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Original poster

What age did you forward face?

240 replies

febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 20:23

I'm just curious to see when people started to forward face their children?

I see a lot of posts on 'mum groups' about how they'll basically keep their kid rear facing until they're 26, but virtually everyone I know has forward faced at about 2

For reference, my eldest is 3.5 and still rear facing. Youngest is 9m and will be for as long as I can too.
Eldest is 50th centile so car seat weights etc not really been an issue
Youngest is 99th centile so we'll see!

Just curious to see what the general population does :)

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Oliotya · 16/12/2023 21:06

DS1 - about 1 yo. Lived abroad, didn't have much choice in car seats, and didn't know any better
DS2 - still rear facing at nearly 4. Will probably turn him between 4.5/5 as he's starting to moan about being uncomfortable. He's only little, so would fit in his axkid for years though.
DS3 - still rear facing, will continue until at least 4.5 again.
Don't really understand when parents say their toddler "won't" rear face anymore. Just don't give them the choice. Their skeletons aren't as strong as their attitudes.

thenightsky · 16/12/2023 21:06

Shadowsindarkplaces · 16/12/2023 20:39

About 30 years late to the party but I'm always fascinated by these threads. When my kids were little, it was, 0-9 months was rear facing, 9 months-4 yrs forward facing seat and boosters after that until too tall. A relative thought it proved how grown up her child was by putting onto a booster seat at around 8 months. Even then, I was horrified. I couldn't imagine a seat big enough to rear face a 6 year old though fitting in the cars we had.

Yes, me too. I'm sure my rear facing (Britax) was up to 22kg in the front seat. Then we went to forward, but in the back seat. The above a certain height, around 2 years was a booster cushion in the back.

Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:07

herewegoroundtheblueberrybush · 16/12/2023 21:01

Basically, mumsnet gives the impression that everyone's child is rear facing until they're 15, but in reality the vast majority of people forward face their kids when they grow out of their baby seat.

See I don't think this post proves that? By the sounds of it, people / mums with young children now, tend to rear face as long as possible. Older mums forward faced much sooner but the research and statistics are much clearer now and easily accessible to see

In terms of people worrying about legs - children's bones and muscles etc are formed very different to ours. And studies show that actually it's worse to FF at a young age with their legs dangling due to blood flow issues (just for anyone that wasn't sure - again this isn't a judgy post it's purely to see what people do!)

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sugarplum33 · 16/12/2023 21:08

My tall 4 year old is still happily rear facing and we will keep her that way until her younger sibling needs the seat. She's never known any different so there's nothing for her to kick up a fuss about.

@renthead children are built completely differently to adults so you can't compare their comfort levels. They are so flexible and frequently choose to sit in- by our standards- very uncomfortable positions. Sitting with their legs folded or stretched up just isn't uncomfortable for them like it would be for us. What is more uncomfortable is the 'bar stool effect' of sitting forward facing with their legs dangling unsupported with nothing to rest them on.

Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:10

Also my 3 year old in his joie 360 will sometimes ask me to tilt it back so he can have a nap 😂 he's so funny bless him, he's got no trouble RF.

It's interesting to see how times change and opinions on others. I know the topic can be controversial at times, I'm glad to see everyone here has been nice!

OP posts:
DingleDongle80 · 16/12/2023 21:11

Actually I've misremembered. The 7 year old wasn't 25kg until age 9. We turned them FF at age 7 as their legs were too long to be comfortable by then.

Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:11

@sugarplum33 thank you! Probably put it better than I did

If parents are unsure in future I hope they come across this thread and fine it useful!

OP posts:
Justnoidea · 16/12/2023 21:11

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 16/12/2023 20:30

About a year for both as very tall babies and genuinely didn’t work rear facing anymore

Considering my 99th centile 6 year old still rear faces I find this a little hard to believe!

GreyDuck · 16/12/2023 21:12

renthead · 16/12/2023 20:40

I've seen photos of gangly 6 year olds rear facing and it just looks ridiculous and uncomfortable. Their legs are sticking all that way up the seat! No adult would agree to sit like that for any length of time. It seems like competitive parenting and just trying to make a point, rather than any regard for the child.

