Did you change your twinks to FF at one year?

It seems twin moms are more likely to turn them around for sanity sake etc than moms with only one kid that age. Non scientific research of course. Just from reading BBs from other sites. So what did YOU DO?

 

We actually turned them around at 11 3/4 months old with the go ahead from their pedi. They were only 18 1/2 lbs though. Their pedi said it was fine because of their head and neck control was fine and that they were just too skinny to hit 20 lbs at this point. They didn't actually hit 20 lbs until their 2 year appt when they were 21 lbs. At 18 months they were still 19 lbs and some change.

 

Wow that is super surprising that their ped said it was ok. Have you and/or their dr seen the video of what can happen to a baby/toddler who is FF too soon? Check out youtube. I know I posted the link here a little bit ago.

 

We will not be changing them around until they are 30 pounds or 2 years old.

After seeing crash-test videos on how much safer it is (You Tube), I can't get those images out of my head. Sure it would be great to see their faces...but honestly, they're relatively content RF.

 

We changed Nathan around shortly before his birthday. He was already in the 22lb mark, and we learned the hard way that he gets carsick on long trips. He hasn't had any problems with carsickness since he turned around. William is a light weight and didn't get turned around until he was almost 13mo which is when he hit the 20lb mark.

 

I think mine were about 17 months. They were getting too tall for their seats rear facing or I would have left them rear facing longer! Those videos are so scary to watch!

 

We switched the girls after their first birthday. Bella was born with dislocated hips, and because of this it got hard for her to sit cross legged as she got longer - her legs just don't bend like that yet. So when she weighed in at 20 lbs 2 oz at her one year visit we switched her. Since we switched her it seemed strange to leave Josie rear facing, so we switched her around too. I would have liked to keep them rear facing longer, but it just didn't seem possible with Bella.

 

quote:
Wow that is super surprising that their ped said it was ok. Have you and/or their dr seen the video of what can happen to a baby/toddler who is FF too soon?


The pedi said because they were too tall that it was okay to turn them around. They were both 33 1/2 inches tall at 11 3/4 months so she said that they can be turned around because of their legs being so long and crushed. Plus they had the neck and head control they needed.

 

I didn't turn them around until they were 18 months. The boys each weighed about 30 lbs. There was a local baby store that did carseat installations and inspections (they're closed now, ) and they congratulated me on waiting.

Although it's legal to turn them to FF at 1 year/20 lbs., the NTSB recommends that you wait as long as you can since rear facing is always safest. Our carseats can stay rear-facing until 33 lbs. so I waited until nearly that long.

 

The length really does not have alot to do with turning them FF. I would MUCH rather my kid get broken legs than broken necks if in a car accident. I really dont mean to drag this out, but i hope someone else who reads this does NOT think its ok to turn FF that early.

 

We did, but they were well over the 20 lb mark. DS was 18 lbs at 4 months. We are now very close to outgrowing our convertible seats, but I am going to try to find a booster that has a 5-pt harness.

 

quote:
Originally posted by Sue1968:
There was a local baby store that did carseat installations and inspections (they're closed now, )

Although it's legal to turn them to FF at 1 year/20 lbs., the NTSB recommends that you wait as long as you can since rear facing is always safest.


FYI, your local fire department is certified to safely install your car seats and will do it for free.

We received a GREAT education when we went. They were super nice and took a good 45-minutes with us. They also agree with above quote about waiting as long as possible.

 

No way!

Ours were rear facing until just this past Jan. @ 2 yrs 3 mths.

 

Well, mine turned at about 10 or 11 months, cant remember... Thats when I switched from their carriers to their forward facing car seats. (My carriers went up to 30lbs, so I didnt need to buy convertable seats...) I felt they were ready, so thats what I did. If you are going to think about all the "what ifs" stay home, kids die rear facing too.

 

It does appear that more twin mom's turn their kids carseats FF at one and/or 20 lbs (or earlier ) than singleton moms.

Education is the key to keeping our kids safest while riding in vehicles. Our kids cannot advocate for themselves so WE as MOMS or DADS need to educate ourselves and keep them as safe as possible. Sure kids can die RF as well as FF. But the stat's show that it happens MUCH LESS OFTEN. So how can we as parents ignore those stats (and the law?) and do what we *THINK* is best? Just some food for thought.

