GREAT link on keeping your toddler rear facing

[TaivensMama]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo&feature=related

[Brookepanda]

Here I'll embed the video to this thread
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[TaivensMama]

thanks brooke :) here is a pic of Taiven rear facing at 34 months...he had to be turned at 35 months because he reached the seats weight limit (35 pounds) so he was just a month shy of 3 before he was forward facing :)
He was then turned forward in a Britax Super Elite and had a 5 point harness until 75 pounds when he outgrew the top height slot at 7 1/2 years old!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f13/seasynsdiapers/dresses/TaivenAO.jpghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f13/seasynsdiapers/dresses/TaivenAO2.jpg

Here is a great site he is featured on...
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx

[becky]

thanks for the reminder seasyn. I hadn't even thought about turning Shelsea when she turns one which is next week. We have the marathon and figured i would keep her rear facing until she reached the limit. She is 24lbs now and it goes to 33lb so i am guessing Shelsea will be near 3 before we turn her around.

[PixiesPlayhouse]

My daughter is almost six years old..........we still have her in a 5 point car seat.
She will be in that until the shoulder straps are to short for her. I wish we could still have her rear facing........


Terri

[Stacey]

Thanks Seasyn. I knew of that video but hadn't gone to find it yet. Scott watched it with me and agrees to keep Jackson rear-facing.

[TaivensMama]

Great Stacey!!! Neil is all about it too...he gets really upset when he sees a baby forward facing that should be rear facing, I always think to myself *I taught him well*

[howardvm]

I never thought about that. We are always talking about how we have less than 6 months until she can face the front. Now we'll have to rethink that. But, if it is so much safer, why haven't laws changed to force babies to sit rear-facing for a longer period?

[TaivensMama]

they are being talked about, but everything takes time, just like it is safer to ride in a booster till age 8 or 49 inches it is not the law in all states...even ours only requires till age 6 or 60 pounds...also rear facing limits have onyl recently been rased in all car seats...even Skye's infant seat is rated to 30 pounds but most others are still 20-22 pounds...in sweden they rear face till age 5 and have on average 9 deaths a year in car accidents and in the US it is one of the main causes of death...so hopefully it will pass sooner than later...and personally i don't care if it is the law, knowing it is safer is enough for me to do it!

[Lorah]

Great reminder Seasyn!

I was just talking with a mom the other day about how important it is to have them rear facing as long as you are able!

[Rowan's Mommy]

sweden they rear face till age 5 and have on average 9 deaths a year in car accidents and in the US it is one of the main causes of death...so hopefully it will pass sooner than later...and personally i don't care if it is the law, knowing it is safer is enough for me to do it!

:yeah That's amazing!
Maybe we need to start a mommy movement so we can help save the lives of infants/children that don't have a choice. I think it's just assumed that they are safe as long as the car seat is properly installed.

I'll be sure to pass it along to our family and friends.

[TaivensMama]

:yeah That's amazing!
Maybe we need to start a mommy movement so we can help save the lives of infants/children that don't have a choice. I think it's just assumed that they are safe as long as the car seat is properly installed.

I'll be sure to pass it along to our family and friends.

Great to hear! I love when mommies pass along good info!!

[My3sonsplus1]

I suspect we haven't really tried raising the limits law-wise because for many families that would require we get different cars that would allow for such a set up. We have a marathon and I know it has been a challenge to attempt rear facing in some of the vehicles I have ridden (?) in. Even a "standard" (meaning goes to 40 pounds forward facing) seat like the roundabout I have some times seen as a bit hard to install in a standard vehicle so I think many families do the baby bucket until they can do a forward facing seat. And then a big part is misinformation. I still shudder to think of the itty bitty 10 mo old I was watching that mom had forward facing because someone apparently told her it was safe, even though she was like 16 pounds and just this itty bitty thing. Don't get me wrong in MY household we rear face until they can't anymore but the rest of society isn't nessasarily informed or "able" for whatever reason (I know some times when I new baby comes the next youngest has to forward face so the seats can puzzle togther for example).

[TaivensMama]

yes Lisa exactly why California didnt pass the law to use boosters till 80 pounds because so many families have multiple kids and couldn't fit 3 carseats in a 4 door sedan type car, so they only require till 6 or 60 pounds so there is less of a chance you would have to shove 3 seats in one car..,but many people still have to with 3 kids close in age...and I agree...so sad to see tiny babies forward facing or moms just counting down the days till they turn one to turn them forward not knowing it is not as safe :(

[Lorah]

I have a friend who just found a newer carseat that is a lot narrower than most. It can be used rear facing up to like 40 pounds and forward facing for 80 I think...I won't swear to it, but it has great safety ratings too....I'll have to get all the info on it and let you all know... I think it is $250-$300 though...so I know it would not be something everyone could buy, but I bet the price will go down in the future when more companies are making hte slimmer fitting ones...

[TaivensMama]

is it the radian Lorah it is the thinnest seat on the market and it folds BUT the cool thing about it is the actual body room is the widest on the market as well...so for being a thin seat it actually has the most room for your child in it too! it also has a steel frame AND expires in 7 years instead of the 5 or 6 due to the steel frame! I am not sure about it rear facing to 40 pounds I KNOW it goes to at least 33....but I will look into it...or is this a completely different seat?

[stephaniemsw]

Wow- those crash impact snips are really powerful. We plan to keep Sequoia rear-facing until a few weeks before my due date. She'll be about 17 months. I just can't fit 2 rear facing seats and a 6'7" DH in my car- if I could I'd probably keep her rear-facing longer after seeing those videos!

