Curiously, is having the Isofix base really that much more convenient? And if so... why?

(We just bought a Maxi Cozy but didn't get the Isofix base for it, and now I'm wondering if we should get one...)

P.S. Sorry if my question is a bit off-topic.

The TCS should really get the TCS guidelines on rear facing seats amended.

The rule, in the TCS guidelines quite clearly states:

"The baby safety seat must always be fitted facing
backwards."

But, you're right. The law says this doesn't need to be done.

However, as young babies do not have strong enough neck muscles to support the head, I don't know of anyone in their right mind (until reading here), who would consider putting a young baby in a forward facing seat.

To put it bluntly, even a slight head -on collision will snap the baby's neck.

you're putting words into an insurers mouth. It says "consult your insurance company beforehand," that's all.

I'd not want a new-born in the front seat anyway, too distracting. But my midget has been in the front seat with the airbag disabled when I was loading-through.

But we should be happy, I passed a car on the A2 just the other day with a 5-year-old sticking his head out of the back window. At 100kph! So we're all good as we're on the careful side

yes it is - the seat can fit into many pushchair bases. It's really click-click.

I don't know how to measure convenience, but my 6 year old would probably say it was "infinity 9" times more convenient!!

No fiddling about with the seatbelt every time you put the seat in, one handed docking in seconds, very easy removal (pull handle on base with one hand, lift seat with other), once the base is in properly you never need to remove it (unless you need the seat) and you are then sure it is in securely. For me personally having one kid in a chair without a base, and another with the chair with the base, life was so much easier with the base. Getting a chair in and out without a base isn't difficult or impossible, it's just easier with the base.

Clarification: I meant having one kid first in seat without base, then when we had the second kid we had a seat with the base. Not that we had twins and we put the "favourite" one in the seat with the base!

Thanks so much for the advice above, about the Isofix system. I definitely want one now...

Fingers crossed that I can convince my husband.

They are very solidly built, so getting a used one would be an option as well. Plus it can be sold on afterwards.

YES - as others have said, it makes a world of difference. You can click the seat in with one hand, while holding the oversized-first time mom-diaper bag in the other :-) If the kiddo is asleep, no problem-o - you just take them out, in the seat and transport them sleeping peacefully in their seat. And in the winter, you can keep them all bundled up.

Otherwise, you are either wrestling with the kid to get them in their seat each time, or using the seat belt to belt them in each time and probably don't get the best fit each time.

BTW - I think some people don't realize the straps of the infant carriers are adjustable. Meaning, I would always pull (or push) on the button to allow me to loosen the straps to take the kiddo out, and then tighten again (rule of thumb two finger widths) to fit them in tight when they go in again. It seemed like every time someone else took the little one out, the next time I went to put them in, I had to first loosen the straps. I don't know how they got the kid out without dislocating their shoulder! I guess kids are pretty rubbery at that age

Another option, most 5 point harness car seats start at 9kg. Our two youngest did not like the maxi cosi at all (understatement, would cry till I stopped driving).

Once they reached 9 kg I would transfer them in a 5 point car seat but still rear facing. They liked being upright more (reflux) and being able to look outside the window.

But if I am not mistaken, not many of those category seats sold in Europe are made for rear-facing, in the US I think they are called convertible seats as they can be used both rear and forward facing. I thought when we looked about 5 years ago, there was only 1, but maybe there are more now?

Could be, I was living in the US at that time. Now I have a dutch one in the car and she is already forward facing as she is almost 3.

I can tell you that after one year of use, my ISOFix base shows no wear. In addition, it has helpful colour indicators to tell you if you've fitted the base and the seat into it correctly.

My midget has a Maxi-Cosi Tobi in one car and an intermediate 9-36kg seat in his favourite car, the soft-top. I wish the Maxi-Cosi next-level seats used the base too, that would be great - but alas, it seems not to be the case.

The Tobi is a nice, forward-facing seat that's quiet high and allows the child to see more. In that, he sits in the middle seat of the car like a little prince(ss!!). He was forward-facing from about 11 months.

We also have the Maxi Cosi Tobi, our princess loves sitting up high and being able to see everything, especially in a minivan type of car being up high is nice for the child and convenient for mum not having to bend over putting her in.

She start forward facing at 12 months.

I think there are actually quite a few .. certainly bebeconfort make a couple. The fact that they can be used both ways is however something of a rather well guarded secret. Not sure why given the undoubted safety benefits ..

The only problem I had with my bebeconfort which could switch both ways was that in the rear facing position, it requires kilometres of seatbelt and quite a lot of cars do not have enough belt to fit it.

Rear facing until about 5 years old.

Rear vs. Forward Facing Crash test

Now, the test is done for frontal impact.
For rear impact, I think forward facing will fare better, but rear facing will not be as bad as forward facing on frontal impact, since the car should move forward and take some of the momentum away.

Thanks for the video. It was very scary and I will think of it whenever I put my 11 month old in his car seat.

I have decided to keep the little one rear facing for a while longer.

I have a Britax convertible. It has a tether system which is supposed to decrease the amount of movement caused to a child during a collision.

Here is some general information on bracing and tethering a carseat.
http://cpsafety.com/articles/BraceTether.aspx

Here is information from Britax
http://www.britaxusa.com/learning-ce...g-versa-tether

These are US specific references but I thought they would be informative. Also, tethering and bracing are used in some European countries, including Sweden; and they can be used both rear and forward facing.

Just wanted to post this link http://www.carseat.se/

I would really like to get an extended rear-facing carseat, but I believe in some countries, eg UK it's still difficult to find them. Does anyone know how widely available they are here and where to look (Leman region). Are there special carseat shops here where you can talk to an expert?
Someone mentioned talking to a TCS rep - did you go to a TCS centre or just talk by phone?