How long do you RF a tiny kid?

KelliBella · Sep 20, 2010

I know the whole RF until the limits of the seat rule, but realistically, how long would you keep a very small child RFing? Especially one that really wanted to be flipped? I am really struggling with this, and I am not sure what the right answer is. I am aware it is a grey area as far as seat use goes, but I just need some guidance.

DS2 will be 4 in December, and finally weighs 28 pounds soaking wet. He is also very short. He could potentially RF until booster age (6-ish), but does he really need to? He hates being RFing, mainly because he can't see the same things his older brother can see, and he just really wants to be FFing like the big kids. He doesn't have any major hissy fits getting into the seat, but I can tell he just gets so frustrated while we're driving. We are also doing preschool drop-off now, and it is really convenient being able to reach back and unbuckle him from the front seat.

My general understanding is that despite being small and short, his neck/head/back bones have still developed at a normal rate. Does being smaller put him at significantly higher risk for FFing than a larger child of the same age?

Sorry for all the questions, but I have been thinking so much about this lately. I really need some answers.

And on a side note, if I do FF him, I was considering getting a boy/neutral cover for the RN80SL, getting a Blvd 70, or a new Frontier. Is he even big enough for the Frontier? Is it just too much seat for a little guy? I normally would not consider a new Blvd for an almost 4 year old, but he is just so small that he would get a lot of use out of it, and it could be handed down to little sis later.

Help!

NannyMom · Sep 20, 2010

My goal is 4 years for rear facing. My daughter is 31 pounds, and could likely rear face until 6 in the Radian, if it would fit in my cars

She turns 4 tomorrow (well, today since it's after midnight). She has ridden forward facing twice, and today, she asked me if she could ride that way awlays

I wasn't ready for that

If you are comfortable with him forward facing, I'd say 4 is a good goal. We know the child's neck matures between 4 and 6.

babyherder · Sep 20, 2010

I'd feel bad but I'm stubborn so if it was my kid I would probably rf until 6. And make a huge deal out of everything he sees out the back window. And tell him what a great older brother he is to stay rf so his little sister isn't the only one. And I'd make a huge deal out of how he GETS to stay rf, not has to. Its a privilege. And offer him chocolate. Whatever works. But I'm a very anxious person.

In Sweden they usually turn kids between ages 4 and 6, so maybe turn him at 4?

Its a hard call. I don't really know what is best.

natysr · Sep 20, 2010

My son is very small too. He rode rearfacing until he was 4 years, 9 months. He was 32 pounds at the time. His seats allowed rearfacing until 33 pounds.

He is now 6 years old and 36 pounds.

TXAggieTech · Sep 20, 2010

My son is a peanut and RF'd until he hit 35lbs at almost 5YOs. I would have flipped him back but he proceeded to hit every increased limit as the seats came out.

Aurezalia · Sep 21, 2010

My goal is to RF to booster age. If it's possible and your son isn't kicking up a huge fuss and really fighting RF'ing and demanding to be turned, I would throw in the towel just yet.

Mae · Sep 21, 2010

Aurezalia said:
My goal is to RF to booster age. If it's possible and your son isn't kicking up a huge fuss and really fighting RF'ing and demanding to be turned, I would throw in the towel just yet.

wouldN'T.

No worries. I got your back.

BabyKaykes · Sep 21, 2010

My personal MINIMUM is 3yrs and 30lb.

Since he's resisting, I'd say turn FF on his birthday.

DS rode RF until 3.5yo and 35lb, which were the limits of his seat at the time.

Aurezalia · Sep 21, 2010

Mae said:
wouldN'T.

No worries. I got your back.

Thanks.

Yeah, that's what I meant. LOL.

mcomommy · Sep 21, 2010

My goal was also 3 years and 30lbs. DD2 lasted a little while after her 3rd birthday, just through the winter and then I gave into her request. I feel fine about it now, she is not super little but I don't think my opinion would change even if she had been because she could still have rear faced size wise.

fyrfightermomma · Sep 21, 2010

I did 4 for my oldest who was 23 pounds on her 4th birthday. To me, she had the same bone density and structure as a 4 year old, just no body fat. I was fine with that. What was nice was that in a pinch she could still go in her sister's Radian RFing as needed

LOL

AtTheSouthDam · Sep 21, 2010

We made it to 4 years. DD2 is now only 34# and 41" so she could still RF quite comfortably in the RN for some time yet. She wanted to turn around and her age I willing to listen to her requests. I would have liked to RF until booster but she wasn't quite so gung ho on that plan

