How dangerous is this really?

[Spirit Dancer]

SO I have a problem.
I am having my third baby in Feb and we have a car that does not fit three regular carseats. I am a SAHM and my DH is a student so we barely have any money.
ONce the baby comes my carseat solution is going to be:
Newborn- rfing in Graco snugride bucket
Two year old dd- ffing in Radian
3.75 year old ds- in a high back booster

This is the only way I can fathom on how to get them all in our car. We cannot afford a new vehicle or another radian for my ds.

Will he be "safe" in a booster? If not what are my other options (please remember I cannot just *save* up for a radian when there is no money to save)? I will be able to save enough for a booster by then and I was going to get the Graco Turbo Booster. A good choice? (The reason it will be a booster and not his currant carseat is that the booster is a few inches skinnier and that makes all the difference in getting the door closed )

BTW, he will be 4 in April/ he is about 35-40 lbs now and is regular size/ he can sit still mostly and I will require it but keep in mind he is 3...

Help?!

[zebra15]

How often do all 5 of you go out together?

[snoopy5386]

is it possible to RF your 2 yo and try puzzling your son's current carseat in the middle? I'm thinking Radian on the passenger side, your son's seat in the middle and your bucket behind the driver? Also try installing the bucket without the base and see if that puzzles any better. What carseat is your son in? Can you ask family for $$$ for christmas towards a new radian for your son?

[bandgeek]

He shouldn't be in a booster. Can you come up with $50? I would put the 3 year old in the radian and get a scenera for the 2 year old. Check with local places (safe kids, health department, children's hospital, ect) to see if they do discounted or free seat programs.

If you can put the 2 year old rf'ing that will help the seats "puzzle" like one pp said. Also, you can use the graco bucket baseless to save some space.

ETA: There's a new evenflo seat coming out called the maestro that will have a 50 lbs weight limit and nice, tall top slots. It's supposed to retail for about $75. I'm not sure when it will be out, but it's already showing up on the sears website, just not shipping yet. It looks fairly narrow and would last your son probably 2 more years.

[Fuamami]

I did this. But I put ds2 in a rfing convertible, I can't remember which ATM. It was narrower than a bucket. You might find that, too.

I researched it and decided I was comfortable with the safety of it. We didn't go out much, and I didn't really have another option. The crappy part was trying to get it buckled up. I scraped my hand on the other seat almost every time.

[Spirit Dancer]

OK so thanks for all your insight.
To answer some questions:
1) I live in Canada so our seat options are more limited here plus car seats cost a far amount more here then down in the US. For example another radian would be about $400 and that would be a good deal.

2) I totally would rear face my dd (2yo) but she gets carsick really easy and vomits all over herself and the seat. Like large vomits which makes a major mess. She vomits dramatically less now that she is ffing so I will not turn her around. She would just cry, be miserable and throw up all over. Poor thing .

3) I do not know of any place anywhere near here that does free or cheap seats.

4) I do not think putting a scenera in the mix would work as it would be too wide.

5) We drive around a lot... What does this have to do with it? Even if my dh is not with me my child is way to young to sit in the front seat...

6) Sadly my family is broke so I cannot ask them for a radian for Xmas. They give like $15 gifts. I will not ask the ILs.

I know this sounds complicated I am not wanting it to be. Sometimes I think one cannot have both safety and no $$. If you just do not have the money what can one do?

[goodheartedmama]

What kind of car?

[chickabiddy]

In Canada, a child must be 40# (not 35#) to use a booster.

[becoming]

I'm wondering what kind of car, too, because I had a Nissan Sentra, which is a VERY small car, and I was able to fit two carseats (two Alpha Omegas, which are both decently sized) and a Graco bucket in the backseat. It was a snug fit, but it was possible.

I wouldn't put the 3.5-year-old in a booster. They're supposed to be 40 pounds AND 4 years old, and even then it's not the safest option.

There used to be a website where you could apply to get a free carseat donated. Let me see if I can find it.

