FF a 6 month old

My sister in law has a 6 month old son who she is planning on FF when he reaches 20lbs. Her Dr told her that it was OK to do:thumbsdown:. He is currently 18.5 and besides the fact that it is against the law I need some more to back up keeping her son RFing till he is at least a year and hopefully to the limits of his seat. They have him currently in a Cosco infant seat that he is quickly outgrowing.
She wants to send me a list of seats to look into. I plan on suggesting the Marathon or the Radian. She drives a 2005 Nissan Sentra and has three children in the back seat. They are supposed to be getting a new car but they were supposed to do that 6 months ago so I have no idea when that will happen. Is there any other seat that I should be considering? Price is not really a factor.
I also would like to send her some info on ERF. I have the youtube videos but are there any studies that I can send as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

What are the other two kids sitting in back there? The Scenera is also pretty narrow.

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRP7ynNI8mI

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868

http://www.motionbox.com/video/player/7494d2b5161bf0/#1

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4144421a10.html

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/LIVING01/312110006/1006/LOCAL

http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/398

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/FREE/872410421/1024/PHOTOS03

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd0wz5D_9eY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTJzSHHHsk8&feature=related

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/121/3/619

Wendy

This article describes the recent study... http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/SE/20071210/NEWS/712100332

Another great article...
http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/04/rearfacing-car.html

Another good video that illustrates why this is so important...
http://blip.tv/file/872531

Another resource...
http://www.carseatsite.com/RF_Handout2.pdf

You can also go directly to AAP and give her this information from their recommendations:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should ride rear-facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. It is even better for them to ride rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer.

Q: What if my baby weighs more than 20 pounds but is not 1 year old yet?
A:Use a seat that can be used rear-facing by children who weigh more than 20 pounds and keep your baby rear-facing as long as possible, or at least until he has reached his first birthday.

Once your child is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds, she can ride forward-facing. However, it is best for her to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of her car safety seat

from... http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Is there any chance you can contact her dr and at least mail or email some of these handouts and information to him? It's so sad when drs give advice that could cause serious and permanent damage to a baby that they have taken an oath to protect.

HTH

Melanie

wendytthomas said:

What are the other two kids sitting in back there? The Scenera is also pretty narrow.

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRP7ynNI8mI

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9916868

http://www.motionbox.com/video/player/7494d2b5161bf0/#1

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4144421a10.html

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/LIVING01/312110006/1006/LOCAL

http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/6/398

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/FREE/872410421/1024/PHOTOS03

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd0wz5D_9eY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTJzSHHHsk8&feature=related

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/extract/121/3/619

Wendy

Click to expand...

She has a 7 and an 8 year old. The 8 year old is in nothing and the 7 year old is in a backless turbo booster. I am working on getting that changed but am focusing on the baby right now. She is coming to stay with me for a week so I am going to show her everything that you have provided.

I had thought about the Scenera because it is not very wide but I think in this situation it would be better to start off with a HWH seat so he does not go into a booster seat too soon. Both of the older two were in backless booster by the age of four.

Thank you for all the information!

Jan06twinmom said:

Another good video that illustrates why this is so important...
http://blip.tv/file/872531

Click to expand...

I hadn't seen that video before. Thanks.

Hey Adventuredad, thanks! What are they saying?

Wendy

Jan06twinmom said:

This article describes the recent study... http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/SE/20071210/NEWS/712100332

Another great article...
http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/04/rearfacing-car.html

Another good video that illustrates why this is so important...
http://blip.tv/file/872531

Another resource...
http://www.carseatsite.com/RF_Handout2.pdf

You can also go directly to AAP and give her this information from their recommendations:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should ride rear-facing starting with their first ride home from the hospital until they have reached at least 1 year of age and weigh at least 20 pounds. It is even better for them to ride rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat’s manufacturer.

Q: What if my baby weighs more than 20 pounds but is not 1 year old yet?
A:Use a seat that can be used rear-facing by children who weigh more than 20 pounds and keep your baby rear-facing as long as possible, or at least until he has reached his first birthday.

Once your child is at least 1 year of age and weighs at least 20 pounds, she can ride forward-facing. However, it is best for her to ride rear-facing to the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of her car safety seat

from... http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Is there any chance you can contact her Dr and at least mail or email some of these handouts and information to him? It's so sad when drs give advice that could cause serious and permanent damage to a baby that they have taken an oath to protect.