Mommy2Marcus · Sep 21, 2010

My personal goal was 3. I got my son to 3 1/2 when he started to beg to be turned around as he had been FF before & rode FF in my DH's car. I also have a 2 door which is a big PITB for RF & it was killing my back. I turned him. I am perfectly fine with him being FF now. He is in a properly installed seat, the harness is properly tightened & it is top tethered. Maybe talk to him & tell him he can go FF when he turns 4.

myliljunebugs · Sep 21, 2010

My personal goal was RF to 6 (obviously once the option of the 45lb rear facing limit came out) then go to booster. Unfortunately DD grew faster than expected. At 5 I was comfortable with it, even though DD wasn't

melniemi · Sep 21, 2010

My dd2 is about the same size as your son and has been asking to ff. I told her after she's 4(Jan) and the snow is gone - so next spring/summer sometime. She'll be 4.5ish and probably close to the limits heightwise on her marathon rfing.

christineka · Sep 21, 2010

My goal is 5. I did let dd turn ffing at 4.5, but she was really tiny, so I turned her back to rfing. She turned ffing again just after 5. She rfed again for our recent long vacation. At 5.5 years she weighs 35 pounds, but I have a radian that rfes to 40 pounds. I intend to keep ds2 rfing till 5 as well. He very likely will need to switch seats with dd at some point. Dd3 now ffes in the radian. She could rf in it, so has probably another 5-6 years to fit in the seat. I see no reason to buy her a ffing only seat. I let her ride in a booster sometimes too.

hrice · Sep 21, 2010

My goal is to have my children RF until 5-6. I do not know how erealistic that will turn out to be but that is my goal anyway.

If at the age of 4 my child still fit RF I would keep them RF.

bobandjess99 · Sep 21, 2010

It is certainly up to you. We know that rearfacing is always safer, but as you get older, the difference in safety becomes smaller, until at some point, and to be honest, we don't truly know WHEN that point is, but at some point after 4 years old, the difference in safety becomes small enough to probably not be an issue.

How long does he NEED to be rearfacing? almost everyone would agree that RFing to age 4 is phenomenal...way, way beyond any sort of minimum standard, and basically, at this point, it is considered very nearly the *optimal* standard. I don't think anyone would say that you "NEED" to rearface him beyond 4 years.

No, I don't believe we have any evidence whatsoever that size plays a part in safety in regards to RF vs. FFing. You are correct his bones should have matured at about the same rate as a larger child's.

My personal goal is to RF as long as possible, and I have a tiny itty bitty boy also (he'll be 3 in Dec, 25 lbs, 33 inches tall), so yes, that could very well mean RFing until age 5-6, and possibly going straight into a booster.

MissAllyLou · Sep 21, 2010

I rear-faced the middle boy until he was 4.5 on a regular basis, but occasionally had him ride RFing until he was about 5.5. He'll be 6 in February. He might weigh 32 pounds soaking wet. But He hated being RFing since his brother was FFing, and he outgrew the MA heightwise, so I put him in a Nautilus and didn't think twice. He now rides in a PKWYSG in my truck, and he's doing very well, for short trips only. He still rides in a radian in Mom's car, and a GN in dad's.

The little one is 3, and 26-28 pounds. She's RFing in a Radian, and she asks me every now and then why she's backwards. I always tell her, bc I'm nervous when you're forwards

. She's never really asked more than that. She has tons of room in the Radian, so I can't imagine turning her before she's 4 at least.

skylinphoto · Sep 21, 2010

My 4.5 year old is 32 lbs TOPS. He's been FFing since he turned 4. I am comfortable with this.

My personal goal is 4 years old. I made it to that point and more importantly, personally felt comfortable with him FFing at 4. If we got to 4 and I still had doubts on whether he was safe, I wouldnt have turned him.

My dd is even smaller. She's 20 lbs at 2.5 years old. She will most likely stay RFing past 4 years old. Not because of her size..but because of WHY she is that size. She has nutritional/health issues. We're doing testing to find out exactly what the problem is right now. She's gained 3 lbs since 12 months old despite being on an excessively high calorie healthy diet. Because it's fairly evident that she's not absorbing nutrients from her food (she eats VERY healthy, often, and is on a high calorie diet..with allergies considered), I have to assume until further testing that her bone growth may not be what it should be at her age.
So, her medical problems will lead me to RF past 4. Not her size.

At this point, it's your call IMO. Try turning him FFing and see how comfortable you are driving him around like that. Listen to your gut and your heart. If you have no doubts keep him FFing. If it feels wrong to you, trust yourself and turn him back RFing.

How long do you RF a tiny kid?

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