I finally did it... my 2.5 year old is now rear-facing in the car seat again!

[AmandasMom]

Several months ago someone posted here about why should keep your little ones rear facing as long as possible, and how in other countries (Sweden I think they used as an example) that by law they must be rear facing to age 4 I think it was. I have been rolling this over in my mind every day, thinking about this, and growing ever more paranoid everytime we went somewhere in the car.

So today I took a look at her old car seat, and it said that it can be rear facing until 35lbs. DD is only 25 lbs. So out went the new car seat, and back into the car the old one went. I put DD in it and drove around wondering if she would object to riding backwards, and she didn't, all she kept saying was "weeee!". That did it for me.

I remember when she turned 1 we couldn't wait to get her front facing, never giving a second thought to keeping her facing rear. So thank you whoever wrote that thread about why you should keep your kiddos rear facing, hopefully we will never get into an accident, but if it does happen, I feel tons better knowing that she is the most protected she can be by facing backwards.

Thank you!!!

[Stayathomemommy]

thats awesome! i never thought of going back but why not when you know its safest. i am going to try it out with my 2 year old.

[rwikene]

I really wanted to change mine around (rear facing again) but with the way the carseat is, and the way my small 2-door car is it just isn't possible. But, when I get a larger car, I will definatly do that!!!

I just can't get a tight enough fit in my car with a rearfacing carseat.....the back seat isn't very deep...

[Mirzam]

Good for you!

I also turned my DS back RF at 2 years 7 months without any complaints on his part! Toby will be three next month and is still RF and will be until he outgrows his car seat that way. At 27lbs I am hoping he will be RF well into his fourth year.

Deborah

[NaturalMamma]

I think this is just great! And what a hoot that your DD enjoys it and says "Weeee!" We kept our DD rear facing as long as we could...her feet were hitting the back seat. I'm wondering how you did it b/c I would imagine there are limitations b/c of the seat length and the space needed for a toddler's legs to stretch out. I'd love to consider doing this for my DD, although I'm not sure she would be happy about not seeing forward. She's high needs and became a happier person the day she could see us driving forward...I think it's a control thing. Who knows, she could surprise me. Tell me how you did it and what kind of seat you have.

Cindi

[Mirzam]

Originally posted by NaturalMamma
We kept our DD rear facing as long as we could...her feet were hitting the back seat. I'm wondering how you did it b/c I would imagine there are limitations b/c of the seat length and the space needed for a toddler's legs to stretch out. I'd love to consider doing this for my DD, although I'm not sure she would be happy about not seeing forward. She's high needs and became a happier person the day she could see us driving forward...I think it's a control thing. Who knows, she could surprise me. Tell me how you did it and what kind of seat you have.

Cindi

I am not sure you addressed your questions to me, but I can answer them from my perspective. I have my DS, 35 months, 27 lbs and 39 inches tall (all legs though) in a Britax Marathon. The Marathon is a new convertible seat similar to the Roundabout but bigger. Like the Roundabout, it has a RF limit of 33 lbs but it is taller so will accommodate a child RF longer -- a CS is outgrown RF when the child reaches the weight limit or his/her head is within one inch of the top of the seat. My DS still has a good three inches of seat left before he outgrows the Marathon RF heightwise. As I mentioned, my DS is all legs and his feet to hit the back of the seat, but this is not a problem or a safety issue. Firstly, babies and toddlers are much more flexible than adults and don't find sitting this way a discomfort, my DS tends to cross his legs tailor-style or prop them up against the back seat. A broken leg is much, much easier to fix than a broken spine. However, not one case of a broken leg has been documented as a result of a child being in a crash RF.

I actually turned DS FF at 14 months because I couldn't take his screaming anymore, as an infant he hated his riding in the car and would cry from the minute we started our journey to when he was taken out of his seat. I was really nervous about turning him back to RF because of this, but he was just fine and hasn't complained once.

Here's a great link on the benefits of extended RF: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/extendedrf.aspx

And here is a picture of my DS Toby in his Britax Marathon, scroll down to the bottom of the page: http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/ExtendedRFAlbum.aspx

If your DD still fits her car seat RF, why not give it a try. You can always change it back again.

Deborah

[AmandasMom]

I have a Forerunner (rear facing till 35lbs), its rated right below the Britax, but I can't afford a Britax so went with the Forerunner. My other car seat had a "shield", but after researching rear facing again, all the info stated how dangerous "shields" are, so I went out and bought a new car seat. Her legs are crossed when she rides. Everything I have read has stated repeatedly that there is no danger to riding with legs crossed.