Macklem's

3kitty

New member
I think I've seen another thread venting about staff at Macklem's.....apparently it wasn't just a one-off. I went there to try to figure out what our next car seat purchase should be. (Found out our 6 week old does fit in his sister's BV.) However, the woman told me that my 22 month old (>32", 33 pounds) doesn't meet the criteria for RF in most seats. That "most people recommend FF after one year/20 lbs" and that there's the concern of injuries RF when their legs smash up into their spine. She suggested that there would be liability issues if I RF my DD beyond what it says in the manual (I think I saw the 32" limit referred to as "antiquated" on this board) - is this true?

This is all BS, right? Can I get some links to hard facts to drop off at this place? DH is really leaning towards FF our daughter because he'd prefer not to buy another seat right now (be a stretch financially) and she's over the RF weight limit.

I felt confident about my knowledge and then this woman acted like I was attempting to do something risky by trying to extended RF my kid. :mad:

Jenn
 
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canadiangie

New member
Right. At under age 2 your dd will greatly benefit by being rear faced in whatever car seat she is riding in, providing she is still under the rear facing weight limit, and she has at least 1 inch of hard seat shell above her head.

In terms of the 32 inch rear facing length limit you see on your Boulevard, it is 'true'. That is, what you read on the sticker and in the manual is legitimate per Britax Canada. However, some parents opt to focus on the more accepted industry standard of 1 inch of shell above head as an indicator that a child can still rear face (again, providing the child is under the max rear facing weight limit). None of us can tell you what to do, though. Certainly as I said above, she is under the age of 2, and would benefit by being rear facing.

We have seats in Canada that are a little more financially doable (than Britax) and go by either the 1 inch rule or offer a 36" or 44" rear facing length limit. These include the First Years/Learning Curve True Fit and TrueFit Rebound, Graco MyRide 65, and Dorel/Cosco/Safety 1st Air Complete (36"), Sunshine Kids Radian 65/Premiere/XT (44").


Her knees will not push into her spine on impact. In a front impact crash her legs will bend at the knee and tuck into her body (think fetal position). In a side impact crash her legs (and arms) will move towards the point of impact. In a rear impact crash her legs will make contact with the vehicle seat and then bend at the knee and tuck into her body -- she will not be able to keep her legs straight upon impact -- they will not be "crushed".

All that to say, even if she did suffer a lower limb injury because of being involved in a collision, legs are typically fixable. It's also important to remember that children who are rear facing and experience a lower limb injury do so because they are involved in a crash -- not because they are rear facing. Children are not immune to lower limb injuries when they are forward facing. Rear facing best protects the fragile neck and spine, which is why it is so important to consider rear facing your child past the minimum of age 1 and 20 pounds.
 

3kitty

New member
Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought. Good to get backup. Can you give me a reference for the 1" rule and/or stats on RF vs. FF injuries? TIA!
 

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