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Hawaii Babies
MrsNJSwimmer
member
forward facing car seats
MrsNJSwimmer
member
I feel like I got pretty flamed on my local board (maybe I'm just over sensitive today, who knows) for this.
We have a 5+ hour trip (without stops) to make next month for my brother's wedding. MH thinks turning the carseat front facing (he's been rear facing) for the trip (and likely just keeping it that way) will help LO make the trip better and keep us sane in the process. I worry about safety, but he is over the 20 lbs and one year limit. I would love to keep him RF until he's 2 though, but I realize this trip is going to be crazy.
thoughts?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: forward facing car seats
How much over 20lbs is he? If he's like 20.5 or 21, I'd might lean towards no but that's just me. Also, that's just my current thoughts/feelings on it so who know what I will feel about it later? (originally, MH and I were gonna turn him FF right when he hit 1yr or 20lbs because the police dept told us we could when we went in to get our car seat installed and we didn't know that it's recommended to try leave him RF for longer).
Re: sanity, would it help if you sat in the back with him sometimes? We took a 12hr road trip (well, it was supposed to be 9, but with all the stops to nurse/change diapers/eat/etc it got extended) when LO was 2 months old but I know it's different since they sleep more when they're younger...but since it was still so long of a trip, LO fussed several times and it would help if I sat in the back seat and kept him company. Even for us now when he fusses on shorter car trips, he still *loves* it when I sit in the back and play with him. Not sure how feasible that is for you guys or if you guys already tried it but it still doesn't work...but just a possible suggestion if you guys wanted to help with the sanity while RF? But if nothing works with him RF, then maybe FF is the way to go?
Anyway, hope you guys figure out something that works for you guys! GL!
He's 23 lbs (22lbs 14oz at the last appt which was over a month ago), but I swear he weighs 50lbs somedays
We have a small car and MH doesn't drive, so he has to be the one sitting in the backseat with him, which is uncomfortable b/c he's so tall and b/c of the width left between the side of the car seat and the door. He did this on the way back from the last 3 hour trip he took and we swore we weren't going to take him anywhere again until he was 9 years old. MH had a horrible migraine from being back there and it just didn't help all that much, to be honest.
Understand. He's good for about 2 hours (less if we're in traffic). Then he's DONE. Even letting him get out and walk around for awhile, he wants nothing to do with getting back in that seat. So, MH is thinking it might be better for him if he's FF, since he'll have more to look at, and MH can possibly rig up the portable DVD player to keep him entertained after those first 2 hours.
We're thinking about leaving the night before to break up the trip some, but DS doesn't do well driving in the dark much at all. <sigh> what have I raised???
I'm not at that stage yet, but this makes sense to me.
I will say this, though.....this post makes me realize what a big boy I'm raising, as I read about all of you with 20-25 babies who are already 18 months. Henry's already 22 pounds at just under 8 months! Yikes!
I love Hawaii!
Tara & Ian . 4/24/2008 . The Kahala Planning . Married
I am no help b/c my girl is only 6 months so moving things around isn't an option. I hope to keep her RF for as long as possible, but we'll see how that goes.
this really made me giggle & I completely know what you mean. 5 minutes of crying seems like 5 hours especially in the car. yowza! I though my girl was a little chunk...18lbs at 6 months, but Henry's definitely got her beat!I think it is fine. We just turned Ashton around and he could not be happier..it makes car rides (which are not long in Hawaii) so much better! We waited until he was 18 months and/or 25lbs. He is now 25lbs and 19 months so I felt more comfortable turning him around, plus his legs were really tight and I knew he was uncomfortable.
You guys make me jealous! I'm trying to fatten LO up. He's only 17.5lbs at 10mos =/
Ahhh, yeah, the reason why we originally wanted to switch immediately at 1yr/20lbs is because MH is also very tall so he can't even drive with the convertible seat in our SUV since he always has to have his seat ALL the way back and the seat is in the way. We even tried the Radian XSTL but no go (narrow seat, yes, but too tall). So I feel your pain. Yeah, and if also being back there doesn't even help, I wouldn't bother. I think the DVD idea would be great though. And I agree with MrsZiz that creating a safe environment/non-distracting situation for driving is very, if not more, important. Preventing an accident with careful/un-distracted driving is better defense and much safer than anything related to your car seat. The car seat is just secondary defense IMO.
