Did you revert your kid back to RF after riding FF?

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
I'd love to hear your story!
How old did you turn FF? Why?
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
How did behavior change FF?
Behavior change after RF again?
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....

With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)

If you'd like me to tag you in the note, please send me a Private Message with your facebook profile information -- your full name and/or the URL :) Mine = http://www.facebook.com/maribelitapapoose

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org
 
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jubgulia

Active member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
12 months because we were "supposed to"

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
2 1/2 years because I found car-seat.org and learned that we wasn't "supposed to"

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
He cried as a newborn, but then got used to it and was pretty happy in the car.

How did behavior change FF?
When he was turned FF at 12 months, he was able to see us and wanted to get out.

Behavior change after RF again?
He didn't mind at all and did just fine. His baby brother was facing the same way.
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
11.5 months, 19.5 lbs, because she was 'close enough'

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
18m, because I read about ERF on an online parenting forum

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
She was a car screamer until 5 months, then mellowed out

How did behavior change FF?
She would get angry if she dropped toys so there was more of an effort on my part to pick up her toys and hand them back to her, which of course turned into a game for her

Behavior change after RF again?
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....

With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)

If you'd like me to tag you in the note, please send me a Private Message with your facebook profile information -- your full name and/or the URL :) Mine = http://www.facebook.com/maribelitapapoose

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org[/QUOTE]
 

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
Uh can't scroll on my iPod, so...

When I turned her RF again she actually said "whee mama truck and was pointing out the window at everything she could see.

DH wanted to turn her FF at two, and we did a trial run on a road trip. She did fine until she fell asleep, and then immediately woke up screaming that her legs hurt. They were falling asleep from dangling. We pulled over and turned her back RF and she went back to sleep and had a good two hour nap. She continued to RF until four.
 

ElfJewel

New member
I'd love to hear your story!
How old did you turn FF? Why?
20 lbs, because you were supposed to. DD1: 15 mos, DD2: 11 mos :eek:, DD3: 14 mos, DS: 12 mos, DD4 has never FF
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
DDs 1 and 2 were 6 and 7 when I learned about ERF. I switched DS (2.5 yrs) and DD3 (4 yrs) asked to switch too (to be like Buddy).
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
they were fine but when they were close to 1 I thought it was harder to keep them RF
How did behavior change FF?
it didn't
Behavior change after RF again?
DS didn't care, DD3 asked to switch and loved it
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....
Now that I know how much safer they are, and that it really isn't as hard as I thought they will be RF for a looong time :)
With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)
 

morninglori

New member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
Turned DD at 1yr, because I thought I was supposed to, and everyone else around me did.

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
Part time RF at 31mo, FT at 36mo. I learned about ERF when DD was 29mo/28lb, when DS was getting ready to move out of the bucket. Instead of ERF her, I got her a GN and DS got her old convertible. A couple months later we got a EFTA for our second car and DD would ride RF when she rode in DH's car - she didn't mind a bit. I saved some $$ over the next few months and I was able to replace her GN with a RN just before she turned 3yo. From then on she was RF full time in both cars.

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
I suppose it was typical behavior, no carsickness nor complaining. She seemed happy enough. Occasional resistance to be strapped in, but nothing out of the normal.

How did behavior change FF?
There was no real behavior issues to begin with but I do remember when she "noodled" it was worse FF because she would slip down to the floorboards and it was a pain to get her in her seat.

Behavior change after RF again?
She loved it, and would tell me such if I asked. She would talk about all the stuff she could see - it was a nice perspective since she was older and much more verbal. She liked seeing out the back window and would tell me when cars were coming up behind me.

