How long to leave baby in rear-facing carseat?

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/13/2010 11:17:56 AM
Author: mrssalvo
well, I''m the crazy mom who switched all my kids around when they turned one. All met the height and weight requirements and I do know there is a push to change the law to require them to rear face until 2, which I would have followed.

MC-both my older kids are in boosters too. It''s actually law in my state they have to be in a booster until they are 8 years old AND 80 lbs. my oldest is almost 8 but only 50 lbs. If she takes after me, she won''t be out of the booster until the 8th grade which is when i finally hit the 80 lb mark

. I do agree that the height is more of a concern and don''t want the seatbelt across the neck so my kids will stay in the boosters and riding in the back seat until they are a lot taller.

My son isn''t anywhere near 80 lbs yet. . .I wasn''t paying too close attention when the nurse last weighed him, but I''m almost positive he''s less than 65 lbs! He''s of average height.

The alternative to a booster is putting towels or blankets under him to lift him up a bit. There is enough room in the back seat for three kids and when my kids have a friend who rides with us, I put a blanket under the two of them to raise them up and it works as well.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:17:10 PM
Author: MonkeyPie
Once they graduate to booster seats, can''t you get one of those attachments for the seatbelt so it doesn''t cut across their neck? I would have been SO pissed at my mom if she made me use a booster seat until I reached the requirements - I am short, I was slight as a child, and I would have ended up stuck in that booster until I was about 15 years old, which is ridiculously embarrassing for a teenager!

Oh well. . .he''s only 9 (and average build - growing at normal rate) and will have to deal with sitting in a booster until he''s tall enough. I don''t care if he''s embarrassed for the time being. Life''s tough, isn''t it?

I found this on a booster website: "Seat belts are engineered to fit an adult male 5’10” weighing 165 lbs." Keep that in mind. Seat belts aren''t even made for kids. I''ve read that shorter women are even at risk for more severe injuries since seat belts are designed for taller people.

For WA state (my location) the law is the child has to be in a booster until age 8 and/or 4'' 9" tall. I''ll have to measure my son when he gets home.

I''m certain that the majority of both kids'' 8 or younger friends don''t fit the criteria. I worry that if one of the smaller kids is riding with me (with the parenting giving permission that they don''t need to have a booster) and is injured, I''ll be at fault. That is a reason to keep a blanket or two to lift them up.

Here''s some booster seat fact info:

http://www.wtsc.wa.gov/pie/factsheets/booster.php

Notice it says that most children aren''t kept in a booster long enough! For ages 4-8:

90% of kids ages 4 to 8 who were seriously injured were not in a booster seat. Injury percentages: (CHOP)

• 73% were to the face and head (serious brain injuries, concussions, facial cuts)
• 14% were to extremities (broken arms, legs)
• 5% were abdominal (ruptured spleen, liver, intestines
  Even though that data applies to 8 and younger I don''t care if my son is too old for a booster! I''m such a mean mom, huh? What will I do next? Enroll him in fourth grade?

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/13/2010 11:17:56 AM
Author: mrssalvo
well, I''m the crazy mom who switched all my kids around when they turned one. All met the height and weight requirements and I do know there is a push to change the law to require them to rear face until 2, which I would have followed.

MC-both my older kids are in boosters too. It''s actually law in my state they have to be in a booster until they are 8 years old AND 80 lbs. my oldest is almost 8 but only 50 lbs. If she takes after me, she won''t be out of the booster until the 8th grade which is when i finally hit the 80 lb mark

. I do agree that the height is more of a concern and don''t want the seatbelt across the neck so my kids will stay in the boosters and riding in the back seat until they are a lot taller.

mrss, I want to clarify that I don''t think it''s "crazy". Every mother makes decisions she feels is right for her child. I don''t think someone is a bad mother for turning around her kid before age 2, or even at one, especially with the confusing guidelines out there.

What I do feel, as I said, is that I don''t UNDERSTAND it. As in, I don''t get the logic if one knows it is much safer if the child is rearfacing vs front facing. Part of my not understanding it comes from ignorance in that I do not have a child that I can''t wrestle into the carseat. I don''t have a screamer that cries for an entire car ride, so I really *can''t* understand what that is like. In my mind, I think I can manage it, but I have steelier nerves than most people I know. Amelia has been fussy in the car before, but that was for about half hour at most. I''m figuring pretty much any mom can handle that. I can''t imagine what some of the other PS moms have experienced when they have kids that cry for hours in the carseat on long rides.

