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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To tell SIL she could be putting her DC in danger?

111 replies

Teabiscuits · 31/05/2014 14:14

SIL has just started to put her 5 month old DC into a forward facing car seat. She has a 3 door car and says its too difficult to keep him rear facing, and as he's 9kg now the instructions on the seat says its safe.

I'm no expert, and I don't know the ins and outs of the law on this, but I have been led to believe they need to be at least 9 months to be forward facing. Am I completely wrong on this one, or should I try to persuade her otherwise? She wouldn't do anything dangerous on purpose but I can't help but feel she's being willfully ignorant so she doesn't have to struggle with the seat anymore.

OP posts:

BomChickaMeowMeow · 31/05/2014 16:44

Yes yes, companies NEVER add £100 on to take advantage of parents' fears. NO they would NEVER do that.

PleaseJustShootMeNow · 31/05/2014 16:47

We have a Britx Multi Tech which cost approx £275 (Scandinavia prices). It seems a lot but will do until DS is appox 8 years old and considering our first stage seats are free works out ok overall.

DinoSnores · 31/05/2014 16:48

"I think if extended rear facing were law, they would have to come down in price, and it would also make the safety issue clearer."

And if more people were using them, they wouldn't be as expensive to make or import. At the moment, there are only a few places to get them as there is hardly any market in the UK, compared to Scandinavia,

Igggi · 31/05/2014 17:38

The price of the seat is low compared to the running costs of a car though. People with cars find a way to tax and insure them, and fill them with petrol. I think the fact that £30 seats are on the market is very detrimental, if you knew a seat cost about £90 or whatever you would have to budget for that, just like road tax.

turdfairynomore · 31/05/2014 17:44

igggi it wasn't a cycle helmet that he had in, it was a scrambler/moto cross type helmet. The car was a tiny open top sports car which his dad had built. To help protect him, his dad made him wear his scrambler helmet thinking he was doing the right thing. In that freak accident it was entirely the wrong thing.

Deverethemuzzler · 31/05/2014 17:50

Bit puzzled as to how this works, devere? Who are "they" who should be lowering their prices? Should the company run at a loss? Or should people be prioritising their children's safety in cars?

Don't be patronising. Its unpleasant and unnecessary.

The baby industry is huge. If you think they would be running at a loss if the knocked even a half off the price of RFS you are pretty naive.

People care about their kids more than you care about their kids. This RFS issue is yet another thing for people to be smug about.

Iggie they don't cost £90 do they?

Why is it that they don't cost £90?

Of course everyone should be using them but as long as they cost that much people won't use them because they can't afford them. The myth that people would rather spend 1k on a buggy than stop their child being killed is a ridiculous one.

FFS a few years ago none of you would even be talking about RFS and you would all be happily transporting your children in FFS.

If these seats are that much better, if FFS are dangerous, they should be taken off the market and replaced with RFS only.

And those seats should be within the reach of everyone. There will always be people willing to pay over the odds for theirs because they think it makes them a better parent. So the choice will always be there.

fledermaus · 31/05/2014 17:51

The Joie Stages is about £120 and iirc will last til 3-4 rear facing and then forward facing as a hbb until you no longer need a car seat.

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 31/05/2014 17:53

There are cheaper ERF seats avaliable as above

The thought of a five month old forward facing makes me feel ill.

He needs to stay rf as long as physically possible.

littlemslazybones · 31/05/2014 17:57

I've pinched dh's phone to put a pic of dc3 on my profile. I'll take it off in a bit but just wanted to show I'm not making it up or being a drama queen.

Rowgtfc72 · 31/05/2014 18:01

Crash dd was in a ff seat at six months. She was on the 99th centile for height but because she was long of back she more than stuck out the top of her rf seat. she was definitely safer in the ff seat.
Not having lots of money we bought a Recaro up to age twelve seat,theory being it would last longer,she's 7 and we can no longer squish her in it.
She is however on a booster cushion even though she exceeds the 135 cm limit because she looks more comfortable on it.
Don't remember seeing rf seats for bigger babies when she came out of hers.

Deverethemuzzler · 31/05/2014 18:07

Think I agree that the child in the op needs to stay in his other seat.

Billygoats · 31/05/2014 18:09

You can buy rear facing seats up to 18 kg now (not sure how on earth their legs fit as I've not looked into it yet) but it was the joie make. Maybe you could point her in that direction.

www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=955325&categoryId=165763&langId=-1

MagicCarpet · 31/05/2014 18:16

My (very tall) child sat rear-facing till nearly 3.5 in a BeSafe seat. Expensive, but we've found it great. My 2nd DC is in a BeSafe at 18 months and has plenty of room. Both kids are tall, and will have plenty of room in their seat. It's a big chair, so the passenger seat has to be quite upright to accommodate it, but that's no bother really.

MagicCarpet · 31/05/2014 18:16

Should have clarified that's 3.5 years…

bigkidsdidit · 31/05/2014 18:22

Devere I agree with every single word you have said on this thread.

mrsleomcgary · 31/05/2014 18:24

My rear facing seat goes to 13kg, it's a mamas and papas Aton. Was chatting to the sales guy when I bought it and he mentioned the importance of staying rear facing as long as possible and looking on facebook they seem to b running a campaign on this now. Indeed he reckoned it would probably become law eventually, also mentioned it looks like isofix is going to be made a requirement in all new cars to reduce the risk of incorrectly fitted sears using the seat belt. I'm already saving towards the cost only daughters car seat which is rear facing until about age 4, it's about £350 so yes expensive but I'm lucky in that my DH and I can save towards it because I'm so PFB I started researching it when she was 3mo

It's like everything,expensive in the brining but will come down in price when more people start having them.

I would point her on the direction of the research and at least then she's making an informed decision.

crashboombang · 31/05/2014 18:38

Littlems cant get onto your profile!

crashboombang · 31/05/2014 18:39

Is it public

littlemslazybones · 31/05/2014 18:41

Try now, I'm more of a lurker, never dealt with the profile before

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 31/05/2014 18:43

DD in her ERF seat, just to show fit. She is 2.5 but in 3/4yo clothes due to height.

5madthings · 31/05/2014 18:44

Is that grey/cream insert he is sitting on removable?

What carseat is it? Sorry if you have said and I have missed.

crashboombang · 31/05/2014 18:44

Got it.can that head support come out? Give more room?

5madthings · 31/05/2014 18:45

Btw babies do grow rapidly in first 6mths, you may find the rate of growth slows a bit after 6mths and once mobile etc. Certainly weight wise anyway.

littlemslazybones · 31/05/2014 18:45

No, it's just hard plastic underneath.

5madthings · 31/05/2014 18:46

Yes the head support but also under his bum it looks like there is an insert? Is that removable?

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