rear facing?

[plaid]

My little guy is two and rear facing. I know my car seat goes to 45 pounds rear facing and he is only about 25 pounds. I sort of feel like I am folding him into a pretzel to get him in now. He does not really complain but his knees are all folded up. I turned my other guys way sooner since my carseat did not go as high weight wise. When did you turn forward?

[JY]

I turn mine around to front at a year old - like they recommend. Then the little one has more interesting things to look at too.

[plaid]

I think I will leave him then since he is not complaining. Thanks for the links.

[plaid]

good links ... made me think.. now I have to check my boosters and height. -thank you -

[Margi]

Originally Posted by JY

I turn mine around to front at a year old - like they recommend. Then the little one has more interesting things to look at too.

I agree... also, my boys tended to feel sicker facing backwards!

My husband is a firefighter and has seen kids die in accidents from being improperly buckled. So we are the car seat nazi around here and I figure if we are diligent with our car seats and seat belts, they're perfectly fine facing forward after a year

[Margi]

Originally Posted by ~Tara~

sorry but I can't let this one lie....

yes, they 'could' be 'perfectly fine' forward facing at a year...but they would be MUCH SAFER if they were still rear facing

I'm one who'd rather practice above and beyond the minimum safety guidelines.

They are just so little and so underdeveloped, even at a year.

AAP now recommends rear facing to 2 yr. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm And they are like the 'be all and end all' of minimum safety requirements that 'everyone' looks to.

Just sayin'

I knew Tara would pipe up again... sigh...

I guess my issue is, there is a point where we have faith too... I know I won't make a bit of sense here and that's ok... but I think we can get too wound up in putting our kids in "padded rooms" and there's a point that I know I've done what is important for my kids and I leave the rest to God...

I don't want to get controversial here and if my comments need to be deleted, that's ok

[Margi]

My last reply has been bothering me... what I meant to say was that *I* personally can get so caught up worrying about the safety of my kids... and that ultimately we all need to do what we feel is best for our kids. I didn't want it to sound like I think any of you are going overboard with the extended rear-facing, I just have never felt it was necessary for us, nor has my husband and he's seen the effects of proper and improper seatbelting at the scene of many accidents.

I have many friends who never buckle their kids up... kids all over in a Suburban, driving down the freeway at 75 mph and they only buckle up for the cops. It's sad to me, really that the safety of their kids doesn't mean more to them and in that circumstance it really is life or death on the line. I would never let my kids ride with them!

Ok, I'll shut up now. You can boot me if you like :/