Car Seat Conflict

I read a few months ago that the longer a babe stays rear-facing in the car seat, the better. Regardless, I've been so excited about putting Jane forward facing. She's always been a great traveler but I thought she'd enjoy it more if she was facing "the world" and able to see Mommy and Daddy and so on.

So, my mom was in town this weekend and we all wanted to go shopping. We thought - let's take one car (SUV). Despite my hesitation to take out my car seat (because it's in my car so sturdily and perfectly). Anyways, I do the gymnastics act that is "the removal of the car seat" and my sis and I started putting the seats in the SUV. HAH. Suckers. It didn't work. Don't know why (it was my mom's rental) but it was missing a latch... awesome. So, 20 mins later and about 500 calories, we put our car seats back in our own cars. Since mine was out, I thought now would be the perfect time to flip it around. So, I did. Sturdy as ever, I was quite proud.

Put Jane in and immediately noticed she's lying back a little more than she probably should. Gymnastics act number two. Car seat fixed (needed to move the base closer to the back of the seat) and she looks comfy. Driving along I noticed a few things - Jane loved forward facing (but really no different than rear-facing because she used to watch me in the mirror), and I hated it. As opposed to when she was rear-facing and I could see her in the mirror, now I had to turn around to see her - not the safest thing to do while driving. No fun at all.

After she hit the sack last night, I started thinking about the article I had read a few months back - about being safer to have them rear-facing as long as the weight limit allows (ours it 35 lbs). I know most of my gf's with babes over 12 months moved them to forward facing (I think the recommendations is over 12 months and over 20 lbs or something). Regardless, the worrier in me had to google it. And I found tons. This was the article I read though... click here. There were also a lot more articles from credible sources stating that it's five times safer to have baby facing the rear as, in the event of a crash, the force is spread all along baby's entire back, shoulders, neck and head vs., when forward facing, mostly on the neck and head.

Gymnastics act number three. This morning I was out switching around my car seat again to rear-facing. Obviously, I totally understand other moms following the usual 1+ yr, 20lbs guideline. But, seeing as Jane is content either way, I'm going to stick with this way for us. Being a mom turns you into a complete nut when it comes to worrying... since Jane was born my thought has always been "what if something DID happen and I hadn't done what was 'recommended'" - I would never forgive myself. Most of the time when things happen, everything is out of your control and no one is to blame, nothing to blame. But, I know myself, and knowing that something is safer (whether it be sleeping on their backs or rear-facing car seats), if something happened and I had ignored recommendations, I would end up in the mental hospital.

I'm happier about the third switch too because now I can see my little bug easily by just glancing in the rear-view mirror. :)

Okee dokes. Off to work.

PS - Pics from our trip to the lake this weekend - SO beautiful. We've been having the most amazing summer (which of course means everyone's complaining of the heat)! Jane hated the lake on the first go because the water was too cool for her but, maybe it was warmer on Saturday, because she was in love!!! Cracking up all over the place!