# Do you think the US will ever RF seats to 40#'s?



## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

And if so, how far off into the future do you think it will be? I would love to keep my sweet boy rear facing until he goes off to college.







I am currently saving for a Tru Fit so that he can be rear facing for absolutely as long as possible with his super long torso, but he will fit in his Scenera for a bit longer. I am sure it is a bit too much to hope for to wait for a 40# RF'ing seat for him, but a girl can dream, right?

On another note, the mama of my daycare boy who is an inch shorter and about 2 pounds lighter than DS said she was going to FF him very soon because he is outgrowing the height limits for RF'ing.







: I tried to explain to her that he was fine crossing his legs and although he could potentially break a leg in a crash, it was better than breaking his neck. She was not receptive to it at all, and they travel a TON with him in the car.







(He is only 18.5 months, 22 lbs and 33")


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## KarmaJoy (Jan 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pumpkin_Pie* 

On another note, the mama of my daycare boy who is an inch shorter and about 2 pounds lighter than DS said she was going to FF him very soon because he is outgrowing the height limits for RF'ing.







: I tried to explain to her that he was fine crossing his legs and although he could potentially break a leg in a crash, it was better than breaking his neck. She was not receptive to it at all, and they travel a TON with him in the car.







(He is only 18.5 months, 22 lbs and 33")

I totally understand that it is safer for them to stay rear facing but I have to admit, I am going to turn my ds very soon, at 1 (and only 24 pounds and 32"). He screams most of the time in the car. One day, dd was not with me and I was not going far at all so I put him in her forward facing seat (they weigh the same and are at the same height setting). I have NEVER seen him happy in a car until that day. I get that it isn't as safe, but neither is driving with a crying baby. It distracts me horribly when I am driving because he hates being in his car seat. I know a lot of kids don't feel as strongly as my son but for some of us, I think it is the right decision.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I think 40# rf is coming. Along with other stricter standards.

I would guess 40# is about 5 years away... but that's just me guessing









BUT I'd guess we'd get one or two higher weight rf seats in the next 2-3 years.

-Angela


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

I also think that, since the AAP already recommends ERF, that 1 & 20 will eventually be 2 & 25/30


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnymw* 
I also think that, since the AAP already recommends ERF, that 1 & 20 will eventually be 2 & 25/30

OOOOOhhhhhhh, I love this idea!

I am really hoping that a higher limit seat comes on the market before he needs to turn. I am definitely a nervous nelly about car seats.

Karmajoy, I totally understand the screaming child thing. DS screamed in the car for the first 8 months of his life. It was insane to go anywhere. I would often have to take twice as long to get anywhere so I could stop and nurse him every 2 miles or so. I desperately needed adult interaction though, so we did it. I eventually found that the Putamayo (sp?) African Playground CD was his favorite, so we just listened to that over and over (and over and over







). He still fusses in the car, and will occasionally turn it into a scream fest, but I just can't bring myself to turn him for a looooooong time. He did ride FF once for about 10 minutes, and he seemed to love it, but still, I can't do it. I am not bashing on mamas who turn early due to car screamers, but it just isn't for me.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

There's been some talk, but right now it's just talk, that Sunshine Kids may test the Radians to 40 pounds RF.


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
I think 40# rf is coming. Along with other stricter standards.

I would guess 40# is about 5 years away... but that's just me guessing









BUT I'd guess we'd get one or two higher weight rf seats in the next 2-3 years.

-Angela

I read on car-seat.org that the Radian had possibly been tested up to 40#, but not "officially". I am wondering if I should now go with a Radian on the hopes that they will up the weight and make it retroactive. *crosses fingers*

I am actually now thinking I may go back to buying a Radian anyway now that I have read how wide the Tru Fit is. I will soon need to have three across in my Honda Civic, and the narrow Radian is a huge selling point. Plus, DS would be in the center position again, which I would like.

Gah, why can't it be simple!


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Sunshine Kids did NOT make the change retroactive when they increased the RFing weight from 33 to 35 pounds. I would not expect them to make any other changes retroactive either.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pumpkin_Pie* 
I read on car-seat.org that the Radian had possibly been tested up to 40#, but not "officially". I am wondering if I should now go with a Radian on the hopes that they will up the weight and make it retroactive. *crosses fingers*

I am actually now thinking I may go back to buying a Radian anyway now that I have read how wide the Tru Fit is. I will soon need to have three across in my Honda Civic, and the narrow Radian is a huge selling point. Plus, DS would be in the center position again, which I would like.

Gah, why can't it be simple!

