AAP Rear Facing Recommendations

Discussion in 'The Toddler Years(1-3)' started by meganguttman, May 1, 2009.

  1. meganguttman

    meganguttman Well-Known Member

    We kept the boys rear facing when they turned one b/c they weren't 20lbs yet. Now they are just 23lbs and they are still happy rear facing so I wasn't going to move them. But it got me thinking about those of you who already moved your babies forward facing. After the new recommendations from the AAP will you turn your child rear facing again?
     
  2. becasquared

    becasquared Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Honestly?

    No. I can't do it to Alice. She finally doesn't scream the entire trip. Unless they make it a law, I'm not doing it. Besides, there's really no room in the car (not my van) to turn the car seats around.
     
  3. MNTwinSquared

    MNTwinSquared Well-Known Member

    The twins were HORRIBLE car riders. *I* kept them rear facing, even though they were horrible passengers past one year of age (which was the recommended at that time). Unfortunately dh wasn't on board and took the first chance he had to switch them around which was at about 12.5 months. :angry:
    He hasn't said anything this time around, but during every single dr. appt I've been to, the ped has stated 2 years. Of course, DH has not attended any of them because it is 'just Evan.' I plan on keeping him facing backwards as long as I can. He is a happy car rider.. perhaps it helps that he can see his brother & sister in the back of the van.
    IF he had already been turned, I couldn't go back... but since he hasn't (and is a great passenger) I will keep him rear facing as long as possible.
     
  4. AimeeThomp

    AimeeThomp Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    To be honest with you I think we might turn the girls back around. If I don't turn them back around and then get in a crash at some point I would feel so guilty. They are already not very great at riding in the car. I'm going to show that to DH when he gets up and see what he thinks about turning the seats around.
     
  5. megkc03

    megkc03 Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    We didn't change them around until 14/15 months old. And to be honest-I am not switching them again! Whenever we went on long car rides-Nicholas got sick-EVERYWHERE. I didn't know what it was-thought maybe car sick. Well-the last time he got sick in the car was Christmas morning when we drove to my brother's house. We had to change him in the freezing weather on the side of the road-he was covered. At that moment I told dh to move his seat to forward facing.

    Since then-he hasn't gotten sick once. I'm still paranoid about it-but he's been fine and we've taken a few long car rides since then, so I'm guessing it was the seat facing backwards that bothered him.

    For this baby-if it's recommeneded until the age of 2, then I will most likely keep the seat rear-facing until that point.
     
  6. Fran27

    Fran27 Well-Known Member

    It's been recommended for a long time to keep babies rear facing as long as possible, so I don't think that the AAP recommending it will make much of a difference. My two used to complain in the car, but have stopped in the last couple months, but even if they hadn't I would have kept them rear facing.
     
  7. ld2008

    ld2008 Well-Known Member

    At the rate mine are going they won't be 20 pounds until 2 anyways!!
    :p
     
  8. kingeomer

    kingeomer Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Mine are happy rear facing and we were going to move them forward, but reading this article we will wait. Thank you for bringing this to light Megan!
     
  9. maurahursh

    maurahursh Well-Known Member

    I am not turning mine back. Riding in the car is finally pleasant. I can't do it!
     
  10. gina_leigh

    gina_leigh Well-Known Member

    We just turned ours around a month ago. I'll have to think about turning them back. The screaming finally stopped and they are so much happier in car now.
     
  11. Becca34

    Becca34 Well-Known Member

    I've always been a huge proponent of rear-facing for as long as possible. I got into an accident with the K's in the car when they were about 16 months -- and they were perfectly safe, rear-facing in Roundabouts.

    I replaced those carseats with Radians, and although I tried everything, I could *not* fit it rear-facing behind the driver's seat, because my DH is 6'4". So I turned Karina, who is the bigger of the two. She's now 34 pounds and exceeds the rear-facing weight limit anyway.

    Kevan was rear-facing until a couple weeks ago -- he's about 30 pounds, which is pushing the limit on the seat. And, Karina was kicking him in the face, since they were facing each other. <_<
     
  12. christie76

    christie76 Well-Known Member

    I'm going to rear-face as long as possible. We are getting ready to get convertibles, so I hope that helps keep them happy. They are fine now in their Snugrides, but who knows how long that will last. They tend to sleep in the car at this point, so as they get older, things might change. If they get carsick or scream the entire time, I might have to switch them. I'll try to keep them rear-facing as long as possible, though.
     
