Problems when switching to front facing?

[squimp]

We switched DD from rear-facing to front-facing in the RA just this week, and she really doesn't seem to like it! In particular she does not want to sleep in the car. We take 2-hr drives fairly often, and time them to coincide with her naps. Today she would not nap, and had a crying fit, the likes of which we have not seen since she was an infant.

Did anyone else have problems with this transition? (I haven't checked this board probably since we bought our RA a year ago). There seems to be a lot more to look at now that she's facing front. Or perhaps she is sitting too far upright - we had it on a 45 degree-ish recline before, and now she's more upright. If anyone has suggestions for helping with this adjustment, we would grrreatly appreciate it.

[new_mommy25]

Has she outgrown the weight limits on the RA? If not, why not just switch her back to rear-facing? My 17 month old is still RF and has had no complaints. I do it because it is safer.

As for the upright, I think it can still be reclined when it is forward facing? You probably want to double check the manual.

[Momof3Labs]

Colin has a harder time sleeping ff'ing too, I think because the seat is so much less reclined. As long as your babe is within the limits of her seat for rf'ing (I'd be surprised if she isn't), then just leave her rf'ing a while longer - it's safer, plus you don't lose those naps in the car!

Why not keep her RF if she is still under the 33 lbs limit?

My DD is 2 and is still RF in her carseats. She prefers it over FF. She can nap better and she can't kick her brother in the face if she's still RF! ;) Not to mention, they tend to not drop their toys and so on on the floor so much when RF - and it can be a PITA to retrieve anything while FF.

I recently got a Maxi Cosi Priori (u.s. legal one ...) carseat from one of my SILs - she only used it once and then got a new car where she needed 3 smaller carseats for her kids ... anyways ... I gave it to my parents to use as the carseat in their car - so that I wouldn't have to play the switch around the carseat game every time DD or my sisters kids rides with them.

Anyway, this seat can be reclined when installed. So you have like 5 recline positions that you can use FF and you don't have to re-install the seat every single time! OHH ITS WONDERFUL!

My mom just called me the other day because she used the Maxi Cosi Seat for my nephew who she was watching who was sick - and she raved about how she could just recline the seat for him while he napped and then make it upright for when he was awake. She wants me to try and find her another one for the grandkids. AND its probably the easiest seat that I have ever installed!

I think you can only find them on e-bay right now - but its a great FF seat IMO ...

But in your situation - if your child is under 33 lbs - I'd just keep the seat RF - there really is no reason to flip it forward if the child hasn't outgrown it! :)