LovesVintage - Thank you for the perspective. 99.99% of the time that a mom asks me about rear facing recommendations, she's trying to get me to agree that her child is tall enough/weighs enough to turn. I personally launch into my spiel with that in mind; now I'll take more time to make sure a parent isn't REALLY seeking guidance on extended rear facing. (I wish more would!
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At least 3 times a day, a parent tries to explain to me that their child's legs were bent, so they turned them forward. I explain the whole spinal strength thing, but I'm confident it falls on deaf ears. Here in CT, the law is still 20lbs and 1 year, so all I can do is educate. A parent even recently brought their toddler's seat to a fire house for installation and the tech advocated for forward install to reduce "fire hazard" in an accident!
As far as pedi websites go, they are often very low on the list of things to be adjusted around an office! Don't put too much stock in them, especially if state law is 20lbs/1 yr. Heck, my practice of 20,000 patients doesn't even have a website!
I've actually begun addressing the AAP recs at the 6 month visit so parents have enough lead time to research appropriate RF seats.
I truly think the seat technology has been a major hold-up regarding law changes. Even when DS was born in February 2011, baby buckets went to 22lbs and laws and recs were to rear face until 1 year and 20lbs. Since his birth, there has been a dramatic change and I think we are waiting for car seat technology to catch up. I don't anticipate a law change until families have multiple options at numerous price points. Approximately 30% of my patients have state insurance and even many of my privately insured families can not afford to buy new seats when they have legally approved hand-me-downs from a prior child.
In our home, DS is a 22lb, 21 month old, rear facing child. Even though he is a nightmare on long car trips, I truly try to practice what I preach. If I tell other moms their child is safest rear facing, how could I sleep at night allowing mine to turn because he's a crank pot?
In truth, however, so much of this data is new. Parents of newborns who have a 3 year old at home are consistently baffled at the notion of rear facing until age 2! There needs to be lots of education and an adjustment to technology before we can change laws.
I can't lie, though. Even today DH and I were discussing how much easier DS will be and how nice it will be to move the passenger seat back in our cars once he's turned!

At least 3 times a day, a parent tries to explain to me that their child's legs were bent, so they turned them forward. I explain the whole spinal strength thing, but I'm confident it falls on deaf ears. Here in CT, the law is still 20lbs and 1 year, so all I can do is educate. A parent even recently brought their toddler's seat to a fire house for installation and the tech advocated for forward install to reduce "fire hazard" in an accident!
As far as pedi websites go, they are often very low on the list of things to be adjusted around an office! Don't put too much stock in them, especially if state law is 20lbs/1 yr. Heck, my practice of 20,000 patients doesn't even have a website!
I've actually begun addressing the AAP recs at the 6 month visit so parents have enough lead time to research appropriate RF seats.
I truly think the seat technology has been a major hold-up regarding law changes. Even when DS was born in February 2011, baby buckets went to 22lbs and laws and recs were to rear face until 1 year and 20lbs. Since his birth, there has been a dramatic change and I think we are waiting for car seat technology to catch up. I don't anticipate a law change until families have multiple options at numerous price points. Approximately 30% of my patients have state insurance and even many of my privately insured families can not afford to buy new seats when they have legally approved hand-me-downs from a prior child.
In our home, DS is a 22lb, 21 month old, rear facing child. Even though he is a nightmare on long car trips, I truly try to practice what I preach. If I tell other moms their child is safest rear facing, how could I sleep at night allowing mine to turn because he's a crank pot?
In truth, however, so much of this data is new. Parents of newborns who have a 3 year old at home are consistently baffled at the notion of rear facing until age 2! There needs to be lots of education and an adjustment to technology before we can change laws.
I can't lie, though. Even today DH and I were discussing how much easier DS will be and how nice it will be to move the passenger seat back in our cars once he's turned!