HTH

Melanie

Click to expand...

Thank you for all the info. I will find out from her who her Dr is as I have no idea. I will get the info to him/her as soon as possible. It makes me so upset that they told her this. Not only is in unsafe but they are telling her to break the law. Both of her older children were FFing way before they turned a year old so she thinks it is a normal thing to do.

I'd also push the law thing. Thats worked for me with some parents. I just mention that it is absolulely against the law and if she gets pulled over she will get a ticket.

I can't believe the doc doesn't even know the law. They usually atleast know that

Eviesmama said:

I'd also push the law thing. Thats worked for me with some parents. I just mention that it is absolulely against the law and if she gets pulled over she will get a ticket.

I can't believe the doc doesn't even know the law. They usually atleast know that

Click to expand...

That was the first thing that came out of my mouth when she said she was planning on FF him. I am almost positive I can get her to keep him RF till a year I just want it to be longer than that. She had no idea that there were RFing convertible seats
I think Drs should have to take a CPS class. They are the ones parents usually listen to. I think it would help everyone.

What about the "no carseat manufacturer allows a child under 1yr old to use the seat forward facing." Voiding liability - kid could have a broken spinal cord and the carseat manufacturer could just say "I told you so."

And lots of the min weight limits on those seats are 22 and 23lbs depending on who they go with.

I had parents wanting to buy a ff'ing only seat for a 9mo old at work the other night. I bluntly told them they couldn't, it was illegal and that their son could be killed ff'ing. (oops, not supposed to say those things to a customer? oh well. )

Threemonkeys, where in Washington are you? We have a seat check up here in Skagit county on Friday you could send her to

3 Monkeys? When she comes to visit with you can you pull this thread back up and show her some pics of RF children and let her read some of our responses about the importance of RF?

Show her the video link on youtube wendy posted and the article http://www.stuff.co.nz/4144421a10.html

www.cpsafety.com has the ERF album on there. I know some of the posters on here have kids picture on there. It is a good site.

This link about RF from KDMF is pretty good too.
http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/pages/4209/Car_Seat_Safety:_Rear-facing_is_safest.htm

You can save my pictures and have your SIL read my personal message: My doctor told me to FF my son at 3 months old! He was pushing the 20lbs mark. I wasn't a CPST at the time but I knew the 1y/o and 20lbs. I kindly told him "He has a convertible seat we are keeping him RF until the maximum limits." We luckily had purchased a FPSVD and 2 ComfortSports to RF. He told me "He's neck is strong enough now." The conversation was dropped.
I turned him FF at 11months and 24lbs, thought it was no big deal. That was before I found the "Importance of RearFacing" video on Youtube and researced all the links provided. I luckily found it prior to taking the CPST class. I turned him back RF ASAP!
He's been RF ever since. The ped and office staff told me to FF at his 1 y/o check up, then I provided them with RF data and AAP guidlines. They were still stuck on the old "legs will break" urbanlegend! Peds and doctors aren't god they don't have all the answers, they make mistakes too. I'm greatful I found that video! In the past I FF my nephew back in 2001 after the 1 y/o and 20lbs. We didn't know any better. But, as they say: "When we know better, we do better." ~Sara

PS: My "toddler terror" would not be sleeping if he wasn't comfy, trust me we've entered the "Terrible Two" phase" *gulp !


21 months 30lbs, 36" standing, 12.5 torso in both pictures. A marathon and blvd.

An Aurora said:

Threemonkeys, where in Washington are you? We have a seat check up here in Skagit county on Friday you could send her to

Click to expand...

We live in Lacey. She lives on the other side of the state so she would not be able to go to that one but is there anyway I can find out some more information about it. I would like to take my own little ones and have their seats checked.

Thank you for all the help. I really hope I can get her to make a better decision.

PixiEMT-
Thank you for writing that and for the pictures. She is supposed to be coming up here the weekend after next so I plan and showing all the information you ladies have showed me. I have both a Radian and a Marathon so I plan on putting them both in her car and letting her decide which one she likes best. Both my older two were FF at 12 months. I didn't know any different....sad to think that was only a couple of years ago. I am so glad that we were never in and accident.