Rear-facing Until 2? - Denver,CO

It's not yet required (unfortunately) but it is recommended to extend your rear-facing. I have a friend who lives in Sweden, where they rear-face until 4. Kids that never sit forward-facing don't know any different, they are safer... and have you seen how crunched up they sit at home--some drop their feet over the sides, some sit cross-legged... they fit.

Do some goggling on extended rear-facing and "internal decapitation" to see the crash test statistics--they're very convincing. Here's just a couple of examples: http://www.rearfacing.co.uk/facts.php
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx

Broken neck = casket
Broken leg = cast it

10 moms found this helpful

Lots of good info! Here is the link to Joel: http://www.joelsjourney.org/

Here is just one more thought...My DD is almost 6. She sits in a 5 pt. harness seat. Her legs do not touch the floor (even though they are a mile long ;) ).
On long car rides this becomes very uncomfortable for her-so what does she do? She crosses her legs up on the seat.
So I can't see where dangling legs are "more comfortable".

My son (15 mths.) fusses forward or rear facing-I had to turn him for one car ride. He's not bored cause we are rockin' out. ;)

HTH! Choose safety first! :)

6 moms found this helpful

It works out okay because the baby has never known any different. Yes forward facing is easier but rear facing is SO MUCH safer it is worth the hassle. The whole back of the seat is supporting and protecting you child in an accident when they are rear facing. When they are forward facing they only have the harness holding them in.

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not a law, but what is recommended; as its the safest. my son is 16 mo. and we plan to keep him rearing facing as long as possible. is your son still in his infant seat? if so, upgrade to a big boy seat; however buy one that can be rear AND forward facing, so that it will grow with him. yes, it seems easier to have them forward facing, but we want them to be as safe as possible, so I suggest keeping him rear facing as long as possible.

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My first son rear faced to 18months (he's 9 now, before the new requrements, I was just too lazy to turn his seat) and my second son rear faced until he was 2.5 when he hit 35lbs, the rear facing weight limit for his seat, and he was 40" tall. My daughter came home from Ukraine at age 3.5 and went right into a rear facing seat. She was 36" tall and 25lbs, and she has mild CP. She got AFO's and still rear faced. She put her feet up or to teh side, no problem. They can also sit criss cross.

A convertible car seat is what you want for an older rear facing child. I had better convo's with my kids when the ywere rear facing, they always talked about what they seen and just random convo.

Google EXTENDED REAR FACING, JOELS JOURNEY, and INTERNAL DECAPITATION for more info.

4 moms found this helpful

Our daughter is 26 months old today. She is still rear facing. She will be until she hits the 40 pound limit on her seat, then and only then will we turn her around.

She has never complained, and never looks uncomfortable to me. I agree it is hard to see them, but we do not eat or drink in our car so that is not an issue for us.

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Like others have said, it's a recommendation, not a law so you *could* turn him at a year AND 20 pounds. BUT what if (god forbid) you were in an accident and your son got hurt. And what if him being rear-facing could have prevented the injury? Wouldn't you just hate yourself for NOT doing it? I know I would.

My first 2 turned forward facing at about 13 months (before the new guidelines). My third is *already* 20 pounds but only 9 months old....but she'll stay rear-facing until she's 2. No amount of fussing or inconvenience is worth the safety of my child.

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It's not the law yet but it is what the aap recommends and when it comes to safety why would you want to do the minimum.

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Just gotta say that I love to read all of the positive responses and see that the tide is turning! Yay! My 7-year-old and 5-year-old were rear-facing until almost 3 and a little over 3. When they were a year old, most people thought I was totally nuts for not turning their seats. They were both happy and comfortable. There are some very, very large convertible seats that would be comfortable and safe rear-facing for even the largest toddlers.

3 moms found this helpful

They bend their legs, like they do when they are sitting or playing or crawling into a box. My DD is 3 and will RF til she's 35 lbs unless she gets really uncomfortable, but at this rate, I see us turning her at the limit of the seat. It's no more less convenient for me to pass her a sippy cup over the back of her seat than it would be if she were FF. In fact, I might not be able to reach her if she were FF.

As DD got older I gave her more toys and I started giving her a "car bag" with some random toys and games that she could discover. She likes finding a book she hasn't seen in a while or a new dinosaur or whatever. We still talk, sing, etc. She'll point out things to me that she sees and if I see something interesting I'll say that there are "horses coming up on not-my side". She's in the middle so there is no "side" for her. She'll call out, "I see them! I see them, Mommy!" It's very cute.

So we'll keep her RF. That was what the technician suggested when we got her infant seat checked way back when.

