is my seat wrong-how do their legs grow

[lfp2n]

I have my MA rearfacing in a Subaru Outback and with a tether at the back of the seat attached to the bottom of the drivers seat, and it looks fine. But lately DD can now brace her feet flat against the back of the seat. She is only 23 lbs/15mths, so I was thinking she should be staying RF for some time. What happens as she gets taller, won't it be uncomfortable as she will have to have her legs bent out to the side to fit them in, or have I got the seat wrong somehow?

Lucy

[Shannon_MommyofTwo]

I've heard that it's better for their legs to be bent then for them to be forward facing ~ I agree with that.

Shannon
Carter 4/20/00
Lilly 7/03/03 Happy Birhtday!!

[Karenn]

Her legs will probably stay scrunched up, and that's probably fine with her. :) My son is forward facing in his carseat and STILL scrunches up his legs even though he has all sorts of room to stretch them out- it's as if he's more comfortable that way. I bet you'll still be able to keep her rear facing for quite a while and the seemingly squished legs won't be an issue.

[Momof3Labs]

Colin is 36" tall - very tall! - and is still rear-facing in both of our cars. He just folds up his legs, or props them high on the seat he's facing. We took him on an airplane last week and installed the seat forward facing, and he was annoyed that he had nowhere to put his feet...

[cpstechmom]

Well, they aren't in the car 24 hours a day, so their legs have plenty of time to grow while not in the car.
Most children don't find it uncomfortable at all. My 2 year old doesn't mind a bit. He bends his legs or hangs them over the sides of the seat.
You don't have it wrong, that is normal. I haven't found a child yet that thought it was uncomfortable. My nephew is very tall and has to bend his legs all the time, or he puts them out over the side too.

check out this site that has an extended rear-facing photo album on it. Some of these kids are 4 and 5 years old and still rear-facing. They are able to tell their parents if they are uncomfortable, but I'm sure many don't. It sure beats having your legs dangling down and going to sleep on you. Ouch.
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbumAll.aspx

http://img2.photobucket.com/albums/v11/mommy2cias/car%20seat%20pictures/
Check out the first 3 or 4 pictures. The first 2 are my nephew who is 3 days older than my son.


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

[Joolsplus2]

This picture is in the link that Janice gave, but check the link in my signature :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 2 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx