sil
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May 16, 2011 12:11:17 GMT -5
Post by sil on May 16, 2011 12:11:17 GMT -5
I do try to follow the rules on car seats. I checked the ratings for our infant seat - they were excellent. We used the seat until DS was 1, then put him in a forward facing booster. This was 4 years ago and I did not know about the "rear facing until age 2" rule at the time. About 6 months after DS grew out of the seat, I got a notice that it was recalled.
I also did my homework for the convertible seats. I bought one kind of expensive seat because it was also "FAA approved" (later found out that this doesnt actually mean they will let you use it on an airplane) and a second seat that was modestly priced, but well reviewed. This time, only one of my two carseats was recalled (the same seat was actually recalled twice, once for a warning label error which I ignored. And a second time it was considered unsafe for rear facing and they offered some kind of additional clip for the seat.) My son was already big enough for a booster, so I just tossed the seat after the second recall.
DD used the infant seat (with a replacement pad from the 1st recall), but we bought two new convertible carseats for the baby because I needed one for the babysitter's car, and because I tossed our twice-defective carseat. At any rate, since my kids are more 3.5 years apart, the seats would have been more than 6 years old before DD grew out of them anyways.
We've bought 2 boosters for DS, but now I'm hearing strong recommendations for keeping pre-schoolers in a 5-pt harness for as long as possible. DD's new seats have a weight limit of 50+ lbs., but DS is sitting in a booster seat even though he's barely over 40lbs.
So, we tried our best. We bought 7 well-researched carseats, went through 3 recalls and we are still crappy parents.
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thyme4change
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May 16, 2011 12:14:18 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on May 16, 2011 12:14:18 GMT -5
As long as you aren't in any car accidents, none of this matters. So, here's to being lucky enough to avoid any car accidents!
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swamp
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May 16, 2011 12:16:58 GMT -5
Post by swamp on May 16, 2011 12:16:58 GMT -5
What if your 12 month old is 30 pounds? Should I keep him rear facing because the Pedatricians decided to bump up to two years instead of one year for rear facing? Dang kid is almost bigger than his sister. That was exactly the problem with DD. And I'm fully aware that I'm a crappy mother because my child must be obese because she's that big.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 12:17:34 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 12:17:34 GMT -5
I do try to follow the rules on car seats. I checked the ratings for our infant seat - they were excellent. We used the seat until DS was 1, then put him in a forward facing booster. This was 4 years ago and I did not know about the "rear facing until age 2" rule at the time. About 6 months after DS grew out of the seat, I got a notice that it was recalled. I also did my homework for the convertible seats. I bought one kind of expensive seat because it was also "FAA approved" (later found out that this doesnt actually mean they will let you use it on an airplane) and a second seat that was modestly priced, but well reviewed. This time, only one of my two carseats was recalled (the same seat was actually recalled twice, once for a warning label error which I ignored. And a second time it was considered unsafe for rear facing and they offered some kind of additional clip for the seat.) My son was already big enough for a booster, so I just tossed the seat after the second recall. DD used the infant seat (with a replacement pad from the 1st recall), but we bought two new convertible carseats for the baby because I needed one for the babysitter's car, and because I tossed our twice-defective carseat. At any rate, since my kids are more 3.5 years apart, the seats would have been more than 6 years old before DD grew out of them anyways. We've bought 2 boosters for DS, but now I'm hearing strong recommendations for keeping pre-schoolers in a 5-pt harness for as long as possible. DD's new seats have a weight limit of 50+ lbs., but DS is sitting in a booster seat even though he's barely over 40lbs. So, we tried our best. We bought 7 well-researched carseats, went through 3 recalls and we are still crappy parents. the AAP only recently changed it's 'formal' recommendation although I guess it's been recommended for years to rearface beyond age 1. In addition, it's only been the past 5 years or so that manufacturers have stepped up and created seats that can rearface to a higher weight. they do now recommend a harnessed seat until age 5 or 6, especially if your child falls asleep in the car.
