Is it ok or a massive no-no for an older baby to be in a forward facing car seat in the front passenger seat?

[NoDontLookAtMeImShy]

As above.

The passenger air bags are turned off.

I understand that in the ideal world he would be in a rear facing car car seat in the back until he's 16.

But how bad is it if he was in the front in a forward facing seat, air bags off?
Is it way more dangerous than him being forward facing in the back?

My dd is 18 months and rear faci g. Sometimes she's in yhe front,sometimes the back.

At 11kg your child should still fit into their baby carrier (up to 13kg).

Once my dd grew out of hers i bought a 360 spin seat what does rear facing till 18kg, then forward facing so i don't have yo buy a new chair.

This does bug me as I see so many of my DS’s friends (he’s 6) getting into cars and sitting in the front. I sat in the back until I was 12 in my mom’s car.
What’s the rush? 🤷🏼‍♀️

If you can't afford a rear facing seat (the cheapest is £60, though I appreciate that doesn't help if you've already bought a seat!) you should at least use the infant carrier to the max weight it will go. They can often be used much longer than you'd expect. I'm not interested in guilt tripping people about buying expensive seats, I'm more interested in people using the seats they already have to the best capacity.

Rear face ideally until 3 but minimum until well past the first birthday. Reason being you tend to see a spike in child passenger deaths around a year across Europe, as most people move to a forward facing seat around 9/10 months. You can usually do this in the infant carrier so cost doesn't really come into it.

If they need to be in the front rear facing is better as long as the airbag can be off. Other than that, I don't think there is actually a difference between front and back for safety? There seems to be a lot talked about it but in modern cars actually the front is quite well protected?

The reason you'll have isofix points in the middle even with a bump is that some of the foot prop things can go over bumps, and some seats fit with top tether instead which works as an alternative to the foot prop.

Every car seat is different. I would go off the instructions on the car seat. He needs to be able to sit properly and safely if he’s facing forward. . I don’t know how a child can sit in a rear facing seat until the age of 2 as some have suggested. Where will the child’s legs go!!

If you can afford to run a car you can afford an appropriate car seat!
You need to sort your priorities out op.

This is so dangerous, just because a seat says its safe from 9kg doesn't really mean it is. I can't be bothered to explain why, but you should do your research. I spent hours researching my children's carseats. We have 3 rear facing children, all the seats are Swedish.

Oh and in a crash he would definitely die or be very disabled after.

Please talk to your dad about this. I'm sure he can tell you the passenger is (I think) the most dangerous seat in the car.

I'm a bit of a car seat fanatic because essentially I couldn't live with myself if something happened and I could've made a different choice. There is not a hope in hell my 10 month old would be FF.

Thanks Molly, I had absolutely no idea that was the case.

It depends on the seat you have.
It's a Maxi Cosi Axis. I had another look and it just mentions weight not age. Which is bizarre if that's the law?!

Oh and in a crash he would definitely die or be very disabled after.

I mean not really. I've had cars go in the back of me before and no one would die or be disabled.

Not all crashes are high speed, 4 car pile ups.

A ten month old in an appropriate, legal and properly installed car seat is not going to "definitely die or be seriously injured" in a crash just because they are forward facing, don't be ridiculous. The chance is about 40%, whereas in a rear facing seat it's 8%. It's a big difference, but it's not like it's 100% vs 0. Hyperbole like that is what turns people away from accessing advice. A forward facing seat will still prevent against the majority of serious outcomes, that's why they are legally required.

1. You aren't 10 months old with a still developing bone structure
2. What if it is a high speed crash? A good carseat will protect them, a bad one will kill them. Not a chance I'd be willing to take

I can't be bothered to explain why, but you should do your research.

You're really rude aren't you?

You do realise this is part of me doing my research, don't you?

Stop being a dick.

Thanks everyone else for the information and insight. Really helpful. I will certainly be changing my plans with regards to car seats and placing.

The maxi cosi axiss is not an I size seat which is why it can legally be used from 9kg regardless of age. It's just recommended to stick to the newer 15 month guideline if you can.

Could he rear face in the front? Then you can pass him toys etc. 10 months is way too young for FF

BertieBots the cheapest rear facing older kid seat is only £60?

Where was that? We have an infant rear facing seat. He isn't in the front facing one yet, that was just an idea it's still sat in the front room unused.

Yep, the Joie tilt. Or the Joie Steadi. They fluctuate in price between £60-80. They don't have the rotating feature of the axiss unfortunately and the seatbelt is across the opening to fit a child into the seat, which is a bit annoying, but that is because these are cheaper more basic seats.

If you were after a rotating seat which can rear face or forward face for about the same price of the maxi cosi the Joie 360 Spin can be found for around £160 when it goes on sale. That is isofix with a leg though.

www.halfords.com/kids-zone/car-seats/baby-car-seats/joie-stages-group-0--1-2-child-car-seat-grey-flannel?cm_mmc=Google+PLA--Car+Seats--Baby+Car+Seats--811114&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istFeedId=62b447cf-331e-4fec-a47a-9985ff72d404&istItemId=wmtpttwip&istBid=tzir&$ja=tsid:94971|cid:1536901118|agid:62325125727|tid:pla-330165592701|crid:291898456472|nw:g|rnd:15866232018071991479|dvc:m|adp:1o3|mt:|loc:&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84XtBRDWARIsAAU1aM24QXuczib6PhiJte_Jvx_5aRD6Bar2GX3iBKxzu2WwbLE3o1F8OtkaAnDzEALw_wcB
Not quite £60 but this one is £100

Just to add that whilst driving you mustn't be passing toys etc anyway. It's safer in the back additionally to what pp above have written because you won't be distracted

My son went over the weight limit around 9months but I was not putting him FF. Their necks are not strong enough, even if it's not a huge collision that jolt forward is very dangerous for a baby. Britax used to do a great seat, first plus or something like that, was about £100 if I remember correctly so wasn't too expensive (it's been a few years since mine were babies though). It rear faces until 15 months ish, then can be turned forward. I've never put my children in the front, not sure why, it feels too vulnerable somehow. Although my mum did have to do one journey with my 8 year old in the front, he had a high back booster and airbags were left on as advised by police officer friend (guessing because of his age and that it wasn't a big baby seat?)

We got a joie tilt for £50 (on sale, reduced from£60), it's not the best rear facer, but still much safer than forward facing. This was 3 years ago now, but I'm sure similar models still exist.

Won't help you now but it goes from birth to 18kg, so was cheaper then buying newborn seat and separate stage 1.

Yes, you can still get the first class plus :) it's still about £100 but there are cheaper seats these days which will rear face longer (and go forwards if you would like later on).

Please don't FF your son yet! I don't RF to 4 but at least till 18 months! If you look on youtube at dummy crash test's its just NOT worth the risk.

DH wanted to get DD a high back booster he said it would be better for her leg room as she is a very tall 3 year old which is true but if she's dead she won't care about leg room will she 🤦🏻‍♀️

My son went forward facing at 10 months because he was so squished he screamed constantly and it was more likely that this would cause a crash, than the change of turning him round and being in a crash. This was 6 years ago though and rear facing seats were less common and more expensive. I think putting him in the front and forward facing is a bigger risk and not worth while. My 6 yr old now goes in the front in my car because the 2 kids fight when in the back together. His seat is pushed right back though and I constantly remind him to sit properly in case of a crash.