OT: Article about Car Seats

[all4fun]

Not wanting to start any debates or anything, just posting an article for anyone who may be interested in reading it. It's about extended rear-facing car seats.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868/

I thought there might be some people here who would be interested in seeing this. It's nice to see some "mainstream" information getting out there!

 

[Kermit]

Great article! Thanks!

I keep my kids facing the rear as long as possible, and I'm always amazed by the people who think I'm doing something wrong by not turning them frontwards. I don't even get to keep them backwards very long since my kids are big. My 14 month old wears a 3T and will have to turn forward soon, but I've already had people asking why he's still backwards, including my sister who works in a pediatric ER.

 

[justhat]

Thanks so much for the article. My daughter is 20 months old and still rearfacing and we get asked about it all the time. It took her a long time to hit 20 pounds, about 15 months, so no way were were turning her sooner. Then we found out about the benefits of keeping her rearfacing so she stayed that way. She's getting close to the height limit for rearfacing in the seat in my husband's car, so we're thinking by Christmas we'll have to turn her forward, but she'll be 22 months then so I'll be satisfied.

Oh, and I'll be passing this onto my friend, who turned her 9 month old forward facing cause his feet touched the back of the seat of her car. She told me this was 'the rule'. Nevermind the fact that his harness is so loose she might as well just throw him in the backseat without the carseat....

 

[4lilpoohs]

My son is 26 months and still rear facing. I get a lot of comments about it. I know I'm doing the right thing for him so it doesn't matter I just wish other people were more informed.

 

[3littleHalls]

Good idea. I would be thrilled if all the parents in our state would keep them rearfacing the minmum(1yr and 20lbs) I don't think that having my 3yr old rearfacing would work...his knees would be in his face(he is 43" at 42mos) my kids are good about their carseats though!!!

 

[justhat]

My daughter sits with her legs crossed or spread out to the side to prevent the 'knee in the face' thing. She's only about 33.5 inches though, so much tinier.

 

[Aneille]

I kept my oldest past 1 year RF. Probably around 18 months but not sure.

My youngest got switched as soon as she was 1 year and 20#. She didn't like being RF near as much as the older one!

People did think I was crazy for keeping my oldest RF so long. I am also getting ready for the comments when she hits 40# asking why she isn't in a booster seat instead of a 5pt.

Oh well!

 

[Windy City Heather]

I agree rear facing as long as possible. My dd will also be in a 5 point as long as it will fit her. She is so good about her car seat I don't think this will ever be a problem.

Also, I need to write a thread about this but we took the Magical Express which states no car seats allowed, 2 weeks ago. We arrived at 1:00 am with no car seat. They were not running the bus that late at night and had lincoln town cars and a couple of vans. I finally took a van but was not very happy about it. I think I also need to write a letter of complaint.

 

[Aneille]

Also, I need to write a thread about this but we took the Magical Express which states no car seats allowed, 2 weeks ago. We arrived at 1:00 am with no car seat. They were not running the bus that late at night and had lincoln town cars and a couple of vans. I finally took a van but was not very happy about it. I think I also need to write a letter of complaint.

They definitely should carry some 5pts and some boosters, that is unacceptable. I would not be happy about that either.

I bring a backed booster for my oldest when we travel to Disney because its easier to lug around and although its a short distance I get nervous with her being in it.

If she was simply sitting in the car I would be a wreck!

To tell the truth I am not sure if I could get her to drive without a seat of some sort. If I start to pull out of our driveway before she has finished buckling up she freaks out!

 

[Kermit]

To tell the truth I am not sure if I could get her to drive without a seat of some sort. If I start to pull out of our driveway before she has finished buckling up she freaks out!

LOL, my 2 year old is like that. The other day I somehow forgot to buckle his seatbelt in his car seat. I think it was because I put his shoes on after he was in the car, and I just was out of my normal routine. I got into the front seat and he started saying, "Mommy, buckle seat belt!" I hadn't buckled my own seat belt because I was looking for my sunglasses, so I told him that I'd buckle it before I started to drive. I finally found my sunglasses, buckled my seat belt, and started to back out, and he said, "Mommy! Buckle seat belt!" I finally looked back and realized he wasn't buckled in. I was glad that he was paying more attention than I was.

 

[all4fun]

Glad to see there are some others here who are aware of this already!

There is a mother on another board who posted that her friend was rear-ended on the highway at 65 mph. She and her 7-yr old son were both knocked unconscious but her 16-mos old who was rear-facing in the back seat only had a couple of marks on her shoulders from the harness but was otherwise completely unscathed. The whole story with pictures of the wrecked car are on this site: http://myangelsaliandpeanut.tripod.com/id5.html. It's a very good illustration that while we have concerns about our dc's legs being scrunched up while sitting that way, or that their legs might be broken, these concerns are really not that valid. Just thought I would share...

 

[Mouse House Mama]

People did think I was crazy for keeping my oldest RF so long. I am also getting ready for the comments when she hits 40# asking why she isn't in a booster seat instead of a 5pt.

Oh well!