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Colleenz
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May 16, 2011 12:18:43 GMT -5
Post by Colleenz on May 16, 2011 12:18:43 GMT -5
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thyme4change
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May 16, 2011 12:20:24 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on May 16, 2011 12:20:24 GMT -5
ROFL
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april47
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May 16, 2011 12:35:22 GMT -5
Post by april47 on May 16, 2011 12:35:22 GMT -5
I don't think its a problem to use a used one if its from a family member and less than 5 years old. Riding in a car for anyone is a dangerous gamble. We already are getting rules that tell you that you cant drink chocolate milk in school. Who knows what will be banned next in the name of child health and safety? Why don't we just put our kids in a plastic bubble in suspended animation until they are grown?
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thyme4change
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May 16, 2011 12:38:05 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on May 16, 2011 12:38:05 GMT -5
I think we have already started learning that keeping our children sanitized has backfired in most kid's lives. All of our kids are allergic to everything.
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May 16, 2011 12:45:08 GMT -5
Post by magichat on May 16, 2011 12:45:08 GMT -5
What if your 12 month old is 30 pounds? Should I keep him rear facing because the Pedatricians decided to bump up to two years instead of one year for rear facing? Dang kid is almost bigger than his sister. you buy a seat that rearfaces to 40 pounds. Unfortunately size/weight/ability to walk/etc. have absolutely nothing to do with when the bones in the neck become solid so until age 2 they are at a higher risk of internal decapitation in an accident. So what is the maximum weight for a rear facing car seat?
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 12:51:43 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 12:51:43 GMT -5
you buy a seat that rearfaces to 40 pounds. Unfortunately size/weight/ability to walk/etc. have absolutely nothing to do with when the bones in the neck become solid so until age 2 they are at a higher risk of internal decapitation in an accident. So what is the maximum weight for a rear facing car seat? it's determined by each individual seat. I don't think there are any that go beyond 40 pounds currently on the market.
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May 16, 2011 12:53:00 GMT -5
Post by magichat on May 16, 2011 12:53:00 GMT -5
So what is the maximum weight for a rear facing car seat? it's determined by each individual seat. I don't think there are any that go beyond 40 pounds currently on the market. I have twenty bucks that says the kid beats that number by 2.
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michelyn8
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May 16, 2011 12:53:55 GMT -5
Post by michelyn8 on May 16, 2011 12:53:55 GMT -5
Also, I won't leave my kids in boosters until they are 80 pounds. They are so skinny, I won't make them be the losers that are in booster seats when I drop them off at high school. Doesn't your state have an age limit too? It used to be 8 years or a set weight, whichever came first in VA. Not sure what it is now but I guess I need to find out with the grandchild on its way. I'm not a huge fan of having a kid in a booster seat past the age of 4 but I understand the reasons. What bothers me more though is that with all these safety features in our cars, drivers have become more reckless in their habits. I think the reason my generation survived just fine riding in the back of a pick up (for example) is because our parents were more responsible drivers to some extent.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 12:54:59 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 12:54:59 GMT -5
it's determined by each individual seat. I don't think there are any that go beyond 40 pounds currently on the market. I have twenty bucks that says the kid beats that number by 2. after age 1, a child's growth slows down significantly. Between 9 months and 1 year my DD gained less than a pound because she started walking. Even my DS that started out at 9 lbs 14 oz didn't hit 40 pounds by age 2.