They do look squashed, but children are much more flexible than adults.
There's no way I could sit like that, (I can't even sit cross legged on the floor) but I am very confident that my child is perfectly comfortable.

kernowpicklepie · 16/12/2023 21:13

DD is 2.5 and is mostly rear facing, sometimes she forward faces but she didn't start until just before 2 and she started asking to face us and would have a tantrum if we didn't let her 🤦🏻‍♀️
Now she mostly likes to RF especially as her brother is RF (almost 12 months)

ArtMam · 16/12/2023 21:14

I’m rear facing my 17mo old and plan to do so as long as possible. For those adding about ERF seats, we opted for a BeSafe Stretch which rear faces to 36kg (he’s high centile). We chose this over the axkid because it could be tilted back more easily, he loves a car nap!

DingleDongle80 · 16/12/2023 21:14

We had a Britax two way Elite. Before that, we used the Klippan Kiss 2 seats.

PuttingDownRoots · 16/12/2023 21:15

@febbabies2023 this thread proves that the parents who rear face are more likely to click on a thread about rear facing and reply to it.

It is still a minority.

starlight2k · 16/12/2023 21:16

Just turned 3yo as I needed the seat for my younger child that had outgrown theirs

elliesmummy19 · 16/12/2023 21:16

My daughter is 4.5 and still rear facing. We won’t be turning her round for quite a while.

DragonFly98 · 16/12/2023 21:16

We forward faced at age five, it's shocking it's not illegal before age three. Hopefully in time it will be.

MyCatIsPlotting · 16/12/2023 21:17

DC1 - FF from 2.5 as he wouldn’t sit properly in his RF seat and kept twisting to try to see better, which made the straps fall down his shoulders. In hindsight, that seat was too reclined for ERF.

DC2 - almost 4 and still RF. I plan to keep him in his seat until he outgrows it/gets travel sick on a regular basis/starts really complaining.

Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:18

PuttingDownRoots · 16/12/2023 21:15

@febbabies2023 this thread proves that the parents who rear face are more likely to click on a thread about rear facing and reply to it.

It is still a minority.

I don't think it's a minority, that would be unfair to say! I click on many posts that aren't relevant to me, or I'm curious about. Or things I've done opposed to the OP etc. just an open conversation.
Parents can absolutely do what they want with their children, it's not my problem. I do hope though that some parents will see that RF beyond legal limits is beneficial unless circumstances are beyond that

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Youdirtysonofagun · 16/12/2023 21:19

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Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:19

DragonFly98 · 16/12/2023 21:16

We forward faced at age five, it's shocking it's not illegal before age three. Hopefully in time it will be.

I think like anything as the research develops and the statistics become more apparent, it likely will. Probably not whilst our kids are young but hopefully by the time we have grandchildren

My MIL and SIL had our kids for a few days recently and I had to remind them that our 2 were RF. SIL kids are much older and RF wasn't as much of a thing when her eldest was a baby

OP posts:
DragonFly98 · 16/12/2023 21:19

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 16/12/2023 20:30

About a year for both as very tall babies and genuinely didn’t work rear facing anymore

Not judging you it is a genuine questions as to why it didn't work. My five year can't possibly have shorter legs than you one year old did. Legs are meant to hang of the sides.

Original poster
febbabies2023 · 16/12/2023 21:20

@Youdirtysonofagun you only rear faced until 6m?! When was this, can you tell me why? (Curious) I can't ever imagine doing that. Especially when some babies can't even sit at 6m

OP posts:
Shadowsindarkplaces · 16/12/2023 21:21

I'm more shocked by parents not strapping kids in at all. You see it on school runs in particular. Kids and dogs climbing all over seats. Even 30 years ago I knew better.
Even my dog has a seatbelt adapter. ( boot not big enough)

justmyluck1234 · 16/12/2023 21:22

I think mine was about 18months, he started to scream in the back so we turned the seat and it stopped him from crying. He

stargirl1701 · 16/12/2023 21:22

DD1 - age 4

DD2 - age 5

They are both still in car seats at 11 and 9.

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