What size car seat to buy?

[babybouncer]

I'm going back to work in February when ds will be 7 months. As dh will be dropping him at nursery and I will be picking him up, we need to get a second car seat. I currently have a maxi cosi with isofix base, which does fit in dh's car, but is really awkward to put in and out as it is a 3-door with sporty sloping roof. Ds is 9kg now, so could we buy a forward facing car seat for dh's car, or do we need to get another rear-facing one?

[SleighGirl]

He is much too young to go FF, rear facing is much much much safer.

Perhaps you should look at the rear facing until 4 options

[thisisyesterday]

he shouldn't be forward facing until he is at least 9 months.

however, rear-facing long term has proven far safer, so maybe you'd look into a seat that can rear-face until he is about 4? or 25kg?

rearfacing.co.uk have a lot of information on rear-facing seats and why they're safer.

[SleighGirl]

it's not about age to go FF anyway it's about their weight and ability to sit reliably unaided. This is so their necks can survive the impact in a crash. Baby's heads are much heavier in relation to their bodies so can't cope with whiplash like adults can. Hence rear facing as long as possible.

[thisisyesterday]

no, it isn't, but the OP said he was already 9kg which is the official weight at which it's ok, so i was just pointing out that he needed to be at least 9 months as well

but clearly rear-facing for an extended period is safest

[SleighGirl]

off at a tangent though I don't think it's 9 months as well I think it's the development thing and 9 months is a guideline by 9 months most babies are 9kg and can sit unaided. I had freak children, 9kg at 6 months couldn't sit unaided until 11 months. Ended up leaving the car seat in the car, couldn't lift it with the said freak child in it!

I wish they wouldn't but age guidelines on I think it lulls people into a false security.

[thisisyesterday]

lol i always used to leave my infant carrier in the car too.
ds3 was 9kg at about 5.5 months so moved him into the britax 2 way elite which is sooooo much easier to get him in and out of

[SleighGirl]

I loved my 2 way elite!

[ninja]

you are going to struggle getting a child into a rear facer in the back of 3 seater - I've tried!!

Can you disable the airbag in the front and put a rear facer there?

[babybouncer]

Thanks - I thought ds seemed a little young, but the weight thing threw me a little. I think dh may be able to disable the front airbag, though, that might be an idea.

[SleighGirl]

tell your dh it's time to invest in a more child friendly car

[babybouncer]

Sleighgirl - this is his more childfriendly car, the other is a kitcar!