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Parenting

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Original poster

When did your child move to a forward facing car seat?

108 replies

Alb1 · 04/02/2016 18:46

Just that really, I no rear facing for as long as possible is the best thing. DS is 17 months, 10kg (car seat says minimum of 9kg for forward facing, his feet are slightly cramped now rear facing so I'm debating turning the seat but not sure if he's too young so thought I'd see if I can find out what the average sort of age is?

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Helenluvsrob · 05/02/2016 08:59

Please keep kids rf as long as possible. The evidence is clear. You kids are precious .

Don't project onto an 18 month old " his feet are squashed" they aren't. He'll cross his legs, or rest them up the seat. Don't associate frustration with being in the car / car seat at all with being miserable because they are rf. They can see out the windows, play with toys etc fine.

mine are 23/20/16 now. I shudder that we had a britax seat that as a hbb from 9 months - awful. Mind you even then that was the " spare " seat - they had 5 point harnesses. Still turned them at / before a year though :(. However rf tiny baby seats were quite new too lol

poocatcherchampion · 05/02/2016 09:00

I can testify that you can get a nearly 4yo rearfacing in the joiestages too.

See earlier post re major accident - we don't take chances even with spare seat

HeadDreamer · 05/02/2016 09:04

That's why they have updated the regulations for car seats to keep the babies rear facing for longer. I have noticed the big change from my 4yo and my 1yo. When I had DD1, I don't notice any toddler seats that are rear facing in the likes of mothercare and halfords. With DD2, I needed a new car seat as we have two cars now. I went to mothercare and they are selling loads of toddler seats that can face both forwards and backwards. Like the britax two way elite, the maxi cosi two way pearl and milofix. I think changing the baby to forward facing at 9mo will soon be a thing of the past.

I only know about the isize thing when I shopped for a new seat!

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IDontWantToBuildASnowman · 05/02/2016 09:41

About 12-14 months with both of mine. I am amazed at how many responders have used RF to much older ages as while I was vaguely aware of the existence of RF seats beyond the infant carrier stage, I thought this was a reasonably new thing and I have not seen a single example of someone using one and I have seen a LOT of people with kids from 1-4 years of age due to having a 4 year old myself. I completely understand the safety aspects, but I have to admit I would have found rear facing a PITA for beyond 1yr from a communication perspective, especially as we do very long drives and being able to see them and hand them things was really important.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 05/02/2016 10:08

DD was just over a year as she reached the weight limit, plus our RF seat was a pain to get her in/out. Extended RF wasn't a thing when she was small, but we did keep her in the 5 point harness for as long as possible.

We've now bought a BeSafe extended RF seat for DS as at 7mo he was nearly at the weight limit for our old seat. He can now be RF up to 25kg (approx 6yo, but realistically 4yo based on his weight & height trajectory). It tilts and is easy to get DS in/out, but did cost a fair bit.

I certainly wouldn't forward face DS until at least 3yo as we do a lot of travelling.

MintSource · 05/02/2016 10:30

DS is 17months and will stay rear-facing as long as possible. We bought the Joie Stages seat for this reason but there were very few on the market.

Natsku · 05/02/2016 11:15

Did you try the Britain two way elite? Fits in a Renault clio in the front so would be amazed if it doesn't fit in a van.

Not without blocking the driver's view to the wing mirror and blocking the heating and cooling controls etc. Van is bust now anyway so hopefully getting a van that has seats in the back too sometime before I'm old and grey... DD is 5 now so will probably get a high back booster once we get a new van/car, at the moment its just a normal booster whenever we borrow someone's car.

CultureSucksDownWords · 05/02/2016 12:10

If you need to see your child when they are rear facing you can buy mirrors that enable this.

adognamedboo · 05/02/2016 12:24

Dd and ds are 12 and 9, so I turned them off when they were a year (as was common back then, and a lot easier in a 3 door car)
New baby dd has a britax first class, and is a teeny thing, so will rf for as long as possible, even tho she hates the car.
Like another poster said it makes me feel awful to think how early we turned the other ff but there wasn't as much info around and the few erf seats were extortionately priced.

