Would you go back to rear facing?

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champatlife

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #1

We just bought our baby on the way a radian xtsl, and of course with all the reasearch done we decided we should get my daughter one as well. I couldn't imagine having one in a seat known for safety and another one in a standard quality seat.

(I don't even know the brand I just know I picked it out on a trip after my daughter ralphed all over hers and saw it was side impact tested and had eps foam when others wern't)

DD
4 years old
41 inches
30lbs

Bum to top of head ratio about 19/20 inches.

She hasn't rode rear facing since she was two, but given how petite she is and all the information on extended rear facing, and the radian allowing her to still be able to for at least 10lbs and about 7 more inches in height. I'm thinking she would be safer facing the rear. My husband isn't nearly as sold on it as me and says I can't take away her leg room after she's had it for so long, but if she's willing to do it we can try it. However, I'm not certain her safety should be left up herself since she is 4.

opinions.

 

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Maedze

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #2

Rear facing is safer for *everyone* but the safety difference diminishes once the spinal vertabrae have fused. This has generally happened by the fourth birthday.

So if you wanted to buy the seat, and she wanted to sit rear facing in it, it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing, but rear facing a four year old wouldn't be high on my list of priorities. A well-fitted correctly installed forward facing seat is really just fine for a four year old child.

My kids rear face until about 4 years old

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #3

4 is the age when I allow a child to choose for herself whether to rear face or forward face. My 4 year old has 3 lbs. to go before she'd outgrow the XTSL rear-facing, but she chooses to forward face. At her age, I'm perfectly okay with that.

On the other hand, my now-6 year old begged us when she was 5 and new seats with higher rear-facing limits came out, and I re-rear-faced my 3 year old, until we bought her a seat that could rear-face her as well. She rode rear-facing until she was 5 years 9 months and outgrew that seat by weight rear-facing.

So, I'd probably show her pictures of happy children in both rear- and forward-facing seats, and ask her which way she wants to ride, if you're buying the seat anyway.

 

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champatlife

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #4

Thanks guys. I wasn't really thinking much about her age just her petite stature that it seems people have 2 and 3 year olds (that are either her height or her weight.. maybe some with both)

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #5

The thing is that even if she is petite, age plays a substantial role in readiness for this sort of thing. Even though she's the SIZE of a 2-3 year old, her bone age is older and her skeletal structure is more developed, concurrent with other kids her age.

 

urchin_grey

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #6

If I had a normally developing child, I would probably let them decide at 4 as well... DS turned 5 in May and is still RF'ing, but he has a suspected growth disorder so his bone age might very well be more like 2 than 5. He wouldn't understand anyway if I did give him a choice. He doesn't know the difference.

So short answer... If you have the extra funds, sure, why not. But if you really just feel like you want her in a nicer/comfier seat, there are some really nice combo seats out there too.

 

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Momof4Girls

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #7

I also have a SN 4+ y/o, and I have no idea what her bone age is, atm. She's never had one done. She has a 98%+ head circumference and a (on a heavy day) 10% body height/weight. She is RF in a BLVD, and she weighs 30 or 31lbs (31 on a heavy day!).

 

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champatlife

New member

• Jun 7, 2010

• #8

Thanks guys. all the information and opinions will make not feel so bad if it doesn't go as planned, but she likes to make mommy happy currently. That being said when her seat gets here I am going to greatly push for her to go rear facing. (she sits indian style in her seat majority of the time and was stoked when I said she could put her feet on the seat (which is a no no currently forward facing)

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Jun 7, 2010

• #9

If you want to do it, you're buying the seat anyways, and she's fine with it, then it certainly doesn't hurt anything. I watch a girl who is 4y2m and 30-33lbs, and she mostly (though not always) RFs. I turned her on her fourth birthday, but then decided that since she still fit, and she doesn't care, I may as well have her RF.

In the last couple of weeks, she has indicated that she'd rather FF, so I went ahead and turned her. It wasn't important enough to me to have her upset over it. She rides FF with her parents, so she certainly knows what each way feels like.