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The guidelines changed between us having our first daughter and our second. I've seen photos of kids with their legs up and they don't seem uncomfortable. The reason they changed the age is because until they are 2 yrs old, children's heads are still so disproportionate that in an accident, that forward motion could break their necks. Graphic, I know, but that's the truth. So I guess what I'm saying is, although we turned our oldest daughter round at 1 year and 20+lbs, we will be keeping the youngest facing backwards until she is 2. It's just not worth the risk.

3 moms found this helpful

My son is 16 months and big for his age and he fits great rear facing. I never faced him forward so he doesn't know any different. He is content. My 2 1/2 year old is forward facing and she fusses more in the car seat than he does. :)

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It's safest to do rear facing b/c babies and toddlers are top-heavy and in an accident they could get "internally decapitated". google it and man, it's sad. there's this one youtube clip i saw made by a grandad of a 2 year old who was internally decapitated in an accident and is now forever a paraplegic. my son is 26 months old and still rear-facing. my hubby switched the seat in his car to front facing and our son loves the view but he still is fine being rear-facing in my car. i'm a sucky driver so i'll be keeping him rear-facing for as long as possible!

3 moms found this helpful

What others are saying..they don't know any different! After a fatality accident with my then 13 month old, I was glad she was still rear facing. Mine rear faced until they were 30 and 26 months old. And this was before the new recommendations. It truly is safest. With so much to look at outside, it's not that boring! Everything is new to kids each day. Point out tree colors, buses, people, animals, etc. They can sit cross legged or "Indian style". My kids never complained, and they are super tall and big with really long legs. Watch the videos on YouTube, google "extended rear facing".

3 moms found this helpful

My son faced rear until he was 3! This was before they made the change, but he was developmentally delayed, low muscled toned, and took FOREVER to reach 20 lbs. He was tall enough, but not heavy or strong enough. As everyone else said, when they are little they bend their legs all weird ways anyway and they don't know any different. He never showed any discomfort or issues to facing rear for so long. I have to confess it was nice to turn him, but I had him in a bigger seat that was designed for FF and RF, so he fit into it for a long time.

Good luck and I think safety is always the best option! :-)

3 moms found this helpful

Both of my daughters are currently rear facing. They are 18 months and 4 years old. The 4 year old was turned forward at 1 before I knew better, she was turned back rear facing at 3. She actually loves rear facing, she hangs her feet over the side or sits butterfly style or cross legged or she puts them straight up the back. We have convertible car seats that are designed to hold them rear facing until 45 lbs, and they fit fine.
It is actually easier with sippy cups and toys, when she was forward she would drop them and they would fall into the foot well and I couldn't get them back for her, now if they fall anywhere it is on the seat next to her or down by her feet and she can get them herself.
Neither of the girls get board I talk to them and we sing and such just like we did when she was forward facing.

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You dont have to wait until they turn two. Check the regulations with your state department of transportation website. Legally they have to be rear facing until they are 1. They can be forward facing when they turn 1 as long as they weight enough for the carseat you have. I put all 3 of my kids in forward facing when they turned one. Their little legs were all scrunched up in the infant rear facing seat way before their first birthday.

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share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0CbMWTNq1ZtHFA

I don't know if this link will work for you--but just so you can see what it looks like! My oldest was rear faced until 33 months. In these photos he was 28mths old. He generally crossed his legs and had no problems at all being rear faced. I took the picture of them asleep, because I turned him around when he started preschool at 3 and I knew at that point he would never fall asleep in the car again--and he hasn't :(

My youngest who will be 2 at the end of Sept is still rear faced and really large for his age. He doesn't seem to have any leg room issues, has the same seat as his bro but different year so I don't know if it sits farther back or what. His seat goes to 42 lbs rear facing so until he starts screaming at me he'll stay rear faced. My oldest's seat only went to 32 lbs (which he actually just reached at 3.5 yrs). So I guess technically he could have stayed rearfaced, and would have been fine probably wouln't have complained either, it was just a pain driving with my seat so far forward!

Good Luck on whatever decision you make!

1 mom found this helpful

To the best of my knowledge, it's not a law - just a suggestion...while it IS safer to be rear facing - for ANYONE (except the driver!! LOL!!)...but I totally see how that would NOT work...

do what works for you!!

My kids were far too tall and had long torsos....i HAD to face them front ways after about a year. Every state has common sense exemptions.

You don't have to wait, it is not the law, they have just decided that they think it is safer to wait as long as you can. Legally (check your state) it is still 20 pounds and one year old in most states. To keep them rear facing longer you can have them cross their legs.