She actually complained when she had to be turned FF when she reached the weight limit of her seat a few days before she turned 4yo. She kept whining about riding backwards. This lasted about 2 weeks or so.
 

emtb79

New member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
I have a daycare so they aren't mine but I turned most of mine forward facing when they were somewhere between 15-18months. They rear-faced that long only because I had to un-install the seats next to them to turn them FF.
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
I started researching new seats because mine were getting old and I saw the really neat seat on Jon and Kate Plus 8 and then somehow found Joel's Journey. Joel's Journey did it for me, these arent my kids and I didnt want to have that happen to a kid in my care if I got in a car accident.
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
The kids did seem to mind there was no balking at it. In fact they could taalk to the kids in the second row.
How did behavior change FF?
Their behavior didnt seem to change one way or the other FF or RF.
Behavior change after RF again?
No behavior issues and all of my daycare kiddies FF in their parents car.
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....
My 2yr9m boy I care for is 29lb 36" and loves sitting rear-facing he gets to see the buses driving past us. The only problem I had with him was at first was what to do with the legs. I showed him how to fold his legs up like he sits on the floor at home(criss cross appleasauce like the kids call it). He seems to like it much better. Hes actually able to get comfy and sleep on rides when he cant FF in his mom's car.

My 9month old fusses more about getting into the seat than he does. This is do to the fact she hates being restrained for any length of time and would rather be moving around. As soon as the van starts the fussing stops.
 

Little Ps Mama

New member
I'd love to hear your story!
How old did you turn FF? Why?
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
How did behavior change FF?
Behavior change after RF again?
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....

With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)

If you'd like me to tag you in the note, please send me a Private Message with your facebook profile information -- your full name and/or the URL :) Mine = http://www.facebook.com/maribelitapapoose

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

I turned DS1 FF when he was 25 months old because age two was my initial goal for RF. I turned him RF again because "when we know better, we do better." I couldn't get that out of my head. He still fit well within the limits of his seat and I had no good reason for having him FF. Also, he was super chatty FF and was constantly dropping his toys. :p
We never had any behavior issues with him RF prior to turning him FF. FF he was more talkative but no behavior problems. I put his seat RF again two months after turning him FF. After reinstalling the seat, I took him out to the car to put him in it. Upon seeing his RF seat he said "Oh cool!" and climbed into it. I was worried about how he would transition back because he had been calling his FF seat his "big boy seat." He didn't care one bit about being turned around again! My current goal for RF is age 4. :thumbsup:

You have my permission to post this on FB!
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
We have a Fisher Price seat (one of the original ones) with a 30 lb RF limit. Joy outgrew it RF around two; she FF in it and RF in her MA. When she hit the RF limit on her MA, she FF in it and RF in the Touriva with a 35 lb limit.


She *hated* FF. In the six months it took her to go from 30 lbs to 35 lbs, she screamed nonstop every single time she rode FF. She was 2 years, 6 mos when she hit 35 lbs, and we were all miserable having her FF for probably three more mos.
 

christineka

New member
I'd love to hear your story!

This is about child number 4
How old did you turn FF? This child turned ffing and rfing many times, but for now I will only speak of the largest stretch- from age 2-3 and 3 months

Why? It's silly, really. We were going to take mom's car, so I put dd's seat in it. I did not undertand how to work locking latchplate seatbelts, so I could not install the seat rfing properly, so I changed the harness and tried ffing. Still didn't work. Time was running, late, so I just installed the seat ffing in our van and we drove in that. Interestingly enough, we spun on the freeway and ended in a ditch during that drive. Afterward, I left the car seat as it was rather than turn my 21 pound 2 year old back to rear-facing, which I knew was safer. 6 months later, the convertible seat was passed to baby number 5 and dd had a ffing only seat.

How old did you switch back to RF? Dd was 3 years and 3 months old. (24 pounds) Why? I had come to a car seat board and learned exactly why rear-facing was safer. I saved my money and bought a scenera.

How did your kid behave RF the first time? She was great!

How did behavior change FF? Can't recall her behavior changing.

Behavior change after RF again? Nope

What did you do about these behaviors?
No behavior problems at all.

Please feel free to add any other details....
Dd loved rfing. Immediately upon sitting in her new, rear-facing seat, she exclaimed, "I can see!". She's a short kid and while ffing in a very low seat, she really couldn't seat out the windows.
 

