For some reason I was thinking about this last night before I fell asleep. It's back on my mind again this morning, so I thought I'd say my piece here, as opposed to facebook, where I'm less likely to offend people. ;)
I have Avery in a rear-facing car seat still. She'll be two years old in less than two weeks, and after her birthday, she will remain rear rear-facing. I do this because rear-facing is SAFER!! It doesn't matter how old she is, rear-facing will ALWAYS be safer. So, yes, I am the crazy mom who has her two-year old rear-facing. And if she hasn't hit the weight limit by then, will have her three-year old rear-facing as well. Only when a child reaches the rear-facing weight limit does it become safer to turn them around. Honestly, why wouldn't you keep your kid in the safest position for as long as possible?! It baffles me when I see kids turned around when they are so little. Just because your child is a year old (or heaven forbid, even younger, because I've seen that too) does not mean that they are ready to be turned around. I know no one wants to think they're going to be in an accident, but why not protect your children the best you can, just in case. I don't think my house is going to burn down, but I have insurance. I care A LOT more about my children than I do about my house. Our convertible car seats have a rear-facing weight limit of 40 and 45 lbs. Rest assured, when Avery hits 41 lbs, I'm trading out her carseat and leaving her rear-facing a little bit longer. Because that's how important this is to me. I get on a few different soap boxes, things I'm unappologetically passionate about, and carseat safety is one of them. No, if I get in an accident, my kids won't break their legs. Look it up, it doesn't happen like that. No, my kids aren't uncomfortable. They bend their legs and make themselves plenty comfortable, they don't know any different. Sure, we've had some problems with the kids getting fussy on long car trips, this isn't going to change if the position of their carseat changes. Yes, if I take your kid in my car and they are under the weight limit, I WILL install their carseat rear-facing. No, I don't care if they don't like it or fuss because they've been forward-facing for a year or more in your car. Because your kids' safety is just as important to me as my kids' safety. And I don't want anything happening to your kids under my watch, so I will do EVERYTHING I can to keep them safe. I would hope you would do the same for my child. Still not convinced that this crazy mom has any clue what she's talking about? Check out what these people, organizations, and government agencies have to say:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was established in 1970 by the Highway Safety Act. Their purpose is to achieve the highest standards of excellence in motor vehicle and highway safety. They are also responsible for reducing the number of death, injuries, and economic losses due to motor vehicle crashes. They are run through the federal government.
They say the following regarding carseat safety, "Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer." This is in the 1-3 years section regarding rear-facing seats.
http://www.safercar.gov/parents/Right-Car-Seat-Age-Size.htm
Our local government echos the call of the federal government. While rear-facing is not a LAW passed one year of age, they strongly recommend leaving your child rear facing as long as you can. The Kansas Department of Health, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office, and Safe Kids Kansas say exactly the same thing regarding 1-3 year old children's car seats.
"Keep your child rear facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep him or her safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer."
http://www.kansasboosterseat.org/
The Riley County Police Department further explain Kansas car seat laws. This was posted on their website 3 short months ago, so all information is current and up to date with National and Kansas standards.
"To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer's height and weight requirements."
"Convertible and 3-in-1 car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time."
"Children ages 1 to 3 years of age. Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It's the best way to keep them safe. Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat's manufacturer. One your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness."
http://www.rileycountypolice.org/news/2014/06/16/child-seat-laws-explained
Getting tired of hearing this same thing yet? You'd think with all of this information out there, that more parents would keep their kids rear-facing and not be so eager to turn them around. Yet, I cannot count the number of parents I know who wait until that first birthday (or worse, don't wait, yes, I've seen someone do it) and immediately turn the seat around. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. A few more sources and their opinions on car seat safety...
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is the national, non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety. Their mission is to help reduce the number of serious and fatal traffic injuries suffered by children by promoting the correct, consistent use of safety seats and safety belts. Their FAQ section answered several questions and further reiterated the importance of keeping children rear-facing as long as possible. They explain the physical risks of turning a seat front-facing too early.
"When can I turn my baby around to face forward in
the car?
When he is at least 2 years old, and preferably longer. (Swedish children ride rear-facing until at least three years old in safety seats made to fit
larger children.) In a crash, an infant's spinal cord may stretch if she is riding facing forward, and the baby could die or be paralyzed for life. This is true even for babies who have strong neck muscles and good head control. For children between age 1 and 2, it is 5 times safer to ride facing the back of the car.
Most convertible safety seats can be used facing the rear up to 35-45 pounds. So there is no reason to turn your baby forward before age one and risk spinal injury. Do not use a rear-facing-only seat if
your baby weighs more than the maximum shown in the instructions (22-35 lbs.) or if her head is within an inch of the top edge of the seat. When
using a convertible seat rear-facing, make sure the child's head is below the top of the safety seat, so that the head is not exposed to contact with the vehicle interior."
They go on to say, " Why is facing rearward so important?
Babies have heavy heads and fragile necks. The neck bones are soft, and the ligaments are stretchy.
If the baby is facing forward in a frontal crash (the most common and most severe type of crash), the body is held back by the straps, but the head is not.
The head is thrust forward, stretching the neck. Older children and adults wearing safety belts may end up with temporary neck injuries. But a baby's neck bones are soft and actually separate during a
crash, and the spinal cord can tear. It's like yanking an electrical plug out of a socket by the cord and breaking the wires.
In contrast, when a baby rides facing rearward, the whole body--head, neck, and torso--is cradled by the back of the safety seat in a frontal crash. Facing rearward also protects the baby better in other
types of crashes, particularly side impacts."
Finally, they go on to debunk the rear-facing leg injury concern. They say, "Is it safe for my rear-facing baby’s feet to touch the vehicle seatback?
There is no evidence that longer legs are at risk of injury in a crash; in fact, leg and foot injuries are more common in children facing the front of the
car. Most children learn to fold up their legs for comfort when their feet touch the back of the
vehicle seat. The only physical limit on rear-facing use is when the child's head comes near the top of the safety seat. At this point, the child should be moved to a rear-facing convertible restraint. For
taller rear-facing children, the concern is not potential leg injuries but possible head contact with the vehicle interior in a severe rear impact or during rebound from a severe frontal collision. This can be
controlled by using a rear-facing seat equipped with a rear-facing tether (Swedish style)."
http://www.carseat.org/Resources/FAQs.htm
The American Academy of Pediatrics actually recommends you leave your child rear-facing for AT LEAST 2 years, then go on to recommend children stay rear-facing as long as their seats allow.
"All infants and toddlers should ride in a Rear-Facing Car Seat until they are at least 2 years of age or until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car seat's manufacturer."
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/pages/Car-Safety-Seats-Information-for-Families.aspx
Finally, the New York Times published and article BACK IN 2011(!!!) Talking about the American Academy of Pediatric's recommendation to keep children rear-facing until at least 2 years of age. The safety benefits cannot be overstated.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/health/policy/22carseat.html?_r=0
So yes, I'm the crazy mom with her two-year old still rear-facing. I also vaccinate. ;)
