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Parenting

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Original poster

forward facing car seat - what age and airbags still off?

28 replies

PipIsOutNow · 13/01/2011 19:41

just wondering what age my ds can go in a forward facing car seat? and do u still need airbags turned off?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

PocketMouse · 13/01/2011 19:52

It's the weight more than age, forgotten but will look it up in a sec.

yes, the airbags need to be off.

PocketMouse · 13/01/2011 19:54

have a look here for guidelines.

BertieBotts · 13/01/2011 19:54

He needs to be at least 9kg and the guideline age is 9 months, but I wouldn't before at least a year. Keep using the infant seat until his head reaches the top of it, then move him :)

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thisisyesterday · 13/01/2011 19:54

have a look here

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 13/01/2011 19:56

Ah thisisyesterday beat me to it.

PocketMouse · 13/01/2011 19:57

heh, thought you'd pop up soon tiy

OP, what car seat have you got? It will have a maximum weight limit on it somewhere

Original poster

PipIsOutNow · 14/01/2011 09:50

iv got a maxi cosi cabriofix, he's only 6 months so obviously wasnt planning on changing his seat for a while I was just curious as to what the guidelines were...thank you everyone!! and thanks this is yesterday!!

OP posts:

tigermummy35 · 14/01/2011 13:46

We were only talking about this the other day. With our rear facing car seat, the leg room in the front is really tight and (whoever sits there) a real squeeze. Our little one is 14lbs already and we can't wait for him to be 20lbs and in a forward facing seat. With way he's growing, that should be aged about 5 months. His maxi-cosi is already looking small for him (he's 60cm tall) and can't be very comfortable. I'd wanted a car seat that could be used from birth to 18kgs (is that Group 0+?) but we couldn't fit them in the car. We've got Ford Escort, before anyone asks! The forward facing seats meet all the safety standards, so can't be bad.

thisisyesterday · 14/01/2011 14:03

please don't put him forward facing at 5 months. really. just don't.

he doesn't have anywhere near the neck strength needed to stop his neck breaking in an accident, should you have one

have a look at before you make a decision

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 14/01/2011 14:07

Tigermummy, I don't know if you where joking or not but please please don't put a 5 month old in a forward facing car seat.

My mum has a ford focus and our britax two way elite rear facing, 5 point harness until 25kg fits fine with plenty of room for passenger and my tall 21 month old is very comfy.

Worth a look if you're interested in keeping your little one rear facing for as long as possible.

Original poster

PipIsOutNow · 14/01/2011 16:16

thisisyesterday that video is such an eye opener and one that everyone should watch and take note of...i most definitely wont be putting my ds in a forward facing car seat until at least 10 months but as close to 1 year as possible...thank you!!

OP posts:

tigermummy35 · 14/01/2011 17:21

I wasn't joking, the guidelines are on weight not age. Anyway, 5 months was a guesstimate on how old he'll be based on the centile he's following (91st).

thisisyesterday · 14/01/2011 17:42

ds3 was 9kg by 5.5 months, it wasn't that part that's so unbelievable

really, take a look at the links.
are you really willing to take that risk just so your passenger gets some extra leg room???? really?

tigermummy35 · 14/01/2011 18:09

The problem is, both hubby and I are tall (I'm 5ft 11 and he's 6ft 2), so when we go out as a family, I have to sit with my knees under my chin in the front and I can't sit in the back because I'm severely car sick (have been since I was a baby). I have started to look at the links and agree they do provide a good case for rear facing for longer. But we can't fit those big car seats into our car, rear facing, they just don't fit (we had the fitters at Kiddicare try to fit one). Once DS is too big for his current seat, we'll have no choice but to forward face him. I guess a new car is the only choice, but that's not necessarily an option either.

thisisyesterday · 14/01/2011 18:12

he is only too big once he reaches the weight limit of the seat or his head comes over the top of the back
i really would keep him in it as long as possible.

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 14/01/2011 18:15

Well, it's your choice but I would rather sit with my knee's under my chin/ get anti-sickness tablets and sit in the back or save save save for a bigger 2nd hand car... Anything that meant I didn't have to turn my child forward facing for as long as possible.

