buying a new seat to RF longer/When do you just stop?

So here is my situation. DD is 3 yrs 3 months and is currently RFing in a BLVD. We got the seat when she was an infant and I bought this particular seat because at the time it was the best seat on the market. It is a 33 lb RFing limit BLVD and she is now 32 lbs. She is petite and still has a good 2-3 inches of growth height wise in the BLVD. We also have a Scenera that we use as a travel seat. I never really entertained the idea of buying her a 35 lb RFing seat because the $$$ for 2 more lbs didn't seem worth it to me, but now with the Radian being rated to 40 lbs and the Safety 1st Complete Air coming out, well for 7 lbs, I am considering it.
Right now the plan is to switch her to the Scenera until she hits 35 lbs or outgrows it by height as long as I can get a good install in our car (99 accord, no latch and a total PITA to install the BLVD, I can't imagine the Scenera will be any easier, I have never been able to get it to install RFing in any car with or without the pool noodles). I am not happy about giving up the side impact protection and the RFing tether, but a Scenera RFing is safer than a BLVD FFing right?
So when is it enough? We can afford a Radian/Complete Air, I mean it will impact our budget of course, but not a ton. DH thinks I am ridiculous, he would have turned DD a long time ago, thinks she has no room RFing now in the BLVD and has pretty much said No to me getting her a new seat for "no reason". That wouldn't stop me, but his opinion as her parent matters too. I know he is going roll his eyes at me and say something when I switch from the BLVD to the Scenera still RFing. Our other issue is we plan to have another baby next spring and due to DH's height we really can't have two RFing seats, a RFing seat even installed very upright doesn't fit behind the driver when the seat is pushed back all the way (which is how DH needs it to drive). So ultimately we would have to flip her in 9-12 months anyways. So what would you do in this situation? I mean do I keep buying seats as they come out with ones with higher weight limits or do I just make do with the seats we have and call it a day?

I think you should get a radian, you can always use it later for the new baby anyway.

Here are some pictures of my daughter in a MA and radian to show the difference in leg room.

I've had that same thought - can use the radian for a new baby, but what if by the time we need a convertible for the new baby ~2 ish years from now, there are seats with even higher RFing limits? Quite likely I would imagine......

I'd cross that bridge when you come to it. Did you have an infant seat? The reason I ask is Britax seats really aren't very good for newborns, the bottom harness height is too tall for most newborns.

It really is your decision as her parent to make.

For me, with the tight budget that I am on, I chose not to buy a new seat with a higher RFing limit when my son was 4 1/2. (Our marathons are 33 pounds models).

As far as your situation with two rearfacing seats...I wouldn't let that alter your decision now. You aren't pregnant yet, so you have at least 10 months that you could continue to RF your daughter.

Also, one question about how your DH drives...

I have a civic and I can install Jordan's marathon rearfacing and still be able to put the seat all the way back on the seat track...but, I cannot recline the front seat AND put it all the way back.

Does your DH drive with his seat reclined? It really is not safe to ride or drive with a seat that is reclined so much that the shoulderbelt is no longer in constant contact contact with the collarbone. It can contribute to submarining in an accident which can in turn contribute to injuries of the lower extremeties....and worse....internal injuries (i.e. lapbelt and spleen are not friends together).

Why not get the Radian now, and just keep your daughter rear-facing in it until the new baby comes, which will be at least 9-10m, possibly longer, then turn it forward (she'd be, what, 4 by then) when the new baby comes? A new baby could use the Blvd after graduating from an infant seat. By the time the Blvd expires, your older daughter would be six and could possibly ready to graduate to a HBB, or there may be some newfangled seat you'd want to get anyway.

I wouldn't. It's unnecessary spending for no great safety benefit. At 3y3m, especially if she's in the center, you're not really getting all that much additional safety benefit. She's got a great seat, just turn her, tether it, and get a milkshake to celebrate.

I also probably would not purchase a new seat to RF a child over 3, unless there were extenuating circumstances -- if the child had physical or developmental challenges I might, or if I *needed* a new seat anyhow I'd probably get one that EERFed.

Best practice is to RF to the limits of the seat. You've done that. Yay!! :thumbsup:

I had a question about that a few days back. I've never posted a link on here, but I'll give it a try.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=89782&highlight=rear+facing

I'm in a similar situation, but ds2 is only 24 months. (Though we won't have another baby unless I can somehow convince DH) DS2 has probably 3 or so inches of height in his marathon, but it did not look like he had enough room in the scenera to rf when I tried him in one, so something to consider.

At your daughter's age, I would be okay with ff. Personally, I don't think I'd buy a new seat to rf, but I'm sure many folks on here would, especially given the fact that you are planning to have another child. My kids tend to be big, so I would buy a ff to booster seat if ds2 were your dd's age. I'm getting a radian for ds, but we will be lucky if if he is able to rf to your daughter's age even in that.

Rebecca
K - 7 1/2, 51", 56 lbs
A - 24 months, 37", 32 lbs

I have 2 RF Marathons in my Honda Civic, and my tall DH can put his seat all the way back if he doesn't recline. Remember that the seats don't have to be reclined the full 45 degrees when your kids are older.

It doesn't make since to me to not buy a seat now to keep a child rear-facing because there is a possibility of a seat coming out with a even higher weight limit for future child so you might be able to keep future child rear-facing longer. I would get a radian and let the 3 year old use it until your next is born and put future baby in the radian. Newborns fit in the radian 80 and XT well with the body pillow but I think someone posted they the straps don't get tight enough without the body pillow so I wouldn't get a 65.

