To Turn or Not To Turn...

[AngelaM]

Hi folks. My 2.5 year old is RF-ing in a Marathon, and is doing just fine. Her head is still more than an inch from the top, and I had no plans to turn her until she got too tall. That said, she's very big for her age- she's off the charts height wise, and well over 30 pounds.

My partner is having a pretty major surgery in a week which will prevent him from lifting or carrying DD (which is often what we need to do to get her into her carseat). He would like to turn her seat around, because he feels that she'll be more able (and perhaps more willing) to climb in and out of her carseat on her own if it's FF-ing.

He will not be able to lift or carry her for at least six weeks, possibly longer. Anyone faced a similar situation? What would you do?

[Erica09M]

My 2.5 year old can climb into her seat easier while it's RFing than if it were FFing (my older child is FFing and my younger tries to climb in her seat). Is the car seat installed on a bench seat or a captains chair? If on a bench style seat, just have the child climb in the unoccupied area of the bench and then sit in the seat. If in a captains chair, I don't know that it would be easy for the child to get into a FFing Marathon, because of how high it sits on the base. Either way, I suspect lifting will still be in order even if the seat is FFing.

You've kept your child rear facing for a long time, and that's great! Personally, I'm not comfortable with my 2.5 year old FFing yet. Will your partner be driving the vehicle with your child in it during the recovery time, without you? 

[TheGirls]

My DP gave birth to our twins when DD was 2.5 and as a consequence couldn't lift our DD for about 7-8 weeks (4 weeks in late pregnancy, 3-4 weeks post c-section).   DD is RF in a TrueFit in both the middle row (captain's chairs) and the 3rd rrow (bench) of our mini-van.  She was also RF in our sedan for some of that.  She climbed into her own seat and DP buckled her.  DD normally prefers to be put into her seat, but she pretty quickly learned that she had to do it herself with DP.  Plan a bit of extra  time the first couple of trips alone with hmm, but I  bet she can  do it.  Our DD is not terribly physically adept or independant for her age and it is easy for her.  FF seems harder, since she uses the seatback and the carseat as a handle on either side when she climbs in.

[surrogate]

I would teach her to climb in.  It is easier to get in rear facing that FF because there is support to lean on (the seat back)

I wouldnt feel comfortable FF at 2 if they still fit, no matter what

[Melanie_7773]

I don't think that FF will solve your problem.  It's not really going to make it any easier for your DD to get in on her own, and it almost certainly won't make her *want* to, at least not once the initial novelty wears off (so maybe a week).

That said, it's not a popular opinion here, but I don't think there's anything wrong with forward facing your 30 lb 2.5 year-old if you are comfortable with it.

[an_aurora]

I agree that it won't help to have her FF.  I just had shoulder surgery 2 weeks ago and with my arm in an immobilizing sling, I have 2 of my 3 kids RF'ing.  I carry out the baby and set him in his seat, but the 5 and 3 year olds are responsible for getting in their own seats and putting on their straps.  At that age they are huge on "I do it myself!" so it would probably make everyone a bit happier :)