Rear-Facing Support, Questions & Answers

[mommyof3co]

Maybe I should preface with....this is not a debate, this is just me showing some pics of my kids and sharing my excitement...yes I'm crazy and get excited about new car seats lol. Feel free to ask me any questions though

I don't know really where this would qualify, seems to me like most parents I run into that do ERF (extended rear facing) are more "natural/AP" mamas so I thought I'd put it here

Yesterday I got an amazing deal on a new car seat!!!! I was sooooo excited to find it. It was a Radian XTSL that normally retails for $299.99, it was on sale for $134.99! Turns out it was a mistake but the store honored it though the manager was a total b**** about it! (Told the girl checking me out, right in front of me, "I want to know who tagged that seat, this is going to be someone's job" wow way to make me feel awful when it wasn't my mistake) But anyways I got the seat, yay! It was intended for Hayden to give him more leg room but it goes to 45lbs RF and so I tried Casen in it (36-37lbs) just to see and he fits and he ASKED to be "backwards" so I decided to do it I feel so much better with my new set up, and they all 3 love it. Just wanted to share some pics, older kids ARE comfy RF

First this is Hayden trying it out inside
https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs169.snc3/19647_245656821266_515016266_3389560_2351844_n.jpg

Casen in the house
https://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs189.snc3/19647_245656876266_515016266_3389565_1696655_n.jpg

Landon back in a harnessed seat, he has been in a booster but we put him into Casen's seat
https://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs169.snc3/19647_246060046266_515016266_3392146_5935715_n.jpg

My 2 RFers
https://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs189.snc3/19647_246060071266_515016266_3392149_2677034_n.jpg

One way to ride lol, Casen's legs make me laugh
https://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs169.snc3/19647_246060086266_515016266_3392151_7730114_n.jpg

This was Hayden in the seat we tried at the store, they let us make sure it fit in the car, he has lots more leg room in it
https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs189.snc3/19647_246052776266_515016266_3392115_8183198_n.jpg

Landon happy in this seat, says it's more comfy
https://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs189.snc3/19647_246052786266_515016266_3392117_7974348_n.jpg

My happy almost 28mo old
https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs169.snc3/19647_246052796266_515016266_3392119_6079796_n.jpg

Casen
https://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs189.snc3/19647_246052816266_515016266_3392121_5474945_n.jpg

https://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs189.snc3/19647_246052836266_515016266_3392123_751260_n.jpg

Just want to add they were in the car for 2hrs earlier straight, he said he was comfy the whole time, wants to stay riding that way.

 

[Bekkiboo]

Those pics are fab, they look really pleased with their new seats!! x

 

[cleckner04]

I'm not trying to start a debate with other ladies but I've always wanted to ask you what made you choose to do extended rear facing. I am starting to get curious about it just from seeing you talk on here. Was there some moment that made you realize that you wanted to do extended rear facing? I know you posted a site in another thread that explained about it but I never got the time to read through it. What kind of reaction do you tend to get from other people when it comes to this? I admit I'm nosy but I'm just so curious about it all.

 

[cleckner04]

Your sons are absolutely gorgeous BTW.

 

[ryder]

Very nice carseat! That is quite a deal. Your boys are always so cute, and hey as long as everyone's happy your free to do as you wish in regards to the carseats!

 

[Rmar]

Love the seats. They look both comfy and safe.

I have heard about the safety of rear facing seats up to a certain age but I have never found what age is recommended. I have heard someone say at least until the age of 5 but I have always wondered where you get rear facing seats that big.

 

[mommyof3co]

That's fine, I have no problem answering any questions just don't want other people to think I'm pushing it or anything, just really excited about it...especially the awesome deal I got on it

For me it was just looking at the facts...most importantly that kids from ages 1-2 are 500% safer rear facing. There are no actual stats for above 2 but if we look at Sweden's crashes and fatalities with kids it is much lower and it's shown how much safer they are rear facing...it's common in Sweden for kids to RF to 4-5yrs old. But it's also shown that kids spines and neck aren't strong enough to withstand a forward facing crash just because of how the bones are formed until age 3 or so...that's when the bones start to ossify. So even though there aren't more stats for over age 2 there are other things showing how it's safer based on how the bones are formed and all of that.

I didn't rear face Landon very long, actually he was a little before 1 because I thought it was 1yr or 20lbs...he was like 25lbs then when we switched. Thankfully nothing ever happened, they have never been in a wreck. Casen was 13mo when we switched. But just since finding out more and more I feel it's the safest. Getting in a car is dangerous, but obviously we have to do it, I just want to keep them as safe as I possibly can, so I take as many precautions as I can. Hayden has been RF his whole life minus about a month that the seats we had wouldn't work that way in our car...my goal is to get him to 3-4yrs old then I will let him choose like Casen.

I have a few videos that give alot of info and show crash tests if you would be interested in them too They aren't scare mongering just facts and showing bigger kids RF to see it is comfy. Casen has a huge vocab, he is quite amazing lol, he is more than capable of telling me if he's comfy or not and he loved riding in it RF today

 

[mommyof3co]

Love the seats. They look both comfy and safe.

I have heard about the safety of rear facing seats up to a certain age but I have never found what age is recommended. I have heard someone say at least until the age of 5 but I have always wondered where you get rear facing seats that big.

