Rear facing and front facing car seats?

[quaium]

I've been looking at purchasing a car seat and wanted some advice. Can all car seats be used in the front facing position when your baby has grown out of the rear facing position?

I'm looking at the Graco Logico S HP car seat, all the information regarding the seat states that it is a rear facing car seat. So what happens when my baby has out grown the seat... say by 6/9 months? Could I just turn the car seat around and fix it with the seat belt or would I need to buy another car seat just after 6/9 months usage?

I'm very confused at the moment! Any help would be appreciated.

[Clargo55]

You can get car seats which are rear facing until the age of 4years old, which is much safer and is the law in Sweden. However in the UK a child has to be rear facing by law until 9months old or 9KG which ever the reach first.

Do you have a rough budget? Do you want isofix installation or seat belt? Will try and help you find a suitable seat if you like.

[Clargo55]

Also take a look at rearfacing.co.uk. Helpful advice on rear facing. Sorry I don't know how to do clickable links on an iPad.

[canthaveit]

If they have outgrown the seat, how will they fit it by turning it around? Unless weight limits are different for forward and rear facing. They shouldn't forward face as early as 9 months though.

ours are in seats that can either rear or forward face, up to about 5 years (25 kg I think). As far as iknow first stage seats don't usually so both, bur

[quaium]

Thanks for the reply.

Firstly I'm a bit confused how a 4 year old would fit rear facing, wouldn't the legs just be too long to fit comfortably?

Our rough budget is between £300 - £400 but this would be for a travel system. We would like one of those prams where you would remove the car seat and clip it on to the frame. Seat belt fixing would be best as we have two cars and don't want to be swapping the car fitting about.

If it's any help I was thinking of buying the Graco Symbio B 3 In 1 Pram / Pushchair with the Graco Logico S HP car seat.

[woodlandwanderwoman]

Most infant seats only last 6-9 months, there are none that will last you longer (that I know of) because the needs of the baby are so different. Infants need "bucket seats" which fully support them whereas older babies and toddlers are able to sit up and require restraint as much as impact protection!

My top tip would be make sure you try any seat in your car first. Mothercare will normally let you depending where the store is. The older rear facing seats are HUGE and restricted the front passenger seat even in my car which is pretty big.

In addition, it can be very helpful to get a car seat that is compatible with your buggy, eg bugaboo + maxi cosi, this can save a lot of time, energy and space transferring the baby between contraptions.

If you're concerned about cost, there are loads of seats on eBay. Be wary of condition of course and also be aware that many have expiration dates (plastic deteriorates so is not as safe) of 3-5 years so the economics of buying it second hand depends on how many children you might want to use it for.

Lastly, I think Which has some great reviews of all sorts of products and is a good place to start.

Good luck.

[quaium]

@canthaveit I didn't mean out grown the seat but more grown in height and therefore their legs might be restrictive if rear facing.

[Wishfulmakeupping]

We have a britax max fit would recommend its fab. Birth to 4 years rear facing and you can turn it to side to make it easier getting baby out of car.

[Keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal]

The graco logico is an infant carrier so, like all seats of this group will last from birth to 12- 15 months rearward facing. You could not use a seat of this style forward facing. Once the baby outgrows that you would buy and use the next stage car seat, which can technically be a forward facing seat, however it is much safer to keep them rearward facing as long as possible, so you would need a seat specifically for extended rear facing (ERF)

[woodlandwanderwoman]

Ooo wishful I must search this one out for next time! Does it fit in any travel systems?

[woodlandwanderwoman]

Op - please note all the age recommendations depend on the height and length of your baby. Mine grew out of everything in half the time the products claimed

[woodlandwanderwoman]

Weight and length

Damn iPhone

[Clargo55]

Britax Dualfix goes from birth to 4years rear facing, it is £340 which is a lot of money but does cover a good about of time. It also has a swivel function so the car seat can swivel to the car door opening, making it easier to get baby out. However most of car seats that do extended rear facing are too big and heavy to use on a pushchair. Please be aware though that a baby should not be in a car seat for longer than a hour at a time so you could just use a carrycot.

[oadcb]

First stage is a group 0+ infant carrier.

My DD fitted her Maxicosi cabriofix til 22mths. They really can last longer than the perceived normal of 9mths. As long as their head is within shell and they are within weight limit it fits bent legs don't matter (infants are comfortable in this position). Most people move their children far too early.

Then you can get a extended rearfacing seat. I like the Axkid. My 6 year old could still fit in it if his sister wasn't using it.

Its the safest way to travel and its not true they are all huge. I have 3 and my passenger seats are still able to be used!

Other seats are forward facing group 1. Most widely available but rearfacing market is finally becoming more available.

[Clargo55]

Opps sorry you said belt fitting and the Britax dualfix is isofix. So yes the Britax Max fit is a good suggestion. I think it's also slightly cheaper £275 I think.

[Keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal]

Sorry, but I have to go against woodlands advice - infant carriers do not only last 6-9 months, however many people discard them around this age (which is too early) and move on to a forward facing seat
Secondly, please do not buy a second hand car seat on eBay, it is far too risky not knowing the history of the seat, not to mention it may not be compatible with your car(s)
One thing I will say is that whatever you go for, please make sure you go to a retailer (mothercare, halfords, kiddicare etc) and get any car seat tested in your car, there's no point in forking out for one that then doesn't fit!

Your point about older children rear facing, legs & space etc...spend a bit of time on google/you tube researching extended rear facing, it will all become clear!

[oadcb]

The ERF only seat I can think of that converts to an infant carrier is a klippan kiss. its fits some gracos...mirage springs to mind.