[alfabetsoup]

I would get the passenger airbag disabled and put the snugride in the front seat.

[zebra15]

[QUOTE=Spirit Dancer;14693508]OK so thanks for all your insight.
To answer some questions:


5) We drive around a lot... What does this have to do with it? Even if my dh is not with me my child is way to young to sit in the front seat...

QUOTE]

I only asked because some families choose to take one or 2 kids with them and leave the others home with the other parent. This would solve the carseat dilema.

[3plus2isme]

Being in Canada it's actually illegal to have him in a booster before 40lbs (and correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure 4 years old, too...) What kind of car are you working with? I drive a civic and can fit 3 in the back - albeit I did buy radians for that purpose. I don't know where you're looking at radians but they're not $400 up here - you can find a Premier for around $199 right now (juniorbaby website has it at that - as do many others..) I know you say you're broke but maybe you could sell something in order to make it work? Child tax/UCCB?

[luv-my-boys]

Originally Posted by alfabetsoup

I would get the passenger airbag disabled and put the snugride in the front seat.

I would look into if this is even legal in your state. Its is very illegal here for a child under the age of 12 to be in the front passenger regardless of safety belts. Personally I woulnt put that child who even needed to be in a carseat in the front at all.

[snoopy5386]

which radian do you have? How big is your son? Is it possible for him to ride RFing in the radian? I would try the snugride baseless and see how that fits. What seat is your son in right now?

[leighi123]

www.car-seat.org in the forums there are 3-across lists that might help you figure out a combo that will work for you.

[an_aurora]

Originally Posted by alfabetsoup

I would get the passenger airbag disabled and put the snugride in the front seat.

That would be nice, but impossible, unfortunately. You have to petition to be able to do this, and they are very hard to come by.

OP, what car do you have and what seat is your DS currently in?

[Adventuredad]

I'm note sure about the law where you live but it's still a bit early to use a booster. IF your child can sit properly and the booster fits properly then it's just as safe as a forward facing harnessed seat. Problem is most kids under 4 can't do this.

Children 4+ are not any safer in forward facing harnessed seats compared to high back boosters. There is no research , data, statistics or real life experiences showing this.

Keeping your 2 year old forward facing in a Radian is far bigger problem than your son in a booster. Your son is about as safe in a booster as in a FF Radian while your daughter is 500% percent less safe in her FF seat compared to sitting rear facing.

[Spirit Dancer]

WE have a 2002 Sunfire. I have tried on at least 6 occasions to get 3 carseats in (with different rfing/ ffing combos). I know 3 radians would fit but we do not have the money.

Right now my son is in an Evenflo Chase Booster )it has a five point harness he is using). I really am not sure what he weighs. I need to find and accurate scale. He is about 39 inches tall.

I am not comfortable at all putting a rfing newborn in my front seat besides I think it is illegal here and people will notice.

AS far as a booster bing illegal till 40 lbs/ 4years I do not know the law on this but most people I know put their 3 yr olds in boosters and I know not all are 40 lbs. I even know a couple people who have 2 yr olds in booster (I would not do this). It is very common and no one says anything and the cops do not care.

If I do this my son will be almost four. Are there any crach tests or data showing a young four in a properly harnessed NB booster?

[purplepaperclip]

Originally Posted by luv-my-boys

I would look into if this is even legal in your state. Its is very illegal here for a child under the age of 12 to be in the front passenger regardless of safety belts. Personally I woulnt put that child who even needed to be in a carseat in the front at all.

What do people who have trucks do?

[an_aurora]

Yeah, you definitely can't put the baby up front. If anyone goes up front, it would be the oldest harnessed child.

Anyway, no there is no data specifically addressing harness vs. booster, but 4 years and 40 pounds is really the bare minimum I'd be comfortable with, and definitely only a high back booster. Obviously it's a parental decision.

Can you ask on car-seat dot org? You should be able to get some insight with the 3-across situation. I know you have tried, but it could be that someone has tried just the right seats to get them all in there.