I totally agree. I don’t think the information is out there unless you look for it. A friend’s sister, who is a paramedic, talked to me out of the blue about car seat safety when I was pregnant. I thought she was a bit crackers, but I looked into it and realised how woeful the car seat safety laws are in the UK. In Sweden, there’s an actual day where the children walk backwards to school to highlight the necessity of being rear facing in a car. Here, we sell car seats that crumple in the slowest of crashes (e.g cosatto), allow children to be forward facing from 15 months when their physiology means that they are very likely to be internally decapitated in a crash, allow children to use adult seat belts when they are not mature enough for it, and nobody really talks about what is safe. Midwives and health visitors don’t talk about it, and the NCT certainly don’t. It’s not people’s fault if they follow the law, but doing so could lead to the most tragic of regrets if your child dies in a car accident because you used an unsafe (even if it was legal) seat. People have obviously reached out and tried to educate Rebecca today, and she has taken offence and labelled them Karens. It is despicable behaviour from Rebecca, and will not only encourage people to continue to use an unsafe seat like she has, but will also discourage those that know better from trying to help others.If you watch how children sit naturally they will often cross their legs - they are really flexible and it is much comfier for them than it would be for us.
I have a three year old who is still rear facing - my mum often tells me I need to turn her around as she will be ‘bored’. I sent her the research on internal decapitation due to their heads being so much heavier than their spines can support and she hasn’t mentioned it since. I don’t understand parents who don’t do proper research when it is so important to their kid’s safety.
You can fit plus tested rear facing car seats in any car. If you’re interested, Car Seat Safety UK and Extended Rear Facing (ERF) Car Seat Safety are super helpful Facebook groups to join and will answer any questions. Rebecca, this is for you too as I know you read here. I hope you will take Nina’s safety more seriously. This is not just a parental choice/preference issue, it can be the difference between a child living or dying in a car crash.
This is why I HATE the whole “be kind” thing.
I don’t even feel like she necessarily needs to address it and explain. Just say thank you to the people messaging her concerned for Nina and then move on. It’s all of the snarky comments that get me.
I know this is slightly derailing but please could someone recommend a rear-facing car seat that will last my little girl until she’s at least 4? I’m disgusted at Rebecca’s attitude at receiving advice about the car seat as it’s clearly people trying to keep Nina safe!Have a search for ERF to 25kg (extended rear facing) they will keep your little one RF the longest. Ax mini kid are a great option and what we went for but there are other brands and seats out there that may suit you better. Seats like the joie 360 and cybex sirona keep them RF to 18/19kg so it all depends on the weight/ height of your child and where they are on the percentile chart in the red book when they reach 4 xI have to be honest and admit I currently have my daughter in a front-facing car seat at 2 because I was completely unaware of all the info I’ve just read through about how much safer rear - facing car seats are! I feel shocked and embarrassed that I didn’t know this before
Thank you so much, going to have a look and get one ordered asap x
Don’t be shocked or embarrassed, you’ve done exactly what the current government’s advice says you are allowed to do. It’s so great that you want to make your little one safer. The Axkid Minikid is a brilliant 25kg extended rear facing seat. The Axkid Move is the same seat safety-wise, but is a little cheaper and doesn’t have some of the features of the Minikid. If you’re looking for specific advice based on your child’s height and weight percentiles and your current car, then I’d highly recommend the Extended Rear Facing Car Seat Safety Group on Facebook. Just post on there for advice and they will help you. Nobody will judge at all, you are doing an amazing thing by wanting to make your child saferI have to be honest and admit I currently have my daughter in a front-facing car seat at 2 because I was completely unaware of all the info I’ve just read through about how much safer rear - facing car seats are! I feel shocked and embarrassed that I didn’t know this before
Thank you for your recommendations I will join the fb group too that sounds really helpful! I’m just so shocked that this isn’t a more well known thing and that the government rules are so relaxed when it’s to do with the safety of babies and small children it’s terrible x
Been reading all this with interest- fully intend to keep my daughter rear facing for as long as possible and got a joie every stage as it said RF till 18kg/4 years. This might be a stupid question but why 25kg? Is it weight or age I should go by? My daughter is only 18 months and 11kg so long way to go but now wondering if I bought the wrong seat even with good intentions! Apologies for the derail!