Carrie_R

Ambassador - CPS Technician
As a child care provider, I've turned a number of kids back rearfacing, and I will say as a generalization, they either a) do not care or b) enjoy RF. My very favorite story is of a high-needs little boy who was a bit past two... he had been FF since one with his parents. I had him for a couple of hours one morning to let Mom go to a Dr's appt, and she met me at the big kids' school, he was MAD that he had to come with me. I loaded him into the car, screaming, crying, kicking, you name it. We had to crawl into the way back of the van, and I plopped him into the (RF) seat. His fit stopped -- dead stopped. He was fascinated by the new vantage point and was suddenly all smiles.

Anyways, I'll answer your questionaire about the only kid I've had on a f/t basis that I turned FF, and then back RF -- the others were either too old to turn back when I learned about ERF or young enough that they've never FF'd.


How old did you turn FF? Why?


A couple of days past a year. His ped said he was ok to FF at ten or so months, because "his neck [was] strong enough," so he turned in Mom's car then -- but I told her I wasn't comfortable switching her until a year, and she was fine with that. (This was in 2007, shame on you ped!)

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?

He was 2y4m. I found out about ERF (and EH,) and replaced basically every seat I had. The MR was just coming out and he fit in it, plus I had another little to pass it down to, so I went ahead and got it.

How did your kid behave RF the first time?

Fine? He was seated between two older FFers so from infancy he always had someone to look at and entertain him.

How did behavior change FF?

No difference that I can recall. My gang are pretty good car riders. vETA: Ooh, I forgot about the talking. He is *so loud* FFing, at least RF his yelling is muffled a bit! LOL!

Behavior change after RF again?

Still just fine. He liked RFing, was amused by going backwards. He's since been turned FFing permanantly and after a few months of it, asked to switch back to his old (RF) seat.

What did you do about these behaviors?

My attitude in general is that it's my job to keep the kids safe, so they ride safely or we don't go at all. I don't typically have too much trouble, since I lay down the law from the get-go.
 

Laurelz

New member
I'd love to hear your story!
How old did you turn FF? Why?
I turned my oldest at 22mo, and if I remember right he was about 29lbs. Because I felt he was old enough. My youngest is 16mo and still rf'ing at 23lbs.
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
2.5yo because they changed the recommendations to 2yr RF'ing and since he was just past that in age and his Radian weight limit was 40lbs I decided he should stay rf'ing.
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
He was always fine with it, then and now. My youngest was a SCREAMER in the car, it made me crazy, but we found that he just hated his infant seat so we bought him a Radian as well and he was better. Not 100%, but better. He grew out of it at about 6-7mo. It was a loonng 6-7mo, but worth it in my opinion because there was NO WAY he would be turned around.
How did behavior change FF?
My oldest is my sleeper in the car and he complained he couldn't get comfortable sleeping when we turned him ff'ing. His head flopped forward and he'd wake up saying his neck hurt.
Behavior change after RF again?
He likes it, he says it's fun to sit backwards like brother.
What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....

With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)

If you'd like me to tag you in the note, please send me a Private Message with your facebook profile information -- your full name and/or the URL :) Mine = http://www.facebook.com/maribelitapapoose

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

Good idea! :)
 

LuvBug

New member
I can't really reply to this as a re-rearfacer, but let me add this note if you want to use it.

DS was 2y3m when he turned FFing at 33lbs because that was the limit of his seat and at that time he was too tall for the couple of dorel seats that went to 35lbs.
He actually cried when we had to move him to an upright forward facing seat because he couldn't get comfortable to nap. It took a lot of playing around with pillows and stuffed animals to find the right one that gave him enough support to nap while upright.
A year later I installed a radian RFing in my car, just to test out for training purposes, and he BEGGED to sit in it. He had the best time sitting in that seat in my driveway and we pretended to drive(car in park and turned off) all over town for a little while.
He has since asked a few times if he could ever go back rearfacing, but I told him that sadly he couldn't.

I think we both wish that 5 years ago there were seats like there are today, because he loved being rearfacing and being able to relax and nap and stretch out. He definitely can stretch out better when reclined than when sitting straight up in a forward facing seat.
 