Kiddiecare don't sell the britax 2 way elit either which is the seat that fits in my mums ford focus!

thisisyesterday · 14/01/2011 18:18

yeah the britax 2 way elite is good because it basically just fits into the gap between the front and rear seats... by that I mean it has no big base like some of the others, which has to sit on a specific area of the seat.
the besafe izi combi for example has to overhang the back seat and has a brace to fit in as well.

think there is someone on the rearfacing forum who has a britax 2 way elite in a mini cooper!!
I also recently showed mine to another mumsnetter who tried it in her nissan micra.
it'll fit into a really tiny space!

we found that actually, forward facing ds1 needed nearly as much room as he did rear-facing because he had big long legs that stuck out in front of his seat lol

tigermummy35 · 14/01/2011 18:44

I'll look into the Britax, sounds like it could solve all our problems.

TickettyBoo · 14/01/2011 22:30

My lo is 8 months old and just over 24lb but I refuse to change her seat until she's older and her back and neck is strong enough should we have an accident.

I'd love to change her over as she hates her car seat rear facing and I think she'd be happier seeing me but I just have seen too many reports and you tube videos that have scared the pants off me!!! lol - am hoping to keep her in her current seat till age 1, weight permitting - the current seat I think has a limit of 28lb x

hellymelly · 14/01/2011 22:39

We have both girls in the Britax two way.We have a Volvo estate though,so a fairly big car,but it is a very upright seat,so I would think it would work in smaller cars too.My two girls are 3y8m, and just 6,the six year old is very light,although she is tallish,but she still fits her seat fine and is within the weight limit,we will keep her rear facing for as long as possible,it is far safer.Our seats were bloomin' expensive,we had them sent from Sweden,but worth it.

bacon · 15/01/2011 17:15

I did DS1 7 months and DS2 6 months.

I dont undstand the accident bit what happens then if your shunted from behind (more likely)or side? If yr hit at a considerable speed surely it makes no difference the head is going to move. This makes no sence at all.

The carseat that fitted onto the pushchair didnt allow for long legs and wasnt going to fork out for a dual seat. 9 months is very old and no way can you carry a 9m old in a pram seat. I cant imagine any 9m old sitting facing the back without going nuts!

Simple common sence prevails.

Original poster

PipIsOutNow · 15/01/2011 18:39

watch the youtube link bacon its because of the strength (or lack of) in a 6 month old's neck and spine and the force that is put upon it in a crash when sat in a forward facing seat...in a rear facing seat there is no pressure to neck or spine and so it's much safer. nothing to do with common sense just safety

OP posts:

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 15/01/2011 19:49

bacon If you are hit from behind, the impact is far less severe as both cars are travelling the same direction. Your car will just be pushed further in the direction it is already going.

A front or side collision are the worst, Especially for children sat in Forward facing car seats. Their head gets flung forward and due to the large size of a child's head in proportion to their body's, the force of the neck being flung forward can stretch the spinal cord and is very likely to cause internal decapitation. This is be worse the younger the child is due to them not having very good neck strength and head control until the are much older.

A child in a rear facing seat is much safer in a frontal collision because the child's whole body moves with the seat which means the neck and spine is put under great pressure.

As for babies in infant carriers, It does not matter how long their legs are. They only grow out of it when their eye's/ears are level with the back of the seat or weight wise obviously.

It's very very sad, but have a look at "Joel's Story" on YouTube.

aPixieInMyCaramelLatte · 15/01/2011 19:50

Sorry,

A child in a rear facing seat is much safer in a frontal collision because the child's whole body moves with the seat which means the neck and spine are not put under great pressure.

thisisyesterday · 15/01/2011 19:54

bacon the forces involved in a head-on collision will be much, much higher than if you are hit from behind.

my 3 yr old and 18 month old have never complained about being rear-facing. they can see more (out the back window as well as the sides) and are generally happy travellers, even on the 6 hour trip to the in-laws!

and ds2 was turned rear-facing at 2... so he was used to being forward facing and it still didn't bother him

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