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Parenting

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Original poster

The guy at Halfords told us that if we put DD into stage 1 carseat at 6months we risk her neck being broken??! Is this right?

64 replies

StreetcarNamedDesire · 30/12/2008 22:28

OK, we went out today to buy the next stage car seat as my brother needs our 1st stage carseat as his first baby is due in March.

Halfords state that the next stage is from 9 months, but weight is 20lbs upwards. DD is a big baby at just under 20lbs at 6 months so we thought we'd be ok.

But the guy at Halfords said it's done on age not weight, and she needs to be capable of sitting unsupported before going into the next stage (forward facing) otherwise if she's in an accident her neck could get broken if she couldn't support it?

Am I being a bit dim here, surely it doesn't make a difference whether she can support her head or not (she can, but still needs some support to sit upright) as in an accident it's not like she'll get time to brace?

Would appreciate anyone's thoughts on this, my brother is travelling 400 miles to visit and we were planning on giving him the pram & carseat complete, if not we're going to have to make another journey to visit him in Feb!

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thisisyesterday · 30/12/2008 22:30

yes. it is not safe to put a 6 month old into a forward facing seat.
in fact, I believe the neck strength thing is more important than the weight.

FairyMum · 30/12/2008 22:31

It is not safe. Mine travel rearfacing until they are 4! Safest way to travel for this age-group.

kif · 30/12/2008 22:32

my dd had a reversible britax seat. would that solve your dilemma? i'll try to find a link, if it;s still made.

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SnowballsintheSky · 30/12/2008 22:33

Mothercare wouldn't sell me a seat yet because dd, although nearly a year old, is still only 19lb 5oz and her head is not yet near the top of the baby seat. Apparently, you should be able to tick all three boxes but age and weight are the most important. I wouldn't risk it.

EffiePerine · 30/12/2008 22:33

If she can't sit unsupported I wouldn't put her in a forward facing seat. I think DS went into one at about 8 months, he was also a big baby and had grown out of his first carseat but was sitting well and had good neck control.

Dropdeadfred · 30/12/2008 22:34

I would rather do the trip again than put my dd at risk...sorry but it's not worth the risk to her

ravenAK · 30/12/2008 22:35

Not so much whether she'd have time to brace, as whether neck is strong enough for her slamming forward, against straps, rather than back, into seat, I think.

Grim thought!

Have just moved youngest into front-facing @ 9 months - we put her db into one at about 7 months, on the same thinking as you (big baby) & he was fine - but then, we were lucky enough not to be in any accidents.

Tbh I think rear-facing is safest as long as it's practical.

BettySwollux · 30/12/2008 22:37

Halfords told me that baby has to be able to sit unsupported for approx 45 mins. DS2 was in stage 1 seat from around 8 months, as weight and sitting were ok.
How long can she sit for?
Could you maybe post car seat to your brother nearer the birth and just give him the pram part when he visits?
I'm sure he will understand, your child's safety comes first.

mrsleroyjethrogibbs · 30/12/2008 22:37

sadly I think he has a point. Plus the other posters have made it clear that it woudl be better to wait. I would if I were you

pantomimEDAMe · 30/12/2008 22:39

Rear facing is far safer. Wouldn't put a baby in a forward facing seat unless they had actually grown out of Stage 1, tbh. Think of the forces involved in a car accident and how people's heads are thrown forward - if you google, you can find safety videos with crash test dummies.

There's been a lot of discussion on MN about how all child seats, even for older kids, should be rear facing. MUCH safer, apparently. But not many makes on the market in this country.

thisisyesterday · 30/12/2008 22:40

yep i would keep her rear-facing for absolutely as long as possible.

sorry, but your brothers need for the carseat shouldn't outweigh that of the safety of your child

hellymelly · 30/12/2008 22:42

why not buy another rear facing seat? My girls are just 4 and 19 months and they are both on rear facing seats.In Sweden all children have rear facing seats until they are four or five.Rear facing seats are safer for small children because of the weight of the head in relation to the body,and this is true for toddlers as well as babies.

liahgen · 30/12/2008 22:42

my dd went into her forward facing seat this week at 19mths and 21lbs. Obviously she is walking and has good neck control but she is tiny and just didn't feel safe before that.

don't risk it, you can always courier the car seat to them when you have fnished with it.

differentID · 30/12/2008 22:44

He was right. A babys head is the equivelent of 1/4 of it's length and weight. In a crash the head gets thrown forward first and most violently. Rear facing, the seat absorbs the impact which reduces head and neck movement thus minimizes whiplash injuries. Forward facing there is nothing to stop the head from going forwards. A childs neck muscles can stretch up to 4 inches, the spinal cord can only stretch 1 inch.

