AAP rear-facing recs - what about their LEGS ?

I knew they were recommending rear facing for longer so we didn't switch the girls when they turned one (they were already 24lbs at one) and I had checked my britax and it allows rear facing up to 35lbs but it doesn't say anything about length????

as the girls get longer, their legs are forced to go out or else stick straight up the back of the seat. soon they'll have to sit criss cross apple sauce to sit in their car seats!

I don't understand how a two year old can sit rear facing and not have their knees in their face and mess up the leg strap part of the car seat buckle???

 

My kids just fold their legs. Also, some cars you can recline the rear seat and that helps.

Check out www.car-seat.org for more information and tips.

 

My older DS just folded his legs - or sat "like a pretzel". He never thought twice about it - it was just the way he sat in the carseat.

 

the guys who installed ours told us to start criss crossing their legs even berfore they were long enough to touch the car seat.... so, that's what we do now. they don't love it but they dont' complain yet.... they aren't that long, however......

gl!

 

Miriam, thank you for the website. Mine are not long enough where their legs are bothering them while rear facing, but I think I will start criss-crossing them for practice.

 

There is no "length limit", just a "weight limit" (although, there is a "height limit" in that the tops of the ears cannot reach the top of the carseat, but I doubt you'd have that before the weight limit).

The rear-facing-is-best-philosophy is that it's better to have broken legs than a broken neck!!!!!

 

QUOTE(nurseandrea02 @ May 5 2009, 10:50 PM) [snapback]1302107[/snapback]
There is no "length limit", just a "weight limit" (although, there is a "height limit" in that the tops of the ears cannot reach the top of the carseat, but I doubt you'd have that before the weight limit).

The rear-facing-is-best-philosophy is that it's better to have broken legs than a broken neck!!!!!


Actually for the Britax there needs to be one inch between the top of their head and the top of the seat (but you have to count it with the angle of the seat)... Quite sure most seats are that way too.

 

QUOTE
There is no "length limit", just a "weight limit" (although, there is a "height limit" in that the tops of the ears cannot reach the top of the carseat, but I doubt you'd have that before the weight limit).

The rear-facing-is-best-philosophy is that it's better to have broken legs than a broken neck!!!!!


Actually, Jonathan hit the height limit on both his snugride and convertable before ever hitting the weight limit. He was just always a long and skinny kid. We turned ours around right after their 1st birthday. In fact, since our appointment was 3 days after their birthday, and I wanted to make sure Marcus weighed enough to turn him around, I waited until the appointment. The ped was actually surprised I hadn't turned them around on their birthday. They are now happy, healthy, almost 7 year olds!

My point is, like many others, this is a recommendation, and there are many recommendations given to parents. You need to do what is right for your family without someone telling you that you are wrong and getting on your back for it.

Would I have felt horrible if something had happened to one of my boys--of course! But I would have felt just as horrible if a car had hit Jonathan the day he wondered past 10 adults out the door and into the street. (and yes, that did happen, when he was around 1 1/2)

 

I did not know that the height limit was different on different seats (as mentioned with the 1 in from the top with Britax), so thank you!!!! I'll pay closer attention when we buy any new seats!!!

 

QUOTE(sharongl @ May 6 2009, 03:31 AM) [snapback]1302267[/snapback]
Actually, Jonathan hit the height limit on both his snugride and convertable before ever hitting the weight limit. He was just always a long and skinny kid. We turned ours around right after their 1st birthday. In fact, since our appointment was 3 days after their birthday, and I wanted to make sure Marcus weighed enough to turn him around, I waited until the appointment. The ped was actually surprised I hadn't turned them around on their birthday. They are now happy, healthy, almost 7 year olds!

My point is, like many others, this is a recommendation, and there are many recommendations given to parents. You need to do what is right for your family without someone telling you that you are wrong and getting on your back for it.

Would I have felt horrible if something had happened to one of my boys--of course! But I would have felt just as horrible if a car had hit Jonathan the day he wondered past 10 adults out the door and into the street. (and yes, that did happen, when he was around 1 1/2)


I think the point is that the recommendations are changing as more is learned about car safety. When my parents brought my sister home from the hospital in 1982, THEY HELD HER. She had a car seat, but I remember it as more like a convertible seat. Now you can't leave the hospital w/out proof of a car seat.

I don't think the fact the boys are healthy 7 year olds is related to FF or RF, it's more likely the fact I'm presuming you haven't been in a bad car accident.

The facts and crash tests bear out that it's safer to be RF for as long as possible and the car seat manufacturers are adapting their seats to make that a reality (i.e. max weight of 33lbs for RF). I have small children, so RF hasn't been a real issue for us.

Of course as parents you are right, we have to do what is best for our families, but sometimes people seem to err on the side of convenience vs safety (at least that's how it can seem in reading some of these threads).

As a slightly OT side note, I would encourage folks to look into what comes after the convertible car seats. Five point harnesses are better for young kids and safer. Instead of going straight to a small booster with a regular seat belt, check out your options.