[chambom]

Ok, I've done the research on rear facing and I am completely convinced. What I don't understand is why the car seat companies woudln't sell the higher weight seats here- they already produce them? It would be a great marketing tool.

I wonder if there is any way with a group of people to get a shipment of the higher weight car seats?

I work in the auto industry and would love to get involved in making a push for this.

 

[Meems]

It is my understanding that there isn't a strong enough market for higher weight carseats.... although there seems to be enough of us on here that WANT them!!!

Someone mentioned that Australia imports the Swedish seats... there has to be a way, I just don't know how!

 

[alysmommy2004]

I would buy one in a heartbeat!! DS is barely two and now weighs 33lbs. DH won't let me buy a seat to RF for another two lbs, especially this close to Xmas. But if it RF'd to 40-55lbs then I could justify it.

I also wonder what changes, if any, would have to be made to the Swedish seats to get them to pass testing and install easily in our cars.

Maybe we should petition Britax?

 

[azmomtoone]

I would love to have a swedish style rear facing seat.

In one of these threads somewhere somebody said they're supposed to start marketing seats that rf to 40 lbs; just waiting for the gov't to provide/approve a 40 lb test dummy. But if they're designed like the ones we have now I just don't see it being very practical; they're already pretty impractical rf w/ my DS who's probably a couple years from being 40 lbs.

I've heard of people getting them imported from sweden etc but they're technically illegal here since they haven't been tested to US standards.

:

 

[alysmommy2004]

Yes, they are technically illegal here. If I could afford one I would do it though. It's not like our car seat laws are protecting our children anyway.

 

[azmomtoone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alysmommy2004 I also wonder what changes, if any, would have to be made to the Swedish seats to get them to pass testing and install easily in our cars. Maybe we should petition Britax?

Sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Smalls181]

I have heard that Sunshine Kids is going to start testing to 40lbs? That would be wonderful news. I would petition both Britax and SSK.

 

[alysmommy2004]

I'm pretty sure Graco also makes seats in Sweden too. They seem to usually be lagging in the game though, while Britax is usually getting new things out sooner. I have also heard about SKJP testing to 40lbs, but I don't know any details of that yet.

 

[Meems]

Doesn't SK's release their data? It may be as easy as asking WHEN they anticipate testing to 40. That would be an improvement...

 

[JudiAU]

I would happily buy another car seat to continue rear-facing...

And then I would tell my friends again and again why!

 

[Cinder]

how old is the average kid when they hit 40lbs? My son is just about there, and will be 5 in march, I doubt my daughter will weight 40lbs before she is 7, maybe 8.

 

[alysmommy2004]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinder how old is the average kid when they hit 40lbs? My son is just about there, and will be 5 in march, I doubt my daughter will weight 40lbs before she is 7, maybe 8.

My DD will be five in February and she only weighs 37lbs. She's been at that weight for at least 6 mos. At the rate she grows she might be six by the time she weighs 40lbs. DS on the other hand just turned two and weighs 33lbs. I can see him hitting 40 before age 4.

 

[accountclosed2]

DD is in the Brio Zento. The company (Baby on the Move) that imports them here started doing this early this year. They rent out car seats and push chairs as well. The dealers (franchise or something?) in my area are WAHMs. DH picked it up from this woman's garage! She lets people borrow an infant seat for free if they buy this seat, as it can be used from birth, but isn't the best for a newborn. We used it from 4 months.

I am really pleased with it. Apart from attaching to the seat belt it also has straps that go around the seat/s in front, and it is very sturdy. It fits in almost all cars (they have a list). It isn't easy to move from car to car, which really is my only complaint with it.

 

[Justmee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinder how old is the average kid when they hit 40lbs? My son is just about there, and will be 5 in march, I doubt my daughter will weight 40lbs before she is 7, maybe 8.

My twins will be 4 in February. Nechama weighs about 35 lbs and she's always been on about the 10%. Rena only weighs 28 or so, but she's way under the chart and very thin.

RIvka was 3 in July and is also about 28 lbs. She's very short though. If I had room in my car all the kids would be RF (excpet Nechama, I am pretty sure she is over 33lbs). Unfortunatly, I can't all the seats in RF so the girls are FF. I don't plan on turning the baby any time soon though. I'm hoping to get him at least until 3 RF.

 

[Smalls181]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinder how old is the average kid when they hit 40lbs? My son is just about there, and will be 5 in march, I doubt my daughter will weight 40lbs before she is 7, maybe 8.

According to the growth charts, the average girl is 5, and the average boy is 4 years 9 months.

But the main thing you want to be looking at in terms of outgrowing a car seat is torso height, as most seats are outgrown by height before weight.

 

[DahliaRW]

Yup, even if SK changed theirs to 40lbs, my ds1 still would have outgrown it by height rfing by 35lbs.

 

[azmomtoone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DahliaRW Yup, even if SK changed theirs to 40lbs, my ds1 still would have outgrown it by height rfing by 35lbs.

Hence the need for a zento - style seat here..... raise the weight limit all you want with new tests on the same seats, they just don't work well for older kids RF.....

 

[thatblondegirl]

i have the Cosco Scenera and it RF up to 40lbs. my guy is only 20mths and 23.5 lbs, and not a tall dude at all, so i have lots of time with him rear facing! YAY!!!

 

[prescottchels]

I don't have kids yet and I would totally sign a petition to get Britax or who ever to market their euro seats here in the US.

 

[ambersrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thatblondegirl i have the Cosco Scenera and it RF up to 40lbs. my guy is only 20mths and 23.5 lbs, and not a tall dude at all, so i have lots of time with him rear facing! YAY!!!

I am pretty sure the RF limit on that seat is 35 lbs and the FF limit is 40 lbs...I could be wrong but I am pretty sure.