Age and weight rear and forward facing car seats?

Question

i have a seven month old who weights 18 almost 19 pounds. my infant car seat says up to 22 pounds . well i got a new car seat for older babies and it says up to 20 pounds rear facing . ok but i thought you were not suppose to turn them around until they were a year old?

My second ? is the car seat i got was from a friend and it says do not use after 12/06 does any body know why?

Answer 1

The guidelines are that a child that weighs less than 20 lbs and is less than 1 years old, needs to face the rear of the car. The child must be BOTH 1 year old AND over 20 lbs before they can be forward facing.
Second question... the plastic on the car seat (the shell) goes through hot and cold weather changes, which deteriorates the plastic of the car seat, which will make it less stable in the case of a car accident.

Answer 2

I have my 10 month old in a forward facing big boy seat - grayco "costello" style. He is well over 20 lbs. I follow weight/size, not age - who says that all seven month old children are the same size??? If your child is "compact" and is not able to sit on their own, make rear facing and as reclined as possible with the harness tightened (two finger spaces). If your baby can sit on his/her own, is over 20 lbs try forward facing. Just make sure the harness fits properly. When you have your baby front facing, they have so much more to look at. The first time mine was in the front position, he wouldn't shut up - such a chatterbox. It was hysterical and precious.

Answer 3

Babies have to be one year old and 20lbs. in order to be turned around, to forward facing. I know this because, I turned my son around when he was 11months and 20lbs and the doc. said he has ti ve ibe abd iver 20lbs. About the experation date, the car seat might be "out-dated" but that wouldn't make any since? That is a good question!