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May 16, 2011 13:00:43 GMT -5
Post by magichat on May 16, 2011 13:00:43 GMT -5
I have twenty bucks that says the kid beats that number by 2. after age 1, a child's growth slows down significantly. Between 9 months and 1 year my DD gained less than a pound because she started walking. Even my DS that started out at 9 lbs 14 oz didn't hit 40 pounds by age 2. The kid isn't fat, he is just big, he wears 2T clothing and is probably around 37" tall and will be 13 months in a few days. It happens, sometimes kids are big.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 13:02:59 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 13:02:59 GMT -5
after age 1, a child's growth slows down significantly. Between 9 months and 1 year my DD gained less than a pound because she started walking. Even my DS that started out at 9 lbs 14 oz didn't hit 40 pounds by age 2. The kid isn't fat, he is just big, he wears 2T clothing and is probably around 37" tall and will be 13 months in a few days. It happens, sometimes kids are big. yes I know sometimes kids are big. My point is that his growth should start to slow down especially if he's started walking. And yes, sometimes there is a 40 pound 1 year old and they can't rearface anymore, but really, that's not the norm.
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thyme4change
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May 16, 2011 13:05:34 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on May 16, 2011 13:05:34 GMT -5
Legally, I believe our state only has an age limit of 5 years old, but the national recommendations are 4'9", 80 pounds. I have the booster seats and have told both my kids that it is their choice to give them up whenever they want. Most of their friends are still using the seats, and they like them so they can see out the windows. I'm guessing that my daughter, who is short and light, will be older when she gives hers up, because she is older than the average person in her grade level. Whereas my son, who is tall but average weight, is younger than the average person in his grade. I suspect when our oldest changes schools in 5th grade, both seats will disappear.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 13:13:41 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 13:13:41 GMT -5
We let our son quit using his booster last year around the time he turned 8. He was 4'7" and it didn't seem to be doing much but making him uncomfortable anyhow, plus the shoulder belts can adjust down really low in our van.
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Angel!
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May 16, 2011 13:39:14 GMT -5
Post by Angel! on May 16, 2011 13:39:14 GMT -5
More RF info: 1) rear-end collisions are less frequent than front-end collisions This is confusing. Rear-end accidents actually occur far more frequently than any other type of accident. Although, I guess for every person getting rear-ended, there has to be someone stupid enough to drive into the back of them, making it a frontal collision for that person. Given I have far more control over where I drive my vehicle, than I do on where the people behind me are driving, I feel I am far more likely to get rear-ended than be in any other type of accident, especially head-on.
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thyme4change
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May 16, 2011 13:45:20 GMT -5
Post by thyme4change on May 16, 2011 13:45:20 GMT -5
I thought being hit on the side was the most common "serious" accident. Although that made me head-on collisions, where both cars are getting the front. I guess, with the exception of side-swipes, one person has to drive into another person, which would make almost all accidents front collisions of some sorts.
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Angel!
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May 16, 2011 13:56:39 GMT -5
Post by Angel! on May 16, 2011 13:56:39 GMT -5
I thought being hit on the side was the most common "serious" accident. This is generally true - either broadside (going straight through an intersection & getting hit by someone going straight through on the cross street) or approach-turn (a left-turner getting hit by someone going straight) tend to be the most often occuring severe accidents. Same-direction sideswipes & rear-ends are the most common accident type, but don't often result in serious injuries & head-ons aren't that common at all. Although it depends on location - the above is mostly true in urban, slower speed areas. Rural & high speed roads mostly have injuries/fatalities in one-vehicle accidents, where they drive off the road & hit something or roll. I have only seen 1 rear-end accident that resulted in a fatality - a small car traveling at high-speed that rear-ended a stopped semi.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 14:11:38 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 14:11:38 GMT -5
I thought being hit on the side was the most common "serious" accident. Although that made me head-on collisions, where both cars are getting the front. I guess, with the exception of side-swipes, one person has to drive into another person, which would make almost all accidents front collisions of some sorts. 'side impact collisions are less dangerous when RFing because of the way the carseat rotates in a side-impact collision' says nothing about the other occupants of the car
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muttleynfelix
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May 16, 2011 15:55:17 GMT -5
Post by muttleynfelix on May 16, 2011 15:55:17 GMT -5
singlemominmd - You get Karma for all your excellent posts.
