I am in the process of calling around areas that provide car seat information and asking about getting ERF information available as well, I haven't really gotten anywhere yet, people dont seem to understand what I am asking about and some people are just downright rude, I'll post any and all findings when I have something to report...otherwise....
To begin to tackle the lack of information provided about ERF in our clinics, courthouses, car seat checks, teen pregnancy centers and day cares I want to know why mothers who currently do not extended rear face, continue not to.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions on the topic and I understand THAT
but as an ERF mother I admittedly don't know why people don't do it as well.
I realize this statement is fairly ignorant, but I would like to change that.
I want to know why you don't ERF.
Is it that you aren't/weren't aware of what extended rear facing was?
Were you told by a care provider to switch your child to forward facing and felt that was best based off of that advice?
Do you/Did you feel that the legal standards for car seats were enough for your child (at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds)?
Do you honestly, bluntly, don't think its important or helpful?
Do you feel that car rides are easier when your child is forward facing/do they handle the car ride better that way?
Was the sun shining in your child's eyes and it causes problems and concerns?
I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons out there, but if you can, please comment on this post (feel free to do so anonymously.
I really appreciate the insight!
I don't need to this in secret. Honestly I'm not sure why we don't do it . But at the same time when I was pregnant with the twins it was much harder for me to put Tommy in the car seat facing backwards. We of course didn't switch him till he was 1 and then 5 days later the twins were born, which of course was nice for tommy to be opposite of the twins so he could see them. Plus we liked that we could just look back and see Tommy and such. It was much easier to give him snacks and so on. We just reached the twins "requirement" so they are both now facing forward. Now that I'm pregnant again once again it is easier to put them in and take them out. Also once they,all the kids, were out of their carrying car seat their big kid car seat was too big for our small car seat. We couldn't put it at the 45 degree angle to be backwards with the angle we could have it at we might as well switch them forward...they were almost at a 90 degree, it was hard we had to move the seats up as far as we could as long as I could still be there for my big pregnant belly. I know this sounds like excuses but now it's much easier without them all forward facing. When we get a van e are hoping that we can face them all backwards again, well probably not Tommy cause he's getting too big
ReplyDeleteI didn't ERF my oldest. I didn't realize that 1 year and 20 pounds wasn't a hard fast rule. I thought that was the way it had to be and rear facing longer than that was unsafe. I remember being really nervous to turn him and it seemed like I was missing something. It wasn't until I was pregnant with my triplets that I learned more about ERF. I felt horrible for what I did. I remember crying to my husband(the hormones probably did not help). We made a commitment to keep our future children rear facing for as long as possible. Our triplets rear faced until 2 years and 30 pounds with was the maximum at that time and my 3 year old is still happily rear facing at 30 pounds and will continue to do so until 45 pounds and/or the height limit of her seat.
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