WHY should I leave my son rear facing????

Question

Okay so I know leaving my son rear facing is much safer than forward facing.  My son is three and on the smaller side.  I honestly feel like I can leave him rear facing for another year until he’s 4.5 maybe even 5 with no issues.  
My mother and sister in law saw him rear facing and my sister in law was shocked and told me I was “supposed” to forward face him once he was two or else he could “break his legs”. I know that’s not true I know that it’s so much safer for him to rear face him and she was arguing with me telling me I was just too lazy to turn him around and offered to do it for me.  
Someone on glow posted a really really perfectly written explanation about how it’s so much safer to rear face and even included an X-ray showing the development of the spine (I think?). I can’t remember who it was and I can’t find the post but I am sure it was   On this board.  I would love to save it so I can show it to them incase they try to flip my sons seat again.  Thank you so much if anyone knows what I’m talking about lol

Answer

The best practice (from a safety standpoint) is to keep them rear facing until they max out the upper rear facing height or weight limit of their seat. Chances are they will max out one before the other, but once one limit is maxed out the seat is no longer safe rear facing. Rear facing is ALWAYS SAFER no matter the age; it is even a safer position for adults if only cars were built with rear facing passenger seats. 
Until a child’s vertebrae have fully matured they are at risk of internal decapitation; this is when the spinal cord is severed inside the body, resulting in either paralysis or death. The maturation and ossification of the vertebrae is something that happens with AGE, not with SIZE, which is why extended rear facing (rear facing for as long as possible rather than just until age 2) is so important. Quoting from csftl.org:
“Toddlers are not just small adults; their bodies are still developing and those developmental changes make them more vulnerable than an adult. A toddler’s vertebrae are connected via cartilage rather than ossified bone. Those connections are called synchondroses, which are slowly closing over time. There are three major points of ossification, each with two synchondroses. According to a study published in the Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine, the first station to close is the C3, second is the axis, and third is the atlas. The results of the study show:
🔴 50% probability that the primary closure of the C3 is complete at age 2 and the secondary at age 3.
🟠 50% probability that the primary closure of the axis is complete at age 5 and the secondary at age 6.
🟡 50% probability that the primary closure of the atlas is complete at age 7 and the secondary at age 8 (Yoganandan, Pintar, Lew, Rao & Rangarajan, 2011).

This image to the right shows the cervical (top), thoracic (middle), and lumbar (bottom) vertebrae of a one year old (left, each photo) and six year old (right, each photo). Note the easily visible synchondroses in each.
These findings show that before age two, none of the cartilaginous spaces have completed ossification. Those pieces of cartilage have the ability to stretch up to two inches. Yet only 1/4″ stretch is enough to rupture the spinal column, resulting in paralysis or death  (McCall, Fassett & Brockmeyer 2004).”
What this means is that a child’s vertebrae do not finish fully ossifying until ages 8-9 years old, no matter how “big for their age” they are. In fact, a child that is large for their age is actually at a higher risk forward facing than a smaller child of the same age because their head is a larger percentage of their overall weight and will exert more force on their neck in a forward facing collision. Statistics show that riders of ANY age (even adults) are safer riding rear facing. 
Many parents cite concerns of their child being “too cramped” in a rear facing car seat once their feet touch the seat back in front of them and their legs are required to bend when seated. Statistically, there are more leg and hip injuries reported in children who are FORWARD FACING because their legs swing up and hit the back of the front seats in a frontal collision. In contrast, in a rear facing frontal impact all of the momentum is absorbed into the back of the car seat rather than between their legs and the seat back in front of them. 
My oldest (boy) is 5 and is still rear facing comfortably in a Graco Extend2Fit (50lb rear facing limit.) Youngest (girl) is 3 and rear facing in a Graco 4Ever. Photos taken 5/27/21.

Answer

Broken legs are better than broken necks.

Answer

The risk of internal decapitation is greatly reduced by rear facing, and broken legs are much easier to deal with than a severed spinal cord or broken neck!

Answer

Safety.

Answer

I don't know about you but I would much rather my kid have two broken legs than be internally decapitated

Answer

Look up @safeintheseat on Instagram. Super helpful. Also it’s okay to say “extended rear facing is the safest option for my child” and leave it at that. You don’t owe anyone an explanation.

Answer

If you are on Instagram, @safeintheseat has an excellent story highlight labeled “rear facing” that will give you all the info you need to confidently assert yourself with these busybodies!

Answer

Following because I’m getting pushback from my partner about rear facing beyond 2 and need an explanation better than “it’s safer” 😂 even though that should be enough 🙄

Answer

Okay if you search with the words “rear facing,” the first post that pops up will have that whole long explanation from the commenter.

WHY should I leave my son rear facing????

Let’s Glow

Glow is here for you on your path to pregnancy

25+ million

4.8 stars

20+

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

1st Year (Baby & You)

Baby Products