Once again, I must give credit to Kassi (Just Because Photography) for introducing me to the wonderful world of car seat safety... including ERF*. Even though my little 14 pound baby boy is still in an infant car seat and obviously rear facing, I have no intentions what so ever of turning him around when he's a year old.
*Extended Rear Facing
A common misconception I've found are that a child should be a year old OR 22 pounds. NOT TRUE! I cannot emphasize enough that the child must be 22 pounds AND a year old in order to face forward! (http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/StayRearFacing.aspx). I've heard (and know) of some mommies who, once their child hits 22 pounds, decides to turn them around even though they aren't a year old. Please, please, please read up and know the facts! Knowledge is power and it can save a life!
So why ERF you ask? Here's why:
1. There's a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.
2. Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.
3. Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a child's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.
4. Motor Vehicle Crashes are the #1 overall cause of death for children 14 and under.
*The very common comment/question: My child's legs are too long. He/she won't be comfortable and will break his/her leg during a crash.
"Many parents have the misconception that children are uncomfortable or at risk for leg injury by having their legs up on the vehicle seat or bent when kept rear-facing. These concepts are completely incorrect. First, children are more flexible than adults so what we perceive as uncomfortable is not for children. Think about how your child sits in everyday play. Do they sit with their legs straight out in front of them? When they sit on the couch, do they purposely sit so their legs dangle out over the edge? No. In real, everyday life, toddlers and preschoolers CHOSE to sit with their legs folded up - that IS comfort to them.
Second, there is not a single documented case of children's legs, hips, etc. breaking or being injured in a crash due to longer rear-facing. There are plenty of cases of head and neck injury in forward-facing children that could have been prevented if the child had remained rear-facing. However, even if a leg or hip were broken or injured, it can be fixed. A damaged spinal cord (from forward-facing too soon) cannot be repaired and subjects the child to lifelong disability or death."
Awesome Convertible Car seats:
Britax Boulevard (cs)- up to 65 pounds
Britax Decathlon- up to 65 pounds
Evenflo Triumph Advance- up to 50 pounds
Evenflo Titan elite- up to 50 pounds
Sunshine Kids Radian65- up to 65 pounds
Sunshine Kids Radian80- up to 80 pounds
Resources:
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