Car Seat Question
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23074
Printed Date: 11 September 2025 at 9:47pm
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Topic: Car Seat Question
Posted By: MissAngel
Subject: Car Seat Question
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:04pm
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So we just forked out a million dollars for a car seat after deciding that hiring one would work out more expensive in the long run.
My question to you is, why does Thomas have to be rear facing (6mths old / over 9kg)? If we get in a car accident he's got just as much chance of getting mushed forward facing as he would be rear facing. Also the seat is reclinable so its not like he would be slumped over whilst forward facing bla bla bla. I need to know as our pathetic car doesnt fit the seat rear facing properly, and i'd prefer it forward. Cheers. ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:13pm
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We have just taken back our hired capsules cause they were getting way too small and installed our fancy new big girl car seats. Our girls have just turned 7 months but are small because they're twins and were born a month early. I have no idea what they weigh currently but figured it should be O.K. to put them forward facing.
Mum was telling me they should be facing forward when they were 6 Months I only waited cause I didn't want to let go of the capsules. They're so handy with twins. If it was me I'd just put it forward facing. -------------  
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:21pm
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If it were me I wouldn't.
I read somewhere in an accident they are more at risk for severe whip lash forward facing and their necks aren't strong enough to deal with the flinging forward from impact. Even if he won't be totally upright it's still a good deal more upright than if it were rear facing. All the car seats have recommendations that have been tested to ensure bubs is safe. If the recommendations say that at his age and weight he should be rear facing then that is what is safe. Just my opinion. |
Posted By: lisa85
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:31pm
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Good point never thoght of that! Rings very true though. Always better to be safe than sorry with bubbas. -------------
TTC #3 since Jan 2010 - PCOS MC April 2010 |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:38pm
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I agree with stacey, cadens carseat is A VERY tight fit but at least it aint going anywhere and I feel better knowing that he isnt going to get flung forward if we get hit.
Like stacey said, their necks just arnt strong enough to deal with the impact of being hit. ------------- |
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:40pm
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I guess so. Problem being that it actually doesnt fit. But he cant be in a capsule either.
Gratz on being preg again Sheza ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:54pm
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There's a question and answer on forward vs rear facing in the Ask The Experts section: http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/OHbabyExperts.aspx?QID=50 - link .
Bummer that it doesn't fit - how about the middle seat??? ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 5:55pm
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Middle seat installation means it will be impossible for me to get him in and out with my back :) ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 6:06pm
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There heads are too heavy in comparison to the neck muscles, which is why they advise to leave them in the rear facing position.
That way if you are in an accident .. the head goes backwards into their seat .. instead of whipping forward first, then flinging back. The only way we can fit Issy in is to have the passenger seat so far forward that we can only just fit into it. (So we sometimes sit in the back with her instead of sitting in the passenger seat) ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 6:19pm
Thanks MissAngel 
yeah same here Julia, our passanger seat is the same! Its not so bad in my new car though as we pushed the seat back as far as possible so Cadens Car seat is very tightly wedged! ------------- |
Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 6:34pm
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This website (made by the carseat expert mentioned) has a lot of useful info about rear-facing and has a few links to some crash-test videos that are quite eye-opening.
http://www.childrestraintsafety.com/rear-facing.html - Child Restraint Safety And this is a link to a video that someone on here posted last year. http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2DVfqFhseo - Rear Facing -------------  
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Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 7:59pm
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I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think it's legal to use the carseat in a way that differs from the manufacturer's instructions.
And like lilfatty, our passenger seat is well forward! ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 9:27pm
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I wouldn't forward face, Spencer is still rear facing now as I bought a car seat that rear faces up to 25 kg. A front impact crash is normally far worse than someone rear ending you, as you are both hitting at speed. I.e both doing 50 so impact is actually like driving at 100k into a brick wall. Whereas rear ending you are both moving in the same direction or you have stopped and they are slowing down so a lot less of an impact.
To accomodate our carseat neither of the front seats can be moved from their positions and the front passenger seat is quite forward as well, but luckily neither or us are that tall so it doesn't really matter. I would rather he was safe than we were comfortable. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 11 December 2008 at 11:34pm
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When we had Benjy rearfacing our passenger seat was jammed forward and the back seat had to be adjusted quite a bit too, to make it secure.
It is so much safer for them though, even if they are big and have good head control, it is way safer for them to be rearfacing in an accident. ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 6:33am
Mt thoughts exactly. We also bought the carseat that can be rear-faced until 25kg. -------------
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cuppatea wrote:Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 9:29am
Yeah same here. Its really a matter of whats safest for your baby, and if that measn the passanger seat forward more than usual then..so be it. ------------- |
Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 9:39am
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I agree with most people here. It's simply not safe to have your child forward facing. Check out http://www.childrestraints.co.nz/rearfacing.htm - http://www.childrestraints.co.nz/rearfacing.htm because they can give you the full details.
Here's an excerpt from the site: Rear Facing & Why? Rear facing is the method in which a child's car seat is placed into the car facing the back window and is used in this manner. Rear facing is much safer to the child during an impact than forward facing, due to the way in which the child rides out the accident. When a child is rear facing and an accident occurs the child's body moves into the back of the seat shell and the head, neck and spine are supported. In a forward facing accident the whole body is thrown forward from the seat. Massive forces are placed on the child's head, neck and spine. During an impact the rear facing child slides up the back of the seat, and back down, into the seat in a swing like motion. Forces are reduced around the neck and spine because of this motion. Also the impact is evenly distributed across the car seat and the child, over the seat belt that restrains the child distributing the incoming forces uniformly and effectively across the child.
Do read the rest of the site please and make an informed decision for the well being of your child.
ETA: Plunket recommend your child is rear facing until over 12mths and (not or) 12kgs. Many experts are now saying it's safer to keep your child rear facing longer and some carseats can go rear facing until 25kgs (about 5yo - 10yo). -------------  
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 11:07am
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Caden is in a Safe n Sound carseat and that can be used up until he is a toddler and forward facing eventually.
So Im guessing its a uo to 25kg one. With this new bubba we might put it straight into a Safe n Sound carseat aswell as they go from newborn. Means my drivers side will have to stay the same all the time, but I dont mind if it means both my kids are safe. ------------- |
Posted By: Freesia
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 1:11pm
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Sheza, all the Safe n Sound convertible seats I've seen go up to 18kg so you'll still get quite a bit of use out of it. -------------
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 4:23pm
I see the point in keeping them rear facing for as long as possible, but Maya is just on 25kg now and she's 5, no way would her legs fit if she was in a rear facing seat  -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 4:51pm
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The one I have anchors onto the front seat so that it kinda bridges the gap between the front and rear seats and gives them heaps of leg room as they get older. Its made in Sweden, the law there is to rear face until at least 3 so it's designed to accomodate height as well as weight. Probably haven't explained that very well and at the moment we still have it sitting on the back seat and fully reclined for Spencer as he is only 74cm so doesn't need any extra leg room.
Our does turn forwards as well, but the weight restriction is the same, but as Spencer is so tiny he will probably still be using it as a booster seat when he's 15....lol -------------
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 12 December 2008 at 4:55pm
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They address that point on the website I posted the link for, check it out and see what you think. -------------
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