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Myth Buster: Face Front in a Car Seat

What you've heard: Your one-year-old should face forward in her car seat.

The truth: It's better to wait about a year longer before you turn her around. (Start stocking up now on those just-for-the-car toys!) While current recommendations say that a child should be at least a year old and weigh 20 pounds or more before facing forward, recent studies show toddlers are twice as safe in front and side crashes when facing backward. (The neck and spine are better protected in that position.) To keep your child rear facing as long as possible, look for a seat that holds 30 to 35 pounds, or get a convertible seat when she gets too big for her regular one.