I think in your position I would install the seat RFing and let her ride in it that way for a day or two. Then ask her what she thinks, and go with it.

Because the age of ossification is 4-6, I don't think it's a bad thing to aim closer to the end of that range. But OTOH, I don't think it's a bad thing to turn at the beginning of it, either.

 

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champatlife

New member

• Jun 8, 2010

• #10

Just a small update: (and because I am stoked)

My husband is now officially and completely on board with my daughter going back to rear facing and our soon to be riding rear facing as long as possible too. He watched a youtube video I posted on my facebook about Joel's Journey, and he was sold. We decided the only reason we won't is if she gets car sick seeing as the radian is low profile and add in not being able to see the rd we're thinking there might be a small chance on that, since on long car trips (3+ hrs) she just recently started getting car sick (I'm thinking because she stays awake more then she used too, but I hear rearfacing they sometimes start napping again in their seat.)

 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician

• Jun 8, 2010

• #11

Just remember that if she DOES have problems, she's absolutely very safe being FF in the Radian (tethered.) At four, although of course there are still safety benefits to RF -- I believe in this and have RF'd children at this age -- there are less significant than they are for the first few years of life.

That said, I'm glad your DH is on board. It's always so much easier to not have to fight an uphill battle with your spouse. I hope your DD likes her new seat! (My daycare kids fight over my Radian.)

 

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babyherder

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2010

• #12

I would just install the new seat rear facing and if she questions it tell that's the way her new seat works.

 

swtgi1982

New member

• Jun 8, 2010

• #13

my DD is 4yrs 4mon old and she begged at three to re RF and so I did we needed a new seat anyways. Now I turn her FF when she asks to, if time permits, but usually by end of trip she wants turned back, she does not like her legs dangling when FF "they hurt" she says

 

icnee

New member

• Jun 8, 2010

• #14

My DD2 was ffing at 12m before I knew better . As she got bigger she would cry that her legs and back was hurting, then I learned how much safer she would be rfing and at 3yrs 8mo I turned her back to rfing Now there are no more tears, she is 4yrs 7mo and does not complain and she actually prefers to ride rfing ( she does not like the feel of sudden breaking, people like to pull out infront of others here) Just for fun here is some pics ( she kida looks like she is running out of leg room but it is just the shoes I have noticed that the have alittle more room and are more comfy with out shoes on these were just for fun)

 

Last edited: Aug 1, 2010

icnee

New member

• Jun 8, 2010

• #15

these are better ones (I couldnt find them at first)

She just wok up a minut ago I asked her wich she likes better she said back facing (that is what she calls it) cause it is safer then she crawled in my bed.

(This seat is not installed correctly these were just for fun)

 

Last edited: Aug 1, 2010

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champatlife

New member

• Jun 9, 2010

• #16

Thanks for the pictures. Today I asked if she wanted to sit in the baby's seat to see if it was comfy (i didn't readjust the harnesses as we wern't going anywhere.) She sat there for about 5 minutes and said it was very comfy. Then I told her to move into her seat so we could go to the store. A few minutes into the trip she said she wishes she could sit in the baby's seat all the time, and she can't wait til she has a girl one so she can ride the same way as the baby.It may just be the *new* factor, but glad so far we have 3 out of 3 votes for back to rearfacing. I'm half tempted to readjust the harnesses and let her ride until the her seat gets here.

 

StillThankful

New member

• Jun 9, 2010

• #17

What a smart mama! :thumbsup: You have a very sensitive and unique approach with your DD concerning re-rearfacing.

I have a similar situation. DD1 likes being able to Rf like DD2. However, I did goof one day and allow her to FF while going to the bank--I was testing to see if the RN would fit FF (with concern for the low profile of the seat). After FFing, she begged for about 2 weeks to FF. The begging eventually died down and she's still content with Rfing like DD2.

Not sure what I'll do in September when she turns 4--I'm thinking about keeping her RFing until she maxxes out in weight. She is currently 39# so we have a while to go (I think, but you never know).