Front Facing Car Seat for 1 Year Old

summithunter on 29/07/2021 - 20:27
Last edited 30/07/2021 - 08:12 by 1 other user

Hi All,

Based on your previous experience could anyone suggest a decent car seat to be used from 1 year onwards for a spare car. We use Britax Graphene+ for our main car but was looking to buy something which can be used for long term for our spare car (I need something which is ISOFIX compatiable but no longer need it to be rear facing and not as expensive as Graphene+)

Any recommendation is appreciated

Option which i thought were good

https://www.babybunting.com.au/infa-kompressor-4-caprice-0-t…

https://www.babybunting.com.au/britax-brava-black.html

https://www.babybunting.com.au/babylove-harnessed-car-seat.h… .

Automotive Baby Car Seat

Comments

rad000 on 29/07/2021 - 20:41

I have the graphene+ and it can be installed forward facing for up to 4 years old. I could be misreading the post but yeah. We also have the brava and it's basically the same seat as the graphene. Had 1 or 2 very tiny differences.
soan papdi on 29/07/2021 - 21:06

We have used infasecure for the last seven years across two kids. Can’t remember which model. It’s excellent.

Edit: the first link looks similar to what we have but a different colour combo.
p1 ama on 30/07/2021 - 00:11

I have the first Infasecure one you've listed here - it seems pretty good, no complaints at all. My son's been using it since he moved over from the capsule at around 3 - 4 months. He's 3 now and the seat is still perfectly functional.
morse on 30/07/2021 - 06:37

+6

Whilst you might not need to have bub rear facing anymore, many people keep them rear facing as long as possible (eg 2-3years) as it is safer in the event of a collision. Some people do turn their kids forward facing as they feel their kid is more comfortable, but this is not recommended if it can be avoided. My little one is approaching 2 and has no problem rear facing so will be keeping him that way, hopefully until 3. We just got a second hand Millenia for our second car ($200 in good condition) have the platinum pro for our primary, both accomodate rear facing for longer as does your graphene and can be used forward facing until 4. Info here about rear facing for longer:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-31/child-car-seat-explai…

https://www.britax.com.au/tips-advice/why-extended-rear-faci…

The brava or kompressor on your list would be a good choice if you want to continue rear facing.
- [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 08:37
  
  +1
  
  keep them rear facing as long as possible
  
  Seconded.
  
  There is no rush to change them to forward facing as there is literally no benefit in doing so.
  
  Keep them rear facing as long as possible as it is much safer.
  - Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 12:50
    
    -2
    
    literally no benefit in doing so
    
    Disagree. Being able to see and interact with the child easier from the front seat is a benefit. Does it outweigh the improved safety from rear facing? Only each individual can decide.
    - [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 12:59
      
      Sit the back seat and interact with the child.
      - Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 15:15
        
        -1
        
        @[Deactivated]: And drive from there? It is a good option if you have a passenger.
        
        [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 18:28
        
        +1
        
        @Euphemistic: You should really be paying attention to the road when you're driving, especially with a child in the car.
    - whitelie on 30/07/2021 - 13:19
      
      Will be too late to ponder that decision when the child has been internally decapitated.
      It's like putting kids in the front seat. Sure, you can have a great old time, until something goes wrong and a silly decision cost them their life.
      As a parent, it's your job to keep them as safe as possible when they can't make the decision for themselves. Why would you even put them in that position?
      - Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 15:22
        
        @whitelie: I got down voted for saying there is a benefit to forward facing seats. It’s a fact, there are benefits to forward facing seat. Once the child is old enough to interact it is nice to be able to see them in the mirror and good for them to see you as well.
        
        I never said you have to place them forward facing at an exact age. In fact, I pointed out it is up to the parent to decide what their influencing risk factors are.
        
        We changed kids when recommended, not before. Followed the recommendations for all ages, including no front seat until 12. The age/weight/height recommendations are there based on science, that’s enough for me.
        
        whitelie on 30/07/2021 - 15:55
        
        @Euphemistic: I wouldn't say there is much modern science involved in outdated laws. The law is that they can turn from 6 months (which is also the lowest age in the world) but can remain rear facing until 4 years. It wasn't that long ago that you didn't legally need a harness or booster from 1 year of age lol. They could just sit in a normal seatbelt.
        