I''m probably too pragmatic. Accidents happen in a blink of an eye. So many moms are so concerned (and some just plain fanatic) about feeding their kids organic foods, having them sleep on organic sheets, and spending extra money on special baby washing powder. Yet a child front facing in a bad collision is so much more catastrophic than what could happen if their kids sleep on regular, under 200 thread count sheets. I''m just speaking on what I''ve seen in my own social circle. I don''t push the issue with them or ask them to explain it to me, because that''s rude and unnecessary. So I still sit here, still really not understanding the mentality. If anyone wants to help me see the logic, I''m all ears.

 

[E B]

We'll also be rear-facing until the limits of the seat or until my son is too tall. He's a tall kid as it is, so we'll see how long it's comfortable for him.

 

[snlee]

Thanks again to TGal for posting that youtube video. After watching that, it absolutely convinced me to keep my child rear facing for a long as possible. We plan on rear facing until the limit of the car seat, which is 35 pounds. So far my almost 16 month son doesn''t mind it at all, especially when most of the time I''m sitting back there with him so he''s facing me.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:36:04 PM
Author: TravelingGal
mrss, I want to clarify that I don't think it's 'crazy'. Every mother makes decisions she feels is right for her child. I don't think someone is a bad mother for turning around her kid before age 2, or even at one, especially with the confusing guidelines out there.
What I do feel, as I said, is that I don't UNDERSTAND it. As in, I don't get the logic if one knows it is much safer if the child is rearfacing vs front facing. Part of my not understanding it comes from ignorance in that I do not have a child that I can't wrestle into the carseat. I don't have a screamer that cries for an entire car ride, so I really *can't* understand what that is like. In my mind, I think I can manage it, but I have steelier nerves than most people I know. Amelia has been fussy in the car before, but that was for about half hour at most. I'm figuring pretty much any mom can handle that. I can't imagine what some of the other PS moms have experienced when they have kids that cry for hours in the carseat on long rides.

Turning the seat around isn't necessarily a cure to a screaming child. Once my son threw a huge fit and it took about 20 minutes to convince him to sit down. He's also screamed while forward facing. When rear facing, at least the sound wasn't aimed in my direction. God, they still sometimes throw fights (eta - I mean fits) When does it end?

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:50:18 PM
Author: MC

Date: 1/13/2010 12:36:04 PM
Author: TravelingGal
mrss, I want to clarify that I don''t think it''s ''crazy''. Every mother makes decisions she feels is right for her child. I don''t think someone is a bad mother for turning around her kid before age 2, or even at one, especially with the confusing guidelines out there.
What I do feel, as I said, is that I don''t UNDERSTAND it. As in, I don''t get the logic if one knows it is much safer if the child is rearfacing vs front facing. Part of my not understanding it comes from ignorance in that I do not have a child that I can''t wrestle into the carseat. I don''t have a screamer that cries for an entire car ride, so I really *can''t* understand what that is like. In my mind, I think I can manage it, but I have steelier nerves than most people I know. Amelia has been fussy in the car before, but that was for about half hour at most. I''m figuring pretty much any mom can handle that. I can''t imagine what some of the other PS moms have experienced when they have kids that cry for hours in the carseat on long rides.

Turning the seat around isn''t necessarily a cure to a screaming child. Once my son threw a huge fit and it took about 20 minutes to convince him to sit down. He''s also screamed while forward facing. When rear facing, at least the sound wasn''t aimed in my direction. God, they still sometimes throw fights. When does it end?

LOL....

 

[qtiekiki]

I wanted to keep DD rear-facing for as long as possible, but she kept putting her feet on the back of the seat and pushing against the carseat (like she is using a leg press at the gym). It kind of causes the carseat to rock. It probably not actually rocking, but it just seems like it. So we turned her around at 16 months. Don''t know if it''s a good reason to turn it around, but it just didn''t look safe when she does it.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/13/2010 1:26:56 PM
Author: qtiekiki
I wanted to keep DD rear-facing for as long as possible, but she kept putting her feet on the back of the seat and pushing against the carseat (like she is using a leg press at the gym). It kind of causes the carseat to rock. It probably not actually rocking, but it just seems like it. So we turned her around at 16 months. Don't know if it's a good reason to turn it around, but it just didn't look safe when she does it.

I'm not sure about the rocking (I cannot recall if my kids did that.). Have you checked with the fire department to see if the seat is properly installed. Maybe the seatbelt needs to be tightened down.

