# Forward facing car seat...middle or side?



## :loveher:

Well mamas, I need some help on where the car seat goes now that it is forward facing. We have a covertible car seat and when it was rear facing, I had it in the middle. Now that we have turned it around, does it go on the side or still stay in the middle??? Is there a proper way? I've tried researching it, but I must not be putting in the right information cause I'm not coming up with my answer.

TIA!!!


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## Alison's Mom

This website has a lot of good information on car seat safety, with a lot of certified techs answering questions.

From what I've read, the middle seat is the safest as long as you can get a good installation with your seat, and it is tethered properly, etc. However, you also have to take into consideration your own safety taking the child in and out, and also possible the parent's back health, as I've heard many parents complain that it's really hard on their back to get their child in and out of the middle seat.

If I had a back issue, I would put my child in the back passenger side so they are generally not in the traffic side. However, I have two children, so I put the older one (who is a better listener and more cooperative) on the driver's side and the younger one on the passenger side. I can't get a tight fit with their car seats in the middle seat so I avoid using it.

Oh, and since I read in your siggy that your DD is just one, you might want to look into keep her rear facing if she still fits into the height/weight range for your seat rear facing, as it's been proven that RF is the safest for children at least up until age 2.


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## :loveher:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Alison's Mom* 
This website has a lot of good information on car seat safety, with a lot of certified techs answering questions.

From what I've read, the middle seat is the safest as long as you can get a good installation with your seat, and it is tethered properly, etc. However, you also have to take into consideration your own safety taking the child in and out, and also possible the parent's back health, as I've heard many parents complain that it's really hard on their back to get their child in and out of the middle seat.

If I had a back issue, I would put my child in the back passenger side so they are generally not in the traffic side. However, I have two children, so I put the older one (who is a better listener and more cooperative) on the driver's side and the younger one on the passenger side. I can't get a tight fit with their car seats in the middle seat so I avoid using it.

Oh, and since I read in your siggy that your DD is just one, you might want to look into keep her rear facing if she still fits into the height/weight range for your seat rear facing, as it's been proven that RF is the safest for children at least up until age 2.

So keep her rear facing until 2?? She definitely fits the height/weight range, I just didn't realize that I should keep her rear facing that long. Otherwise, put her in the middle like she has been then?? Thanks for the website!!


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## dogmom327

Definitely keep her rear facing! The odds of her dying or being very seriously injured in a car accident are much higher for forward-facing. My understanding is that in many European countries, children rear-face until 2 or 3 years of age. DH and I were concerned because DS (15 mo) is tall but we were advised by a certified car seat safety inspector that as long as DS wasn't really uncomfortable (crying, not sleeping in the car, etc.) then we should bend or cross his legs since his legs are now longer than the space. The odds of broken legs are much lower (and of course much less serious) than the internal decapitation injury that children can suffer when forward facing.


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## :loveher:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dogmom327* 
Definitely keep her rear facing! The odds of her dying or being very seriously injured in a car accident are much higher for forward-facing. My understanding is that in many European countries, children rear-face until 2 or 3 years of age. DH and I were concerned because DS (15 mo) is tall but we were advised by a certified car seat safety inspector that as long as DS wasn't really uncomfortable (crying, not sleeping in the car, etc.) then we should bend or cross his legs since his legs are now longer than the space. The odds of broken legs are much lower (and of course much less serious) than the internal decapitation injury that children can suffer when forward facing.

Whoa. Ok.


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## elmh23

Keep her RFing until she meets the highest weight for RFing (usually 33 or 35lbs) or has only an inch of shell above her head.

And when I had only one child, I prefered to have her in the middle because it meant more room for the front seat passengers.


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## Aliviasmom

In my old car, if the ff seat was in the middle, the seat would lean A LOT when the car turned. I haven't tried it yet with my new(er) car.

I keep her on the driver's side though. And she's on the passenger side in my mom's car.

I have my reasons for that...but when I went to type them out, they seemed kinda crazy. So I'm just going to keep them to myself.


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## keriberry

Here's a great video on the importance of rear facing by a fellow tech... 




Here's a great deal of info that breaks it down by age... http://www.freewebs.com/sacredjourneys/

My 4yo is still RFing. Yes, he's a peanut at 38" and 28lbs, but he's perfectly comfortable. The AAP also recommends RFing to the limits of the seat. 33-35lbs for most.


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## :loveher:

Great! Thank you mamas!!


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## Alison's Mom

http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.d...NEWS/712100332

Here's the article I read just the other day regarding keeping kids RF until age 2. Both my kids are really tiny and we had DD RF until just after her 3rd bday. My DS is just over 2yrs old, and we still have him RF, although DH really wants to turn him around. His reasons are stupid, in my opinion, so I'll keep him RF as long as he's comfortable.


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## Freefromitall

Well, we have two, so we put one on either side








But when it was just dd, I put her on the passenger side, b/c it was easier to reach her if I needed to hand her a bottle or a toy to distract her. Easier to reach over, than try and reach straight behind me.


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## sophiesmommy

Personally, I plan to keep DD in the middle for as long as possible, only because i've been in 2 fairly serious car accidents (neither of which were my fault). I personally do not care how inconvienient it may be for me or DH but I am so paranoid about the car that the middle is where DD will be!!!! Good luck!


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## thepeach80

Evan will be 4 in Dec and is still rfing.


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