        If you want the science, there's plenty of articles in here, including that rear facing a 2 years of age is 5 times safer than forward facing. That increases hugely the younger they get.
        
        You can interact fine with them via a second mirror mounted on the headrest.
        
        BTW, I didn't neg you.
        
        Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 16:29
        
        -1
        
        @whitelie: I don’t disagree it’s safer. I disagree with ‘literally no benefit’ to turning forward. People use literally way too often and they literally don’t mean it.
        
        [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 18:37
        
        @Euphemistic: Yeah but your benefit is like saying a benefit of smoking a pack a day is that it gives you something to do.
        
        Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 19:02
        
        -1
        
        @[Deactivated]: Don’t ever get in a car because there is a risk of dying.
        
        See how ridiculous that sounds?
        
        Thousands get in cars daily. They make a risk assessment to do so. Put on a seatbelt. Drive within the rules etc.
        
        The guidelines say you can put your child forward facing after a certain age/size. Plenty of people use those guidelines. There’s lots of adults around so they must survive somehow.
        
        [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 19:12
        
        @Euphemistic: You're being ridiculous.
        
        Euphemistic on 30/07/2021 - 19:29
        
        @[Deactivated]: I didn’t bring up smoking as being something good to do.
        
        Keep them rear facing as long as possible as it is much safer.
        
        How long do you suggest to keep them rear facing? 2? 3? 5? If its so much safer why does anyone other than the driver face forwards?
        
        TBH I can’t remember when we turned our kids forwards but there was the benefit of the kids being able to interact with those in the front seat and also in them being able to see out the windows better. Although I recall one about 2yo would start to look drowsy so I’d turn off the road home to prolong the ride and hope for a decent sleep and then would hear “where are we going” - no more nap.
        
        At some point there is a risk/benefit assessment that determines when your child will face forwards.
        
        whitelie on 30/07/2021 - 19:33
        
        @Euphemistic: It's safer because their head far outweighs what their necks can support, hence my internal decapitation post earlier.
        An adult has fully developed neck muscles which can limit the movement of the head rapidly. You end up with whiplash, with a 1 year old, it literally (and I mean literally) rips their head from their spine with just the skin keeping it connected.
        
        Rearward facing, the head is supported.
        
        [Deactivated] on 30/07/2021 - 19:50
        
        +2
        
        @Euphemistic:
        
        How long do you suggest to keep them rear facing? 2? 3? 5?
        
        The overwhelming recommendation is at least two years old and ideally up to four years old for most kids.
        
        At some point there is a risk/benefit assessment that determines when your child will face forwards.
        
        Yep, and for a 1 year old the risk far out weights whatever selfish benefits you derive from it.
        
        If its so much safer why does anyone other than the driver face forwards?
        
        Literally the same reason that you can take an adult by their shirt collar and violently shake them, causing very little if any injury to them but with a 1 year old child you're likely to kill them doing exactly the same thing.
        
        But yes, if cars had rear facing seats it would be safer to adults too.
        
        morse on 31/07/2021 - 08:10
        
        @Euphemistic: So this is interesting as many of my parent friends have gone forward facing at 12months with similar logic but reading the article from abc https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-31/child-car-seat-explai… it seems like it might actually not be legal to turn them forward facing before they reach the forward facing markers, which they are saying for most kids isn’t until 2
        
        Kidsafe Queensland CEO Susan Teerds said that did not mean they needed to be turned around immediately from that time.
        "The law is very clear. Babies must be rear-facing from birth. They can move forward-facing when they reach the height marker on the seat, so all of the new standard seats from 2013-14 have had minimum height markers — meaning the baby must be rear-facing if the shoulders are below this line," she said.
        She said most of the time, babies could not be turned around until they were two years old — and sometimes well after that.
        
        For me my decision was based on treating kids with injuries sustained whilst forward facing. One of my very first patients as a new health professional had cervical spine fractures and turned 4 whilst in hospital, lucky not to have cord damage but still spent months in hospital with a halo brace.
        