A silly side note: Just wait until your DD's legs grow longer and she starts kicking the back of YOUR seat! In attempt to get my son to stop that, one day I taped a sign to the back of my seat that said, "feet," to see what would happen. It did work, however, my husband thought I was weird for doing that so I took it down out just in case everyone else thought it was odd. My son still kicks my seat.

 

[qtiekiki]

MC
We had it checked when we first installed it. The base of the carseat doesn''t move/rock. Just the top, if that makes sense. It''s definitely not loose and moving around.

 

[steph72276]

35 pounds, Holy cow! Andrew is 5 years old and is about 38 pounds, so he would still be rear facing at 5 when I drop him off in the preschool car line...haha, that would be pretty funny. I will try to go to the 2 year mark with the new baby though.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/13/2010 1:36:26 PM
Author: MC

Date: 1/13/2010 1:26:56 PM
Author: qtiekiki
I wanted to keep DD rear-facing for as long as possible, but she kept putting her feet on the back of the seat and pushing against the carseat (like she is using a leg press at the gym). It kind of causes the carseat to rock. It probably not actually rocking, but it just seems like it. So we turned her around at 16 months. Don''t know if it''s a good reason to turn it around, but it just didn''t look safe when she does it.

I''m not sure about the rocking (I cannot recall if my kids did that.). Have you checked with the fire department to see if the seat is properly installed. Maybe the seatbelt needs to be tightened down.

A silly side note: Just wait until your DD''s legs grow longer and she starts kicking the back of YOUR seat! In attempt to get my son to stop that, one day I taped a sign to the back of my seat that said, ''feet,'' to see what would happen. It did work, however, my husband thought I was weird for doing that so I took it down out just in case everyone else thought it was odd. My son still kicks my seat.

If the carseat is properly installed (meaning it doesn''t move more than an inch in any direction when pushed and pulled), then the rocking is totally normal. In fact, the car seat SHOULD rock as this is how it will absorb impact in an accident. Watch the video I posted and you''ll see what I mean.

This is why when you have your carseat rearfacing, it should not be touching the passenger seat in front. It should be able to completely clear it rocking back and forth. If it is jammed in the carseat in front, the baby goes flying and the carseat doesn''t. That expensive Britax isn''t going to help anyone then.

Little details like that is why everyone should get their seat checked and certified. I couldn''t believe that 90% of carseats are installed incorrectly, but I think that stat is true. When I went to get ours checked (Adventureplex here in the South Bay has carseat check days for those in the socal area), I watched for awhile because ours was installed correctly and my friend''s was a disaster, so I waited for her. Nearly everyone that came through had to get their seats adjusted. For things that you wouldn''t even think about, like the carseats were leaning up against chair headrests pitching the chair forward to an unsafe angle (this is for front facing). I mean, who knew?

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:31:47 PM
Author: MC

Even though that data applies to 8 and younger I don''t care if my son is too old for a booster! I''m such a mean mom, huh? What will I do next? Enroll him in fourth grade?

[/list]

You mean, mean mama, you.

I don''t know what I will do if my kid ends up being tiny like me (I doubt he will be, daddy is pretty big and tall!), I think it will depend on the type of car we have and how he tolerates it. I''m really hoping I don''t end up with a screamer! But he will be rear-facing as long as I can possibly do it. The booster thing will just have to be decided when it happens.

 

[qtiekiki]

Thanks for clarifying Tgal. We can''t fit the blvd behind the driver''s seat RFing without touching, so she''ll have to be FFing when the baby gets here. We can fit the diplomat RFing behind the passenger''s seat when it''s moved up, so the baby will go on that side. I guess that''s a mini van is good for multiple kids, mind you I already have a mid-size SUV.

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:48:52 PM
Author: snlee
Thanks again to TGal for posting that youtube video. After watching that, it absolutely convinced me to keep my child rear facing for a long as possible. We plan on rear facing until the limit of the car seat, which is 35 pounds. So far my almost 16 month son doesn''t mind it at all, especially when most of the time I''m sitting back there with him so he''s facing me.

snlee: i do the same thing (usually sit in back with C while she''s rear facing)--I thought I was the only one! DH says I am spoliing her and that she will think that''s how it will always be! I''m sure he doesn''t like feeling like the ''driver" but for long drives it''s better than her having a tantrum mid-highway.

