need help making decision re: car seat!

[babber]

DS is 9 months and we're starting to think about getting the next stage car seat.
I was wondering what other people's DCs make of the rear facing ones... Our boy doesn't seem to like not being able to see us at the moment which means I have to ride in the back with him most of the time - so i have been kmind of looking forward to him 'graduating' to the bigger seat - only to find that i should keep him facing backwards really!
Also, I wonder about space. obviously they're designed for kids up to age 4 but are they really comfy up till that age when facing the back? they're doesn't seem to be miuch room for their legs. I would still like to be able to recline the seat for him when we're on long journetys and the couple i ahve looked at didn't seem to recline very much.

I suppose i'm just after peoples thoughts really... whether they chose a rear or forward facing seat and why... and whether their children like the rear facing ones...

Very reluctant to make such an expensive purchase without getting some wise input from MN... thanks!

[sazm]

hiya,i just moved my lo into a forward facing carseat,he is 10 months,i planned to keep him in his maxicosi cabrio for much longer but the straps are far too low for him,
i bought him a britax eclipse,i wanted something easy to fit,easy to recline and something narrow enough to fit in the back seat beside my other 2 seats,
i love it,no complaints at all, and it was only £79.99

[nicm]

hi babber,

we have a rf car seat for ds 18months. we've had it since he was 9 months. we decided that after hearing about the rf seats we weren't prepared to get a ff seat and after speaking to the in car safety centre knew we were making the right decision.

we have the britax two way elite which will last ds until 25kgs. i have used this seat for my 3 yo mindee and she likes it too. the twe will move more upright and further back the seat when ds is bigger so he has more leg room.

i'm not sure if your ds is crying because he can't see you but maybe more that he can't see out iykwim. i had to put ds in his baby carrier recently for a short journey and he hated it. the group 1 seats are just like the ff ones only turned around and so the kids can still see out, so he'll still be graduating!

are you anywhere near belfast or milton keynes that you could go to the in car safety centre-they have loads of different rf seats now. much more than when we were getting ds'.

i'm sure you wouldn't regret buying a rf one. we haven't and it is 5 times safer.

if you'd like to know anything else just ask.

[babber]

thanks - thats really helpful. Nicm -Does the britax one yopu have recline enough for your DS to sleep comfortably? You're probably right about him just not being able to see out - he'd probably be happy looking out of the window, and we could always get a mirror to put on the seat to see him in couldn't we?
thanks again for youe help. x

[nicm]

ours can recline from the same as a baby carrier to sitting totally upright for when they're older, although this has to be set when it is being installed. it doesn't seem to be a problem-and he always sleeps in the car and is still happy when he's awake. it has lower sides than some seats so he doesn't need to peek around the wings to see out.

you can get a mirror which is tested. i think it's called easyview, is a big giant circle which clips to the headrest.

[Carseatcrazy]

Don't go Forward facing - please I also have a rf seat after reading the research - see www.rearfacing.co.uk or have a look on google to see just some of the info about it - rearfacing can be a bit more expensive, but in my opinion, worth every penny.

My ds has a BeSafe izi combi seat belt version. it's really high up, and so he has a great view out the back and side windows - so no difference to forward facing. he also has loads of leg room- the rf seats are not like the baby carriers, in that they are not tight against the seat - so lots more leg room. the besafe also reclines in 4 positions - my ds always looked very comfy even when he just moved into it as a smally, and slept fantastically in it

I'd wholeheartedly recommend rf - after learning what I have, I would never put my ds ff until he's at least 4

Good luck in your hunt

[Beejarama]

we just got a Britax first class plus, it caters for infants up to 25kg. but can be rear-facing until 13kg, and then forward facing. We bought it and fitted it for forward facing, but I have since found out that rear-facing is better so going to have a go at fitting it rear-facing. It has can recline a bit too. So really what I'm saying is I definitely think rear-facing is better and wish I'd done more research like you before I bought the next size up!

[oopsandbabycoconut]

Babber - The most importsnt point about changing car seat up a size is weight not age. How heavy is your LO? if he is under 9kg he needs to stay in his baby seat. Our baby seat is the maxicosi cabriofix and it goes rear facing upto 13kg and DD is in it until she is too tall for it. She hates it but unfortunately she has no choice as my car doesn't fit a bigger RF seat (we have been to our local RF supplier and they have tried them all) Once she had truely outgrown it we will get an impact cushion seat for my car. She has an impact cushion seat in DH's car as his seats make the maxicosi rock unsafely. If you can't do a RF next stage carseat the impact cushion is the next safest thing.

[megonthemoon]

No comment on ff vs rf choice from safety perspective - I moved DS to ff at 14mo so later than most people but haven't kept him rf as long as others. Personal choice after research and thinking on subject. The rf vs ff is your choice based on your attitude to risk/safety I'd say. But if you decide to go ff for whatever reason, leave as long as possible, i.e. until he is over 13kg or is too tall for the seat. Age is not a reason to change seats - weight/height is.

However, I just wanted to warn you that moving my DS ff actually made things worse rather than better in terms of whinging etc because he could see us, but coudln't get to us, whereas rf he sort of drifted off into his own world iyswim! If however your DS gets a bit upset because he feels car sick then moving ff could actually be better for him!

Might be worth trying a ff from a friend for a day or two to see if that makes a difference to how he travels and then you'll know whether you should factor that into your decision or not.

[needanamefast]

Weve got a britax 2 way elite - can be rear facing till 4 (but can go ff too) and ds - now 2 y 2mo loves it. he went through a stage at about 9-12 months of also hating his car seat - but i think he would have hated any car seat as he hated sitting still.

now he loves it, comments on the cars etc. i think they get a better view with Rf as they can see out the back window rather than their view restricted by headrests. he sleeps well in it. to recline you have to move the seat in front forward a bit, but he sleeps in it non reclined. he doesn't know any different to be honest. my ds was in in his maxi cosi until about 16 months by the way.

go RF. speak to ladies at in car safety centre at MK.

sorry about typos/lack of caps have 5 days old and too tired to correct!

[Lucky13]

we have a RF BeSafe Izi Combi isofix seat and DD (2) is very happy in it. Its much higher than the infant carrier so she can see out of the windows easily and chats quite happily to me about what she can see. We kept the same mirror on the back seat next to her so that we could see each other (and i can make sure she's not up to mischief)!

We have it fully reclined and DD is always asleep in it, so it can't be too uncomfortable. It does however make it quite a big seat then, so do get it fitted in your car first to check.

Our maxi cosi infant carrier went up to 13kg (which DD hasn't even reached yet), but we moved her out around 4 months ago.

DD went through a phase of being car sick for a couple of months, but seems fine now, so don't think it was RF related.