MatNanPlusAbroad · 30/12/2008 22:45

Have you considered a seat that is from birth to 18kgs/4yrs so she could continue rear facing as long as possible?

There is also the Recaro Polaric a rear facing seat from 9kgs to 18kgs, it doesn't go front facing and is said to be the safest way for young children to travel.

And the 2 Way Elite that allows rear facing till 25kgs, but can be used front facing tho it is designed to be rear facing for as long as possible.

aidansyummymummy · 30/12/2008 22:46

how about buying a britax first class or similar that you can continue using rear ward until the baby is ready for forward facing? Assuming it fits your car?

Gotta say I back the Halfords man 100% just not worth the risk...i was told something similar John Lewis.

Or could you not courier the car seat to your brother nearer the time?

psychohohohoho · 30/12/2008 22:51

agree with everyone who says that your DD needs a rear facing for as long as possible.

can I just say tho, your statement saying that she will have time to brace in a car accident........I have now had three car accidents that have not been my fault, each with at least one of my children in the car, the last in fact having 7 children in (my 5 plus 2 of my childrens friends)........not ONE of us had time to brace, and the youngest was 6......we all had whiplash!

so, please please please ensure that your DD is well protected in her car seat. all mine were, each time, and that was the very reason that I still have each of them with me for this christmas!

Original poster

StreetcarNamedDesire · 30/12/2008 22:55

Thanks for such a big (and fast) response!

Will definitely check out the rear facing recommendations, but in the meantime she will stay put

She's in a Jane Rebel seat at the moment, so lying flat rather than facing backwards.

Thanks again,

OP posts:

differentID · 30/12/2008 23:00

you mean a matrix? Shift her to rear facing staright away. Healthy children should not lie flat while travelling as it isn't safe enough for them.

Piffle · 30/12/2008 23:02

Get a stage 0-2 seat
We have and ds1 21mths and dd aged 6 yrs have existed happily in them
This allows you a rear facing option too

mananny · 30/12/2008 23:04

My charges were in a rear facing Britax til they were 18 months and their legs didn't fit. Now they are forward facing in the same seats and will be til they are 4. Then I think we'll be getting to 5 point harness booster seats as all the research points to keeping kids in 5 point harnesses til they are 7 or 8.

How it's all changed. When I was born my parents carted me around in my carrycot on the parcel shelf of their MG, as they didn't want to get rid of their "fun" car!!!!!

pantomimEDAMe · 30/12/2008 23:16

lie-flat seats are generally not a good idea. Which?, the consumer research organisation, warns against all but one model (Which? performs their own crash tests to a higher standard than manufacturers).

"Based on past crash-test results, Which? can't recommend carrycots (the Britax Baby Safe Sleeper, a Best Buy, is the only exception). If you already own a carrycot, we suggest you buy an alternative 0+ category child safety seat for use in the car. But if you have a carrycot and there?s nothing else you can use, it?s better than nothing at all.

"If you have to use a carrycot, place it across the back seat, as close to the middle as you can. This may use up more space, but it means the baby is less vulnerable in a crash. Place the baby?s head as far from the door as possible, to try to avoid contact with the door in a crash."

I was working at Which? a couple of years ago, when they ran a crash test - both lie-flat seats they tested disintegrated in a 40mph collision. Horrifying.

The only Jane seat they recommend is the Jane Strata.

Original poster

StreetcarNamedDesire · 31/12/2008 00:37

You're scaring me! Seriously re lie-flat? The Jane was bought for my DD1 (now 2.4) as we anticipated plenty of 400 mile journeys to visit family. I researched it at the time and I thought it met all the relevant safety criteria - was certainly reassured this was the case!

I never use it in the rear-facing position. It doesn't seem secure, I struggle to fit it myself and trying to put a baby in it around the seat belt is impossible.

How can it be unsafe after only 2yrs? It was top of the range at the time. My brother is on a limited budget and I've promised it to him now too, but won't use it a moment longer if safety is compromised.

OP posts:

Original poster

StreetcarNamedDesire · 31/12/2008 00:41

It is a Matrix - as shown here

OP posts:

SparklyGothKat · 31/12/2008 01:05

My Ds2 is 15 months, weighes 20lb and still rearfaces, a lovely mnetter is sending me her First Class Si so I can keep him rearfacing for longer as I feel he is safer RF and he is slowly outgrowing his baby carrier. He can walk and sit for ages now, but I still won't put him frontfacing yet.

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