Okay Moms help me out! Who front faced their children's car seats?

I wouldn't put front facing in the middle seat but that is just me. I think 2 years front facing in the back is fine.

my son was rear facing till he was 1. then forward facing after that. but back in 2006 that was normal, i'm sorry but if i had another kid i would do the same thing I did with my son.

We forward faced at 1 year b/c our new car seats didn't rear face well. They just weren't as secure in my opinion. My DD has done fine FF since her first birthday. As long as your child meets the law in regards to the 12 mos and 20lbs then going FF is fine as long as the seat is in securely.

I don't have links on my phone but there is plenty of research that shows that their necks are safer rear facing no matter what the age. Even as adults we would be safer rear facing. Personally I think a child should be rear facing as long as possible. In our car with our seats that we could afford that was about 2 years for both children. My children are also in their 5 point harness as long as they fit in them which was about 5.5 years for my son and my 4.5 year old is still in it. My 6.5 year old is in a high back booster seat and will be until he outgrows that. My children are NOT minimums and that is what the law states. I do the maximum the seat we can afford will allow.

There are not many seats on the market that accommodate a typical 3-4 year old height and weight wise rear facing.

When I had my older kids, NO ONE rear faced after the age of 1.  When I had my youngest almost 3 years ago, I was told by the pediatrician that while the law still states that I had to keep him rear facing until at least 1 year, they recommended to keep him rear facing until at least 2, but they preferred as long as possible. 

At first I thought it was ridiculous!  I mean, my other three boys were fine! Granted, the older two I didn't give birth to, but heck, they were just fine!  I then began to research.  I decided to rear face as long as possible.  Although he is not quite 3, I have turned him around in just the past couple of months, but that is because he is the size of a 4 year old.  

I have included some links for you to read.  I know there will probably be others.  

cont

It isn't just as safe to be forward facing. As I said even as adults it is safer for our necks to be rear facing in a crash. As for the leg thing yes they may get a broken leg during a crash but I would rather have a broken leg then an internally decapitated child which can easily happen to a 3-4 year old forward facing. If i could have kept my children rear facing longer then 2 years old I would have.

My daughter was rear facing til just about 2 in the middle of the back seat...that's because she outgrew the weight, however I don't think i would've kept her rear facing anyway....then she was front facing in the middle til my second was born 2 weeks ago. Guess they used to recommend a year old AND 20 lbs...now I Guess they suggest 2 years old....

am not going to bash you for whatever way you choose. I know many people who turned their children around at 1 and that is there choice, but you asked for research, so here is some!

http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/stayrearfacing.aspx

http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html