I think some of the Sunshine Kids Radian Carseats now rearface to 45 pounds. They are also some of the narrowest (3 can be across in a compact car). A lot of the Britax car seats went up 5 pounds in their latest models.
We are still rearfacing at 16 months. We have a mirror on the headrest and can see DS. There is no reason to turn him forward facing. The car seat rearfaces to 35 pounds.... he's maybe 25 pounds. I'm not really sure. He walks laps around the outside of our house everday, so he burns a ton of energy.
In rear end collisions, your momentum is still moving your forward. So, rear facing is still the way to go.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 16:00:43 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 16:00:43 GMT -5
sites.google.com/site/carseatmeasurements/This is a link to spreadsheets of different carseat dimensions and specs. It was really helpful in picking out my carseat because DS was a chunk too. Harness height and width can matter a great deal with larger babies. DS is only 2 years old and when I first started shopping for a convertible seat they did not have the 40lb RF ones available.
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Deleted
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May 16, 2011 16:25:40 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 16, 2011 16:25:40 GMT -5
I think there's only a few on the market that rearface past 35 pounds and they are fairly new.
All my kids were turned at 1. That was the recommendation at the time and we didn't know any better. As technology has improved and understanding has increased, it only makes sense to do what is 'best practice'.
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Angel!
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May 16, 2011 16:56:26 GMT -5
Post by Angel! on May 16, 2011 16:56:26 GMT -5
In rear end collisions, your momentum is still moving your forward. So, rear facing is still the way to go. Only if you are the car doing the rear-ending. If you are the car getting hit, then your momentum is stationary (or moving forward at a slower pace) & after you are hit the car accelerates forward, leaving forward-facing passengers with their heads snapped against the head-rest & rear-facing passengers with their heads snapped forward.
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Deleted
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May 17, 2011 8:22:11 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 17, 2011 8:22:11 GMT -5
Holy cow! Car seats are an "issue". Who knew?
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Deleted
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May 17, 2011 8:41:49 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on May 17, 2011 8:41:49 GMT -5
By the way - if everyone is all judgemental and putting their kids backwards until they are 5 years old - I would avoid ivilliage like a turd in a punchbowl! OUCH...coffee out my nose.
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whoisjohngalt
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May 17, 2011 9:16:54 GMT -5
Post by whoisjohngalt on May 17, 2011 9:16:54 GMT -5
Having two young kids and another on the way, I am really not trying to be flip about the whole thing. That being said - I just can't keep up anymore. It starts with pregnancy and what you can and can not eat or can and can not do and can and can not be exposed to. Then it's car seats and cribs and bumper pads and certain types of toys and gates for the stairs and all the locks and child-proof equipment and who knows what else. And to all that if you add all the "environmental" dangers and BPA's in plastic bottles and lead poisoning and I don't even know what else.....
The guidelines change more frequently than I change my underwear and it's all just too much!!!!!!!!!
Lena
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swamp
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May 17, 2011 9:24:29 GMT -5
Post by swamp on May 17, 2011 9:24:29 GMT -5
Having two young kids and another on the way, I am really not trying to be flip about the whole thing. That being said - I just can't keep up anymore. It starts with pregnancy and what you can and can not eat or can and can not do and can and can not be exposed to. Then it's car seats and cribs and bumper pads and certain types of toys and gates for the stairs and all the locks and child-proof equipment and who knows what else. And to all that if you add all the "environmental" dangers and BPA's in plastic bottles and lead poisoning and I don't even know what else..... The guidelines change more frequently than I change my underwear and it's all just too much!!!!!!!!! Lena
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Miss Tequila
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May 17, 2011 9:28:17 GMT -5
Post by Miss Tequila on May 17, 2011 9:28:17 GMT -5
I'm just excited to see how far car seats/booster seats have come...toss in a helmet for my kids and I won't feel so guilty having a little drinky drink with dinner at the restaurant...odds are they will be JUST fine
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