I am in the same situation and we finally decided to turn my daughter FF she is 3.5 and only 31lbs (and her seat does go to 35lbs RF) but she is all torso and her head is over the top. We also have a 2yr old RF and a new baby on the way in about 5months and there is no way to get three RF in either of our vehicles. I have had a tough time getting even two RF with her FF Nautilus. She is to tall for any other FF standard seat as her shoulders are over the top slots.

I think you should buy the 40lb seat. We're finally getting seats of a higher limit, just like everyone else is fighting for. Lots of people complained when the MyRide came out that it was really to fit higher weight children NOT older children. Then we hear of the Air Protect and people are excited that it will RF older children longer, and we're super excited about the 40 pound Radian. And then to turn around and tell a parent of an older child that FF is not that unsafe if you keep her center... We talk about how Sweden has the highest RF limits and the lowest injury/death rates and they have the ability to RF to 4 or 5...

My opinion is to purchase the 40 pound seat. With your daughter's weight and age, I think she could get to that 4 to 5 year old range even if a newer higher weight seat becomes available in the future... I think 40 will meet your needs.

WhatAboutPuppy said:

I think you should buy the 40lb seat. We're finally getting seats of a higher limit, just like everyone else is fighting for. Lots of people complained when the MyRide came out that it was really to fit higher weight children NOT older children. Then we hear of the Air Protect and people are excited that it will RF older children longer, and we're super excited about the 40 pound Radian. And then to turn around and tell a parent of an older child that FF is not that unsafe if you keep her center... We talk about how Sweden has the highest RF limits and the lowest injury/death rates and they have the ability to RF to 4 or 5...

My opinion is to purchase the 40 pound seat. With your daughter's weight and age, I think she could get to that 4 to 5 year old range even if a newer higher weight seat becomes available in the future... I think 40 will meet your needs.

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exactly. Everyone should of rejoiced at the MyRide since it would get a lot of kids to 2 yrs old which it seems after that its pointless No I'm not saying anyone SAID that its just the feeling I get lately. If a radian is going to keep a child RFing til 4-5 there is no reason it shouldn't be supported unless the parent cant afford to or another special case. I would go on but I try not to ruffle feathers and I think you said it well.

The question was when to stop. I would stop at 3. The safety benefits are not great enough to continue to buy seats. If it's a hobby purchase, great. I make hobby purchases of car seats all the time. But I don't think it's correct to encourage a parent to keep buyingbuyingbuying just because they can. Turning a child that age FF is now by any means unsafe and really, RF just isn't all that much safer AT THAT AGE for frontal impacts.

APmama2MAK said:

exactly. Everyone should of rejoiced at the MyRide since it would get a lot of kids to 2 yrs old which it seems after that its pointless No I'm not saying anyone SAID that its just the feeling I get lately. If a radian is going to keep a child RFing til 4-5 there is no reason it shouldn't be supported unless the parent cant afford to or another special case. I would go on but I try not to ruffle feathers and I think you said it well.

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I think people should have "rejoiced" over the MyRide since it was the first 40# RFing seat and it set a new standard. And while I definitely do not think RFing past two is "pointless", I am (as a CPST whose child can't RF in any legal seat, so I have no personal dog in this race) more concerned about keeping 38# 18mo children RFing than 38# 4yos.

I'm not sure what you mean by "supporting" Radians keeping children RFing to age >4. I do support it. I think it's terrific. I'm thrilled. But I believe the "special case" would be purchasing a new seat to keep a 3yo RFing. Again, I would support that decision. But keeping a child RFing to the limits of her convertible seat is best practice, and I'm not going to shame or guilt a parent who has conscientiously followed best practice for not going above and beyond best practice.

thanks everyone for your input. For those who asked, we do have a snugride for the potential next baby to start out in. As for RFing a seat behind the driver, right now DD's BLVD is in the center, it is installed upright (her head falls forward when she falls asleep now, I recently reinstalled it more upright) and when DH puts his seat all the way back, the back of his seat is next to/behind the BLVD. He doesn't drive with his seat super reclined but it isn't perfectly upright either, we both drive with it in the same position.
I think I will put DD in the Scenera and see where that gets us RFing. I think she could easily do another 6+ months RFing in the Scenera and then I will reevaluate at that point. I don't like giving up the RFing tether but we already own the Scenera and I can RF her without shelling out $280 (if I am going to buy a radian it will be the XT)
If she was a year or 6 months younger I would buy a Radian in a heartbeat, but it has to stop somewhere you know? I mean our car is 10 yrs old, we would be much better off safety wise (the whole family) if I went out a bought a new car today right? We are right now trying to install the retrofitted top tethers in our current car and it is not going well, it would be safer if we bought a new car that had them already right? We could *afford* it, just like we could afford a radian......

Honestly, if you are having issues installing top tethers in your car, I would almost certainly buy a Radian. I believe they perform fairly well FFing without a tether. If I were unable to tether my seat FFing, I would a) want to keep my child RFing for absolutely as long as possible & b) put her in a Radian when I did have to turn her. Just my :twocents:

Yes, if it were a situation with no top tether, I would certainly rear face as long as legally/humanly possible, and then move into a booster as long as the child is 4 or older. I would avoid harnessing a FF child without a tether for MY child. If I was going to FF a child without a TT, it would be in a Radian, hands down.

For me, I am stopping now. DD1 is 3.5 years. I bought a MyRide last month but it didn't work out. She had been ffing since about 6 weeks before she turned 3 because she was too big not to. I was thinking of buying a Radian this morning, but since it will not work in my van, I will not. By the time the Air Protects are out, it will be close to a year that she has been ffing and $250 is more than I will spend for the few pounds it will give her by then and she will be close to 4. So for me, the stopping point has just come. When DD2 reaches the 35 lb limit of her seats, I will probably buy something to rear face her longer. Since she is 9 mo old and 22.5 lbs, I am thinking there will be lots of great higher weight options at that point.