[My3sonsplus1]

Wow- those crash impact snips are really powerful. We plan to keep Sequoia rear-facing until a few weeks before my due date. She'll be about 17 months. I just can't fit 2 rear facing seats and a 6'7" DH in my car- if I could I'd probably keep her rear-facing longer after seeing those videos!


can Sequia ride in the baby's preinstalled seat (assuming it is a convertable and not a "baby bucket") in the in between time and then you readjust the strap height when baby comes? That way she can be rearfacing for as long as possible since we never know when babies will arrive.
Just tossing out an idea, not sure how feasible it is for you.

[Lorah]

is it the radian Lorah it is the thinnest seat on the market and it folds BUT the cool thing about it is the actual body room is the widest on the market as well...so for being a thin seat it actually has the most room for your child in it too! it also has a steel frame AND expires in 7 years instead of the 5 or 6 due to the steel frame! I am not sure about it rear facing to 40 pounds I KNOW it goes to at least 33....but I will look into it...or is this a completely different seat?

Ohh I think that might be it! I'm not positive, but I think it is...I'm not totally sure on the weight stuff as I was remembering what my friend told me...but ya I think that is it!

[Lorah]

Okay I just found out that there are two main ones that Sunshine Kids Radian has 2 main car seats. The Radian 65 and the Radian 80. The 65 goes up to 65 pounds, and the 80 goes up to 80 pounds. Both are convertible seats. And it looks like both can be used with a baby as small as 5 pounds rear facing. Both fold totally flat.

Here is a link for them: http://sunshinekidsbaby.comfortfirst.com/

[TaivensMama]

can Sequia ride in the baby's preinstalled seat (assuming it is a convertable and not a "baby bucket") in the in between time and then you readjust the strap height when baby comes? That way she can be rearfacing for as long as possible since we never know when babies will arrive.
Just tossing out an idea, not sure how feasible it is for you.

Lisa she could use a bucket type seat if the ability to buy a higher rated one is an option...I mean as long as she is under 32inches(or still fits with room to grow in height) and is under 30#...since the height and age ranges are mearly suggestions on seats she would likely still fit in the bucket type seats rated for higher weights for a long time still...I have used it with a 2 year old that still fits with room to grow!

[hlebakos]

OK, So I am totally emotional right now and that video had me weeping. These twins are causing all sorts of hormonal imbalance. My hubby and I have it on our "to do" list to get our car seats installed and checked out before these two come, which could be any day. Doesn't the police dept. check out the seats to make sure they were properly installed?

Thank you for the reminder about saftey. When my hubby found out we were having twins he ran out and got a Tahoe, I can't say I was too happy, but it will allow the children to be rear facing longer than my little stick shift Nissan.

Take care,

Jen Hlebakos

[Lorah]

OK, So I am totally emotional right now and that video had me weeping. These twins are causing all sorts of hormonal imbalance. My hubby and I have it on our "to do" list to get our car seats installed and checked out before these two come, which could be any day. Doesn't the police dept. check out the seats to make sure they were properly installed?

Thank you for the reminder about saftey. When my hubby found out we were having twins he ran out and got a Tahoe, I can't say I was too happy, but it will allow the children to be rear facing longer than my little stick shift Nissan.

Take care,

Jen Hlebakos

THere are a number of places, the one I always go to is the CHP office off of LaBath in Rohnert Park. Officer Lemons is really sweet! Maybe someone else on here has her business card and phone #....I don't have one otherwise I'd post the info. You can always just call them and ask about it.

[jellybeanmichelle]

THere are a number of places, the one I always go to is the CHP office off of LaBath in Rohnert Park. Officer Lemons is really sweet! Maybe someone else on here has her business card and phone #....I don't have one otherwise I'd post the info. You can always just call them and ask about it.

Maybe things have changed, but when I was preggers in 2005, I called the CHP in RP, and they said the RP Police does it. So I called and made an appointment. The lady was really nice.
One thing to remember, you have to install the seats first, so that they can see how you put it in, and make the needed corrections.

We did have a SCM carseat safety class at the RP CHP Office awhile back.
We might need to do another one soon.

[stephaniemsw]

THere are a number of places, the one I always go to is the CHP office off of LaBath in Rohnert Park. Officer Lemons is really sweet! Maybe someone else on here has her business card and phone #....I don't have one otherwise I'd post the info. You can always just call them and ask about it.

Officer Lemons is great, but doesn'[t have a direct line. You can call the regular CHP line and they can give you an appointment, but they are usually booked out by a couple of weeks. Maybe if you explain you are expecting any day they will fit you in sooner. Good luck!

[Lorah]

Maybe things have changed, but when I was preggers in 2005, I called the CHP in RP, and they said the RP Police does it. So I called and made an appointment. The lady was really nice.
One thing to remember, you have to install the seats first, so that they can see how you put it in, and make the needed corrections.

We did have a SCM carseat safety class at the RP CHP Office awhile back.
We might need to do another one soon.

Ya they started doing it in 2006. :thumb

[erin anne]

Thanks for the link Seasyn, I e-mailed it to my SIL in Nevada.

[hlebakos]

Thanks for the info. on Officer Lemons. My hubby and I will try to install the seats this weekend and then see if we can book an appt. before these little ones come, which could be any day.

Jen Hlebakos