It depends on where you live, here in the US the law is 20lbs and 1yr, the recommendation is 2yrs or the limits of a convertible carseat which is 35-45lbs depending on the brand. I think where you are it's hard to find many that have high RF limits, I would just get what you can and keep them RF as long as you can. I'm not real familiar with seats there so I can't say which do have the highest limits I would just look around and see what you can do with what's available there

 

[mommyof3co]

Very nice carseat! That is quite a deal. Your boys are always so cute, and hey as long as everyone's happy your free to do as you wish in regards to the carseats!

Thanks hun

 

[cleckner04]

That's so interesting. I had honestly never heard anything about that with necks and spines not being formed well enough yet, etc. I'm so glad I'm on this site to learn things like this. I am for sure going to look more into extended rear facing. Emma is so tiny so I highly doubt she will be 20 pounds even at a year. My carseat goes up to 35 pounds that she is in right now. So I could potentially use it for quiet a while. Thanks so much for being such an advocate for this! I agree no one should ever judge you. I think your an awesome mommy from the posts I've seen you make, etc.

 

[mommyof3co]

Aww thanks Hayden's on the small side too, he's almost 28mo and just 25-26lbs depending on what he's wearing...that seat he's in in the pics, not the red one, goes to 35lbs RF too he would probably last until 5 at the rate he grows lol, but it doesn't offer too much leg room so now I have another option if he ever decides to grow and starts getting more squished in the one he's in now

 

[saraendepity]

i plan to keep Daisy RF until atleast 4 (ish) and i have jad nothing but opposition to it from family etc i keep getting the whole..she'll not thank you for that - ffs she wont know any different so how is she gonna complain about it?? and i was talking to my Older Brother who has a 2 yr old and i was telling him we needed to save up some penines so we can get her a new car seat and he said 'ah just get a FF one mine was only £xxxx and its fine' oh well ....any hoo rant over ...gorgeous pics as ever hunny

sara

xxxxxxx

 

[Babyshambelle]

Hey girls, I've been waiting for a thread like this for a while. Just looking for some advice about buying one of the rear facing seats in UK.

MO3, lovely pics, you should be so proud of your boys.

I've tried having a look, but I have no idea what I'm looking at and it's like a proper minefield out there!!

We don't drive, so I really want the safest option for her travelling as possible, because I don't really trust a lot of peoples (well one person inparticulars) driving very much, but when we need to get food shopping and go to the hospital etc etc sometimes I have to give in and travel in the car this person. So for that reason it has to be one you can attach with a seatbeltt and not a base type thingy.

I really don't care how much it costs, but it has to be safe and fixable with a seatbelt.

Any ideas would be very much apprechiated xxx

 

[kirsten1985]

Lovely pics, they look gorgeous as ever!

I have some questions, my seat says it is RF up to 28lbs ish, but suitable FF up to 40lbs, why can't I use it RF past 28lbs, is it because of leg room, or general weight when facing that way, I'm a bit confused as if it's suitable for a child of 40lbs I want to use it RF for that long.

Also, we just got a new car and for the past 2/3 weeks Freya has had to be FF in her new carseat as our stupid 3 door coupe had unsuitable back seats for it to be RF. When I get the car back from the garage today I am going to switch it to RF. But, do you think Freya will be bothered? I am worried she has got used to FF (she's not even the right weight yet at about 17lbs, but it was only temporary) and won't take kindly to staring at the back of the seat again! I guess I will just have to make it nicer for her somehow.

So, what do you do to keep them entertained on long journeys when they are RF? I too feel I have got used to being able to pass Freya things these last couple of weeks and it was very nice being able to see her so easily etc etc. I am going to RF her again though, as it is def safer.

 

[saraendepity]

Laura this is the only one i have found so far in the UK but seems really good to me and we will probs be getting it......https://www.bumpto3.com/safety/In_Car_Safety/izi_combi_rearward_facing_group_0_1

Kirsten, have you thought about using a babysafe mirror when she goes RF?

sara

xxxxxxx

 

[Rachel_C]

Thanks for posting this - your boys are so cute and look very happy in their seats!

I'd be grateful if you could please post any links you have to statistics about FF vs RF cos I think I'll have a battle on my hands when it comes to OH and convincing him to keep Leyla RF for as long as poss. If I get him something to read though, he's more likely to agree. Otherwise, I'd better start nagging NOW while Leyla is still tiny... I'll have a good few months of whining at him to get him to give in!!!

 

[saraendepity]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo&feature=player_embedded MO3 posted this a while back.....not the best but its all i could find while i have a wriggly baby in my arms LOL

 

[NattieLou]

Looks like you have a sweet set up there, and your boys look really happy and comfy in their seats. Congrats on the bargain!

 

[kirsten1985]

Laura this is the only one i have found so far in the UK but seems really good to me and we will probs be getting it......https://www.bumpto3.com/safety/In_Car_Safety/izi_combi_rearward_facing_group_0_1

Kirsten, have you thought about using a babysafe mirror when she goes RF?

sara

xxxxxxx

Because she was RF up until 3 weeks ago I had a rear view mirror stuck to the back window so I could see her face, it's in the old car though, so I will have to get a new one! (It was properly stuck on, couldn't get it off, lol).

 

[saraendepity]

POO! lol i have a lovely big (well mot massive but fairly big) mirror that i put infront of Daisy when she's in the car.i think it came from a card shop but i cant be sure as it was a gift.......