New Recomendation from the AAP: Rear Face Until Two Years

Today wonderful news is spreading all across the internet. 

The AAP has finally changed their policy statement when it comes to children rear facing in car seats and children riding in boosters!

"...the AAP advises parents to keep their toddlers in rear-facing car seats until age 2, or until they reach the maximum height and weight for their seat. It also advises that most children will need to ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall and are between 8 and 12 years of age."

"The previous policy, from 2002, advised that it is safest for infants and toddlers to ride rear-facing up to the limits of the car seat, but it also cited age 12 months and 20 pounds as a minimum. As a result, many parents turned the seat to face the front of the car when their child celebrated his or her first birthday."

Hip Hip Hurray! 

Those of us who are extended rear facing (ERF) advocates have waited a long time for this.  Because in 2007, that's FOUR YEARS AGO, a study came out saying that children are FIVE TIMES less likely to be injured in an accident if they are rear facing.  

Put another way, an estimated 1,000 children injured in forward-facing seats over 15 years might not have been hurt if they had been in a car seat facing the back, said Dr. Dennis Durbin, lead author of the recommendations.

Even though the APP has said to keep children rear facing until the child reaches the limits of their seat, all most parents have heard (from other parents and even doctors) is that it is ok to turn your child around a 1 year and 20lbs.  So it is great news to hear the AAP is now recommending children not be turned until the age of 2.  

If you want to see a visual of WHY it is so important to keep our children rear facing, just watch this quick video:

Or watch this story of an 18 month old who got in an accident in a forward facing seat:

As the grandfather says in that video above, in a crash while forward facing the spinal cord can stretch up to 2 inches!  But it only needs to stretch 1/4 of an inch to break!

Thankfully, here in the USA it is very easy to keep your child rear facing until 2 years old, or even longer!  New seats are coming out that have higher and higher limits to allow children to rear face as long as even 4 or 5 years old!  

A great resource to compare car seats based on their specifications is this chart put together by some CPSTs (Certified Passenger Safety Technician)
Convertible Car Seat Comparison Spread Sheet

If you are wondering what some good car seats are if you want to extend rear face, these are some recommendations (not in any specific order):

Cosco Scenera 40RF

 

Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 43"
Average Price: $50
Other Bonuses: 3 crotch buckle positions, narrow seat, Air Craft approved, very inexpensive

Important side note, there is the older model which is just Cosco Scenera and it only rear faces to 35lbs, NOT 40lbs.   

Graco Graco MyRide 65

Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 49"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 49"
Other Bonuses: Infant support cushion, two cup holders, approved for air craft use, lots of padding.

My Ride 65 Review

Sunshine Kids Radian 80SL and Radian XT SL

Rear Face Weight Limit: 45lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 53"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 80lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 53"
Average Price: $240-$300 (but you can find it on sale for up to $100 off)
Other Bonuses: SuperLATCH up to 80lbs, steel reinforced frame, low profile for easy boarding, fits 3 across in most cars, folds up for easy transport and storage, carry strap, approved for air craft, 3crotch strap positions, EPS foam and an 8 year expiration date from the date of manufacture (one of the highest on the market).

The car seat we have for our daughter is the Radian XT SL in the green print above and we love it!  We were able to find it on sale and use an online coupon code to get it for $100 off and free shipping and no tax.  Great deal!  DD really loves the seat as well, she seems much more comfortable in this seat than her infant seat.  And she'll be able to stay in it for such a long time, it should be the only car seat we need before a booster.  This is the car seat we plan on getting for all our children.

Sunshine Kids Radian XT SL Review

Combi Convertible Zeus 360

Rear Face Weight Limit: 33lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face Weight limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit:  40"
Other Bonuses: Designed to rotate 360 degrees without re-installation, anti-rebound base, correct buckle indicator

Zeus 360 Review

Combi Coccoro 

Rear Face Weight Limit: 33lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 36"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 40lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 40"
Other Bonuses: narrow seat installs easily in a lot of cars, Air Craft approved, light weight, infant padding included, and compatible with Flash EX stroller.

Combi Coccoro Review

The First Years True Fit Convertible

Rear Face Weight Limit: 35lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 50" (with head rest)
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 50" (with head rest)
Other Bonuses: Removable head rest, multi-position crotch strap, no rethread harness.

True Fit Review Video

Britax Boulevard 70, Advocate 70 CS, and Marathon 70

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 49"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 70lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 49"
Other Bonuses: Energy-Absorbing Versa-Tether®, Integrated Steel Bars, quick adjust harness, certified for air craft travel, 2 buckle positions, 

 Britax Marathon 70 Review

Safety 1st Complete Air 65 LX

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 40lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 40"
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 45"
Other Bonuses: 3 crotch strap positions, harness height adjustment from front of seat, built in recline base.

Safety 1st Protect Air Review

 

Evenflo Symphony 65

 Rear Face Weight Limit: 35lbs
Rear Face Height Limit: 1" below shell
Forward Face limit in 5 point harness: 65lbs
Forward Face Height Limit: 50"
Other Bonuses: Sure LATCH, one hand adjustable headrest, infinite slide harness, removable cup holder, becomes a  booster to 100lbs.

Symphony 65 Review

 I hope this information gets you started on your search for the perfect car seat to fit your child and your vehicle.  If you want more information on why rear facing is so important, see my previous blog post

Rear-Facing Car Seats Aren't Just for Babies Anymore
and
Car Seat Safety. It's everyones Issue.

ANd once you have found the seat that fits your car and your child perfectly it is important that you go see a CPST (Certified Passenger Safety Technician) to get your car seat instalation inspected to make sure that you have your child fastened correctly.  You can find a CPST local to you at Safe Kids USA or on the national CPS Certification website.

It is important that you go to a CPST and NOT the police or fire department!  Most police and fire men have NOT taken the training course to become a CPST or if they have, they have not renewed their certification and so their knowledge is outdated!  Outdated when it comes to car seats is DANGEROUS!!  Your child's life is worth getting the right information!  If you know me in real life i have a couple friends who are CPSTs and would be more than happy to do a check for you.  And hopefully within the year i will have taken the training course to become a CPST myself.  And realize that CPSTs offer their services for free :)


If you have any questions regarding this new recommendation from the AAP, or any other car seat question, please don't hesitate to ask me!  If i don't know the answer i will find it for you :D

 (please let me know if the links do not work, i had issues when posting this)