Mom2FiveGirls

Active member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
I turned all of my girls FFing when they were 1 year and 20 lbs. Well, actually I turned my oldest at 10 months and 18ish pounds because her pediatrician at the time said it was okay because her "neck muscles were strong enough". Ugh... My second daughter was a preemie and had some developmental and medical problems and we were advised to keep her RFing until she was 20 pounds, so we did. She was 16 months old. My third daughter was (still is...) tiny and didn't make it to 20 pounds until she was almost 2, but we turned her forward facing at around 15 months anyway :( The youngest two were both 20 pounds before their first birthday, so we turned them the day they turned 1.

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
DD#5 was 2 years and 3 months old. I was doing a research paper for an English class I was taking and my topic was car seat safety. I was shocked when I started researching and learned so much. I was totally clueless! She was in a Graco ComfortSport at the time and still fit with a little (but not much) room to grow. So I immediately turned her RFing in that seat and bought a new seat for her to RF longer as soon as possible (along with buying new, appropriate seats for the four older girls as well). Once I knew the benefits of keeping kids rear facing and using best practice, there was no way I could ignore that.

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
She was fine with it. She did go through a fussy period around her first birthday but turning her forward facing did not help at all. She just hated being confined to anything...including her car seat! The direction she was facing didn't make a difference.

How did behavior change FF?
It didn't. We switched her during her "I hate being confined so I'm going to scream in my car seat" phase and turning her FFing made no difference.

Behavior change after RF again?
She loved it! She said it was more comfy. She was also able to sleep better in her car seat. She could see her sisters (one beside her and three in the third row) and interact with them. She will be 4 in June and is still rear facing. I turned her FFing for a few weeks and she did not like it (said it wasn't as comfortable) and asked to be turned back RFing. :)

What did you do about these behaviors? We had no problems...


***After we turned DD5 RFing, I realized that DD4 (who was 4 yrs 1 month old at the time) would still fit RFing in the MyRide we bought to keep DD5 RFing. We had 2 other convertible seats that DD5 fit in, so I asked DD4 if she would like to ride RFing as well. She said yes and LOVED it! She had been FFing since her 1st birthday. She ended up staying RFing until just before her 5th birthday when she reached the RFing limits of the seat. We have since bought a Radian80SL and she still asks to ride RFing any time she can (which is only occasionally because we are limited on who can sit where in which seat in our van and unfortunately, there isn't a place she could be RFing all the time). She is 5.5 now.
 

momtotwogirls

New member
I'd love to hear your story!
How old did you turn FF? Why?

About 14 months because she hit 20lbs an I thought thats what you were supposed to do

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?

About 2yrs 3 months because I had learned about the benefits of it while I was researching seat for my youngest who has never sat forward

How did your kid behave RF the first time?

She didnt care and now at 4 prefers to sit backwards

How did behavior change FF?

She has always liked her car seat so no behavior change

Behavior change after RF again?

Nope

What did you do about these behaviors?
Please feel free to add any other details....

With your permission, I'd like to collect your stories in a Note on facebook to expose skeptics of AAP's recommendation update to the fact that even kids who weren't always RF do still generally enjoy or at least accept turning back around!

I will add my kid's story in the note as well ;)

If you'd like me to tag you in the note, please send me a Private Message with your facebook profile information -- your full name and/or the URL :) Mine = http://www.facebook.com/maribelitapapoose

Sent from my iPhone using Car-Seat.Org

My name is Aubree Hendricks if anyone wants to add me or tag me :)
 

momto3girls

Senior Community Member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
20 months when DD2 weighed 20lbs. She was turned FF because #3 was coming and I couldn't get 2 RF seats plus a FF seat in the back of our small suv. This was before I became a tech.

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
32 months when we bought a van because I knew it was safer.

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
Good, no issues.

How did behavior change FF?
No change

Behavior change after RF again?
She was very happy and said it was more comfortable.

