Rear-Facing at 16 months?

[ncmommy]

Ok...we just picked up our new 2004 Sienna yesterday and DS seemed thrilled to be sitting up, facing forward and looking out the windows. He also loved looking at the sky through the moonroof!
Today I went to the Sate Highway Patrol Office to have them double check my carseat and he talked me into letting him turn the seat around to face the rear again. He said that even though the law says he can face forward, it is a lot safer to have him facing the rear. I didn't want him to do it, but after talking about possible neck injuries I gave in. DS cried all the way home. Poor guy. I hate it too because I can't see him. I won't sacrifice safety though....have others had this experience? How do you keep them happy facing the rear at this age?

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Logan has only ever been rear facing, so it is all she knows. We just got a new Sienna, and we had a DVD player installed. We had them install one of the screens to face the front so that Logan can see it. We plan to watch movies on long trips. I figure Logan has another year and a half or more to be rear facing, and if we have another baby it was well worth it to have the screen installed that way. We'll probably have a rear facing child for the life of the van. :)

The nice thing about the minivan is that she can see out the windows when she is rear facing. We have the back of the seat she is in reclined so that she can see out the back window.

(edited to fix typo)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[cpstechmom]

The officer was right, it is much safer. Check out these articles that explain it.

My ds goes from rear-facing to foward-facing and back with no problem. He was rear facing until he was about 1.5, then I let him ride forward facing in my IL's car. He is rear-facing in both of our vehicles, but forward facing in my IL's. He does fine. I've never had a problem with him rear-facing.
To keep him happy I sing to him, play the radio, give him lots of soft toys...

I'm not sure if I am of much help. My ds loves being in the car no matter which way he sitting-although he does seem to prefer rear-facing.

Janice M. Mom to Cias-born 4/13/02 and forever rear-facing in his Britax Marathon.

[ncmommy]

Thanks...what articles? Did you mean to attach some links?

[cpstechmom]

OOPS. Mommy brain strikes again.. I forgot to include them....
Here you go:
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

http://www.parentsplace.com/babies/safety/articles/0,10335,240282_263876,00.html?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=1&pba=adid=9200407


Janice M. Mom to Cias-born 4/13/02 and forever rear-facing in his Britax Marathon.

[ncmommy]

Thank you so much, these articles were downright scary. No doubt my child will stay rear-facing. One more question though...the Officer who installed my seat would not tether it rear-facing. He said that they are no longer tethering the Britax Seats to the back of the front seat, and that the only way is to bring the tether over the top of the carseat to fasten to the seat the child is in (I've seen pictures of this and it looks like it would be really difficult to get a child into the seat this way) Have you heard about this?? We had our Marathon tethered rear-facing in our last car and it seemed so much more secure that way! What's the deal?

[Joolsplus2]

There was a short period of time where Britax said "must use a manufacturers approved tether anchor" even for rearfacing, but they don't say that anymore, and you'd really be fine tethering it toward the front of the vehicle, tying the tether connector strap to a solid/bolted metal part.

I guess that's why techs have to constantly keep up with their training...things change all the time :)

Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[ncmommy]

THanks...I'll have DH tether it this afternoon. I thought that was really strange!