        Euphemistic on 31/07/2021 - 10:48
        
        @morse: Funny thing is, this whole long discussion wouldn’t have kicked off if MnGQ had said ‘hardly any benefit to forward facing early’ instead of ‘literally no benefit’
        
        Besides, By the time I need to worry about this they will have changed the rules and we’ll probably all have driverless cars.
        
        morse on 31/07/2021 - 11:47
        
        @Euphemistic: Hahaha - never say never, there are lockdown babies everywhere. I think some driverless cars do have rear facing seats for passengers. Just need to stop them driving into stuff first.
        
        [Deactivated] on 31/07/2021 - 17:57
        
        @Euphemistic:
        
        Funny thing is, this whole long discussion wouldn’t have kicked off if MnGQ had said ‘hardly any benefit to forward facing early’ instead of ‘literally no benefit’
        
        There isn't a benefit. There is just appeasing your selfishness.
        
        Like with smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, there is literally no benefit to it. You'd probably pipe up and be like "tHeRe ArE bEnEFfiTs!!!"
        
        Euphemistic on 31/07/2021 - 18:21
        
        -1
        
        @[Deactivated]:
        
        There is just appeasing your selfishness.
        
        Sounds like a benefit to me.
        
        [Deactivated] on 01/08/2021 - 06:03
        
        -1
        
        @Euphemistic: In the same way that having your child die in an easily avoidable situation, and you save money by no longer having to clothe and feed them is a benefit.
        
        Euphemistic on 01/08/2021 - 06:25
        
        -1
        
        @[Deactivated]: Now who’s being ridiculous?
        
        [Deactivated] on 01/08/2021 - 07:19
        
        @Euphemistic:
        
        Now who’s being ridiculous?
        
        Still you.
        
        Euphemistic on 01/08/2021 - 07:50
        
        @[Deactivated]: nope. You are the one suggesting smoking gives you something to do and that a dead child saves money. You’ve taken it to ridiculous extremes.
        
        I just pointed out that the benefit of a forward facing child is being able to see and interact with them more easily and that it’s up to the parents to decide at what age to do that.
        
        [Deactivated] on 01/08/2021 - 14:25
        
        @Euphemistic:
        
        it’s up to the parents to decide at what age to do that.
        
        It is not. Every state has a law around this, you can't just do whatever you feel like.
        
        Euphemistic on 01/08/2021 - 16:40
        
        @[Deactivated]: Oh for crying out loud. It’s up to the parents when the child passes the age at which it is allowed.
        
        Seems you need to be spoon fed. Still facing backwards?
        
        [Deactivated] on 02/08/2021 - 13:23
        
        @Euphemistic: Calm down, no need to throw a hissy hit just because you're always used to getting things your way…
        
        Try to act like the big boy that you are.
JimB on 30/07/2021 - 10:09

I have this one..

https://www.babybunting.com.au/infa-emerge-caprice-6-months-… purchased it when their grew out of their Britax safe n sound as a 4 year old.

It's not isofix, but in some way that's good because we also have friends and family who take our kids out so we give them the car seats.

My kids are 6 and 8, they still use the Infasecure Emerge Caprice. I prefer they use the proper 4 point harness over a booster with adult seat belt.

This will fly in the face of my recommendations, but keep them rear facing as long as possible.

I've seen my kid's 7yo's school mates in the front seat :O I'm not sure it's my place to tell them.
stevie67 on 03/08/2021 - 19:41

I can only support the comments on rear facing for as long as possible. I’ve been in aviation safety for many years and look at transport safety globally. It may be overkill for the OP as a second car but you can also look at international markets for options. Rear facing Isofix until 4 years old and Isofix front facing booster seats until 10/11 years old are common place in Europe but not here. Australian Standards are always a local balance of cost and competing interests.

I imported from Germany so they didn’t meet AS so technically not legal. Far more advanced and ‘safer’ than anything in the local market. My kid and my choice.
- Euphemistic on 03/08/2021 - 21:44
  
  I imported from Germany so they didn’t meet AS so technically not legal. Far more advanced and ‘safer’ than anything in the local market. My kid and my choice.
  