[BertieBowtiesAreCool]

The simple answer to your question is no - infant car seats which have a carry handle (known as "group 0" seats) cannot be turned around and used forward facing. A popular example is the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix.

You can get a car seat which does turn around and go forward facing, this is known as a combination seat or group 0/1 seat. An example of this is the Britax First Class.

You can also buy car seats which allow for rear facing for much longer than the usual group 0 seats, these cover groups 0, 1 and 2 or sometimes just group 1 and 2. These are called Extended Rear facing seats or ERF.

If you want a car seat that clips into a buggy, then you are looking for a Group 0 seat. Seats which accommodate older children are just too big and bulky to clip into a pushchair to make a travel system. And yes, this means that you're only using the seat for a short time (although the time frame is more like 12-15 months unless you have a HUGE baby in which case they might outgrow it by 9 months.) Advice which states 6-9 months is outdated and refers to older seats.

If you're stretched on budget, I would advise looking for a deal with a pushchair and Group 0 seat together, as you save money over buying the Group 0 seat separately. You don't need an isofix base if you're trying to cut costs. Then save up for a decent Group 1 seat - high backed boosters, which are the next stage up, are very readily available in good quality brands from about £30-40 if you're careful and watch the deals.

Group 1 seats tend to be sold "from 9 months - 4 years" but really this isn't the case - group 0 seats are bigger than they seem. The maximum weight for a baby in a group 0 seat is 13kg which can be reached anywhere from about 1 year of age, for a huge baby, to 2.5 years of age for a very small baby. They usually outgrow the seat in height before weight, but because this is measured by the top of the head, again, most babies are between 12 and 15 months when they hit this point. DS was small and he fit into his until he was 18 months old, by which point I could no longer carry the seat with him in it! Many people think that you have to put babies forward facing by 9 months, but no - as long as they fit into the seat by length or by weight then they are fine and safe to continue using the seat.

And remember, if you plan to have more children, you can reuse the seat because the first will be at least 9 months old by the time their sibling is born even in the most extreme scenario! :) So that first seat is more of a long term investment.

[lilyaldrin]

Infant seats should last until at least 12 months unless your baby is massive. Even if your baby outgrows the infant seat (called a group 0+ seat) they still need to be rear facing until they are at least 9kg in weight, so you will have to get a group 0+/1 seat that goes rear and forwards facing. Most of those seats last until your child is 18kg.

It would be dangerous to turn a baby of 6-9 months forward facing as their necks are not strong enough to support their heads in the force of a crash and so there is a risk of their neck snapping. The longer you can have them rear facing, the safer they are.

[oadcb]

Maxfit recline isn't fab to be honest.

Joie stage and Hauck varioguard are good seats that stay in car.
Check out www.rearfacingtoddlers.com some great info on there.

Even babies at 99th percentile don't actual outgrow at 6/9mths

[Clargo55]

Great advice from Bertie, much better than my rushed jumble of words.

[AmandinePoulain]

There's a bit of questionable information on this thread in my opinion.

The Maxfix doesn't swivel, that's the Dualfix which can face both ways and swivels to the side to get the baby in easily. It's isofix only but a lovely seat and will last you for years. It doesn't fit on any travel systems though.

The Logico is a carrier style seat. It will fit on a pram but as others have said that's great if you are literally popping into a shop but shouldn't be used all the time on a pram - newborns need to lie flat as much as possible. Carriers cannot face forward. They can be used until the baby's head is at the top of the seat or until they weigh 13kg, 6-9 months is way too early for a baby to forward face - dd2 was in hers until 15 months and probably could have used it for longer but I liked the Dualfix so she's still rear facing.

You can get combination seats like the Britax First Class, which is a good seat and usually available for less than £100. It doesn't fit on any prams but will last for many years - it rear faces until 13kg and then turns forward facing.

Extended rear facing seats like the Dualfix or Maxfix rear face up to 18kg, around age 4. Some are suitable from birth, some aren't. Bigger children just sit with their legs folded.

Please don't buy off eBay - you have no idea of the history of the seat. Always buy car seats new or from someone you know and trust.

[oadcb]

www.securatot.co.uk/klippan-kiss-2

[gamerchick]

If you're stressed about legs... would you prefer broken legs on an accident or a snapped spinal cord?

Because I know which I would prefer.

There are plenty of simulations on YouTube.. I would sit rear facing if I could.

[Clargo55]

Who said the max fix swivels? Think I've missed it.

[BertieBowtiesAreCool]

Well, problem is if you buy a very cheap seat like some of the nania, team tex, baby weavers, babystart, asda/argos/kiddicare own brand, these are pretty small in size and it is possible that they could be outgrown by 6 or 9 months even by a normal sized baby. About 5 years ago now but my friend had a Graco one which went on a pushchair (not the Graco Logico, that's OK sized) and it was tiny and looked flimsy. Her baby was way out of it by 9 months and he was tiny.

It is worth shelling out for a decent Group 0 seat and I think it is worth getting one which goes on the buggy. They shouldn't be in them for longer than 2 hours, but it's enough to take them out for a few minutes - it just "resets" their oxygen saturation levels. TBH it's more of a problem for their spines when people leave them in car seats all day, from car to house to pushchair and never actually pick them up. Having said that, I got one which didn't go onto the pushchair and DS quickly got used to being transferred from car seat to pushchair and as long as we got moving fairly quickly he didn't wake up. That also meant if he fell asleep in the car I didn't feel guilty bringing him in in the seat and letting him sleep because he hadn't been in it during the trip out! They don't make the one I had any more though, which is a shame because it was great and reasonably priced. But keep an eye out for offers - they do come up. Mothercare has a half price sale on some of their car seats.