 

[mrssalvo]

tgal- the video's weren't out when I had my first or I probably would have waited b/f I turned her. I'll admit that I was so excited to turn her forward on her first b-day b/c I could finally see her and reach her much easier. I never had the mirror and used to stop all the time if I thought something was wrong. Even when I had Lily the info was still not out there so I turned her at one also. Plus, she saw her big sister facing forward and knew what she was missing. Of course, I did become aware of once I had Jake but just made the decision to turn him when he reached the age and well well over the height and weight requirements. I do realize it would be safer to have him backwards and can't really say I have a good reason for not keeping hir turned longer other than it was becoming and issue having him backwards and it was easier on me to have him forward. We had a 9 hour drive to move back to TN right after his 1st b-day and I was by myself in the car with all 3 kids. It is safer for kids to be backwards but not practical for us at that particular time and since he didn't have to be backwards I opted for a smoothly 9 hour drive and turned him. Thankfully, we weren't in any accidents and I pray daily that it stays that way. oh and I'm not one to only feed my kids organic or let them sleep on silk sheets though either

 

[butterfly 17]

Three of my kids I turned over when they hit the one year and 20 lbs. mark.

My last baby is 16 months now and she is still rear facing. She is small though, only 21 lbs. and she fits comfortably still rear facing, so I will try to keep her that way for as long as possible.

 

[sparklyheart]

Date: 1/13/2010 12:31:47 PM
Author: MC

Date: 1/13/2010 12:17:10 PM
Author: MonkeyPie
Once they graduate to booster seats, can''t you get one of those attachments for the seatbelt so it doesn''t cut across their neck? I would have been SO pissed at my mom if she made me use a booster seat until I reached the requirements - I am short, I was slight as a child, and I would have ended up stuck in that booster until I was about 15 years old, which is ridiculously embarrassing for a teenager!

Oh well. . .he''s only 9 (and average build - growing at normal rate) and will have to deal with sitting in a booster until he''s tall enough. I don''t care if he''s embarrassed for the time being. Life''s tough, isn''t it?

I found this on a booster website: ''Seat belts are engineered to fit an adult male 5’10” weighing 165 lbs.'' Keep that in mind. Seat belts aren''t even made for kids. I''ve read that shorter women are even at risk for more severe injuries since seat belts are designed for taller people.

For WA state (my location) the law is the child has to be in a booster until age 8 and/or 4'' 9'' tall. I''ll have to measure my son when he gets home.

I''m certain that the majority of both kids'' 8 or younger friends don''t fit the criteria. I worry that if one of the smaller kids is riding with me (with the parenting giving permission that they don''t need to have a booster) and is injured, I''ll be at fault. That is a reason to keep a blanket or two to lift them up.

Here''s some booster seat fact info:

http://www.wtsc.wa.gov/pie/factsheets/booster.php

Notice it says that most children aren''t kept in a booster long enough! For ages 4-8:

90% of kids ages 4 to 8 who were seriously injured were not in a booster seat. Injury percentages: (CHOP)

• 73% were to the face and head (serious brain injuries, concussions, facial cuts)
  
• 14% were to extremities (broken arms, legs)
  
• 5% were abdominal (ruptured spleen, liver, intestines
  
  Even though that data applies to 8 and younger I don''t care if my son is too old for a booster! I''m such a mean mom, huh? What will I do next? Enroll him in fourth grade?

Smart girl!!

As a nurse on a pedi trauma floor, I can''t tell you how many 9-11 year olds come in and have massive abdominal surgery because the seat belt cut through their stomach/intestines. If the seatbelt crosses their stomach then they are too short to be out of a booster! I''d rather have an upset 10 year old than a 10 year old undergoing major abdominal surgery all because I didn''t want them to be upset.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 1/13/2010 1:57:50 PM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 1/13/2010 12:31:47 PM
Author: MC

Even though that data applies to 8 and younger I don't care if my son is too old for a booster! I'm such a mean mom, huh? What will I do next? Enroll him in fourth grade?

You mean, mean mama, you.

I don't know what I will do if my kid ends up being tiny like me (I doubt he will be, daddy is pretty big and tall!), I think it will depend on the type of car we have and how he tolerates it. I'm really hoping I don't end up with a screamer! But he will be rear-facing as long as I can possibly do it. The booster thing will just have to be decided when it happens.

MP - ah, the screamers. The best thing to do with one of those is drive and drive and drive until he/she falls asleep, then park on the side of the road and read a book! lol