[kristinmarie3]

My son will be a year old in 1 week but he was 3 1/2 months premature, so he is about 8 1/2 months corrected. He is already 28 1/2 inches tall and weighs 16 lbs. We currently use the Chicco keyfit infant seat which has a 22 lb. and 30 inch limit, I think. We are having another child in May and will use the infant seat for her at that time, and our son will probably outgrow the infant seat height limit in the next couple of months anyway. So we are trying to decide whether to get a convertible car seat or a forward-facing/booster combo. I would like to not have to buy too many different seats for both children, so I am trying to figure out which would make the most sense. I obviously also want to go the safest route. Our children will be 16 months apart. Does my son need to stay rear-facing past age 1 until he reaches a certain weight? How long does a child need to stay in a forward-facing car seat before going to a booster seat? I am really not sure how to figure out what we need to get and whether we should take into consideration whether our older child will outgrow his next seat before the younger child? Any suggestions or information would be very helpful. Thank you!

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

	Chicco - Click for more info Chicco makes car seats that are tested for safety and comfort. Italian-made Chicco is sold the world over to discerning parents everywhere, mainly because they are thorough with their design but each children’s product they sell is simple to use and stylish. All of Chicco’s car seats have certain universal elements: they’re lightweight, they are easy to install or use, each have the extra perks like canopies or liquid levelers for added convenience. Take a look and you’ll find an up-and-coming competitor for some of the best car seats on the market.

	Chicco Key Fit - Click for more info The new and improved Chicco KeyFit infant car seat (dubbed the Chicco KeyFit 30 thanks to its enhanced-to-30 lbs harness) has the same great features of the original KeyFit, but with a higher harness weight capacity. It is recommended that a child stay in a rear facing car seat for at least the first year of his or her life, and this infant seat from Chicco assures that your child will.