Going back to rear facing q with 40lb 2yo

Cassia · Sep 1, 2009

I've been thinking about turning back around my 2 year old ds (he's been forward facing since 1). We need a new carseat anyways, because I also have a 7mo ds who's about to outgrow his infant seat, so the plan is to move my younger ds into the carseat my older ds is currently in. There are a couple of problems with this carseat that I didn't realize when we bought it, and one of them is the fact that it's only safe for rear facing until 30lbs, and front facing to 40lbs (it then converts to a booster).
So anyway, I'd like to find a carseat that I can have rear facing for my 2 year old, who's nearly 40lbs already. Does anyone have any links or a list of seats that might work for us? I know a lot of it depends on the vehicle as well. I also live in Canada, so that might making a seat a little more difficult.
Thanks!

carseatcoach · Sep 1, 2009

There is no seat that rear-faces past 40#. How close is your child to 40#, and what is your budget, if I may ask? If you anticipate only being able to buy one fairly expensive seat in the next few years, it might make more sense to buy a dedicated HWH seat.

Also, how old is the seat you currently have? The 3-in-1 seats have had a 35# RFing limit for a long time (unless you're in Canada?).

Cassia · Sep 1, 2009

I am in Canada, so I think some things are a little different here. We bought the seat about a year and a half ago. On the manual it just says that the child must be rear facing to a miminum of 20lbs and 1 year. It doesn't specify a maximum, but it also says that it's only a front facing seat until 40lbs. :shrug-shoulders:
I don't really have a strict budget. Of course I'd prefer not to spend an extreme amount for a seat, but I also want my kids to be as safe as possible...
What's an HWH seat?

snowbird25ca · Sep 2, 2009

Cassia said:
I am in Canada, so I think some things are a little different here. We bought the seat about a year and a half ago. On the manual it just says that the child must be rear facing to a miminum of 20lbs and 1 year. It doesn't specify a maximum, but it also says that it's only a front facing seat until 40lbs. :shrug-shoulders:
I don't really have a strict budget. Of course I'd prefer not to spend an extreme amount for a seat, but I also want my kids to be as safe as possible...
What's an HWH seat?

How close to 40lbs is your 2yr old, and has kiddo's weight gain slowed down recently or is he/she staying along the same growth curve?

We have 1 seat which has a 40lb rf'ing limit in Canada right now and that is the Complete Air by Safety 1st. It's only available at TRU/BRU right now (Toys R Us/Babies R Us.) The ff'ing weight limit on it is 50lbs though, and if kiddo is already super close to 40lbs, I would focus on buying a seat with a 65lb ff'ing weight limit rather than a 40lb rf'ing limit.

The True Fit may be a good choice for your situation - it harnesses to 65lbs, and rear faces to 35lbs. So it gives you an option of a higher weight rf'ing seat to pass down to baby if need be (at least if buying another seat is likely to be an option 1.5yrs down the road?) It also has a nice deep shell for side impact protection, and installs with a natural recline ff'ing which would be nice for a ff'ing 2yr old - plus it's not going to break the bank. It retails for $199 but goes on sale fairly regularly for $149.

If you don't want to go that route, then I would head for either the Britax Frontier or the Graco Nautilus. Both of them harness to 65lbs and you can try kiddo out in the store to see which seat you prefer and if one fits better than the other.

Oh - hwh = high weight harness seat. For a 2yr old pushing the 40lb mark we prefer to see them in a harnessed seat with a weight limit sufficient for him/her such as 65lbs since most kids aren't mature enough to sit properly in a booster until around the age of 4.5 or 5. So when we say HWH, it's basically saying a limit higher than the "average" 40lbs. (Though quite honestly, very few seats are being made now that still have a limit of 40lbs.) We have 1 out of 18 or so harnessed seats in stock at work right now with a max weight limit of 40lbs right now, the rest vary from 47lbs to 65lb weight maximums.

Cassia · Sep 2, 2009

I have to be honest--I'm a little overwhelmed.

He's quite close to 40lbs already (2 months ago, he was 38lbs)--he's going to be weighed next week), and he seems to be still growing at about a pound a month

eek

. So I agree that getting a seat up to 65lbs is probably our best option. However, I really wanted to avoid having to buy ANOTHER seat (after this one), and the little guy we have is already on the same path to being a bigger toddler (he's 20lbs at 6 months). Of course he could slow it down a bit, but I thought my older ds would slow down too, so who knows.

