Rear facing is safer

[LightflowFox]

My 4 year old celebrated her birthday in November, and we're still rear-facing her. Why? Her car seat goes to 33lbs rearfacing and she's a mini-bunny who isn't even 30lbs yet (though I keep an eye on her height, I expect her to outgrow the height in the next year.) I'm the crazy car seat lady.

[kailennmaewestover]

Great video! So many of my friends have flipped their babies around and I attempt to stress to them how important it is to rear face but they tend to blow me off. I am actually beginning to be labeled as a crazy car seat person. :( I just care about the safety of all children. They don't have a voice we need to be their voice for them. If they had a choice I bet they would rear face. I am happy to say that at 14 months my twins are still rear facing.

[boneheaders]

@kailennmaewestover

I am only a teenager, but I am being labeled as that person too! When i babysit I always tighten the harness straps or reinstall it. I always point out that car accidents are the number one killer of children 1-14, but they never listen. Except maybe today someone was willing to listen to me.

[graygraysmama]

I saw Joel's video when my son was a newborn and it really got to me. I knew then my son would keep rear facing after a year. At his 9 months doctor visit his doctor told us we should rear face until at least 2. He's now 18 months old, 24 pounds and happily rear facing in a Graco My Ride 65. We get a lot of negativity from people about it which I find to be crazy. It's safer for him and we were told to do it by his doctor but people think our doctor is unreasonable.

[jsrcamp]

my Daughter is 16 months old and still Rear-facing=) I saw Joels Video a Few years ago and promptly turned my now 5 year old daughter back to Rearfacing(she was about the same age as him) at that time. yes I had to go out and get a new carseat but i didnt care about that I only Cared about her safty. my 16 month old is in an evenflo that will rearface till she is 35lbs and she is now only 20lbs. and then will turn around in a Graco Natulis, the same seat her sister is in 5 point harnessed=)

[katsandkids]

excellent video every parent should see

[clarkcrazies]

This would be nice to be able to embed into facebook instead of forcing everyone to go to youtube to watch. More people will see this if they can watch it on someone's newsfeed instead of clicking on a link that takes them elsewhere.

[dannytwinklestar1]

It would be great if this could be translated in other languages (italian in my case) I would send it to all my friends that don't even use a child car seat, but keep the kids on their laps, thinking that holding them keeps them safe. so untrue!! Thank you for sharing

[smalls181]

@dannytwinklestar1 There are plenty of crash test videos that shows what happens to a lap baby in a crash. Parents may think they would able to hold the baby, but the crash forces are so strong, its physically impossible. 10lb baby by 30MPH crash equals 300lbs of crash force. You cant hold onto that.

[kennedy24ify]

i just recently turned my baby back to RF she's 18months 23lbs and 31 3/4in and after seeing how much safer it is she will saty RFuntil no longer possible i'd like to still have my 5yr old in a harness as she's tiny butt can't get her a new seat right now but she's always properly buckeld in her booster

[prayforbabies]

my almost 17month old is still rear facing due to videos like this

[luv2bfishin]

Excellent video!! Wouldn't it be nice if our government safety specialists put forth such information, rather than concerned parents (and grandparents)! Many doctors still abide by the 12 mo / 20 lb "rule"......without taking the time to educate of the increased risks of FF. . Such was the case in our family tragedy.

Kudo's to you!!

Grandpa @ JoelsJourney

[Owensmum775]

I also keep my son extended rear facing he is 24 months, 24 pounds and 33 inches long. I dont want to take a chance of anything.

[TryggTrafikkNorge]

You might also be interested in our video about rear facing safetyseat

[pingbns]

Why don't more people know or do this, it makes sence and I don't even have kids.

[BabycharliesMOM]

Nice vid! thanks so much!

[owensark]

I sooooooo wish the USA had car seats that would accomodate children to 4 or 5 years old! I hear they now have seats that go to 45# rear facing! mine go to 35#. We are making progress at least. Our last child will be rear facing to the 35#, and to 45# if we get the new carseat! These videos really are eye openers! When my twins were 12months, i turned them FF, and at 17 months, after watching the crash tests, and bawling my eyes out at the diff. between FF, and RF.. I turned them back around. :D

[beautifulcowgirl1]

i am going to switch my sons car seat to rear facing before he goes back into it

[holdendmb]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for making and posting this video! The message isn't getting out there like it should!!! I see so many kids at age one facing forward and it makes me so sad...

[eorionis]

If there's an accident from behind - the one car will "push" the one it is hitting, thus the impact isn't nearly as bad as forward facing. Definitely check out resources on why rear-facing is better, even in rear-end crashes.

[horseylover123]

What about whn theres a accident from the back??

[chall1011]

my 10 month old is ready for a big girl carseat- i will be getting the one that holds rear facing up until 40 pounds so i am excited about that!! she will be lucky to even hit 20 lbs by age 1, shes about 17 lbs now, i will keep her rear facing until atleast 2-3 years old depending on how long/heavy she becomes, but 40 lbs is alot for a 2-3 year old so we'll see =)

[rachg09890]

Thank you for this video! I was told by my son's pediatrition that he should be rear-facing until 2 but didn't explain the why.

[jasminema]

I am getting the sunshine kids radian xtsl as I want to keep my 2 year 5 month old daughter rearfacing even longer and also I want to keep herin a 5 point harness for as along as possible when I do turn her forward facing, I am hoping I can keep her rearfacing til lshe is at least 3 years old

[jasminema]

@jasminema and at 3 years and 3 months she is stil rearfacing in her radian xtsl..i should be able to get her to at least 4 years :)

[petelang]

Thank you for this video! I have permanently posted this link to my FB page so everyone who visits can see it. I love the video, the message and the song. It's because of THIS video that I did more of my own research and why I will RF my 7 month old DD for as long as possible in her new Radian XTSL which is to 45 lbs RF. I can't thank you enough for making this video and I am SO thankful that I happened to see it while researching for a new car seat for DD.

