Mid size car seats - Forward or Rear facing?

[Boomerwang]

Hi. My daughter is 10 months old and her feet stick out of her baby seat. I'd like to upgrade to the next size up and I've chosen a new seat. I assumed all mid size seats faced forward, but apparently they're supposed to be rear facing for as long as possible.

The model I've chosen is: this one

Has anyone used this? How do I know if it's a rear facing seat or forward? Does it really matter which one I have? How do their legs not get trapped between the seat and rear seat of the car if it's facing backwards?

That one, and in fact most in this category, are forward facing.

I have that seat and it is forward facing. Has served us very well and very tall dd1 is now in the high back booster equivalent.

I have no experience of backwards facing I'm afraid.

That seat is forward facing. I can tell just by the price. An extended rear facing seat (ERF) are around four times the price due to lack of demand in tgis country.

I feel very very strongly about dcs staying rear facing as long as possible and saved from her birth for an ERF seat for dd. She has the Britax 2way elite. The legs dont get trapped as they can sort of dangle them to the sides. Also, some seats are so far back that there is a gap between the seat and the carseat.

Just as an aside, your dd doesnt need to be out of her rocker tot seat until her head reaches the top of the back of the seat. Her legs are irrelevant as she will bend them if necessary.

Google "extended rear facing" and look at the images for an idea of how kids sit in them.

That is a forward facing, I also have a Britax Two-way elite. Backward facing to 25kgs, easy to install, it's a great seat, well worth the money.

If you can afford it do grt rear facing. It is so much safer. Dd is still in hers at 4.9.

get

Hi. I've spoken to my mother who was given a car seat by my sister in law, so I trust the seat hasn't been involved in a collision.

I'm going to get this sent over to Sweden. It'll cost approx £30.

Looking at it, I wish I'd just got that one from the start as it's rear and forward facing.

Interestingly, it suggests that it should be put forward facing from 9 months of age. Is that because there won't be enough room for her legs?

Is it really so dangerous to be forward facing? Surely there wouldn't be so many forward facing seats for sale if it was?

It isnt dangerous to be forward facing. It is dangerous to have them in a car unrestrained. It is safest to rear face them as long as possible.

Tbh, everyone in a car would be safer rear facing (except for the driver of course!).

There are some videos of crash test dummies FF and RF and the dofference between the two are staggering.

Think how we are affected by an impact - whiplash minimum on our strong adult.necks. Now imagine the strain on your LOs neck and shoulders when they are still so small.

Forward facing are much more common in the UK as we have a culture of "look.how grown up my baby is, they are big enough to go into a big kids seat" when really, they would be safer in a RF seat. Looking at other countries, who RF to 4yo (some countries this is the law ) and there isnt this culture of seeing kids 'reach milestones' that shouldnt exist.

Try googling bmj Rear facing car seats. Tried putting the link but couldn't get it to work.
DS had a rear facing till he was 4. He's tall and managed OK with his legs, then we used it forward facing.

Are you native to.Sweden? What are their laws on dcs in cars? I had thought Sweden was one of the countries where legally you had to keep them RF til a certain age? And there may be a local stockist out there who would supply an ERF seat cheaper as they are much.more.common?

I found out that it's a recommendation, not a law over in Sweden.

And according to the swedish websites, they are not much more common at all. I'm surprised, frankly.