Ideally I'd like to get one that's rear facing, to as high a weight limit as possible, and forward facing to as high a weight limit as possible as well (without breaking the bank, of course). But if it's recommended that each child stay in a carseat until at least 4 years old, looks like we may need to get another one anyways.

Cassia · Sep 2, 2009

Another thing I'm not sure about is, if not every seat fits every car, how should I find out what's going to work with my vehicle (a Kia Sportage 07')?

swtgi1982 · Sep 2, 2009

If you go to a babies r us or toys r us if they have it they usually will let you try a display model in your car before you buy.
The Complete Air is pictured in my siggy with my DD 3.5 in it.

Maedze · Sep 2, 2009

Cassia said:
I am in Canada, so I think some things are a little different here. We bought the seat about a year and a half ago. On the manual it just says that the child must be rear facing to a miminum of 20lbs and 1 year. It doesn't specify a maximum, but it also says that it's only a front facing seat until 40lbs. :shrug-shoulders:
I don't really have a strict budget. Of course I'd prefer not to spend an extreme amount for a seat, but I also want my kids to be as safe as possible...
What's an HWH seat?

FYI, your seat does have a max weight rear facing listed on it. Depending on the seat and date of manufacture, it's either 30 or 35 pounds, but it is written there :thumbsup:

JerseyGirl'sMama · Sep 2, 2009

Cassia said:
I have to be honest--I'm a little overwhelmed.

Glad you are being honest. It can be very overwhelming, so please continue to ask us questions or for further clarification.

Since your 2 year-old is already 40lbs, you will need to find him a good seat that FF with a harness (a high weight harness, HWH.) Rear-facing is safest, but unfortunately, there are none currently that RF over 40lbs in the US/Canada. It would be really nice to keep him harnessed until he is at least 4 years old. To move into a booster, the child needs to be able to sit in the correct position for the duration of the ride, everytime - which not many 4 year olds can do.

Adventuredad · Sep 2, 2009

The only way to rear face a 40 lbs 2 year old is to use a Swedish rear facing seat which allow 55 lbs. These seats have high seat shells and most kids can sit rear facing until age 5. These seats are a little more expensive and legal to purchase but technically illegal to use. If you do a search on the forum you will find many members using them (especially Britax Multi Tech)

dogmelissa · Sep 2, 2009

A couple of questions that I don't think was asked of you yet...
1. What is your older DS in right now?
2. Are you having issues/concerns with the seat that older DS is in or younger DS?

I'm not a tech, nor a parent (yet) but I am in Canada. Unfortunately we don't have the wonderful European seats here that can RF up to 65 lbs and with your oldest pushing the weight limits on the one and only seat that we currently have with a 40 lb RF limit, I would suggest considering a higher-weight RF for your youngest only and not try to turn oldest back to RF. Realistically he's been FF for over a year and some kids will get car sick if turned back to RF after being FF. Given that it might be a month, maybe 2 or 3 (or perhaps 6?) that you even get to have him RF in a higher-weight RF seat, it just doesn't seem worth the money to get 2 new seats. If you wanted to try, and like the Complete Air, you could try him RF in that until he hits 40# and then turn him back FF and use the CA for your younger one. I'm not sure if you have the months on your existing seat for the youngest to try this option, either.

Hope that helps and good luck!
Melissa

Maedze · Sep 2, 2009

dogmelissa said:
Realistically he's been FF for over a year and some kids will get car sick if turned back to RF after being FF.

While I agree that a RF seat for the 38 pound two year old is not practical, this simply is not true, and gives an inaccurate impression to parents who are considering turning their toddlers back rear facing. Being forward facing does not CAUSE rear facing sickness. In fact, I can't think of a single child I know who experienced this.

Cassia · Sep 3, 2009

He's currently in a Safety 1st Alpha Omega Deluxe. I don't have any issues with it (nor with my younger ds's, he's still in an infant seat--my only problem with it is that it only goes up to 40lbs (ff)

I think what we've decided our best option is to put our younger ds in this seat, and have him rf until 30lbs (which is what the seat allows, or whatever the height limit is--I can't remember at the moment), and just get a bigger one that goes up to 65lbs ff to put my older ds in for now. This is the only practical thing for us to do, I think.

April · Sep 3, 2009

dogmelissa said:
A couple of questions that I don't think was asked of you yet...
1. What is your older DS in right now?

