[JenMacSanDiego]

He is in the Graco MyRide 65 which rearfacing up to 40lbs. He's not quite at 40lbs yet (at 28 months old), but he is tall. He's so tall that it's hard to get him into the car without his head hitting the door frame. As I'm putting him in, he tends to straighten out his whole body and pushes his feet against the door frame so his head hits the other part of the door frame. Even when he doesn't do that (which is rare) his head tends to hit (but not too hard) because he's so long. His head is still about 2 to 3 inches below the shell of the seat, so I guess he can stay facing backwards. But it's irritating because it's so hard to get him in the car without his head hitting the door frame. He's just too tall, but I'm afraid to turn his seat forwards. Even when he's over 40 pounds, I'm still going to be nervous having him ride in a forward facing seat. Anyhow, do you think I should keep him rearfacing until he's over 40 pounds? Thanks.

 

[butterfly_mommy]

My DS is 27 mons old and RF in a Radian XT and he climbs into his own seat. I know what you mean about hitting his head on the frame. When I have to put him in I kinda put him in head first if that makes sense. Mostly he climbs in by himself as he is 38 lbs naked.

 

[TiredX2]

I would also suggest letting him climb in the seat himself. My kids were pretty competent at it fairly early in their second year. If the seat is the in middle there is plenty of room for them to climb up on the seat, if it's on the side you might want to put him in on the *other* side and let him crawl/walk across the seat.<br><br>
Good luck!

 

[JenMacSanDiego]

Thanks ladies. Sometimes he climbs into the carseat, but other times he acts too lazy to do it or whatever. He's just tall, and even if I put him in head first he still tends to straighten his body (and arch his back) before I get him in there, and he ends up hitting his head. Most of the time it doesn't seem like it hurts him when he hits his head (which is good), but I still cringe whenever it happens.

 

[~Amy~]

Honestly, if my 2 year old was deliberately resisting being put in his seat by straightening/arching, etc., I wouldn't feel terribly guilty about his head hitting the door frame. He's old enough to start to understand cause & effect...obey mommy & climb into my seat or I hit my head...he'll get it soon, I'd think. I wouldn't turn him just because of this. I also will say that I have no issue with a 40lb 2.5 yo FFing, so I would turn him when he reaches the limits on his current seat. I wouldn't go purchase a Radian for 5 extra lbs at that age & size.

 

[sapphire_chan]

You can also get in with him and THEN put him into the seat. Works a lot better and avoids having a kid who is mad about the car seat AND in pain.<br><br>
I've caught dd's head on the door frame before and it isn't just her fighting that makes it happen, it's just a really awkward angle for a longer toddler.<br><br>
Funnily enough, I've done everything in this thread today. I bonked her head, then I had her climb up herself, then I got in the other side (our carseat is on one side) with her to help her in from the inside, and I put her in head first.

 

[JenMacSanDiego]

Oh I'm not going to turn him yet, no way. In fact, even when he goes above 40 pounds, I'm going to be scared to turn him forward facing. When I was putting him in the car today, I accidentally made his head hit my forehead, lol. It didn't appear to bother him, but it hurt me. He has a hard head, lol.

 

[sapphire_chan]

Stay within the limits of your seat. If he is more than 40lbs, you'll have to get a new seat (none currently authorized in the US go over 40lbs RF afaik), or turn him.<br><br>
How close to 40lbs is he? Kids often slow down in weight a lot as they approach 3 years.

 

[chickabiddy]

Sunshine Kids' Radian80SL and RadianXTSL have 45# RFing limits.

 

[sapphire_chan]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>chickabiddy</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15417271"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Sunshine Kids' Radian80SL and RadianXTSL have 45# RFing limits.</div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> Excellent. How are they height wise? Are they newly available or have I been missing seeing them mentioned for a long time?

 

[chickabiddy]

They have good tall shells and decent harness height for FFing, and they fit average full-term newborns, but they can be a rather quirky install RFing.<br><br>
Radians have been around a while, but the SL versions with the 45# limits came out late last year.

 

[Laur318]

very helpful thread.<br>
i have a super long DS, 13mos RFing ina a 2005 jetta. he conks his head all the time while resisting the carseat.

 

[JenMacSanDiego]

UPDATE: My mom just purchased a Radian XTSL for my son, and he rode in it for the first time today. It's wonderful because it rearfaces to 45 pounds. He seemed to like it. The only drawback is that I had to move the front passenger seat of my car (I have a 2007 Toyota Camry LE) up even further so the carseat shell does not touch it. Luckily it's rare that anyone rides in that seat anyway, so I guess it's not a big deal. My son is not near 45 pounds yet, but he is tall. He's long and skinny. Now my old carseat (the Graco MyRide 65) is installed in my mom's car, because she takes him on outings fairly often.