Feeling guilty at turning forward facing early

[TruthSweet]

I am probably going to have to turn DD2 ffing as she keeps being sick in the car when rfing.

She has arthritis (the treatment of it has caused gastritis) and I really wanted to keep her rfing for as long as she fitted in her seat to minimise risk of injury to her lower limbs/neck but I don't want her to keep being sick in the car as it causes her pain and distress (pain from the excess acid).

Any advice?

[HarrietJones]

How old is she?

[TruthSweet]

She's 3.10 (4 in Nov). I so wanted to rf with her to 4+ like I did with her elder sister plus as DD2 is lighter than her at the same age (16kg vs 19kg).

[Abra1d]

Until very recently most children were in ff seats by the time they were about six months.

Cars are far safer than they were years ago in terms of build quality.

I really wouldn't worry.

[MirandaWest]

I thought at first she was going to be about 6 months. If she is 3.10 then I think it is a lot less of an issue. Yes, it might be that statistically speaking children are better off RF than FF but if she is being sick so much, that is not good. And I would imagine that if she were being sick then it would have an effect on your driving as you would be worried about her and so would probably statistically make you more likely to crash the car.

So make her FF and be sick less :)

[TruthSweet]

Unfortunately, DH's car is about 10 years old (X reg) so not full of safety bells and whistles (I don't drive).

Generally all of the DDs are in the car together so DD1 spots DD2 starting to be sick (which wouldn't happen if they were both ffing) but her last episode was when DH drove to pick up Nana with just DD2 in the car. They had just pulled up to the garage and DH opened door for her to start doing her impression of Blair in the Exorcist.

I think I am so conflicted about switching her because that would mean treating her differently from her sisters yet again due to her arthritis.

[debka]

Poor little thing- she can't be enjoying being sick, I'm sure she won't mind a bit of 'different treatment' due to her condition if the alternative is so unpleasant for her.

[TruthSweet]

Thanks debka I think I sort of need to give myself a break about this. It's not as though Dd1 or DD3 get physio or a skinful of meds every day is it?

[Abra1d]

In the great scheme of things you are not taking a huge, huge risk.

[TruthSweet]

Loopsy - Yes 2WE for DD2 and a Nordic Secura for DD3 which isn't sold anymore but is a fab seat (lovely recline better than a 1st Class but same shell/different foot/base).

She was ffing for a bit over the summer after redecorating the back of the car in Brighton but we switched her back as DH & I prefer her to rf. She wasn't sick ffing but she only went on 3 or 4 trips before we switched her back.

She's not sick every time but when she is it's amazing how much she does. It's like a tsunami of sick

[notfarmingatthemo]

Have you tried other thing for sickness like the bands you can get that press on a acupuncture point on her wrist or travel sickness tablets.
Does it depend when she took her tablets for her arthritis. I have arthritis and if I don't eat when taking one of my I can feel sick all weekend I 'm sure if I also went on a coach I would be sick.

[bluelaguna]

Give yourself a break!

I had to turn my DD forward facing for vomiting as well. She was sick so much that I had no choice.

[PetiteRaleuse]

I didn't even know they did rf seats to that age or size.

DD is 9kg and has just switched to ff at 6 months.

I didn't know there was an issue with that.

[TruthSweet]

She's on Neurofen twice a day and lansoprazole (was on omeprazle but it did diddly squat!) but nothing else as yet . We give the neurofen with meals and the lansoprazole after breakfast.

I might give the bands a twirl. Do they do them in child sizes?

[SarahScot]

Petite, I think the recommended minimum age is 9 months because they're necks aren't strong enough until around that age. My DCs have been ff by 10 months because they grew out of their first size seats. The new rf seats for up to 4 years old are a relatively new thing I think?

[PetiteRaleuse]

OK thanks for that. I guess the neck strenght is more to do with wieght? My 6mo is in 9mo and sometimes 1yo clothes. And she is extremely strong for her age (though no more advanced than any other baby of her age as far as the milestones go)

[PelvicFloorsOfSteel]

The neck strength thing isn't to do with weight but the weight of the head in proportion to the body. Children do vary but it would be vanishingly unusual for a 6mo to have a proportionately light enough head for her body to support in a crash. Very early sitting might be slightly more of an indicator than weight, but I wouldn't move up seats based on early sitting, and weight alone certainly isn't a reason to do it (there isn't a 9kg max on the babyseat only a 9kg min on ff seats).

I haven't used extended rear facing seats but did keep ramming the DSs into the baby seat for as long as was possible.

[brachy]

My DS was sitting unaided by 15 weeks, he walked at 6 months...yet at 24 months he is still rear facing in his car seat.
It is so much safer to rear face, I just think of his neck and internal organs being thrown about in a crash.
There are lots of links on this site about the benefits of rear facing, I'm not good at doing links on this site though, but someone else will be able to help!

[PetiteRaleuse]

Oh, well thanks for the info. Unfortunately she did outgrow her first seat, so we bought a second. We received no advice about ff or rf so she is ff.

[notfarmingatthemo]

yes the bands do come in kids sizes try boots.

[JuneMummy]

Hey give yourself a break! she is almost 4 so you have done brilliantly to rearface for this long. My son also gets car sick. He is rearfacing in a TWE but as he is only 2.3 years im being a big meanie and keeping him rearfacing to as close to 4 as i can. If he got to almost 4 i wouldnt feel guilty. Give it a go and see how she gets on.

[TruthSweet]

Well we went out today and she went in her spare First Class ffing (TWE is still honking to high heaven despite washing the cover and spraying with a whole bottle of Febreeze).

No sickness and she slept! Even though it was through Surrey countryside so up and down all the time and crawling behind tractors for an hour each way.

I'm not sure if it is because the FC is so much higher than the TWE so am contemplating switching her to DD3's Nordic Secura and putting DD3 in the FC rfing (she's only 10.6kg at 1.10 so plenty of use left rfing for her). The Nordic has a very high base and has the same shell as the FC so would still fit DD2 but give her the height to see out.

On the other hand can I stand to clean yet another vomit covered car/car seat? And why is it always when they have eaten yoghurt/cheese? The smell lasts for years.....

Thanks for everyone's input.

[TruthSweet]

I'm thinking of those <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=rain+cape+pushchair&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=485&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=qPawZtIvLaXmGM:&imgrefurl=www.hellobabydirect.co.uk/products/4160-clippasafe-stroller-baby-rain-cape---black.html&docid=wC270CqdivDakM&w=600&h=500&ei=lpKATtD2H8qw8gPu9tWfAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=97&vpy=143&dur=23649&hovh=205&hovw=246&tx=110&ty=103&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=160&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">old fashioned rain capes for a pushchair (like a cycle cape crossed with a shower cap) and then hoping that the sick doesn't get into the car upholstery!