 

quote:
So how can we as parents ignore those stats (and the law?) and do what we *THINK* is best? Just some food for thought.


By looking at ALL the stats, not just the ones that are in your face all the time.

*I'm not up for a debate right now, in the last two weeks, I've debated religion, immunizations and parental rights, I am just too tired for another one right now! I'll argue about it AFTER this baby is born! LOL!

 

Mine are 21 mos and still rear facing I echo better broken legs than broken necks. as for head and neck control both my kids can do full somersaults but I still feel better with them rear facing!!!

 

quote:
I think mine were about 17 months. They were getting too tall for their seats rear facing or I would have left them rear facing longer! Those videos are so scary to watch!


I wasn't concerned about their legs being smushed, but their heads/top of ears getting to the top of the shell which the carseat considers the rear-facing height limit.

 

I can't believe a pediatrician would be so uninformed. I'm glad your girls were fine though. A baby is 5 times more likely to die when FF. It makes sense if you think about it. When in a crash, you are propelled forward. If you are forward facing all you have is the seat belt (or 5 point harness) if you are rear facing you have the seat on your back protecting you. In a perfect world even adults would be rear facing, but of course that would make it hard to drive!!

Even if a baby is at the weight limit early, her spine is not developed enough to make FF safe. It's not just about the weight, it's about the development of the spine (i.e. age also).

Thanks,
Stacy

 

My twins are still rear facing because they are not 20 lbs. yet, but wanted to say that we did turn our oldest DD at 1 because she was 20 lbs. Everyone that I know that has a singleton has also turned them at 1 year and 20 lbs. I don't really think it has anything to do with having twins or a singleton about when people turn their kids FF.

 

We turned ours at 1 yr. They were over 20lbs.

 

My boys will be 19 months this week. They are still RF. One is 31 lbs so he will be turned soon. The other is only 24 lbs so he will remain RF.

When we first got the carseats DH took them to the local firehouse and they said they didn't have anyone there that did carseats.

 

I turned my son around at 1, didn't think a thing aboout it. Since having the girls, I've seen all of the videos and studies going around. They are still rear facing at this time. I need to research my carseat and see what the weight limit for rear facing is, I don't recall off the top of my head. I will probably turn them when they hit the limit for RF.

 

if FF is so horrible at 1 year and 20 lbs then why isn't it outlawed or changed? PA just changed the necessity of boosters to 8 years old or 80 lbs so I think they would be a front runner to change it if 1 year and 20 lbs is so fatal...

I probably won't turn mine becaue my daughter won't be 20 lbs and I won't turn one without the other but I don't think that making inferences that people are uninformed because they turn their children is unfair.

 

we changed at 13 months.. then turned back around because they were not 20 lbs. We changed them BACK to FF around 15 months they are 18.5 lbs and 19.5 lbs but very tall. I understand the debate, but dang.. back off a little! Not everyone can be as perfect as some parents! lol

 

My two are 15 months 25 and 26 pounds, both extremely tall, both still rear facing. No problems here!

 

Besides the obvious safety reasons, I don't want to turn mine around for convenience. Being backwards, if they drop a toy or something, they can reach it themselves. If they were front facing, I know that they would be screaming for a dropped toy two minutes into the car ride. They don't seem to care that they can't see out the front (they don't know any differently) and they can still reach over and play with each other.
For safety and sanity, I think backwards facing is a win-win.

 

I voted other.
Madison was over 20 lbs, but Tabitha was not. We waited until they were 16 1/2 months when Tabitha was finally heavy enough to meet the requirements.
DH did not think it was fair that one could be turned around and not the other, so they both had to wait.

 

quote:
I probably won't turn mine becaue my daughter won't be 20 lbs and I won't turn one without the other but I don't think that making inferences that people are uninformed because they turn their children is unfair.



Im not sure if you were referring to me, but I just said the ped was uninformed because he/she recommended turning forward before 20lbs AND 1year. Of course everyone has to make there own decisions. Didn't mean to offend!!

Sincerely,
Stacy

 

Ok it was prolly me.

Have you seen this video?

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

Ok off my soapbox

 

I will be keeping my girls rear facing as long as possible. My dh turned my ds around at 16 months and he had just hit 20 lbs because it was easier for him ...I was not too happy. I tried to get him backward facing again but he was not having it