From her description of the seat, its a 3-in-1.

dogmelissa said:
Realistically he's been FF for over a year and some kids will get car sick if turned back to RF after being FF.

That is absolutely 100% not at all true, and as you are neither a parent with personal experience, nor a tech, it is really inappropriate for you to be giving such misguided advice.

To the original poster: From your description, it sounds like your seat for your 2yo is an Alpha Omega/Eddie Bauer/Safety First 3-in-1. Before we go any further here, can you confirm that your child's shoulders are still below the second to top harness position? If not, we'll need to switch the focus here onto getting him into a different forward facing harnessed seat like yesterday.

My advice would be to use the 3 in 1 for your younger child rear facing, and invest in either a Graco Nautilus or Britax Frontier for your older child. Either of those should last to at least 6 years old in the harness and then turn into a booster after that. The Nautilus becomes a highback booster and then a backless. The Frontier becomes a highback booster only (no backless option), but adjusts taller as a booster and provides a better booster fit than the Nautilus. The Frontier is also about $60 more.

You'll need to look on your current seat to find the maximum rear facing weight limit (30 or 35lbs) to determine how long it would last your younger child. If it's a 35lb limit you should be fine for a while to use it for your youngest. If it's a 30lb limit I'd seriously consider starting to save up for a 35lb rear facing seat for the youngest.

April · Sep 3, 2009

Cassia said:
He's currently in a Safety 1st Alpha Omega Deluxe. I don't have any issues with it (nor with my younger ds's, he's still in an infant seat--my only problem with it is that it only goes up to 40lbs (ff) I think what we've decided our best option is to put our younger ds in this seat, and have him rf until 30lbs (which is what the seat allows, or whatever the height limit is--I can't remember at the moment), and just get a bigger one that goes up to 65lbs ff to put my older ds in for now. This is the only practical thing for us to do, I think.

Sorry I guess we were posting at the same time.

Okay, not sure exactly where in Canada you are, but I'd look at the Nautilus first, as it can be had for as low as $199, whereas the Frontier is $299. Then I'd put your youngest into the 3 in 1 until he(?) is nearing 30lbs, and then see what is out then, as we may have a couple more 40lb rear facing seats by then. If there isn't anything else out at that point that rear faces to 40lbs (other than the Safety First Complete Air), I'd be watching for sales on the True Fit at Zellers (goes on sale for $149 almost monthly) to put your youngest in once he's close to 30lbs. (The True Fit rear faces to 35lbs and forward faces to 65lbs, and get's most kids to at least age 5, usually 6, at which point they are ready for a dedicated booster.) Don't plan on using the Alpha Omega as a booster because it provides a horrid belt fit. Hopefully I haven't confused the heck out of you.

It might also help to post where in Canada you are, and we could try to point you to a tech in your area to help you out and check your installation.:thumbsup:

Cassia · Sep 3, 2009

April said:
Sorry I guess we were posting at the same time.

Okay, not sure exactly where in Canada you are, but I'd look at the Nautilus first, as it can be had for as low as $199, whereas the Frontier is $299. Then I'd put your youngest into the 3 in 1 until he(?) is nearing 30lbs, and then see what is out then, as we may have a couple more 40lb rear facing seats by then. If there isn't anything else out at that point that rear faces to 40lbs (other than the Safety First Complete Air), I'd be watching for sales on the True Fit at Zellers (goes on sale for $149 almost monthly) to put your youngest in once he's close to 30lbs. (The True Fit rear faces to 35lbs and forward faces to 65lbs, and get's most kids to at least age 5, usually 6, at which point they are ready for a dedicated booster.) Don't plan on using the Alpha Omega as a booster because it provides a horrid belt fit. Hopefully I haven't confused the heck out of you.

It might also help to post where in Canada you are, and we could try to point you to a tech in your area to help you out and check your installation.:thumbsup:

Okay, question: Why should I not just go with the True Fit right now, instead of getting a Nautilus or Frontier?

April · Sep 3, 2009

Cassia said:
Okay, question: Why should I not just go with the True Fit right now, instead of getting a Nautilus or Frontier?

Well you could get a True Fit for your youngest now and rear face him in it, but if your older child was 38lbs two months ago, he needs to be out of that Alpha Omega (AOE) NOW. Oh and for car seat weight limit purposes, we're talking about the child's weight clothed, shoes on, and with a full belly. 40lbs, perfectly fine in that seat. 41lbs, absolutely not okay. So you could get the True Fit for him, but then baby's going to need a new seat right quick as well. What seat is the baby in now?

