Wow I Did Not Know That.....

All I keep thinking is that the entire back of my car would be covered in carsick vommit, and there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth because of leg cramps from being squished in the back seat. They must have specially designed cars or carseats or both.

I learned this from my pediatrician back in MN when I had my first son. People thought I was insane and WEIRD when I'd open my car and had my 3 yo facing backwards still. I had moms make little remarks to me all the time but I ignored everyone. Here I am 3 kids later and all of them have faced the rear long past even the new recommended age of 2. If we could all ride facing backwards we'd all be more safe.

I don't believe it. How can a child be rear facing once their legs are too long? I need to see pictures!

I'm not sure I know of a 5 year old small enough for a rear facing seat. I mean, how tiny are those kids? Or, are their car seats different? Rear facing, is more safe. That has been beyond proven. The thing is, people walk, bicycle, and use mass transit more in Europe. The roads in Sweden don't have massive rush hours and clogs all day long. (Except for certain times, in the major cities.) They probably don't have incredibly extensive, and overlapping interstate systems, either. I would think that their country lends itself to less accidents, by default. I was watching a house hunters in Sweden. The agent said their roads are also constructed to handle ice and inclement weather conditions. Sweden is also a very law abiding, helpful country. I do not think road rage is common.

Yeah well, Sweden also has free higher education, free health care, super smart, healthy, happy citizens....so sure. Why wouldn't their kids live longer in cars. They're SMART. (They also don't drive as much or as far because they're using all their super non polluting public transportation and riding their bikes a lot)

What I really can't believe is that 7 out of 10 car seats in the US are improperly installed or improperly used! American moms obsess over organic baby food, cloth diapering, extended breastfeeding--anything that they feel is "best" for their baby, yet they can't take an hour out of their day to go to a free inspection site and get educated!

well, it does make sense that if you are rear facing you have less chance of getting a broken neck. But I dont know how they put older kids in that position. I agree I need to see some pictures. The concept makes sense tho. Maybe I'll start riding backwards when my husband drives from now on...oops, nope, too uncomfy at this juncture.

I have never heard this. I wonder what their driving habits are like. We have some very aggressive drivers here in the US. I would also wonder if everyone even has a car there. Most Europeans use mass transit. My daughter is too tall and too heavy for a rear facing car seat and she is 5.

I think that as more people talk about it, more children will be RF longer or in a 5 pt harness longer. It only seems odd because it's new. Our Britax goes to 65lbs FF and 35 RF. DD sits cross legged in the back. She's over 3. Kids work it out. I would rather she have a broken leg than a broken neck. One of my own friends got very upset when I stated it was safer to put DD RF longer so she'll stay til the limits of her seat. It's not a personal attack or a scare tactic. Statistically speaking, she is safer that way and that is my choice. I see no harm in discussing safer options for our children, like not putting them in heavy coats or snowsuits or buntings that the straps go through - not unless you want the suit to stay in the car and your child to be thrown from it.

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/a/carseatcoat.htm

I don't post my kid's pictures online, but I'm sure a little googling will find children over 2 RF with their legs crossed or otherwise arranged so they can sit RF.

Here's a 4 yr old:

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/ig/Extended-Rea...

Here's a 4.5 yr old just chillin' with her leg over the side:

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/ig/Extended-Rea...

My car is a Saturn SL1, so not huge. And we have a Marathon.

I have heard of this, but my son was almost 4 ft tall at 5. His legs would have stretched over the back seat, lol!

yes. They must have very special seats or make their cars differently. I cannot imagine how you could fit a 5 year old rearfacing, where would there legs go? I would do some more research to see the rates of other injuries for children. Not that I would pick a dead child over an injured one by any means, but there are a lot of factors to the statistics. What are the rates of fatalities of kids at every age up to the age of 5 here in the states? and so on. I can seek keeping them rear facing until there is no way to fit them anymore, but if you have to twist them into a pretzel to get them to fit I would worry about other injuries in case of a car accident. there are a lot of "scare tactics" used to keep people complient to using certain methods.

Geeze...who would have thought this would spark such sarcasm and negativity?!? I did not keep my 1st rear facing past the 1st year but my second will be until at least 2. Instead of scoffing at something that keeps kids safe, do some research. The American Pediatric Association has now changed its recommendation to keeping children rear facing until at least 2 years of age. Children are so flexible...think of how your children sit. Our legs might get cramped but most kids can sit with legs crossed for much longer than would be comfortable for us. Also, a lot of kids just swing their legs sideways over the edges of their seats. My daughter's legs are long and she doesn't ever get fussy rear facing. She is a happy child and I am happy knowing that I am doing what I know is safe. Once you see videos of a child's (well child dummies thank goodness!) head snapping back you can't undo that knowledge. I encourage all those out their scoffing and thinking us who keep our kids rear facing longer are over protective to just do the research, spend 20 minutes on google searching for rear facing after 2 and then make an educated decision!

Scroll thru some of the pics on the links AV posted - and I've only gone thru a few and have noticed the same child shown in various seats.... interesting ....

When my daughter was an infant I had a small car, nissan sentra, and let me tell you, there was NOOOOO room for a passenger in the front seat. Unless they wanted to eat the dashboard. When I got my Explorer, I had the same stupid problem with the convertible seat. Also, on days when it was 90+ outside and we got into the hot car, she didn't have ANY air conditioner on her facing rear. I couldn't wait to turn her around, get the air on her face and body, and fit another passenger up front.

I didn't knowmthat about Sweden, but my third child was the only one we rear faced beyond 2. My last one we made it too almost 2 and I wish we had kept him rearfacing longer.

seems it would be a bit uncomfortable....

I didn't know this in particular about Sweden, but I did know that it is MUCH safer to keep kids rear facing for as long as possible. The comments here suggest that it is the driving that keeps the child fatality so low - it's not. As Grandma T suggested, it's the fact that their neck doesn't snap forward and back, breaking it.

My sister lives in Sweden I have never heard of this but to be honest I have never asked.