Using an overseas baby car seat to prolong rear facing for my DD in the car

[robbo3]

Are there any seats in Australia that hold a child rearward past 12kgs?

Even my little 2 year old is 13kgs now and when I think of his head being the same size as an adults it is a concern when thinking of accidents but I understood that we have no other options.

I guess you would have to look into the ability to get an overseas seat that can be approved as attaining Australian safety standards, if any do?.

[KristyMum]

i just said i wanted to keep her rearfacing until 4
don't think i said anything about kgs

It is about kg and height rather than age. We have a 'Kidsafe' line here in WA where you can phone and ask all sorts of kid-safety questions (as I did when Zeke outgrew by weight, his reversible seat but I wanted to keep him rear-facing for as long as possible) about car seats, cots etc

What's the largest weight range available of a rear-facing Aust Stand baby seat here in Aus?

[johT]

Originally Posted by robbo3

Are there any seats in Australia that hold a child rearward past 12kgs?

no. but they are looking at changing the laws to accomodate this and then there'd be the seats available here. they have them in america...

[KristyMum]

oh I am looking forward to the new laws coming in - bring it ON!
Maybe finally people will have more 'incentive' (fines) to keep their kids safe...
as if their safety wasn't enough in the first place
although there will always be those few...

[Nicole_M]

My two were both over 13kg before they were 12 months old. I waited and turned them soon after their first birthdays (both way too tall for our rear-facing seat anyway) and hated turning them so early.

DS just turned three on the weekend and he's almost 23kg so it would have to be a massive change in the rear-facing seats to accomodate my big kids.

[Big Green Frog]

Originally Posted by KristyMumTo4

oh I am looking forward to the new laws coming in - bring it ON!
Maybe finally people will have more 'incentive' (fines) to keep their kids safe...
as if their safety wasn't enough in the first place
although there will always be those few...

i really wish that would be the case Kristy BUT I bet it will make NO difference

The laws are already there (these new ones are just making it clearer what seats suit what aged child) and people don't do it now

[~*Bron*~]

i wonder why rear facing after 12kg is more dangerous than front facing?

[Big Green Frog]

Originally Posted by ~*Bron*~

i wonder why rear facing after 12kg is more dangerous than front facing?

Here in Australia Bron????

Because our seats aren't designed to rear face for weight over 12kgs

[missymoo84]

Originally Posted by bilbylove

i just said i wanted to keep her rearfacing until 4
don't think i said anything about kgs

my reasons for rearfacing are in the youtube link i posted a few posts down - i'm worried about potential head and neck injuries

I'm really glad your boys were ok, hope you were/are too, sorry to hear about your car write off.

We were all ok luckily. Idiot hit us from behind while we were stopped and he was traveling fast cos he was blabbing on his mobile and not paying attention
The weight thing was because you can only use a 5 point harness until 18kg. No point rear facing if you can't safely use the harness
Unfortunately I don't have speakers at the moment but when I get them I will be watching the link. A youtube video is what made me ditch the normal boosters for ones with tether straps and a H harness.

Originally Posted by Bek

We use a safe-n-sound seat, not sure if it's roomier than the turn-a-tot or not.

I have a Safe and Sound for Chase and a Turn A Tot for Jaidan (which are installed in their dads car for the long drives to his house) and the turn a tot is much roomier and bigger. Jaidan wont fit in the Safe and Sound but he still fits in the TAT with a fair bit more growing room

Originally Posted by KristyMumTo4

oh I am looking forward to the new laws coming in - bring it ON!
Maybe finally people will have more 'incentive' (fines) to keep their kids safe...
as if their safety wasn't enough in the first place
although there will always be those few...

Tell me about it. I am always so mad when I see kids in the front seat who can't even see over the dash! I like the new laws and can't wait till they bring them in. My sister just brought my nephew a booster (which I told her not to do) and he is just 2 and would fit easily in a car seat. I think it was for the convenience of not having to much around with strapping the seat in... a stupid risk to take IMO.

I also think with the rear facing seats and older kids you will see the seats don't actually touch the back of the chair. This was probably done for comfort, but at the same time would make me wonder if them being scrunched up was safe? Hopefully they bring the seats here so we can keep them turned around without questioning the safety of it.

[Rodent]

We could only fit small convertibles in our car, rearfacing limit of 9kg. Well our kids hit that EARLY. Immanuel was 5 months, Zevulun only a couple of weeks behind. They were turned forward at 6 months and 7 months respectively out of necessity. Even a 12kg seat Immanuel would have grown out of by about 8 months. Zevulun's coming up on that too now. And they have long bodies too, short legs. Immanuel would be too tall for a regular convertible I think and he's 21 months. He's in a maxi rider II and has been since 12 months. I do think it's difficult for people with bigger kids when the seats have such low weight limits, but then we don't all have the space in our cars for bigger rearfacing seats either.

--Rodent