MoreGilmoreGirls · 05/02/2016 12:28

My DS is 2 and in rear facing Britax seat. Will keep him rear facing till he's 4 as per the EU recommendation. He's very long he just sticks his legs up in the air and us perfectly fine. It's upsetting how behind the UK is on this issue.

uhoh2016 · 05/02/2016 13:07

he's very long and just sticks his legs up in the air
This can't be comfortable especially if it's a longer car journey. I have a 5yo and I can't imagine him still rf

uhoh2016 · 05/02/2016 13:16

Just re read that he's only 2 and already sticking his legs up how's he going to manage at 4

imwithspud · 05/02/2016 13:31

DD1 was rf in her infant carrier till about 19/20 months, we tried to find a RF seat that would fit in our car safely and that we could afford to no avail. So we had no choice in the end but to ff her. Now there are a lot more affordable RF options out there and we have a different, less awkward car now so hoping to keep DD2 rf for longer (she's only 8months, so a while off yet).

Artandco · 05/02/2016 14:05

Uhoh- they fit comfortably. Mine were in rear facing until 5.5 years. ( so 6 year old now in forward facing high back booster, just 5 year old still rear facing). We go on long car journeys as regularly drive London to Cornwall and London to Berlin. Both looked perfectly comforable even at 5 rear facing. The seat isn't right up against back of seat but more out towards front seats so they have more space. They just cross legs loosely usually.

fastingmum123 · 05/02/2016 14:22

I'm watching this with interest as I never knew people did this. (Have a 5 yr old and haven't seen it over maybe 2/3) just one question how does it work if you have a tall driver? We borrow my mils car now and again it's a Vauxhall something and my youngest has to sit behind my partner as he's the only one who can fit his legs behind dps seat (he's 6ft 4) I think we would struggle to fit even a infant seat behind him.

I know that was the biggest problem when our middle son now 8 was also in a car seat as even the forward facing ones barely fit behind his chair and poor old dd was squashed between the pair of them.

TheKitchenWitch · 05/02/2016 14:25

This is very much a thing in the uk I think. I've never seen any child in a rf seat where I am (Germany), they go from the baby travel thing to ff.

Outaboutnowt · 05/02/2016 14:32

We've just bought this

DS is 16 months and over 10kgs and was getting too big for his baby seat. We decided to go for rear facing after researching it. We quite regularly travel on motorways etc to see family so do high speeds and just felt it's best for us.

We've already had a few looks and 'why is he facing the wrong way' comments but I don't care, he loves the seat, has a good view out of the window and seems very comfy in it. he actually sleeps in this car seat which is a bonus

Onsera3 · 05/02/2016 14:49

I kept DS rear facing til 2years in Cybex Sirona when he reached the 18kg limit. I think it looks comfy having legs folded up. Since we turned DS round he's always sought somewhere to rest his feet. I like putting my feet up too so don't see how it's more comfy to have them dangling.

Strokethefurrywall · 05/02/2016 14:50

Agreed TheKitchenWitch - not in the US either.

Both my kids went forward facing at 1 year, DS1 is now on a standard booster at 4 years, DS2 still in his recaro.

But then many people here (Caribbean island) don't even bother strapping their kids in.

CultureSucksDownWords · 05/02/2016 14:57

The rear facing concept was a scandinavian thing first, and is becoming more popular here (UK), noticeably so since my DS was born 3.5 years ago.

TattieHowkerz · 05/02/2016 15:01

Just before she turned 4.

Artandco · 05/02/2016 15:45

The kitchen - we ordered ours from Germany as at the time that's where they had the most so I don't think that's correct.

MoreGilmoreGirls · 05/02/2016 15:56

Uhoh2016 he's perfectly fine. Trust me he'd soon complain if he was not happy about it, he just puts his feet up against the back seat. Kids are far more flexible than grown ups.

Eminybob · 06/02/2016 06:11

To be honest I don't know anyone else irl with children DS's age or older who rear face. When I was trying to put my seat into my friends car rear facing (but couldn't as the seat belts weren't long enough) she gave me this face

So I don't think it's as much of a thing in the uk as the people who do it (me included) think it is iyswim?

But I did a lot of research and definitely felt it was the safest option and I'm happy with my decision. Just a bit peeved that my chosen seat (joie stages) doesn't have isofix.

MigGril · 06/02/2016 18:17

Stock don't know how long you've not been in the US but they have changed there guide from 1 year to 2 years now.

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