Car Seat dilemma! When to move my giant baby from group 0 to group 1

[forevared]

DS2 is currently in a group 0 car seat and although he still fits it, when he falls asleep his head drops forward onto his chest and I worry about his breathing. It's non reclinable so I can't do anything about it, but I don't want to have to buy a new group 0 seat at stupid prices.

I can cope with short journeys but we have a trip to Devon coming up in a month's time at which point he'll be 6 months old. It's a 5 hour journey which we intend to break up halfway but still worried as he's likely to sleep for long periods during the drive.

His brother (currently in a group 1 reclinable seat) is about to move up to a group 2 anytime now aswell so my dilemma is: Do I buy a group 2 car seat for ds1 and transfer ds2 into his old group 1 seat even though it's forward facing and he'll only be 6 months. He does weigh well over the 9kg minimum weight but concerned about the safety aspect as the guidelines for group 1 are 9-18kg (which apparantly mean 9 months plus)

Is he too young despite his size for a group 1, and am I worrying over nothing about his head flopping forward?
Should I stick with the rear facing group 0 until he's 9 months?
Any advice or suggestions gratefully received!

Support cushions are really to reduce the sideways movement, not falling forwards.

Forevared which seat do you have? as by design a baby's head should not flop forwards?

The other things are strap covers or this cushion seems skinny at the back so lifting his jaw

I've got the Britax cosy tot premium Isofix. Due to the Isofix mounts I can't put a rolled up towel under one end of the seat as someone cleverly suggested. This would have been the perfect solution.

The only other option would be to not use the Isofix base on long journeys and use it with the adult seat belt. I know they're meant to be nearly as safe and thousands of babies are transported that way but I guess I've been so used to the Isofix anything else makes me nervous. Stupid eh?

DifferentID has got me thinking now aswell about the whiplash thing. If we were hit from behind then even in the current seat his head would be fine when pushed back into the seat but the rebound would snap his neck forward as he's sitting so bolt upright. Even in a rearward facing seat surely he should be lying much more flat!?

my ds went into britax first class from birth to 4 and is rear or forward facing

It sounds like it isn't the best seatfor your car to be honest as it sounds like the angle of your car seats are steep and so this is making the baby seat to upright.

What seat does your dc1 have? it is usable as a baby rearward facing seat?

Unfortunately not, it's a maxi cosi priorifix.

I wonder if it's a problem with the Isofix making it so upright or just that particular seat.

forevared

The britax belted combination 0+/1 seat: I had it tried in my car and put my DD in it rear facing. (5 months old). She looked flatter in it than she was in her infant carrier. I haven't started using the combination seat yet, so can't say for def that the head won't flop when sleeping, but it looks promising.

I am keeping her in her infant carrier (Bebe Confort, not isofixed) for a couple more weeks because as it isn't isofixed, it can be belted in slightly tilted (I checked this in John Lewis, they said it was perfectly safe). She is just on the size limit for it (shoulder straps won't go any higher) so in a couple of weeks she'll go into the combination seat anyway.

The isofix thing is a bugger. I have isofixings in my car and up til last week, DS was in an isofix group 1 seat. He's too tall for it (eyes level with top of seat), but too light for a group 2 seat. So he's in another combination seat!!! (Group 1, 2, 3). And that isn't isofixed either. Am quite cross that I have 2 isofix positions in my estate and neither my DS or DD can be isofixed and both need combination seats due to being v tall!!

The head flop on the infant carriers - I checked with JL, apparently, they say it's just uncomfortable, not dangerous. I disagree and think it's bad for their neck and breathing. Something really should be done about it - my car is a totally standard estate and thousands of families own similar ones. I drive a lot so am fussy about my baby seats.

Anyway, if you ever have another baby (!), Britax are launching a totally flat baby seat:

www.britax.co.uk/index.php?option=com_britax&task=showgroup&id=4&Itemid=31

does give fitting instructions but bet it will need 1.5 to 2 seats of a car like the Jane and a couple of others.

The neck flop is bad as can obstruct the airway.

more so in a tiny baby tho as they can't move unlike Forevared's son can.

I agree with you crokky and matnanplus, I can't see how it's not dangerous! I'm a nurse and hubby's a doctor so we were concerned about his airway and I'm sure we're not just being overprotective. Glad other people think so too.

I'm so grateful to everyone who's posted on here and given me such good advice. I'll be off to Halfords to get a combination seat!

DO NOT put anything under a carseat to change its level - it acts as a springboard in an accident and could catapult your child out. Also do not use any kind of cushion that isn't part ofthe carseat as it acts as a springboard under the head.

Our DS was very long for his age and was moved across to a group 1 seat at about 7 months as his legs were too long for him to be comfortable in the group 0 seat. He'd start to cry after about 15 mins and couldn't/wouldn't sleep.

He was just 9kg at that time. We just made sure that the group 1 seat was reclined enough and that the straps were tight enough.

Halfords do Britax 0-4yr seats as First Class, FC Si and FC Ultra from £89.99 to £129.99 they all look the same on the site.

It's a minefield! I've narrowed it down to a Silver Cross 3D vs a Bugaboo Cameleon. Grandparents buying so cost not strictly an issue but planning on trip to Australia when baby will be 4 months old. Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated!

Hello
Please look at www.rearfacing.co.uk before making a choice, 5 times safer to travel rearward facing than in a forward facing seat, there are alternatives!

Definately agree that 7 months is way to early to put a child forward facing.

I had a customer today with a 7 month old who wanted me to try a forward facing carseat in her car. I told her she was far too young to take out of her infant carrier and explained the reasons why.

She agreed with me but i still saw her take a ticket for it a bit later on. Ah well i cant force people to take my advice.