I have a silly question about rear facing seats…

https://erfmission.com/rear-facing-legs-go/ This link is great as you can see examples. Remember kids are much more flexible than adults so what might look uncomfortable for us isn't for them. There is a lot of research you can do about the safety or rear facing Vs forward facing. Once I did my research I personally couldn't forward face my son. He is 15 months old and very happy in an Axkid MoveKid rear facing seat and I'll keep him rear facing as long as I can

Yes, they can, and there are loads of good seats designed for that.

A lot of ERF seats have extended leg room so the seat can be adjusted for more legroom as the child grows x

Thanks ladies!

@Irita that's really useful actually! I have my 15 month old rear facing in an axkid but my car is tiny and we won't be able to add any extra leg room. He doesn't need any yet but good to see an older toddler still ok without the extra space. (When he does need the space it'll be time to get myself a more normal sized car 😅)

@Irita very helpful to see a picture although I just wondered whether this would be uncomfortable for our little ones, especially on long journeys

@Emma I think an Axkid should be ok for a while, they’re quite upright. When this seat is in the most upright setting he has even more space x

It’s not uncomfortable, everyone sits with their legs bent, their bones are soft and they’re very bendy. My son sits in all kinds of shapes on the sofa or the dining chair. It’s more uncomfortable sitting with their legs dangling down when they’re FF. Imagine sitting on a bar stool without the ability to rest your legs on something. During long journeys you’d be stopping every 45-60 minutes so it’s all good. At 10 months old you have years before you need to worry about running out of space rear facing.

Legs bend. It’s not uncomfortable for them at all, in fact it’s probably more comfortable than having their legs dangling. My eldest is forward facing and he still sits with his legs crossed on the seat. Respectfully, ignore your mum.

You can’t legally FF till 15 months, I will probs RF till 18 months x

@Elena this isn’t actually true. It’s dependant on the seat, some are weight based which means you can ff from 9kg. Not that it’s a good idea, just saying it’s not actually illegal.

@N 💞 oh really! Learn something new everyday! Jesus that means I could have FF since my boy was 5.5 months if my seat allowed it 😳

@Elena yea it’s ridiculous, unfortunately the law is not up to the safety standard! I would look into ERF and not turn your little one at 18 months, that’s still very young.

@N 💞 I may not do it at 18 months, he’s still only 7.5 months so of course can’t say what my plans will be. It’s all each to their own isn’t it really I personally wouldn’t have him rear facing past 2 but that’s just my choice x

@Elena why not after 2 years old?

My 3 year old is 106cm already and RF in an Axkid Movekid. He loves his seat and sits with his legs crossed or sticking up the back of the seat. He says he’s very comfortable. Top tip is to take their shoes off as it just gives them more options of where to put their legs without bulky shoes getting in the way.

@Elena just curious why not? Are you aware of the dangers of young kids being forward facing in a crash? My son is 2y2m and the thought of him being in a forward facing seat at this age terrifies me, they’re still so young little, even the high centile ones are still tiny humans. Of course each to their own but it’s hard to ignore the safety benefits of keeping them rear facing for longer

@N 💞 if you’re rear ending I believe them breaking their legs is still just as dangerous. My son is very long and high in weight.

@Irita because I believe if you are rear ended the risk of breaking legs etc is just as high so my choice will be to turn him once his legs are looking uncomfortable, like you said each to their own x

@Elena a broken leg is nowhere near as dangerous as a severed spinal cord

@N 💞 you can be wheelchair bound with both is the severity of the break is that bad on your legs.. exactly why you are told to never have your legs up on the dashboard as a passenger.. it’s the same concept. I’m not gonna go back and fourth. You choose to ERF your little ones for your own safety reasons and I choose to FF when I deem suitable for my safety reasons. I don’t judge you, you don’t judge me 😊

@Elena if someone rear ends you the motion of your car will still be forwards, so if your child was forward facing they would still be flung forwards and rear facing they would be pushed back into the seat with the seat absorbing the impact as it's designed to. The only time that rear facing would be less safe is if you had a crash while reversing at high speeds, which is obviously very unlikely.

@Emma ok.

@Elena of course each to their own but please don’t spread false info as if forward facing is as safe as rear facing and there are any ‘safety reasons’ to forward face because there aren’t any, it’s just parents preference, nothing to do with it being safer. The same physics applies regardless if you’re rear ended or if the crash is head on. There’s also no recorded cases of broken legs due to being rear facing, broken legs are more likely being forward facing, especially as many people that have their kids FF also don’t have an adequate survival gap away from the front seat. So kids are not just at risk of internal decapitation, spine fractures but also broken legs.

@Elena just FIY, parents who FF kids that young do get judged and rightfully so if they know the dangers of it and still choose to take that risk 🥴

@Irita I’m not spreading no false info. I’m spreading my own personal opinion like everyone is entitled to. You people who ERF think your the dogs fucking bollocks mate and it’s boring get off your high fucking horse for 5 mins and let a mum do what they wish with their own kid.

@Elena crack on ‘mate’ 🥴

Why do people join a car seat safety group if you have your own interpretation of safety 🤷‍♀️ chuck them on the roof, don’t judge me 😂

@Irita I’m not part of the group it came up on my fyp and I commented. Dunno why you think you’re so fucking special cos you ERF your kid. Address me in your comment next time when you’re talking about me and don’t say each to their own and then judge people for doing what they want.