Forward vs Rear Facing

Orion now rides forward facing which I know is controversial.   So why should a baby be rear facing?  I found the following information on Car-Saftey.org 

•Rear-facing is safest for both adults and children, but especially for babies, who would face a greater risk of spinal cord injury in a front-facing carseat during a frontal crash.

•Rear-facing car seats spread frontal crash forces over the whole area of a child's back, head and neck; they also prevent the head from snapping relative to the body in a frontal crash.

•Rear-facing carseats may not be quite as effective in a rear end crash, but severe frontal and frontal offset crashes are far more frequent and far more severe than severe rear end crashes.

•Rear-facing carseats are NOT a safety risk just because a child's legs are bent at the knees or because they can touch/kick the vehicle seat.

•Rear-facing as long as possible is the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatricians, and can reduce injuries and deaths.   Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 overall cause of death for children 14 and under.

Reading all this stuff does freak me out.  I think it is wonderful that we now have laws that children should be in car seats or boosters.  But there was a time when babies would just slide around on the back seat in a blanket or when they just sat on their mother’s lap.  People, kids, and babies survived.  I know Orion should be rear facing but with our car and our seat he can’t ride rear facing safely so he is forward facing.  Because it is safer!! I hope I don’t get hate mail over it.  I am not saying you should do what I do but do what is the safest thing for your child given your situation.  

You can read more information here and here.