ERF help please ladies!

[leahtaba]

I have just recently passed my driving test and will have a car as of monday. My DD is 20 months old and quite little and diddy, but she only has a forward facing car seat since she outgrew the first one as she goes in a car very rarely and only with my dad who is a professional driver.

However, now that I will be driving and she will be in the car a lot more I think she should be rear facing because I would feel a lot more comfortable especially because I have only just passed my test!

I cant seem to find a reasonably priced ERF seat anywere though? Does anyone have a reccomendation please? We are pretty strapped for spare cash having another LO on the way!

Also if you feel like could you just explain to me why you choose to rear face (or don't even?) cause TBH i don't know anyone in real life who ERF's either which I find odd as I find it gets mentioned a lot on here!

 

[SarahBear]

Violet's car seat is rear facing and I plan to keep it that way as long as she is within the seat's limits. It's safer in the event of a head on collision. First of all, the positioning limits the whiplash. Secondly, because a young child's head is proportionally bigger than an older child or adult's head, the weight of their head and the development of their bones, muscles, and tendons makes whiplash more severe for a forward facing young child than it does an older child or adult. Violet has a convertible car seat. Have you looked at those?

 

[sbl]

Well basically statistics show that your toddler is less likely to be seriously injured should you have an road traffic collision.

I would say that as your late to ERF and your daughter has been used to FF she may not be quite so happy with it but give it a go.

 

[Seity]

Both my boys are tiny, so I didn't need an ERF because my older one fit in the infant seat just fine until he was 2. My 16 month old is still in the infant seat.

 

[leahtaba]

Well basically statistics show that your toddler is less likely to be seriously injured should you have an road traffic collision.

I would say that as your late to ERF and your daughter has been used to FF she may not be quite so happy with it but give it a go.

She hasnt been in a car enough to have gotten used to FF, she only outgrew her RF seat a couple of months ago and has only been on a handful of short journeys since so I don't think it would bother her

 

[sbl]

Well then definitely go for it.
My lo was only in FF seat a handful of times in mils car and we had major issues with her going back to her ERF seat. That's why I mentioned it

 

[Beckettshades]

I'd look at either the joie seat from kiddiecare (not sure if I've spelled that right) or the 2 way elite.

We have the 2 way elite, couldn't recommend it more. It's around £220 I think. (Used to be cheaper) it's got a very high shell- my Lo is 4 and a half and is still in it x

 

[SarahBear]

Violet has never enjoyed her car seat and resists it. She may enjoy forward facing better, but I don't think it's really about what the toddler wants.

 

[sbl]

I totally agree Sarahbear but for me having a toddler screaming her head off every car journey after being in a forward seat was quite trying.
That's why I said it may be difficult.

 

[SarahBear]

I totally agree Sarahbear but for me having a toddler screaming her head off every car journey after being in a forward seat was quite trying.
That's why I said it may be difficult.

Oh, I understand it might not be easy!

 

[bookreader]

My 22 month old is in an ERF simply because it is safer and we were fortunate enough in that we could afford to do this.

He has a BeSafe iZi kid x3, I think it cost around £200-£250.

 

[Vickie]

We had an Evenflo that was ERF up to 35 pounds and was quite reasonably priced. It was also easy to install and easy to adjust the straps on it. I'm not sure if they sell that brand there though.

Hannah ERF until she was 3.5 and we only switched her at that time because we moved her into a Radian and found that the back was to high to ERF. At the time we didn't realize that the Radian makes a $13 piece that allows you to adjust it better so that wouldn't be an issue but we didn't know. (probably way more info than you needed haha).

We did have to FF for two weeks while we visited family in TX (she was past the height guideline on the car seat for ERF and it wasn't worth buying an entirely new car seat for those two weeks) at the age of 2 and she went back to ERF when we came home without an issue . (which did surprise me as she's always been quite strong willed haha)

Rhys is 2 and ERF. And will be until at least 3 but likely longer. We ERF because of the statistics.

 

[Cocoa]

I only started driving recently too (but passed test 12yrs ago) I'm very nervous and inexperienced. I went for ERF due to the increased safety and just watching the FF vs ERF crash video on you tube terrified me! I wouldn't drive at all unless I had ERF, so although very expensive, for me the safety was more important than having no money for a month or so whilst saving up.

I have a 2006 fiesta and use the britax max way. It's a belted ERF as I don't have isofix. It was £260 after discount vouchers. We have the max fix (same seat but isofix) for hubbies car.
We kept our daughter (almost 3 now) in the maxi-cosi cabriofix until she out grew it (head level with back of seat) at 22 months (also remained in there partly because we had to save up for ERF seats!!)

Cons: I do find it a pia getting daughter in and out as she can't climb herself, also she can't see what we see so eye spy doesn't work! Her legs look a bit uncomfortable, and I can't reach round and comfort her if she's upset (when I'm passenger). But it's all a compromise for safety.