AAP recommendation of 2 years. We planned on keeping DD RF until 2, except that she was in a Graco Comfortsport, which has a pretty low harness height for RF and she outgrew it by 14 months. Unfortunately, that was also the ONLY convertible seat we found that fit RF in our beetle and allowed me to still have a passenger (necessary since we're a 1-car family so DH has to be able to ride with us). While DH could have ridden in the backseat with her, now that we'll have 2 carseats that won't be an option (there are only 2 seats back there, not 3 like a sedan). And we are in no position to replace our car right now, especially since we only drive once a week on average. So while in theory it's great to recommend parents do everything in their power to keep chilldren safe, they need to consider real life feasibility when changing recomendations and laws.

JOEBunny · June 2009

I have the sunshine kids seat, which would work for my 3 year old rear facing, but ultimately, it does not fit rear facing in my car (small wagon) unless I am in the windshield (Passenger is already in the windshield with DS's infant seat. I kept DD rear facing until about 26 months in the roundabout. I plan to do the same with DS, but ultimately, the seats have to change. European cars are small. The car seats have to be small, so my question is where are they getting their rear facing seats?

goodheartedmommy · June 2009

Well, in sweden, where they RF to 4-6 years old, they sometimes put a RF child in the front seat with the airbag off. The seats I always see they have are britax ones, but they're different from the ones we have.

Sulla · June 2009

Actually, my friend who works for a kids' safety organization told me that the two years thing was just an article in the AAP newsletter, not an official change of policy.

Here's the email that went out explaining the difference:

A Parent Plus box in the April 2009 issue of AAP News appears to contain a revised AAP recommendation on how long babies and young children should ride rear-facing.
(https://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a.
However, Parent Plus boxes and AAP News articles do not constitute AAP policy.

To clarify: the AAP's recommendation has not changed at this time. The recommendation contained in the 2002 AAP policy statement
"Selecting and Using the Most Appropriate Car Safety Seats for Growing Children: Guidelines for Counseling Parents" still applies.

It states:
"Children should face the rear of the vehicle until they are at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 lb to decrease the risk of cervical spine injury in the event of a crash. Infants who weigh 20 lb before 1 year of age should ride rear facing in a convertible seat or infant seat approved for higher weights until at least 1 year of age. If a car safety seat accommodates children rear facing to higher weights, for optimal protection, the child should remain rear facing until reaching the maximum weight for the car safety seat, as long as the top of the head is below the top of the seat back."
https://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550

darlene'smommy · June 2009

EMT:

I have an SUV and I'm fairly certain we couldn't comfortably have two kids rear-facing. I would think only huge trucks/SUVs could accomodate this?

I have a cross over and have had 3 kids rear facing. 2 in the second row and an infant seat in the 3rd row. I have also had 3 rear facing in the second row. I have also had 2 car seats rear facing in my small ford car.

Want a personalized experience?

New RF/FF Carseat report

Re: New RF/FF Carseat report

Choose Another Board

Search Boards