You actually are not supposed to put a child in a car seat wearing a coat. They cannot be strapped in tight enough, and if there were an accident, they are loose in their seat. That said, I don't know how to avoid it myself since it gets so cold here, and I can't warm up the car without worrying about it getting stolen! However, we use the flattest warm coat we can find. As for turning the seat around, new recommendations (although they are not law) are to keep children rear-facing until they are three years old. It may seem nicer to have them front facing, but they could be much more seriously hurt in an accident, even after one year old. Whatever you do, please don't turn him around early.