I'm with you. My oldest ds met the height and weight requirements at age 2 for a booster. I didn't feel comfortable with that so I bought the next size Britax car seat. It holds up to 65lbs and all my kids will be in a regular carseat until then.

 

[safetymom]

When I used to run several car seat loaner programs I used to hear all sorts of excuses about why they didn't want to use their seats correctly.

The best one though was the mother that insisted that her baby was fully developed at birth because it lifted its head off the delivery table. She felt the child was strong enough to face forward in a car seat when it was days old.

My kids are all seat belt or car seat survivors. My youngest was a month old when we were rear ended and the car was totaled. He slept through the crash and awoke only because he was hungry.

 

[Aneille]

I'm with you. My oldest ds met the height and weight requirements at age 2 for a booster. I didn't feel comfortable with that so I bought the next size Britax car seat. It holds up to 65lbs and all my kids will be in a regular carseat until then.

We got the same seat! My oldest is in the Marathon and my youngest is in the Roundabout. I'm so bad I had my mom by the Husky for her car! My oldest has a booster for use in emgencies, vacations and of course the occasional ride in Dads car but thats it. I can count on one hand the number of times she's been in a booster.

 

[HLAuburn]

Oh, and I'll be passing this onto my friend, who turned her 9 month old forward facing cause his feet touched the back of the seat of her car. She told me this was 'the rule'.

That gets a MAJOR ! So now there's a rule that when their feet touch the seat, you turn them around?! How are people so uninformed? My DD is 15 months and still rear facing. If something ever happened and she was hurt and it could have been prevented from not turning her around, I'd never forgive myself. She's FINE facing back (she doesn't know the difference). There's a mom in my playgroup who always tells me to "turn that baby around". Drives me crazy.

Great article, though! Thanks...I passed it on.

 

[solferino]

We got the same seat! My oldest is in the Marathon and my youngest is in the Roundabout. I'm so bad I had my mom by the Husky for her car! My oldest has a booster for use in emgencies, vacations and of course the occasional ride in Dads car but thats it. I can count on one hand the number of times she's been in a booster.

And my almost 7yo DD is in the Husky! 5pt harnesses are so much safer- I mean isn't that what nascar drivers have in their cars? The comparison seems to be stretching it a bit, but when you're thinking of a smaller body being potentially tossed around in an accident, the 5pt is definitely going to be a safer option. Thankfully it's a non-issue for DD and she hasn't asked when she won't need it anymore.

Don;t even get me started though on young kids riding in the front seat.

 

[4lilpoohs]

My five year old is in the Husky

 

[justhat]

That gets a MAJOR ! So now there's a rule that when their feet touch the seat, you turn them around?! How are people so uninformed? My DD is 15 months and still rear facing. If something ever happened and she was hurt and it could have been prevented from not turning her around, I'd never forgive myself. She's FINE facing back (she doesn't know the difference). There's a mom in my playgroup who always tells me to "turn that baby around". Drives me crazy.

Great article, though! Thanks...I passed it on.

I know, I did the to her when she said it. I tried pointing out that my daughter's feet were able to touch the seatback when she was about 3 months old, but she insisted she was right. She even went so far as to tell me that a cop told her this when he installed her seat (even though I know her husband installed it, and it's not even installed correctly!). I can't imagine how some people are so uninformed either and I complain to my husband about it all the time. I mean, read the manual that came with your carseat!! She has the same seat as me (also the Britax Marathon) so I've even told her about the seat but no luck.

 

[HLAuburn]

I know, I did the to her when she said it. I tried pointing out that my daughter's feet were able to touch the seatback when she was about 3 months old, but she insisted she was right. She even went so far as to tell me that a cop told her this when he installed her seat (even though I know her husband installed it, and it's not even installed correctly!). I can't imagine how some people are so uninformed either and I complain to my husband about it all the time. I mean, read the manual that came with your carseat!! She has the same seat as me (also the Britax Marathon) so I've even told her about the seat but no luck.

Can you imagine spending THAT much money on a carseat, and not even using it right? I kinda at people who flip their kids before a year, but in a Marathon and when the kids' feet touch the seat!!?? That's the whole reason I bought the Marathon was b/c you could keep then RF so long. And its so comfy, I'm not sure my DD cares which way she's facing. She rarely complains about getting in it. Now my MILs cheap carseat, she hates! Must be she likes her fluffy cow pattern on her Marathon.

 

[justhat]

I know, you'd think if you're gonna spend $250 on a seat you'd know how to use it, or at least find out how. But then again, her MIL bought it for her so I guess she doesn't care. The best part is how loose she keeps the straps. I can't even begin to describe how loose they are, other than to say that she might as well not even use the seat but just throw him in the backseat. I asked her what she tethered the seat too (since I saw it was untethered and was trying to be unconfrontational) and she said "is that what that thing is for? One day you'll have to show me how to use this thing." He was 7 months old by that point. I volunteered to do it then but she was 'too busy'. Of course. Guess it doesn't beat the Graco Snugride I saw installed forward facing when I was at Gymboree though!