  13. paulacraft1

    paulacraft1 Well-Known Member

    Mine are 14mo and still rear facing, I will try to keep them that way as long as possible. They do not fuss and love being in the car, I think they like looking out the window, but they also love their dvd player. I got one at best buy that has 2 screens and both plug into each other and 1 into the cigarette lighter....it's the best!:)
     
  14. Kyrstyn

    Kyrstyn Well-Known Member

    Our pedi told us about this last week when we went to their 18 month Dr appt, and honestly No I won't be turning mine back around. Both of my girls are pretty big as well, and the pedi agreed that it wasn't absolutely necessary to turn them back around. We go on long car trips fairly regularly and it is so much more peaceful with them facing forward. I can hand them what they want, I can see them and they can see me. We are all happy.
     
  15. stefwebb

    stefwebb Well-Known Member

    We are still rear facing and planned to stay that way until seat limits unless constant screaming started. So far, the boys don't seem to care as long as the car is moving. We will stay rear facing until two or until the seat weight limit. What the new recommendation did for me is get DH to go along with it without complaint.
     
  16. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    I have known about this since my kids were 3 months old. I always think it's weird that I am the only person I know IRL, literally, who has their kids RF after a year.

    Mine are 19 months and we won't turn FF until they reach 35 lbs. I don't care how old they are then.

    I'm glad I knew about it and didn't switch BUT IF i had switched and found this out-- I'd turn them back, no questions asked.

    Car rides haven't been unpleasant just cuz they're RF. They don't know about FF and really have no choice but to ride in the car how I decide.

    Glad you've posted this. Hopefully it will reach people before they turn them too.
     
  17. lianyla

    lianyla Well-Known Member

    Maybe this could be a sticky in FIRST YEAR??

    Might be helpful since they have def not turned yet.. Just a thought.
     
  18. tamaras

    tamaras Well-Known Member

    I don't *think* we will be turning them back to rear facing...I forwarded it to my DH & we will have to talk about it - but I am guessing nope.
     
  19. meganguttman

    meganguttman Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(elara @ May 1 2009, 12:44 PM) [snapback]1296407[/snapback]
    We are still rear facing and planned to stay that way until seat limits unless constant screaming started. So far, the boys don't seem to care as long as the car is moving. We will stay rear facing until two or until the seat weight limit. What the new recommendation did for me is get DH to go along with it without complaint.

    Same here! Now I don't have to argue with him about how "their feet are touching the seat". We turned Ryan around at Christmas so DH could sleep while I drove to NC and he wouldn't sleep. It was too exciting to see what was going on. We switched him back to rear when we got home and there were no problems. I'll be doing the next trip to NC without DH so they will still be RF then too.

    IVFBound, I'll talk to the FY mods and see what they'd like to do.
     
  20. jjzollman

    jjzollman Well-Known Member

    My older DS rode rear-facing until he was over 2 and he hit the 33lb weight limit for rear-facing in his Marathon.

    My twins are still rear-facing at 16 months - and they will continue to RF until they hit the limits of their Marathons. I see no reason to turn them FF until I absolutely have to.

    I've read that if it was possible for adults to ride RF, they would be safer too! Now, that would be interesting! :lol:
     
  21. happychck

    happychck Well-Known Member

    we haven't gone ff yet cuz we already knew the recommendation (at the time it was 18 months) and the safety concerns.... however, mine are HORRIBLE car riders, so it's not easy.

    i feel for anyone who has already turned theirs..... but i would probably turn them back if we had.
     
  22. HeyThere

    HeyThere Well-Known Member

    I dont have kids that young anymore... but if I did, I wouldnt turn them back around. I might of kept them that way of they still were.
     
  23. GirliesGalore

    GirliesGalore Well-Known Member

    Lola is still in her infant carrier because she was 19 lbs. at her one year appointment. Once we get her new carseat, we're going to keep her RF.
     
  24. cheesehead4girl

    cheesehead4girl Well-Known Member

    we won't be going back to RF either. my dh couldn't wait to turn them around! we have the graco nautilus 3 -in- 1 seats anyway and i don't think those are RF.

    tanya
     
  25. stefwebb

    stefwebb Well-Known Member

    What is it with the husbands and the rush to turn them around? Mine is the same way, he had asked several times when we were going to do it before this came out. So far he's been quiet about it since then though. I don't get it. Does anyone else know?
     
