when to switch RF to FF?

lemen99 · January 2011

I think the Britax Marathon says 35 lb, I'm assuming there is no height limit, but I need to read the manual. (Does anyone know?)

I feel bad because his legs are so scrunched against the back of the seat. It's getting super difficult for me to get him into the center seat as I'm getting more pregnant and he's getting heavier. I keep hitting his head on the roof of the car. Embarrassed I can't really move him to the side seats RFing because then we can't use our passenger seat.

I know the rec is 2 years old, which technically he is (although I feel better going to 2 adjusted since he's still catching up, which is April) and I will keep him RFing until then if at all possible, but I'm just curious what others had to say. We will be getting a bigger vehicle soon, so that should help a ton.

heatherchelle · January 2011

I plan on keeping Isabella RF as long as her seat allows (either 35 or 40 lbs, I need to double-check). Of course, it's easy for me to say that since it's working well for us at this point.

Can he climb into the seat himself, and then you just buckle him in? Like, you just lift (or help him climb in, depending on how far your car sits off the ground) and then he could climb into the seat on his own.

FinallyMrsBMW · January 2011

We have the Britax Roundabout 50 so that one can be kept RFing until 35 lbs, too. This is what I could find for the Roundabout and this is the chart for the Marathon (assuming that you got yours before they upgraded). If I'm reading it right, it sounds like you can keep him RFing until his seated height is 16 inches.

I haven't measured M's seated height at all since she's been in the convertibe. My original goal was to keep her RFing until at least 2, but I think I'm going to keep doing it since it is still working for us. She's in the middle seat in our little Cavalier and she usually puts her legs up on the seat or crosses them. She doen't seem to be too uncomfortable, but I have also hit her head on the roof of the car a few times. I can't imagine doing that pregnant! We are also looking at upgrading to a van soon, so when we do that, she can move to the outside seat. We'll see how that goes though.

lemen99 · January 2011

heatherchelle:
I plan on keeping Isabella RF as long as her seat allows (either 35 or 40 lbs, I need to double-check). Of course, it's easy for me to say that since it's working well for us at this point.
Can he climb into the seat himself, and then you just buckle him in? Like, you just lift (or help him climb in, depending on how far your car sits off the ground) and then he could climb into the seat on his own.

I don't think so, but I could try it and see what he does :-) ha. I may be making it too hard on myself, but I don't know if I can get him in that center seat by lifting him in much longer!!! My stomach muscles are getting displaced now. I can feel it when I try to sit up etc!

I did measure his seated to shoulder height and unless I'm forgetting I think it was only 12 1/2 inches, so I think he has a long ways to go height-wise (and weight-wise) before he can't be RFing!

I'm hoping to get the van sooner than later so that will def help.

amstep · January 2011

We turned J FF way early, for the same reasons, and for the benefit of the DVD player on long trips. You do what you have to do. All my aspirations about car seats and no TV and no fast food changed once the 2nd pregnancy kicked my butt!

lemen99 · January 2011

amstep:
We turned J FF way early, for the same reasons, and for the benefit of the DVD player on long trips. You do what you have to do. All my aspirations about car seats and no TV and no fast food changed once the 2nd pregnancy kicked my butt!

My back is starting to get a teeny bit sore, so that's the other thing.

I'm hoping to get the new van before I physically have issues! :-)

I'm going to try asking him to climb in and see what he does. Now I'm curious! sometimes I assume he can't do something and he totally surprises me. Like he suddenlydecided he could use a fork (an adult fork only...haha) and ate a whole waffle with a fork this morning. Indifferent

MommaMcG · January 2011

We will do it as long as the seat allows--which I think is at least 40 pounds for our seat. I know it looks bad when their legs are scrunched, but I've heard that kids adapt and it doesn't hurt them.

IndyPRGirl · January 2011

Ryan is 37lbs at 18 months old. We switched him right around Thanksgiving because he was too tall, seated. I would have loved to have kept him RF, but it just didn't work out. I will say that when we switched from the infant seat to the conv. seat, we moved him to the passenger-side outboard seat because he was getting to be too heavy. Yes, I realize my kid is a gigantor, but again, you do what you have to do.

I will say this however, through his PT, we are realizing that his neck and upper back muscles are WAY weak, so this worries me with him being FF.

lemen99 · January 2011

IndyPRGirl:
Ryan is 37lbs at 18 months old. We switched him right around Thanksgiving because he was too tall, seated. I would have loved to have kept him RF, but it just didn't work out. I will say that when we switched from the infant seat to the conv. seat, we moved him to the passenger-side outboard seat because he was getting to be too heavy. Yes, I realize my kid is a gigantor, but again, you do what you have to do.
I will say this however, through his PT, we are realizing that his neck and upper back muscles are WAY weak, so this worries me with him being FF.

How tall is he overall?

Is your max seated height 16"?