What did you do about these behaviors?
Nothing

Please feel free to add any other details....
Since becoming a tech and researching seats I have learned that putting 2 RF & 1 FF seat is possible in a small suv.
 

lorismurph

Senior Community Member
How old did you turn FF? 2 years, 2 months Why? 3 reasons, she was 1" from the top of my Titan (love the seat but super short shell), she finally reached 20 pounds (yes, at age 2), I had another baby and thought my older 2 kids needed an easier way to get into the back seat in my Caravan.
How old did you switch back to RF? 3 years Why? I found a killer deal on an EFTA that she had tons of room in RF, the older kids always squeeze past the captain's chair rather than walking around the FF seat, we were going on an 11 hour road trip and I felt safer with her tiny 24lb. self RF.
How did your kid behave RF the first time? She LOVED it! She could see her older brother & sister in the back seat. She hasn't complained at all the past year that she's been RF.
How did behavior change FF? It didn't. She goes back & forth now (FF in dad's car on the rare occasion that she rides with him).
Behavior change after RF again? Nope.
What did you do about these behaviors?
She's now 4 years old, 31 pounds, and has about 2" to grow in the EFTA (much more in the Radian but she doesn't like it). She's only got 3 pounds until I will have to turn her but she'll ride RF until then.
 

mamakc

Active member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
Turned FF at 12 months old (11months 3 weeks if you wanna get technical). We were going on a long trip and she was so close to 1 year that we thought it was ok.

How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
I learned about the importance of continuing to rear-face after she turned 2 and was 34lbs. Her seat had a 33lb RF limit and all the convertible seats available at the time were 35lb limits. I kept her Forward-facing until the Sunshine Kids Radian was released the 45lb rear-facing limit. She was 3 years old when I turned her rear-facing again.

How did your kid behave RF the first time?
She loved it. When she was forward-facing, she was miserable trying to sleep because her head would flop & she could not get comfortable and her legs fell asleep constantly. Rear-facing, she could see out the windows better, didn't drop her toys, and was generally more comfortable. And at 3 she made sure I knew it!

How did behavior change FF?
The only thing that changed when she turned FF was that we were able to see her. She didn't really notice or care.

Behavior change after RF again?
She stopped throwing a fit when she saw us eating or drinking something in the front that she couldn't have! :) Turning rear-facing was a completely positive experience for us.

What did you do about these behaviors?
Enjoyed them!
 

Blesdfish

New member
New here! Long time lurker/info seeker :)

How old did you turn FF? At 20months. Why? He had outgrown his car seat's 35lb RF limit.
How old did you switch back to RF? at 29months(almost 2 1/2) Why? My CPST cousin (and lifesaver! whoop!) gave him a Radian XT for his second birthday, he rode in it FF until they upped their RF weight limit. We turned him back to RF until he outgrew the seat again.
How did your kid behave RF the first time? Good, he didn't mind it.
How did behavior change FF? He was a little overwhelmed at first, sometimes calling out when we came to stops. He didn't sleep in the car as much as he had before.
Behavior change after RF again? No real change, slept better in the car again.
What did you do about these behaviors? I was more relaxed with him RF, the temptation to always look in the mirror at him was gone once he was RF again and I felt like I was able to focus on the road more!
Please feel free to add any other details....
 

VoodooChile

New member
How old did you turn FF? Why?
With my dd, now 5.5, at 1 year, partly b/c of adjuster problems with dd's old Evenflo Titan (I have inflammatory arthritis and had just one heck of a time reaching that thing), plus I was just starting to hear about ERF but most of what I heard was the old "1 and 20" line, so I was unfortunately skeptical about ERF. My ds has just turned 2 and is still rf, and will remain so for some time!
How old did you switch back to RF? Why?
At 16 months. She had been fighting getting into her car seat (think 30 minutes to get her in--so it's definitely NOT "being rear-facing" that kids are protesting!), and she was actually outgrowing her Titan. So we got her a Marathon and I installed it rear-facing.
How did your kid behave RF the first time?
No problems.
How did behavior change FF?
Protest tantrums.
Behavior change after RF again?
She loved it! In fact, the next time I remember her seriously complaining about her car seat was when she hit the rear-facing limit and had to forward-face for good.
I'll also add behavior change after FF again...
Backseat driving, kicking the back of my seat, constant requests for me to change the song playing on my iPod... Man, I miss RF!
She never liked being ff harnessed, and would ask to rear-face again every now and then. She doesn't complain about being boostered at all though.
You have my permission to post on FB!
 
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