My 3 1/2 yo is about 40 1/2" tall and I think he just barely would be to tall to rf in the radian. Of course, he's been over the weight limit (mine is 33lbs) for a while now anyways. But just to give you an idea on overall height. My kid has a crazy long torso and big head, though. I would guess, by height, most kids could rf in a radian until 4 or 5.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Weight limits are never retroactive, there would be too much involved since those seats hadn't been tested at that weight etc and there chould've been changes to get the new limits etc.

I agree w/ Angela, it's going to be several more years before we see this IMO. I think we're going to see more booster education and more laws regarding that before we go back to infant seats.


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## PumpkinSeeds (Dec 19, 2001)

*


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## IfMamaAintHappy (Apr 15, 2002)

Until the "rules" printed on carseats change, most of the public will not be aware of, or care, about what the top limits actually say on the seats.

I am all for the rules printed get changed.. most people know that 1 yr and 20 pounds is the "law".. but until all those same people know that 2 yrs and 40 lbs is the law, nothing will change in the general population. Sad, but true.


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## morganeldi (Nov 9, 2007)

oh how I wish. My 2 yr old is 40 lbs and 40" and I had to turn him at 14 months because he outgrew the RF wt. limit on his marathon







I hated that and still do. Also the radian, I believe is too narrow for him, so I wish they would do it on more seats...


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Oh well, a mama can wish. Morganeldi, I have heard that the Radian has one of the widest inside "hip to hip" measurements. Maybe I am wrong, but I think I remember reading that somewhere. Also, hugs to you for having to turn your little boy so early. I am so glad DS is a feather weight. He is so slim, I am hoping I can keep him RF'ing until he is at least 3. His only problem will be outgrowing seats heightwise.


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## morganeldi (Nov 9, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pumpkin_Pie* 
Oh well, a mama can wish. Morganeldi, I have heard that the Radian has one of the widest inside "hip to hip" measurements. Maybe I am wrong, but I think I remember reading that somewhere. Also, hugs to you for having to turn your little boy so early. I am so glad DS is a feather weight. He is so slim, I am hoping I can keep him RF'ing until he is at least 3. His only problem will be outgrowing seats heightwise.

Interesting...that seems odd since I think the Radian is the, or one of the narrowest seats on the market. I'll have to look into if that is true.. At this point it wouldn't matter with him anyway as he's already 40 lbs., but if my next child is as big as he is it would be great to find something that RFs to 40 in the next few years


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

It has lots of inside room (the Radian) but it's very narrow externally


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

The radian is narrow on the outside, but it doesn't have all the extra molded plastic sides like the Britaxes, so it is surprisingly spacious on the interior. If you had a super wide shouldered kid, there might be issues. But my 3 1/2 yo fits just fine.


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
The radian is narrow on the outside, but it doesn't have all the extra molded plastic sides like the Britaxes, so it is surprisingly spacious on the interior. If you had a super wide shouldered kid, there might be issues. But my 3 1/2 yo fits just fine.

My not-skinny 6.5 year old fits fine, too.


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## morganeldi (Nov 9, 2007)

cool thanks. I'll have to find a place to test him out in one..


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## chickabiddy (Jan 30, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *IfMamaAintHappy* 
Until the "rules" printed on carseats change, most of the public will not be aware of, or care, about what the top limits actually say on the seats.

I am all for the rules printed get changed.. most people know that 1 yr and 20 pounds is the "law".. *but until all those same people know that 2 yrs and 40 lbs is the law, nothing will change in the general population.* Sad, but true.

Two years and 40 pounds rear-facing is NOT the law; it is illegal and dangerous for a child over 35 pounds to rear-face in a US-approved seat.


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Two years and 40 pounds rear-facing is NOT the law; it is illegal and dangerous for a child over 35 pounds to rear-face in a US-approved seat.

I think she was saying hypothetically, in the way-future.









Personally, I think that once the law changes to 2 and 30, we may actually start getting all the 1 and 20's rear-facing still! Since so many people turn their 9MO's and their 18lb'ers and all


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnymw* 
I think she was saying hypothetically, in the way-future.









Personally, I think that once the law changes to 2 and 30, we may actually start getting all the 1 and 20's rear-facing still! Since so many people turn their 9MO's and their 18lb'ers and all









I have one friend who is generally a pretty informed AP sort of mama who turned her son at 9 months and another friend who turned her daughter at 1 but she didn't weight 20 pounds yet. She said she was "close enough" so she turned her. My chiropractor also turned her daughter at 9 months as well.







Maybe I should take the CPST class. It seems the more I talk to people about their kids and RF'ing, the more I hear that are FF'ing and disregard the law. So freaking frustrating.