To be totally honest, I'd likely sell the AOE on Craigslist, and get a Nautilus for the older child and a True Fit for the younger child. The True Fit isn't on sale right now though, so that'd be about $400+ for the two seats. Or if that makes funds too tight, I'd buy a Nautilus for the oldest, and a Cosco Scenera (RF to 35lbs, FF to 40 - available at Walmart for $69). That would be about $300 for both seats. But if you went that route you'd eventually need to pass the Nautilus down to the youngest when he outgrows the Scenera and put the oldest in a dedicated booster ($60+).

So option 1: Nautilus for oldest ($200+) and True Fit for baby ($199), and then worry about a booster for the baby in 5 years ($60+) = total $460 over five years;
Or option 2: Nautilus for the oldest ($200+) and Scenera for the baby ($70), and then booster for oldest ($60+) and pass down the Nautilus = total $330 over five years.

It sounds like a lot, but really $330 for seats that are going to last until both kids are out of boosters (approximately 9-10 years from now) is 10 cents a day. That being said, times are tough for everyone financially, so sometimes we just do the best we can for the immediate future and worry about down the road when we get there.

mommycat · Sep 3, 2009

I would get a Nauti or Frontier or possibly an Apex (if you have headrests and will always have headrests in all vehicles DS rides in) and put the baby into the AOE for now. I like my AOEs for RF seats well enough, and it will delay the next purchase, letting you save up for the next seat and also wait to see what else new and interesting comes out in the ERF seat market. (40 lb RF limit on other seats, rumour has it the Radian will be getting the bump?)

You could get the TF for your older now but then you would still need to buy a harnessed/booster combo seat when the little one maxes out the AOE, without the benefit of being able to have your choice for baby out of the new options that may be available by then.

Cassia · Sep 3, 2009

:crying: So much information......

Okay, what if I use the AOD for baby (I'm guessing he's 21lbs by now, they'll both be weighed next week) RF obviously, and get a True Fit or Nautilus for older DS? Then when baby hits 30lbs (or is almost there), get another seat for one of the two, and sell the AOD? Money isn't a HUGE issue, but at the very moment, I cannot afford to go right out and spend $400.

Oh, and DS2 is currently in a Safety 1st designer 22 infant seat.

And in response to an older post, I'm in Edmonton, Alberta.

ETA: Do people really buy used car seats? What if they've been in an accident (even minor)--aren't you supposed to ditch the seat and get a new one? This one hasn't, but I wouldn't trust someone online to be honest with me, that it hadn't been in a minor fender bender.

April · Sep 3, 2009

Cassia said:
:crying: So much information......

Okay, what if I use the AOD for baby (I'm guessing he's 21lbs by now, they'll both be weighed next week) RF obviously, and get a True Fit or Nautilus for older DS? Then when baby hits 30lbs (or is almost there), get another seat for one of the two, and sell the AOD? Money isn't a HUGE issue, but at the very moment, I cannot afford to go right out and spend $400.

Oh, and DS2 is currently in a Safety 1st designer 22 infant seat.

And in response to an older post, I'm in Edmonton, Alberta.

ETA: Do people really buy used car seats? What if they've been in an accident (even minor)--aren't you supposed to ditch the seat and get a new one? This one hasn't, but I wouldn't trust someone online to be honest with me, that it hadn't been in a minor fender bender.

It would be fine to use the AOE for the baby rear facing, and get a seat for big brother now. That being said, I'd probably get the Nautilus for big brother, just because #1 the price seems to be going up on it everywhere, and #2 there likely won't be any new high weight harness seats in Canada by the time baby hits 30lbs, but there very well may be some more 40lb rear facing limit seats by then. At least we know there will be the Safety First Complete Air (just came out) and supposedly the newer Radians will be 40lbs rear facing, AND we're supposed to be getting the Graco MyRide soon as well. So if you're only buying one seat now, I'd get the combination (FF harness then Booster) and wait on the convertable (RF & FF harness).

About the Designer 22, are you using the base? If so, we would recommend that you discontinue use of the base. You can read about it here

As for selling the AOE, yes people buy them, lots of people in fact. I often sell seats on Craigslist, but you are right, I would not buy one, because you are unsure of it's history. Plenty of people don't care though, and the AOEs are quite popular. (Unfortunately)

Going back to rear facing q with 40lb 2yo

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