Rear facing?

[mamaof2girls]

Age did you keep your little ones rear facing? Daughter 3 in November and still rear faces with no issue so don't plan on moving her forward yet was just wondering the average age people move them?

Until 4. Was never an issue, in fact when we did start FF, we had complaints that it was uncomfortable as there was nowhere to rest legs, and they didn’t like them just dangling over the edge.

It varies widely. Some turn their kids around so early it makes me cringe (like 9 months). Others scoff a people for ERF, I’ve seen comments like “some parents would keep them rear facing until Uni if they could!”. I think that’s an unhelpful attitude, but you’re going to get a wide variety of responses here.

Personally, I’d like to see children rear facing until at least 4yrs as standard. It isn’t about being overprotective. There is so much scientific evidence demonstrating that it is significantly safer for young children to rear face.

DS1 is coming up 4yrs and rear facing in an Axkid Minikid which should last him until 6/7 years old. He’s happy and comfy in it so we have no plans to turn him until he outgrows it.

DS2 is still in his baby carrier but will also go into an Axkid Minikid with the view to keeping him rear facing until 6/7 years old too.

Dd is nearly 4 and at the cusp of outgrowing her rear facing seat. Cue multiple 'discussions' with DH as follows;

Me; let's get an axkidd mini and keep her rear facing as it's safer
DH; 'uncomfy legs' 'looks squashed' 'she'll be so excited to face forward' 'no-one actually keeps kids rear facing that long'

But ultimately I will be getting the axkidd as all of his arguments and nonsense.

*are

My 6.5 yr old is still rear facing and fits comfortably in his seat, I will keep him rear facing until he outgrows it. Knowing how much adults can suffer as a result of whiplash, I don't really understand why you wouldn't avoid that for your children for as long as possible. For under 4s just the phrase "internal decapitation" is enough to make me shudder!

Just to clarify the phrase about you avoiding that for your children, didn't mean you specifically OP (as I see you rf your child), I just meant people generally who don't

Until 18kg, which is the weight limit on my seat, DS who is 99 percentile was 3, but DD is probably going to fit until 4. If he'd got to the weight much sooner I'd have probably had to invest in a bigger rear facer, but we we're comfortable-ish with ff from 3.

My oldest is four and a half and has recently got a forward facing seat as he's grown out of his rear facing one. He never complained of being uncomfortable and if the rear facing seats for his age weren't so expensive he would still be in one.

My youngest is 3 and she's still rear facing.

Until she grew out of her ERF seat, at about 4.5yrs old. Never complained and didn't know any better.

I'm the only person I know in real life that still has my two year old rear facing. I should caveat that by saying she is forward facing in one car for one end of the day nursery run as the seat fits the car a lot better FF (much to my annoyance). I'll keep her rear facing until she develops some drastic objection to it or travel sickness, or til she outgrows the seat she's in, as she's pretty small it will hopefully be a long time yet. She's never know anything different and so far travels well so may as well leave her as she is!

I turned DS around at 18 months as he hit the maximum rear facing weight and his seat was getting wobbly. Everyone I know turned their kids forwards much younger and thought it was bizarre I waited until 18 months but i know that's quite early.

Mine were rear facing until they grew out of the seats, as they were designed for tall Swedes it took a while, I think around seven or eight.
Everyone is safer rear facing, well apart from the driver..

My seats came from Sweden .

Yeah am the only one in my family that has kept their child rear facing this long. She doesn't complain eaither and has a younger sister who also rear faces so I think that also helps! X

DD1 asked to forward face at 3.5 and has done on most journeys since. She was beginning to play up in the car seat and scream to get out which is obviously quite distracting so we let her try forward facing. She’s quite tall though (has now reached the upper limit on the ability to rear face in that seat and she’s just 4). I’m the only person I know that still rear faced at that age, most were keen to get their child into a ‘big boy/girl’ seat from around 15 months. Had a few funny looks from the in-laws. DD2 is 15 months and there’s no way I’d let her forward face, she seems way too small!

Mine were both about 1.

Never heard of this long term rear facing

We had DS rearfacing until he was 4.5, on a Britax Two Way Elite

I have a 25kg RF seat and I'll use it until DS outgrows it which should be around 4.

My 4yr old I had her front facing at less than a year old. I didn't actually know then that not only was it unsafe but against the law. Think it's 15 months before tour legally allowed to forward face. Bought her a new car seat when she was about 9/10 months old so assumed that it was safe if they were selling it for her age/weight.

Current 20 month old is rear facing and will be until at least 2. She's getting quite whingey in the car I'm not sure if it s coz she's bored but going to try keep her rear facing as long as she'll tolerate it. If you're little one seems happy enough I'd leave her rear facing.

@OneMillionSteps

We had DS rearfacing until he was 4.5, on a Britax Two Way Elite

This was the one we had. In Sweden they rear face until four. It is so much safer for little children that it should be law here.

@Babynames2

DD1 asked to forward face at 3.5 and has done on most journeys since. She was beginning to play up in the car seat and scream to get out which is obviously quite distracting so we let her try forward facing. She’s quite tall though (has now reached the upper limit on the ability to rear face in that seat and she’s just 4). I’m the only person I know that still rear faced at that age, most were keen to get their child into a ‘big boy/girl’ seat from around 15 months. Had a few funny looks from the in-laws. DD2 is 15 months and there’s no way I’d let her forward face, she seems way too small!

I’ve heard this big boy/girl seat thing before too. I’m utterly baffled why people consider Turning their child forward facing as a milestone!

I’m also sad that there are posters who haven’t even heard of extended rear facing, to enable themselves to make an informed decision. It’s slowly becoming more wide spread but it needs to become normalised. Car seat suppliers like Halford etc don’t help as they don’t stock many of these sorts of seats, so anyone walking in off the street who hasn’t done any research, isn’t going to get decent advice there 🙁

My 6 year old is still rear-facing. She has been in a high-backed booster on the school run in her old child minder's car though.

DD was 18 months as I didn’t know any better but DS is now 18 months and I’ve got a seat that will keep him rear facing until 4. A couple of my friends have kept their DC rear facing but the vast majority of parents I see at nursery seem to have changed their children round by about 2.

Would also add that I’m in a battle where the in laws keep saying DS can go in their front facing seat and I keep insisting on moving my seat into their car as they seem to think I’m being over the top

I'm going to rear face for as long as possible. My son is 12 months now and most of his friends around his age are forward facing and it will forever baffle me why there's such a rush at such a young age.