What age did you change your DC car seat from rear to front facing?

[pinkbottle48]

The advice in the UK seems quite different to other countries. A lot of friends I know changed at about 9 months. However, Sweden, for example, recommends not till the age of 4, the US I think is 2. DD is 16 months and still rear facing people here seem to think it's strange we haven't turned it around yet. But why do other countries have such different recommendations?

Dd is still rf at 2. We have a cybex sirona so well keep her rf for as long as she fits into that.

Not sure what we'll do after that - I think we will probably buy a 25kg rf seat because she's around the 91st centile for height and weight.

She's never ff so at the moment is perfectly happy rf. she has a mirror so she can see us and chat to us, and I hope she continues to be happy and comfortable rf because it is so much safer.

Keep children rear facing as long as humanly possible.

It's not about how long their legs are or how big they are, it's about bone maturity.

Rear facing is literally 500% safer in an accident than FF.

And whilst you're having a car seat thread, please don't forget no coats or padded layers like snow suits or heavy jumpers under the straps.

@MissSusanSays have you seen the crash test videos with the impact shield/ cushions? They are pretty scary (which shocked me as they look awesome!).

My eldest is still rear facing (3years). Keep checking weight/height to see when it's time to switch. Had a lot of judgement for it: don't you worry their legs will get uncomfy, and I was even told I was cruel once too. Even when I tell them its safer and tell them dcs are comfortable they seem to just think its a new age fad...

DC1 is theee soon, she’ll stay rear facing until 5 month old DC2 out grows the infant carrier and needs her seat.

Probably about 3.5 to 4. Friends / family don’t understand why. But we don’t care, DH and I are on the same page and that’s all that matters.

About 3 n a half years old

About 4 for both of them.

Both in two way elite. 6 yr old is still in it FF as he is under 25kg. #3 will.move into the spare one when he grows out of his maxi cosi.

Over 4 in my car because she out grew the seat and it's a small car so didn't think a seat that did to 25kg would do. She rear faced earlier in my husbands car because the seat he bought had a lower weight limit than mine.
Most people of know had rear faced them for longer than 9 months though a Facebook group I am in are very anti forward facing before 4.

7y1m for my eldest - Britax TWE from 3.5ish. Others still RF at 5 and almost 4.

DS is a tall almost 4 year old and still rear facing in an axkid minikid. I've had to put a seat in my car now and I've gone for a forward facing but harnessed to 25kg as long term we will get more use out of it. I've had people comment on comfort, legs etc but to me he actually looks more comfortable rear facing and even forward facing he crosses his legs or dangles them over the sides of the seat.

Like a lot of PP DC1 is in a cybex sirona. We’re planninf a Joie Bold for the next stage as it’s isofix and has a 5 point harness.

Ds1 was just over 12 months. We actually bought the Joie Stages, a seat that can rear face but we just didn't know that facts, and neither did the high street retailer we bought it from!

Ds2 is rear-facing at 2 years 2 months and will stay rear for as long as he'll tolerate. He's in a 25kg seat so could be way past 4 years old.

3 years. Got loads of pressure from relatives about it

Just under 4 years. It's 5 times safer to rear face. No brainer.

My son is 18 months old and still rear facing. We'll go for as long as possible. Only thing that's annoying is we have a seat that says up to 7 years but because he's tall, there doesn't seem much room left to heighten the shoulder straps. So I'm not sure how long this seat will last. Not stressing too much for now, bit something I need to keep an eye on. But definitely RF for as long as we can.

My daughter is nearly 4 and still rear facing. It’s an 18kg seat but she’s small so I can see it lasting at least another year.

I'm aiming for about 15-18months then depending on how she is in the car i may turn her. I don't worry at the moment as I have isofix on my front passenger seat so she is normally in the front with me so i can chat away if needed. Her new car seat (not isize) is higher so she can see out the window now as well.

I turned my first at 7 months but that was 8 years ago and literally everyone I knew turned then - I had no idea it was so much safer. Second at about 2.

To be honest with the first it was a godsend as he was such a misery in the car which changed the day we FF him.

About 2.5 when he got too tall and heavy for the up to 18kg rear facing seat

About four months old, she was so much happier being able to see us. Realise that this was 18 years ago, so advice has obviously changed since then.

My three were about a year and a half. My youngest is now 8 so it was a while ago. We were very limited on what rear facing seat we could fit in our tiny two door fiat punto. Fitting three car seats was a nightmare.

I’m always baffled by the “they are much happier ff” comments. My kids would be much happier eating chocolate for breakfast lunch and dinner but they don’t get to choose.

@TheRoomWithAView
I don't think you can quite equate the two though. My child screams so much currently in the car that it would be dangerous for me to continue driving longer than 30 minutes because it is constant and distracting. I'm not going to turn her around because she's only 5 months but if she was the correct weight and it stopped the ear shattering screeching then I probably would. I'm more likely to crash when distracted.

I didn’t turn him around because he was screaming every trip - I just discovered that when we did turn him round he was happier. I had no idea why he was screaming RF and not FF.