# Rear facing toddlers and long legs...



## Hokulele (Mar 2, 2005)

OK - maybe I'm doing something wrong, but when DD1 was rear facing in her Britax Roundabout, her legs pushed up against the back of the seat of the car. I called Britax and they told me that most kids are good about crossing their legs so that they fit. Well, DD never crossed her legs and I kept thinking that if we'd had an impact her legs would get hurt even if it was just a minor impact. And for sure she wouldn't have fit rear-facing past about 18 months.

Now DD2 is still little, and not close to facing forward, but I'm starting to wonder what to do with her. I'd like to keep her rear-facing as long as possible but I just can't figure out how to make her legs fit.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

you don't make her legs fit- let her figure it out









If you get to a point you feel she's squished- try posting a pic here and I bet someone would have a tip.

-Angela


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## Rico'sAlice (Mar 19, 2006)

Check out the pics in the link and you'll see that what you are describing is normal and fine for extended rearfacding toddlers!
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum.aspx
Better hurt legs than a broken neck!


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

There is a much higher rate of leg injury in FF toddlers than in RF ones


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## Adventuredad (Apr 23, 2008)

Good advice from everyone. Long or bent legs don't have a negative effect on safety. It may look uncomfortable but it's very rare to hear a child complain about it.

Here in Sweden, most rear facing until age 4. Please take a look at this photo. It's from a vacation in Mexico. My kids are sitting rf in their Sweish 55 lbs rf seats. My son is 38 months and my daughter 8 months. My son sat rf until age 4. Bent legs=no problems.....)


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## Katzchen (Aug 13, 2007)

My advice would be don't waste money on a Britax seat if you have tall/ long legged children and you want to ERF. My son is 39" tall and all leg and is to the point that he does complain about his legs/hips hurting while rear facing in his Britax Marathon if we are in the car for more than ten minutes. We have a True Fit in my husband's car and he has so much more leg room and never complains about his legs or hips hurting (if only it were compatible with my car RFing it would be the perfect seat...)


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## jillmamma (Apr 11, 2005)

DD sticks her legs up the back of the seat or sits with them in a diamond shape. She is 3.5 and still RF, and will fit that way for quite awhile yet (26 lb and 35 inches).


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

ITA with Kate--the TF has amazing amounts of leg room compared to britax


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## Ruthie's momma (May 2, 2008)

I agree w/ letting your DD simply figure it out. My 21 mo DD is almost 34 inches tall and is in a Britax Marathon. She will sit w/ her legs crossed or in a diamond shape. Or, she may place a foot over either side of the seat, or place one foot over while laying the other leg bent (in the seat). She has yet to complain about being rear-facing or being uncomfortable. To be honest, I wouldn't have her sit FF even if she did complain...







.


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Katzchen* 
My advise would be don't waste money on a Britax seat if you have tall/ long legged children and you want to ERF. My son is 39" tall and all leg and is to the point that he does complain about his legs/hips hurting while rear facing in his Britax Marathon if we are in the car for more than ten minutes. We have a True Fit in my husband's car and he has so much more leg room and never complains about his legs or hips hurting (if only it were compatible with my car RFing it would be the perfect seat...)

ITA with this. With ds1 the Marathon (and other Britax) were the only seats on the market to keep him rfing as he got older. By 15 months he was signing pain and crying in the car, so we did turn him on the early side. Ds 2 is 20 months, rfing in a radian which has more leg room, and not complaining at all. So for ERF, Britax is no longer the gold standard, IMO.


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

My son is 24 months and almost 36 inches. He hasn't complained in his Marathon yet. He sits with his legs in a wide V against the back seat, or he bends his knees and puts his feet together sort of yoga like in front of him.


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## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *an_aurora* 
There is a much higher rate of leg injury in FF toddlers than in RF ones









Do you happen to have a link to that, or know where I could find this info? It would be really nice to have this info when people bring up this "I turned ff because..." argument.







,


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## Smithie (Dec 4, 2003)

WRT Adventuredad's post above... let's say one is willing to "break the law" and buy a Britax seat with a foot like the ones sold in Europe. Where would one buy such a seat?


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

my son is 3 years 3 months...32.5 lbs and 37 inches tall....no complaints BUT i think this is an important distinction...we ALWAYS take his shoes off. Even in winter (and we live in New England). taking his shoes off has made a world of different. yes, it takes me a minute to put his shoes on/off but its worth it (and i still do it even though we have a baby).


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *PassionateWriter* 
my son is 3 years 3 months...32.5 lbs and 37 inches tall....no complaints BUT i think this is an important distinction...we ALWAYS take his shoes off. Even in winter (and we live in New England). taking his shoes off has made a world of different. yes, it takes me a minute to put his shoes on/off but its worth it (and i still do it even though we have a baby).

Just wondering why you take his shoes off? Is it for his comfort, or to make his legs fit better? I have never heard of taking their shoes off in the car seat. My son will occasionally take his own shoes off, but I don't really think about it. Just curious.


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## MacKinnon (Jun 15, 2004)

Not the OP, but we take shoes off due to our dirt driveway and all the mud/snow/dirt/water on the back of the seat.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Pumpkin_Pie* 
Just wondering why you take his shoes off? Is it for his comfort, or to make his legs fit better? I have never heard of taking their shoes off in the car seat. My son will occasionally take his own shoes off, but I don't really think about it. Just curious.









i do it b/c it allows him to cross his legs easier (the shoes arent in the way)...plus, although i have a tshirt around the back of the seat (we have all captain chairs in my car), it keeps dirt, mud, snow off the seats. in the summer time, i try to keep shoes to either sandles or crocs, so its not such a big deal. in the winter, it does take another minute or so (b/c often times he will then remove his socks). once i got into the habit, its not a biggy but for my son, his shoes get in the way (he's a little over 3 feet tall right now).

i guess it may have something to do w/ the fact that we arent big shoe ppl in the first place.


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## Pumpkin_Pie (Oct 10, 2006)

Ah, makes sense now. I have never taken my son's shoes off, and the seat backs haven't gotten nearly as dirty as I thought they would, but then again, my car is 11 years old and just about to fall apart, so no worries there, really. Plus, my son hates to cross his feet, so it is a wide V or the yoga seat for him anyway.


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## PassionateWriter (Feb 27, 2008)

it didnt cause us any issues until he was almost 3...he's pretty tall. he does cross his feet ...he sits in a yoga position.

we did get a new car w leather seats too so i am trying to keep it clean. we've commited to keeping it for 10 years, so i dont want it to get nasty too fast. lol!


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