Car seat for 9 month old.... grown out of maxi cosi cabrio, help needed!

[simplynails]

Hi,

I'm after some advice as to which car seat I should get for my 9 month old. Her head is now poking out the top of the cabriofix and she really doesn't look comfortable anymore.
She has always been on the front seat of the car (airbags switched off obviously) and I would like her to remain up front with me if possible (please don't shout me down for this, as I think most have their child in the back).
So what I'm asking is, is this possible and if so which seat do I get? I've heard alot about rear facing seats are safer but can this be used on the front seat? I'm very confused so any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks x

Rear facing seats could be used in the front, but it would depend on how they fit I guess. You could obviously only get one which is fixed using a seatbelt and not isofix which would limit your options. The two we have - be safe izi combi and britax two way elite wouldn't be suitable. Be safe is isofix and the britax has tethers to fix it in which attach to the seat in front.

I know you said don't say anything about where your DD sits but...she would be safer in the back. I think the safest seat is supposed to be in the middle at the back, then behind the front passenger and then behind the driver. Just something to think about.

I don't know how practical an extended rear facing seat would be in the front because they tend to be a bit bigger- it would be worth going to a place which fits them professionally because it might cause safety issues if for example it rests on the dashboard, or is too close to the windscreen.

I agree that having them in the back is safer, obviously your choice, but best to make a choice with all the facts :) You can get little mirrors which mean you can see into rear facing seats if you're worried about being able to see her, or if she's forward facing then of course that makes it easier to talk etc while you're on journeys.

If you choose to keep her in the front then it's best to keep the airbag switched off until she's adult height. Even forward facing they can cause injuries to children because they inflate where the child's head is rather than their chest.

Hi, yes rf is safer and you can have them in the front, with the air bag switched off. I had ds1 in the front in a twe and now ds2 is in the front in a britax hi way. Both have tethers but come under the seat iykwim. I wouldn't put a 9 month old ff.

A two way elite works in the front. The instruction manual shows how to do the tethers under the front seat.

Why not issofix in the front. All the cars I have had with issofix had it in the front as well

We have a Britax 2 way elite in the front seat. It was fitted by In Car Safety Centre who agreed that it was best option for us due to the way we use our car.

Thank you all so much for the advice.

I forgot to mention in my original post that my car doesn't have isofix and it is also 3 door, which is why I have had her in the front since she was born :-)

I will give it serious consideration about front or back. I guess FF in the back would be fine but didn't know if a 9 month old was allowed to be FF?

I will have a look at the seats you have suggested and go from there :-)

A 9 month old can legally be forward facing, but it's nowhere near as safe as rear facing - I think the law is going to change soon.

It would be pretty fiddly to get her into a rear facing seat in the back I think if that's a consideration.

I would RF her in the front.

There is no way I would FF any child under 2.5 preferably 4yrs.