*zips up flame-proof suit*
In Australia you only have to wait until they're 6 months old to go forward facing. So my kids have been forward facing for about 4 months.
I guess I'm surprised that it's different in the States because in general, Aussies are pretty safety conscious when it comes to their kids - for example, cribs have much stronger safety requirements here, and from what I understand, car seats undergo more rigorous testing and have stricter standards as well, which is why it's illegal to use one that was purchased overseas.
Interesting.
ETA: Total side note, but I never realized until now how chubby my kids are until I read the ages/weights in this post LOL! They hit 20lbs several months ago and are both over 23 pounds (at 10.5 months) now.
Since DH is in the backseat with him can he play/sing/distract him at all? Personally, I'd try to do RF, especially since he's WAY under 40 lbs. and go with rigging the DVD, etc. Also, before you depart that day perhaps you can get him outside and play, etc. so he's spent some energy before having to be in the car so long? Or plan a break half way through and do the same...let him run and play for 30 minute or so...he might not fight you to be back in the seat after that...especially if a movie is on the DVD that he really likes. They also sell mirrors meant for the carseat and we have one for Libby...she likes it and it allows her to have more to "see."
No worries Leah...I am in the same camp as you! Libby was about Henry's size at that age...she slowed down considerably from 9-13 months though...she's been in size 18-24 months since she was 7 months old...and is just 25 lbs now. Once Henry is crawling, cruising and walking his weight gain will slow down...I never thought I'd see the day that Libby would be less roly poly, but she's slimmed down a lot.TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
Interesting! I wonder what the rate of injury/death is with the rule that Australia has? The only stat I could easily find was that 165 children aged 0-4 died in transport accidents between 1999-2003. It looks like that includes all transport deaths (planes, buses, trains, etc.) although I'm assuming cars would be the biggest percentage. Not sure how that compares to the USA?
I wonder if that unbuckling rule is the same here too - I could easily unbuckle ours with one hand and in one click (no chest clips) and all the others I've seen have been the same.
MH can't really sit back there with him b/c of the space left next to the carseat - we have a chevy cobalt, so it's small, and MH isn't a small guy. We also can't hook the DVD player up anywhere that he can see it and not touch it while he RF. He has a mirror which I can see him in, but I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about?
I think in general you want to keep him RF for as long as possible but for a 9 hr road trip I think you just need to do what you have to do. like others said, if he is screaming and causing distractions that is much more dangerous b/c your odds of a collision are much higher..... vs if he is FF and happy then really what are the odds you'll even have to worry about whether he is RF or FF in the seat?
you know you don't have to worry about getting flamed on this board!
but, I think you should check out this link which explains why you should keep them RFing for as long as possible
I think it's really interesting that you can unbuckled the boys with one hand and in one click though! I haven't seen any seats in the US like that before and never knew they existed until reading this post!
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Funny you posted that, because I was googling last night and read that page! You know what though - I think part of the reason you're allowed to switch to FF earlier here is because car seats have a different design and keeping them RF much longer would be tough unless you have a small baby. I'll try to find images to explain what I mean...
OK, here's what a RF car seat in the States looks like:
And here's one in Australia (this is the same brand we have, although a different model):
Do you see how it's attached with the seatbelts along the top? Even by 6 months (and we switched closer to 7 months), it was getting EXTREMELY difficult to maneuver the boys through the straps and into the chair. I honestly don't know how I'd stuff them through at their current size.
Oh, you can also see the locking mechanism in that photo - three points, one button to click in the middle, very easy to do one handed (in fact, now that I think about it, I usually do only use one hand!).
To OP - I guess it's a question only you can answer. I personally wouldn't do it, but J is super easy going and always sleeps in the car. That said - MIL insisted on sitting in the back w/ him for a 2 hr. trip and that only seemed to insight him. Usually he settles in and sleeps with some jazz or toddler tunes, but not when he's stimulated by having someone back there w/ him.
Our Combi is a lot like this. To get a proper install in the middle you have to have the shoulder strap fed through the back. It IS difficult to get a baby through that. Ours is on the passenger side, which is the side I always put him in b/c it's curbside. Jack is pretty good about crawling through the strap now though.
Also, our seat could be done one handed if it were not for the chest buckle, both sides puzzle piece together and the release is really convenient.