Back in the rear-facing saddle again

After much consideration regarding the safety benefits, we decided to turn Franny back to the rear-facing position in her car seat. In a head-on collision, a rear-facing seat allows the force of the crash to spread evenly over the spine; facing forward, although the body is restrained, the head is vulnerable. For a baby or toddler whose vertebrae and ligaments are still loose, a rear-facing seat can mean the difference between a minor injury and severe spinal cord damage. Recent studies show toddlers are twice as safe in front and side crashes when facing backward. Those were statistics we couldn't ignore.

After making the decision yesterday, I agonized all evening, all night, and then all morning about how Franny would react. I just felt sick over the whole situation, and was so concerned that she wouldn't understand what was going on, and that I would be spending many days, maybe weeks, with Franny crying and repeating "mommy, mommy" for the duration of each ride.

This morning, when we loaded her up for the first time, my eyes teared up and my stomach knotted, as I anticipated her reaction. Well, apparently facing forward was a bigger deal for us than it was for her, because she didn't skip a beat--not a cry, complaint, or even any reaction at all! Just her usual, happy self, thank goodness!

I, however, will miss my travel companion. Although I realize that she is still in the car with me, to a certain degree, her new position isolates us from each other. I will miss seeing her smiling face in the rear-view mirror, being able to see her reactions to the world passing by, and being able to turn and make her laugh when we are at a stop. But at least I can take comfort in that she is safer and will be better protected if we are in an accident. As for Franny, she seems to be happy as long as she can press the button to open the garage door!