Forward facing car seats, when to use one?

[lewsmummy]

I know babies have to be able to sit unaided but for how long? DS can now sit unaided for quite a long time but still falls back or sideways eventually. Would he be able to go in a forward facing yet or not?

Rearward-facing seats provide greater protection for the baby's head, neck and spine than forward-facing seats. So, it is best to keep your baby in a rearward-facing seat for as long as possible. Only move them to a forward-facing seat once they have exceeded the maximum weight for the baby seat, or the top of their head is higher than the top of the seat.
Forward-facing child seats are for children weighing 9-18 kgs (20-40 lbs) roughly from 9 months - 4 years.

He's only 5 mth but weighs over 9kg (20lb 12oz)

but does he still fit in the car seat? He really is too young, his head is still disaproportionatley large and heavy, his neck muscles won't have developed properly, and if he is in an accident, his head will fly foward and cause serious injuries. If he is getting too tall for his stage one car seat, then look for another. Don't worry about his legs so much, only if his head is over the top of the back, which is very unlikely.

We've got a britax first class (rear and forward facing) so it not really a problem he still easily fits in it, i was just wondering about forwrd facing

only if they weight 9kk can you put them in a forward facing car seat...

given that
a) a rear facing car seat provids MORE crash protection
b) most rear facing seats now go until 13kg
c) in many otehr countried including USA its recommended that they dont go forward facing to a year

if in doube keep him in the safer rear facing seat anyway!