IndyPRGirl · January 2011

lemen99:
IndyPRGirl:
Ryan is 37lbs at 18 months old. We switched him right around Thanksgiving because he was too tall, seated. I would have loved to have kept him RF, but it just didn't work out. I will say that when we switched from the infant seat to the conv. seat, we moved him to the passenger-side outboard seat because he was getting to be too heavy. Yes, I realize my kid is a gigantor, but again, you do what you have to do.
I will say this however, through his PT, we are realizing that his neck and upper back muscles are WAY weak, so this worries me with him being FF.
How tall is he overall?
Is your max seated height 16"?

He's 37.5 inches tall.

I'll have to go back and look at the manual...

lemen99 · January 2011

oh! he's taller than I remembered!!

IU_baby · January 2011

Our seat limits are 35 lbs and whenever he is within an inch of the top of the seat while rear-facing. Even at 34.5 inches tall, he still has a way to go before he'll reach the 1" limit. We've always had him in an outboard seat because I can't imagine climbing to the middle to buckle him in. It sucks with the passenger seat leg room, but I think his safety is more important than my comfort.

Unless for some reason he gains 5 lbs in the next 3.5 months, we'll likely wait until he's 2 or after to move him FF. If we don't end up getting a new car before baby #2 arrives, Tyson will move FF behind the driver's seat and the new baby will be RF behind the passenger. Ryan cannot drive with the carseat RF behind him because he won't fit.

I'm hoping our new vehicle will give us all more room so he can stay RF as long as possible.

lemen99 · January 2011

IU_baby:
Our seat limits are 35 lbs and whenever he is within an inch of the top of the seat while rear-facing. Even at 34.5 inches tall, he still has a way to go before he'll reach the 1" limit. We've always had him in an outboard seat because I can't imagine climbing to the middle to buckle him in. It sucks with the passenger seat leg room, but I think his safety is more important than my comfort.

Unless for some reason he gains 5 lbs in the next 3.5 months, we'll likely wait until he's 2 or after to move him FF. If we don't end up getting a new car before baby #2 arrives, Tyson will move FF behind the driver's seat and the new baby will be RF behind the passenger. Ryan cannot drive with the carseat RF behind him because he won't fit.

I'm hoping our new vehicle will give us all more room so he can stay RF as long as possible.

My vibe has *so* little room when Andrew is behind the passenger seat, I'm actually afraid for the safety of the passenger - which would be me (especially when pregnant w/ the air bag that close) - - and Ryan literally can't fit

So for now we're forced to climb to the center seat

I need to start researching cars ASAP so we can make a purchase and avoid this mess!

uofibabe · January 2011

lemen99:
IU_baby:
Our seat limits are 35 lbs and whenever he is within an inch of the top of the seat while rear-facing. Even at 34.5 inches tall, he still has a way to go before he'll reach the 1" limit. We've always had him in an outboard seat because I can't imagine climbing to the middle to buckle him in. It sucks with the passenger seat leg room, but I think his safety is more important than my comfort.

Unless for some reason he gains 5 lbs in the next 3.5 months, we'll likely wait until he's 2 or after to move him FF. If we don't end up getting a new car before baby #2 arrives, Tyson will move FF behind the driver's seat and the new baby will be RF behind the passenger. Ryan cannot drive with the carseat RF behind him because he won't fit.

I'm hoping our new vehicle will give us all more room so he can stay RF as long as possible.
My vibe has *so* little room when Andrew is behind the passenger seat, I'm actually afraid for the safety of the passenger - which would be me (especially when pregnant w/ the air bag that close) - - and Ryan literally can't fit
So for now we're forced to climb to the center seat
I need to start researching cars ASAP so we can make a purchase and avoid this mess!

This is exactly why we will for sure need a larger vechile before baby number 2. With my cobalt (granted it's 4 doors - thank goodness) Clark's seat has to be in the middle and even then driver and passenger cant move their seats as far back as they could actually go! crazy ...

Val&B0604 · January 2011

lemen99:
IU_baby:
Our seat limits are 35 lbs and whenever he is within an inch of the top of the seat while rear-facing. Even at 34.5 inches tall, he still has a way to go before he'll reach the 1" limit. We've always had him in an outboard seat because I can't imagine climbing to the middle to buckle him in. It sucks with the passenger seat leg room, but I think his safety is more important than my comfort.
Unless for some reason he gains 5 lbs in the next 3.5 months, we'll likely wait until he's 2 or after to move him FF. If we don't end up getting a new car before baby #2 arrives, Tyson will move FF behind the driver's seat and the new baby will be RF behind the passenger. Ryan cannot drive with the carseat RF behind him because he won't fit.
I'm hoping our new vehicle will give us all more room so he can stay RF as long as possible.
My vibe has *so* little room when Andrew is behind the passenger seat, I'm actually afraid for the safety of the passenger - which would be me (especially when pregnant w/ the air bag that close) - - and Ryan literally can't fit
So for now we're forced to climb to the center seat
I need to start researching cars ASAP so we can make a purchase and avoid this mess!

Between this and L's constant screaming being a huge distraction we turned her at 15 months. We we're trying for longer, but it just couldn't happen.

Good luck with the choice and car shopping!

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