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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put my daughter in a forward facing car seat before she's 15 months?

197 replies

LoveItWhenYouCall · 14/08/2017 13:42

So my daughter will be 15 months at the end of this month. A few days before she is "officially" 15 months, we will be doing a long distance car journey (around 9 hours). We will be staying at the location for 3 weeks and then be doing the long journey home.

She only just fits her current car seat and really needs to be moving into the bigger one but it's forward facing.

What should I do? Should I squeeze her into her smaller car seat and have her use that the full 3 weeks we are away and then for the journey back down? Or should I just put her in the more comfortable seat as she'll turn 15 months 3 days after we arrive?

Please help!

OP posts:
furryelephant · 14/08/2017 13:50

Travelling overnight leaves the very serious issue of tiredness though. And she will also presumably be sleeping then through the journey, so no benefits there. I also worry more about drunk or otherwise dangerous drivers overnight if on motorways with people racing cars etc

NicolasFlamel · 14/08/2017 13:50

If you're thinking one of the benefits is being able to see her then just get one of those mirrors. Then she can stay in her safer seat and you can check on her.

Witsender · 14/08/2017 13:51

Why are you moving FF?

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 13:51

Which seats do you have OP? If it's an isize then definitely don't turn early as it's actually illegal. In any case, 10kg is really really tiny to be considering forward facing.

I say this as a doctor that has seen an infant with internal decapitation.

furryelephant · 14/08/2017 13:51

I agree about it being incredibly small. My 8 month old is 10kg and I'd sooner walk everywhere than have her forward facing.

Original poster
LoveItWhenYouCall · 14/08/2017 13:51

My husband drives overnight as part of his job on a regular basis so is very used to doing it. We have frequent stops and always allow ourselves the option of stopping at a travelodge if need be.

OP posts:
WunWun · 14/08/2017 13:53

Why change to forward facing though? Why not get the next size up in rear facing?

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 13:53

The cossato hug is 'fine' as in legal from 9kg but honestly, she's so tiny, please Lee her in her infant seat unless her head is over the top.

NicolasFlamel · 14/08/2017 13:53

If she's within the weight limit and her head isn't over the top she's fine in it surely? My daughter moved out of her cabriofix at 17 months and into an ERF seat. I think a lot of people think they just look too big and move them without actually checking their weight.

overmydeadbody · 14/08/2017 13:54

If you have decided that you will put her forward facing anyway, in a few days is not going to make any difference.

I would urge you to reconsider their rear-facing is so much safer. I've got a rear-facing car seat that suitable until the age of 7. After watching the Crash Test videos I would put off putting any child forward facing for as long as possible.

Witsender · 14/08/2017 13:54

I didn't mean you so much, but other drivers on the road.

Original poster
LoveItWhenYouCall · 14/08/2017 13:54

wunwun I already have the hug car seat and can't afford to buy another car seat.

OP posts:
welshweasel · 14/08/2017 13:55

It's not even a cost thing. The seat you've bought is £300! You can get an extended rear facing seat for less than half that. I know you're not going to change your mind on this (despite it probably being the most important thing you could do for your child's safety - they are 5 times safer in a rear facing seat and the chance of them being killed in an accident falls to near zero) so keep her in the infant seat, she'll have a while left in it.

Original poster
LoveItWhenYouCall · 14/08/2017 13:56

welsh I didn't buy the seat.

OP posts:
welshweasel · 14/08/2017 13:58

Fair enough. In which case keep her in the infant seat until she's actually grown out of it (which at 10kg she won't have done).

liquidrevolution · 14/08/2017 13:59

DD forward faced as soon as she can. She hated rear facing. Its all about analysing the risk and making a decision based on that.

Yes rear facing is safer but not every child can or wants to rear face. I am more likely to have an accident with a screaming toddler in the back of the car.

MeanAger · 14/08/2017 13:59

Sell the one you have and buy an ERF seat. Most first size seats are suitable at least up to around 13kg. Your DD is only 10kg. Check the weight guidance on her seat.

Orangebird69 · 14/08/2017 13:59

My ds had been FF for a few months now. He's 22mo. As long as she's the right weight/height etc its fine.

overmydeadbody, what seat do you have that can rf a 7 year old?? Shock

NorthernLurker · 14/08/2017 14:00

Op there is no point asking about this on this site. Mumsnetters generally swallowed the rear facing testament some time ago and will never accept it's reasonable to put a child forward facing until they are old enough to shave.

Personally I think we need to be pragmatic about this. You have a seat , presumably from an older child. Your dd is big enough to use that seat. Put her in it. Have a comfortable journey. If for any reason you are buying a seat in the future for another child then think about extended rear facing.

Witsender · 14/08/2017 14:01

We have a britax two way elite which RFs and FFs with a 5 point harness to 25kgs. My 7 yr old is only just 25kgs and is approx 50th centile.

NorthernLurker · 14/08/2017 14:04

Incidentally internal decapitation is rare. Doctors who have seen it are few and far between and will no doubt have published in journals concerning the case.

CadnoDrwg · 14/08/2017 14:05

OP you'll get very few parents on here agreeing that switching to FF is a good idea at 15 months because of the massive difference in safety between FF and RF.

Practical considerations like being able to afford an extended rear facing seat or having a car that one can be fitted in are ignored.

You have a FF seat that your DD will be in pretty soon. Personally in the same circumstances I'd probably opt for the bigger car seat. You cannot guarantee that your DD will not have a growth spurt when away for 3 weeks that suddenly makes your RF seat unsafe.

I'm sure within a decade RF car seats will be the norm and easier to purchase/fit in cars but in that interim time parents like us just have to make the best choices we can with the resources available to us.

HappyAsASandboy · 14/08/2017 14:06

OrangeBird69 we have Britax Two Way Elite erf seats. My almost-7 year old DS is still under 20kg (not sure what he weighs now Blush) and fits in it just fine. His rather larger twin sister has exceeded the weight limit for the seat (25kg) but would still physically fit in it.

I know some kids scream in the car, but mine have never complained about being rear facing. In fact they are more comfortable rear facing on long journeys because they hate their legs 'dangling' when they're trying to sleep. The TWE can also be fitted in a fairly reclined position, which is great for long sleepy journeys.

liquidrevolution · 14/08/2017 14:08

Forgot to add that DDs car seat is a fancy 360 rotating britax dualfix. She has never rear faced in it. We bought it because I needed rotating for my back.

Sadly forward facing car seats and choosing formula feeding will get the same response on mumsnet. Just go with what you feel is correct. Guidelines are just that. Guidelines.

Orangebird69 · 14/08/2017 14:09

My ds is 50th for weight but has been off the centiles for length since 5mo... No way on earth head be able to rf til 7yo 😂😂

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