Diane ( A VERY thankful mom) :)

[Teddi081]

We have a Britax Two Way, rear facing to 55 Ibs.

[ItaRicebubble]

wow! In Australia it's 6 months or up to 12kgs and then forward facing... We've recently changed the laws that a child should remain in a forward facing restraint until the age of 4 and then a booster seat until the age of 7 years we've been misinformed. We still need to change the 0-6 months reaward facing to alot longer just by watching this video it's an eye opener.

Now that I'm having baby #2 I think I'll keep my baby in rearward facing position as long as I can........

[Teddi081]

A child should be rear facing until the age of 4-5 years, thats the recommendations here in Sweden. My 5-yearold is rear facing, of course!

[scubiekim]

Nice to have an informative video but now they have car seats that go up 45lbs RF.

You have to read fast though! Maybe I just read slow!

[Ellemphriem]

Britax two way car seat can go up to 55 lbs ;)

[delananightshade]

This video is AWESOME. Thanks for posting!! It's such important information. I had no idea about any of this until my friend got me doing research.

[Emmoney]

Dang, there is a spelling mistake on the end... otherwise I would spread this everywhere...!! There isn't quite enough time on one of the first quotes as well.

BTW, my nearly 4yo son is still RFing in his Radian XT. My younger two are as well, obviously!

[disneylover928]

@Emmoney what mistake

[Emmoney]

@disneylover928 3:42 - Convertible

[dominicgorski]

Great video! But I had a hard time reading some of the longer comments before they switched back to a picture...

[rapierlynx]

Utenn: This isn't about infants. Toddlers are also safer rear-facing. Most US state laws only require kids to be kept rear-facing until 1 year or 20 lbs (whichever comes second). Recent research says keep them rear-facing until 2 or even 4 years.

[disneylover928]

@rapierlynx they said that in the video like 2 times

[erahoneybee]

aww my niece is at 2:13!!!!! isn't she so cute with her big smile! she's happy backwards :)

[jfmom]

2:33 too Erin lol

[utenn99]

All of the directions for newborn carseats direct you to place them in the car rear-facing. It is not even an issue anymore, so I don't see why propaganda is necessary.

[kelandmad]

The issue is that, once they outgrow the infant seat that is rear facing only, many parents choose to then put the children usually at age 1 forward facing. Even once they outgrow a rear facing only seat, it is still much safer for them to rear face, for as long as you can find a convertible car seat that will hold they child rear facing. Watch the video again you will notice how many children are not in infant only rear facing seats and many are over age 2!

[Rebeccahitt22]

@kelandmad how many kids had their legs dangled over the side because they were too squished to have them in the seat?

[crissybell17]

This is not just for "newborns" its about extended rear-facing, BEYOND the normal 1 yr/20 lb mark. Its not propaganda, just simple fact that a child under 4 fares better in a crash when their car seat is rear facing. That's all.

[mom2alyntimmy]

It is not propaganda. The current infant seats on the market can be outgrown anywhere from 4 or 5 to 24 months old, depending on the child and the seat. After that parents often graduate to a convertible car seat. Most parents will continue to RF until age 1 and then flip the child around. That could be a deadly mistake. This video is simply stating why it is best to keep them RFing longer in their convertible seats. Many parents don't know this information and they need to.

[momKO71]

because we're not talking about newborns... we're talking about children 12-36 months old... that's why

[surberlm]

@utenn99 Geez Louise, did you even watch the video or did you just read the title?

[disneylover928]

@surberlm i know right

[kapified]

All right!!!! Thanks for a new ERF video!!!

[mom2alyntimmy]

Great video! It is making the rounds in my regular friend communities and making a difference.

-Mom to a 34 month old rear facing toddler!

[1hiccup1]

wow, i had no idea! my son is 7 months and 18lbs. i probably would have just automatically turned him at a year. now that i've seen this video i'll definitely be waiting before putting him forward facing.

Thanks so much for posting this video!!

[kelandmad]

you will need to download a youtube downloader, you can usually find them as freedownloads, you can download it to your computer and then would be able to burn it onto a DVD.

[kimbalaya72]

Excellent video! My oldest RF'd to 4 years and 10 days old, my youngest to almost 3 years old. Both to the 33 lb limit of their Britax Marathon. I've shared this on Facebook - hoping to get the word out there!

[CarseatDiva]

LOVE it! You ROCK!

[umothra]

Thanks for a great video! I am a car seat tech AND I have 2 kids who are still rear facing at 4 years and 27 lbs and 5 years and 32.5 lbs. I can't even imagine turning my 5 year old forward facing let alone allow him in a booster at this age (even if he was enough weight for the booster)

[jfmom]

Thats my baby at 2:12 and a year later at 2:33 she rear faced to 3 years and 8 months! her little brother will remain rear facing till the rfing limits of his seat too!

[erahoneybee]

pretty kids! :)

[rmetz676]

I would find it impossible for any parent to watch that video and those crash tests and NOT want their children remain rear facing as long as possible. My daughter is 3.5, but small, and I plan to find out if I can turn her back around and my 3 month old son won't be turning forward for a long, long, LONG time. Share this video!!! Well done!

[swtgi1982]

I just turned my 3.5yr old back around few days ago. She is only 29-30lbs when soaking wet. But then I did not have a real issue with her with it as she was rear facing until 37 months when she out grew her old seat by height. She kept asking to ride in her two yr old brother rear facing seat. So yeah I have two who are extended rear facing and a newborn on the way in a little over three months. Yeah! I got her the new Safety First seat, Complete Air! She has lots of room!