  26. gina_leigh

    gina_leigh Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(elara @ May 1 2009, 03:33 PM) [snapback]1296762[/snapback]
    What is it with the husbands and the rush to turn them around? Mine is the same way, he had asked several times when we were going to do it before this came out. So far he's been quiet about it since then though. I don't get it. Does anyone else know?


    For my husband, it was because he had to practically sit on top of the steering wheel while they were RF because the front seats couldn't go back all the way. (We have a car.)
     
  27. twinboys07

    twinboys07 Well-Known Member

    Mine were better passengers rear-facing since they had the mirror to look in to see themselves and play around in. Now, they see the world and want everything they see.

    I won't change mine since they are about 6 weeks away from turning 2, but I probably would have if they were 3 months or more away from 2.
     
  28. Nonni2two

    Nonni2two Well-Known Member

    R and E are still happily rear facing at 38 months and will continue to do so until they reach the limits of their car seats. We had to forward face them for a few days when on vacation but they went back to rear facing with out any problems! Although we get many strange looks and some comments (like: "oh, they should have been turned around years ago") we have always felt they were much safer rear facing. Much research went into this decision and we are comfortable with our choice and we do not comment on others' choices. I agree with a pp that even though the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children remain rear facing to the limits of their seats it won't be effective unless put into law. It took a long time to get mandatory seat belt laws!
     
  29. akameme

    akameme Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    We are rear facing at nearly 2 1/2. I don't think either kid weighs more than 30 lbs yet. We will keep them rear facing as long as we can - right now they are perfectly content, but they don't spend much time in the car.

    We specifically bought Marathons to keep them RF for awhile. The seats go up to 33 lbs and then 65 pounds FF.

    My concern is that Becca will hit the weight limit well before Jake and it may hard to turn one and not the other.
     
  30. babymOmmax2

    babymOmmax2 Well-Known Member

    Mine have been forward facing for awhile. Their big boys & made the weight limit quite some time ago & their 10x happier in the car forward facing and being able to look out the windows. I don't think I'll be making the switch.
     
  31. debbie_long83

    debbie_long83 Well-Known Member

    We've turned our girls around also because they were each a little over 20 pounds. I wanted to keep them rf longer but their legs were getting pretty cramped... they're kinda tall/long legged. I don't know, we'll see though.
     
  32. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    I only turned the kids when I had a reason to. For the twins it was when we were on vacation and I was constantly move the carseats between different cars so it was easier and safer to install forward-facing. For Dax it was when I moved him to the back of the van and I had to turn the seat in order to be able to get to the other seats. Ewan should probably be able to make it to 2 years old before turning. Like a pp, I am also the only person I know IRL who kept the kids rear-facing after 1 year old. I'm glad to see that the AAP is finally getting a move on and changing their recommendation.
     
  33. maurahursh

    maurahursh Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(gina_leigh @ May 1 2009, 04:37 PM) [snapback]1296767[/snapback]
    For my husband, it was because he had to practically sit on top of the steering wheel while they were RF because the front seats couldn't go back all the way. (We have a car.)

    Same here! We have an SUV and it is still a problem.
     
  34. ellaila

    ellaila Well-Known Member

    We just turned them around the other day - my guys are 17 months. I wanted to keep them RF as long as possible, but we had a few days in the 90s here and they were just melting in the backseat with no AC blowing on them. If my car had vents that could be directed onto RF seats, then by all means I'd keep them backwards, but my car doesn't (do any?) I really think they need to have some air blowing on them in the summer heat. Those car seats are HOT!

    Maybe come fall we can turn them back around ... will have to see how well that goes over!
     
  35. eatcelery

    eatcelery Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(aimeethomp @ May 1 2009, 08:53 AM) [snapback]1296122[/snapback]
    To be honest with you I think we might turn the girls back around. If I don't turn them back around and then get in a crash at some point I would feel so guilty. They are already not very great at riding in the car. I'm going to show that to DH when he gets up and see what he thinks about turning the seats around.


    I wish everyone thought like this. If you got in a crash with your kids front facing I don't know how you could live with yourself if they got any injury. My kids are rearfacing and will stay that way even when they can lick their knees..lol
     
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