Front facing car seat for baby?

GingerNinjer · 2021-03-23T07:28:35+00:00

I have been gifted a front facing car seat for my granddaughter. She’s 10 months old. The manufacturer states the seat is suitable for babies aged from 9 months but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s unsafe? Despite the manufacture statement?

omega11 · 23/03/2021 07:30

Lots of people forward face but I wouldn't take the risk just yet. Is it one of those that you could keep for when she's much older?

IndecentFeminist · 23/03/2021 07:31

I wouldn't.

dementedpixie · 23/03/2021 07:31

You still get weight based car seats that forward face from 9 months but that doesn't mean you should use it at that age. It is far safer for them still to rear face at that age

Meatshake · 23/03/2021 07:33

No way. Rear facing til 3 or 4 here, it's just so much safer.

Look at the straps too- if it's a mamia one, or a Spiderman/princess/minion style one then tbh you'd be better off just putting the kid on the actual seat.

If you're struggling to know what to buy, there's a lot of carseat safety Facebook groups out there.

Username916 · 23/03/2021 07:34

My eldest is 9 now and when she was little everyone I knew had their babies forward facing by a year old. My youngest is almost 3 and everyone we know is still rear facing, I can't imagine forward her facing her yet! Times change and we learn more, I definitely wouldn't forward face a baby so little.

Liverbird77 · 23/03/2021 07:34

Completely unsafe. Chuck it.

Wobbitcatcher · 23/03/2021 07:37

No chance, my 3 year old is still rear facing and I have no plans to turn him around yet.

Gov website says 15 months but in reality it’s still much safer until age 4

minniemoocher · 23/03/2021 07:40

I think it's 15 months minimum. Second hand car seats are not a good idea anyway

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 23/03/2021 07:42

Yep we're rear facing our 2.5 year old for as long as possible. I'm not sure if we'll get to age 4 as he's on the 98th centile and tall, his legs look cramped already. We've got an extended rear facing seat up to 25kg.

Lockdownbear · 23/03/2021 07:42

Has your baby outgrown their first seat?

My babies were both small but fitted in the infant carrier until 18mths, or nearer 2. I couldn't lift it mind you but it's no different from any other seat kept in the car.

Even 10 years ago it was recommended not to turn them before 12 mths. But the usual well meaning family and friends thought I was being OOT using the infant seat so long.

Original poster

GingerNinjer · 23/03/2021 07:48

Thanks guys, it’s not second hand, it’s brand new. It’s a lovely seat but is suitable upto 12 years old so it will certainly come into use later on! I’ll just buy another rear facing one for now and explain about the safety issues.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 23/03/2021 07:50

Is it a 123 seat then?
Save it for later on

Jubaju · 23/03/2021 07:55

If it’s ‘brand new’ then if should be I-size regs so rear facing until 15months (at least)

StoneColdBitch · 23/03/2021 08:07

The old study which supposedly showed ERF is 5 times safer has been debunked and retracted:

carseatblog.com/43048/everything-we-thought-we-knew-about-rear-facing-is-being-questioned/

I wouldn't forward face a 10-month-old, but the absolute (as opposed to relative) risk of serious injury or death is low regardless of car seat type. With my own kids I was happy to forward-face at some point between 18 months and 2 years. Your individual risk tolerance may vary.

dementedpixie · 23/03/2021 08:15

@Jubaju

If it’s ‘brand new’ then if should be I-size regs so rear facing until 15months (at least)

It's not an infant carrier. It's the next stage seat

stuckinarutatwork · 23/03/2021 08:19

Assuming the child lives with her parents, then surely it should be their decision about what safety equipment is used when caring for their daughter?
I agree that forward facing is unsafe at 10 months but discuss with her parents about how they feel about it. (Apologies if you're her legal guardian)

Original poster

GingerNinjer · 23/03/2021 08:22

@stuckinarutatwork

Assuming the child lives with her parents, then surely it should be their decision about what safety equipment is used when caring for their daughter? I agree that forward facing is unsafe at 10 months but discuss with her parents about how they feel about it. (Apologies if you're her legal guardian)

It was her mum that bought me it (as she doesn’t drive).

OP posts:

Hardbackwriter · 23/03/2021 08:25

Look at the straps too- if it's a mamia one, or a Spiderman/princess/minion style one then tbh you'd be better off just putting the kid on the actual seat.

This is such rubbish and actually quite dangerous to claim - there are much better seats but it's never true that a child is better off not in a seat at all. It's always said by people who spend all their time in ERF debating which £500 seat to buy and musing on whether people who turn their children FF before six simply don't love them, but the thing is outside that world there actually are a lot of people who don't use seats at all and it's a real problem.

Lockdownbear · 23/03/2021 08:25

A 123 seat definitely kept it for later on, and it might come in handy for occasional use by Grandparents if they are babysitting. Sometimes its easier for them to have their own seat so your only dropping the kid off rather than the faff with seats.

The other advantage of dedicated stage 1 seats is they tend to have a recline built in.

Mylittlesandwich · 23/03/2021 08:29

@StoneColdBitch

The old study which supposedly showed ERF is 5 times safer has been debunked and retracted:

carseatblog.com/43048/everything-we-thought-we-knew-about-rear-facing-is-being-questioned/

I wouldn't forward face a 10-month-old, but the absolute (as opposed to relative) risk of serious injury or death is low regardless of car seat type. With my own kids I was happy to forward-face at some point between 18 months and 2 years. Your individual risk tolerance may vary.

All that says is that the claim that RF is 5x safer is not true. It says that generally speaking rear facing probably is safer we just don't know how much safer. They said there was a problem with sample size of infants injured in a crash (which is a good thing). This is also a US study, they mentioned Sweden and it's good track record, we have a lot of the same type of seats here.

ClaraLane · 23/03/2021 08:29

@Hardbackwriter

Look at the straps too- if it's a mamia one, or a Spiderman/princess/minion style one then tbh you'd be better off just putting the kid on the actual seat.

This is such rubbish and actually quite dangerous to claim - there are much better seats but it's never true that a child is better off not in a seat at all. It's always said by people who spend all their time in ERF debating which £500 seat to buy and musing on whether people who turn their children FF before six simply don't love them, but the thing is outside that world there actually are a lot of people who don't use seats at all and it's a real problem.

The Nania car seats with white buckles are normally made by Team Tex and have been made incredibly cheaply and meet the minimum car seat safety requirements. I think PP was being slightly hyperbolic by saying no seat was better than one of those seats but they aren’t much better.

Lockdownbear · 23/03/2021 08:30

Sorry I've just realised you are the Gran.

How often is LO in your car?
If it's only occasionally, 30mph roads I'd keep using the baby seat as long as possible and then swap to the new seat.

LavenderLollies · 23/03/2021 08:31

God no.

Join some car seat safety Facebook groups. You should rear face as long as possible.

EvilOnion · 23/03/2021 08:32

The seats are marketed as suitable from 9kg (around 9 months) so legally it's fine but extended rear facing is safer.

The 123 seats are readily available and usually cheaper so perhaps she just grabbed whatever she could since it won't be used too often. Lots of people think of it this way - I did with my first then I researched more with my second as we'd be using the car more and found rear facing.

I would perhaps mention it to her and just say you were planning on getting X seat as you'd heard about rear facing (if you're in the position to) and give her the chance to return hers?

Ultimately I suppose it's up to her what she uses in her own time but when you have your granddaughter in your car i'd say it's your decision.

PatricksRum · 23/03/2021 08:36

It's illegal.