Ask Our Expert - Car Seat Position for a 25-Pound 9½-Month-Old

November 22, 2009

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Ask Dr. Jana Car Seat Position for a 25-Pound 9½-Month-Old

QUESTION


Dear Dr. Jana, My son is 9½ months old and weighs 25 pounds. Can his car seat face forward now even though he is not yet one? — Lisa in Port Saint Lucie, Florida

ANSWER	June 15, 2001


Dear Lisa, I'm glad you asked this question, since many parents are not clear on what to do when their children weigh 20 pounds (or more) before they reach the age of one. The recommendation is to leave infants in the rear-facing position until they reach 20 pounds and are at least a year old. Even though your son weighs 25 pounds, you should not change his car seat to the face-forward position until after he turns one. In the meantime, I would suggest that you make sure that the car seat you are using does not have a 20 pound maximum weight limit--as some infant seats do--and take a look at our article entitled Car Seats: Doing It Right. — by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.

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