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## deadheadmomma (Feb 22, 2008)

My Triumph Advance I bought in Nov of 07 goes RF up to 35 lbs.


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## bri276 (Mar 24, 2005)

DD is like 31.5 lbs and not close to the top of the Britax. I am SO wondering if it would be worth it to buy the newer ones that go to 35 lbs, even if only to get a couple more months RF. I am going to panic when I have to turn her FF







She's nearly 38 months though.


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## Jilian (Jun 16, 2003)

I don't think we'll ever have the US make it mandatory for RF until 40 lbs. DS1 didn't break 40 lbs until he was 5 yrs old. Can you imagine the looks of shock and horror some people would have when they hear that their 5 year old needs to be RF? Sadly DS1 is one of the last 5 yr olds I know that is even in a carseat anymore. Many of his school mates are just in seatbelts now. Heck, many 3 year olds in our area are in seatbelts, sometimes they aren't even buckled!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bri276* 
DD is like 31.5 lbs and not close to the top of the Britax. I am SO wondering if it would be worth it to buy the newer ones that go to 35 lbs, even if only to get a couple more months RF. I am going to panic when I have to turn her FF







She's nearly 38 months though.

Just one example- but we turned dd ff in her 33lb boulevard at 3.5 - almost exactly. One day she hit 34 lbs (had been 31-32, then after that day, went back to 32ish...







) At 4 yrs, almost exactly, she hit 35lbs one day. So for *us* a new seat would have bought 6 months.

-Angela


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Jilian* 
I don't think we'll ever have the US make it mandatory for RF until 40 lbs. DS1 didn't break 40 lbs until he was 5 yrs old. Can you imagine the looks of shock and horror some people would have when they hear that their 5 year old needs to be RF? Sadly DS1 is one of the last 5 yr olds I know that is even in a carseat anymore. Many of his school mates are just in seatbelts now. Heck, many 3 year olds in our area are in seatbelts, sometimes they aren't even buckled!









Eh, people forget quickly. 30+yrs ago when I was a baby most people didn't have car seats at all, and they were all ff only.

-Angela


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chickabiddy* 
Two years and 40 pounds rear-facing is NOT the law; it is illegal and dangerous for a child over 35 pounds to rear-face in a US-approved seat.

But if the law were changed to 2 years/40 pounds, it wouldn't go into effect immediately; usually there's six months to a year lead time for those things... so by the time the law changed, new seats would be brought to market.

But without change to the laws, it's less likely that new seats will come on the market with higher RF limits, and it's practically impossible that most people will keep kids RF much past one year. That was the PP's only point.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Quote:

But without change to the laws, it's less likely that new seats will come on the market with higher RF limits, and it's practically impossible that most people will keep kids RF much past one year. That was the PP's only point.
I don't think that's true. I mean the 'law' generally states 1/20. For the longest time, all seats only went to 22#, most seats now go to 35# and there have been no law changes. I think it will just take LOADS of parent education and a real market push for it and it'll happen, but it's going to take a while I bet.


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## Meems (Jan 8, 2007)

Code:

I don't think that's true. I mean the 'law' generally states 1/20. For the longest time, all seats only went to 22#, most seats now go to 35# and there have been no law changes. I think it will just take LOADS of parent education and a real market push for it and it'll happen, but it's going to take a while I bet.

I agree. I was getting gas one day and a federal officer (we live on a national seashore) walked over and said, "She's a bit big to be rear facing, huh?" I replied, "Not until she's 35 pounds. It's way safer to keep them rear facing as long as possible." He said, "well yeah, safer, but..." and looked at me like i was crazy.







:

I have been wishing so much that a 40# seat would come on the market. I have been so nervous since turning DD FF at 35 lbs. She's only 19 months







and to top it off, i can't use latch in my center seat and the seatbelt won't tighten enough in the center... so she's FF outboard









Deep breath. I guess I've done everything I could... I keep weighing her to see if she dips to 34 lbs again...


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thepeach80* 
I don't think that's true. I mean the 'law' generally states 1/20. For the longest time, all seats only went to 22#, most seats now go to 35# and there have been no law changes.

Most convertibles now go to 35#. Only two baby buckets go past 22#, and most families start with one of those (especially since most convertibles are too big for newborns). So what is a family with a kid who doesn't outgrow the bucket before one year more likely to do: get a convertible to keep them rear-facing, or buy a Nautilus so that can be baby's last seat? :-/


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ironica* 
Most convertibles now go to 35#. Only two baby buckets go past 22#, and most families start with one of those (especially since most convertibles are too big for newborns).

Well, three.







(SS1, KeyFit, Peg 30/30)


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