  While I agree it’s probably safer in reality, I’d hate to have the added stress of explaining why the seat isn’t legal but it’s ‘better’ after an incident.
  
  You are unlikely to be stopped by the police during a seatbelt check, they don’t know all types of seats, but crash investigators know a lot more.
  
  My kid and my choice
  
  Technically it’s not ‘your choice’. Some people choose not to use kid seats at all. Your choice is to choose within the rules we have.
  - stevie67 on 04/08/2021 - 09:11
    
    For me the stress of having a kid crippled or worse following a vehicle impact outweighs everything else.
    
    Penalty is 3 points and around $300 in NSW for non ‘approved’ seats. I’m ok with this.
    
    I’m choosing to go above and beyond while others are choosing not to care about, what for many kids, is the most dangerous activity they undertake on any given day.
    - summithunter on 04/08/2021 - 09:46
      
      Can you update link of the car seat you used or the store you purchased from ? Thanks
      - stevie67 on 04/08/2021 - 14:44
        
        +1
        
        @summithunter: Purchased from kidsroom in Germany. The rear facing seat has been superseded but there are other options there that are rear facing until around 4 years old. You will generally find they have a supporting leg that extends to the vehicle floor instead of a top tether. Performs same function but visually will differ to local Australian market.
        https://www.kids-room.com/en/britax-roemer-child-car-seat-du…
        
        When you do need to forward face I went for the Britax Advansafix. Rigid ISOFIX, 5 point harness upto 21kg and fits them upto 150cm tall so is the only seat you will ever need. It also has a top tether and the familiar Britax logo if anyone takes a glance at it during a traffic stop/RBT.
        https://www.kids-room.com/en/britax-roemer-child-car-seat-ad…
    - summithunter on 04/08/2021 - 09:49
      
      Can you update link of the car seat you used or the store you purchased from ? Thanks
    - summithunter on 04/08/2021 - 09:50
      
      Can you update link of the car seat you used or the store you purchased from ? Thanks
    - Euphemistic on 04/08/2021 - 17:22
      
      It does make me wonder why we don’t adopt the best standard in the world more quickly. Even to say that in eg 5 years, Aus standard will match the euro (or whatever standard).
      
      Just out of interest have you been involved in a serious crash (with or without kids)? Many people have no idea what it’s like having driven thousands of hours with no significant incident. I have been in two crashes, but both were fairly minor.
      
      Years ago, a friend crashed his car years ago, t boned a driver that didn’t give way and within days I was looking to upgrade our car to one with airbags and ABS. Because they all walked away from what looked horrible.
      - stevie67 on 04/08/2021 - 21:21
        
        @Euphemistic: Vested interests, competing priorities, slow regulator culture, insular views, lack of any consumer or political pressure and probably a few more variables gets us to where we are now. ISOFIX was rejected repeatedly by Australia with one of the main reasons that as it was deemed to be too confusing for local consumers….
        
        Fortunately only been involved in one serious crash many years ago. Probably similar type of vehicle to yours with virtually zero safety systems and I managed to hobble away. No kids back then.
        
        I’ve seen hundreds of vehicle incidents, seat and restraint test videos and live footage through my work. What a relatively low speed impact can do to the body of an infant in a front facing seat is catastrophic. Speak to any experienced paramedic or Highway Patrol that have had to stick their head into the back of a car after an impact and the will have plenty of stories to share. It’s not just the death total, it’s the life changing injuries for the survivors and lifelong guilt of the parents.
        
        Most people don’t really give it a second thought. I’ve got friends and family that stick 8 year olds in the front seat and only use adult belts in the back that sit across the kids necks. Had a chat with them many times but they genuinely don’t think any harm will come from it. For the kids sake I hope they are right.
myla88 on 25/10/2021 - 15:55

+1

However, if you were to ask if your 1-year-old should sit in a front-facing car seat, the definitive answer to that is a resounding "No," according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, who recommend keeping your child rear-facing until the age of two, or to the highest weight and height allowed by the carseat

Front Facing Car Seat for 1 Year Old

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