Angsting about where to put each carseat (20m old and NB)

[Dot-to-Dot]

My lo will be 20 months old when her baby sibling comes and I am feeling awful about moving her from the safest middle position to one side of the car. We're about to buy her a Britax Boulevard, with what I think has great side impact protection, but it breaks my heart to have to put one baby on the side. Am I being totally ridiculous and emotional?

And what happens if the two carseats are too big to be placed right next to each other in my '99 Honda CRV? I'd really hate to put a newborn on the side...but I might have to put them both on the sides. It already seems so cramped in there with only my dd rear facing in her bucket seat (She's 12 mos in a Graco Snugride 32).

Any advice for me?

[Eresh]

If you really want to install the seats side and middle, you'll probably want something besides a Blvd. It's wide and puzzles horribly. A Complete Air or Radian are narrower, good side-impact protection and, higher RF weight limits.

One other thing that you might not want to hear ... you might also need to think about how advisable it is to allow your toddler close access to the newborn where you won't be able to intervene.

[Peony]

Originally Posted by Eresh

One other thing that you might not want to hear ... you might also need to think about how advisable it is to allow your toddler close access to the newborn where you won't be able to intervene.

Totally. My kids have all ended up outboard once #2 came along because separation was key.

[mamadelbosque]

Yeah, both my boys have both been outboard since ds2 was born. There just wasn't enough space to keep them side by side, and having that extra bit of space inbetween was *EXTREMELY* important at various times...

FWIW, we put ds2 behind the driver and ds1 behind the passenger

[mama2soren]

Keeping your 20 month old RF is the best side impact protection there is. I'd make sure to buy a seat that would keep her RF the longest. Boulevards are ok-ish, but there are other choices that will keep her RF longer. The Complete Air fits nicely in a CRV, and can be installed pretty upright for an older child, so that it doesn't get in the front passenger's way. I have a CRV (2008)and a Radian, and it's easy to install the Radian RF, but it is near impossible to get it more upright than 45*, which means the front passenger seat is pushed up too far to be comfy. I would be happy to trade the Radian for a Complete Air!

If you still go with the Boulevard, make sure to get the new 70 pound model. We have a 65 pound limit one, and it is CRAMPED for my little 30 month old. (Hmm, maybe I should trade that seat for the Complete Air!) The 70 pound one is redesigned to give just a bit more room.

[Norasmomma]

Don't feel guilty about it, that's the way it just is. I also echo, DO NOT keep them next to each other that can actually be more dangerous. Little toddlers and newborns together can be a bad combo, toddlers just don't have the capacity at times to realize they can hurt the baby.

My kids have been outboard since DS was born, there is no way I'd have let DD sit next to him as a newborn. She was loving, but always shoving stuff in his face and trying to cover his head.

[Dot-to-Dot]

I'm looking at a convertible seat comparison chart and it says that the Complete Air only goes to 50lbs. Is that right?

The Radian looks nice, but yeah, a toddler will not want to be at a 45* angle and the front passenger will not want to be scrunched up that much.

I do plan on keeping her rear facing in the Britax. I'd always heard everyone say how much they love, love, love their Britax, so I am surprised to hear someone think that the Boulevard is ok-ish! Shoot. Maybe it's just the Boulevard model? Sheesh, I've research the darn things for so long, I am having a hard time keeping it all straight (depite being type A and having created a handy little personal chart! )

Well, we're loving the safety of Britax and my mother in law has agreed to pay for the seat, but we're not totally married to the idea of Britax...but they sure do seem pretty safe compared to everything else.

[OkiMom]

I would also caution against having the babies next to each other. My oldest adores her little sister but when DD2 was a baby and started crying DD1 would try to stop it. I had to pull away food, drinks, toys etc from DD2 because DD1 gave them to her. She didn't mean any harm but if I hadn't been right there to stop it DD2 could have choked. Also many of my friends have told me stories of how their older children hit or threw stuff at the baby in the car leaving the baby with bruises/cuts.

[Eresh]

I have a volvo v70 wagon. I bought a blvd 65 which fits slightly differently than the new ones. I found it to be very cramped RFing my tall toddler and difficult to get him in/out because of the small door space and the high base of the seat. As a seat its very nice (nicer than the CA) but it just wasn't working for our situation. I got a CA with the justification of the 40lb RF weight limit. Of course the new Blvd also has that, but the CA has a higher harness height. I also found that with the CA and DS2's Snugride 22, we can fit an adult in the center back where we could not with the Britax.

DS2 will be using the Blvd when he outgrows his SR22. Btw, the new CA65 has a 65 lb weight limit FF, though I will probably be handing the CA down to DS2 and replacing it with a Frontier85 well before then.

[allisonrose]

My son will be around 28 months when his little brother is born. I'm not thrilled about moving to outboard either. My son is in a True Fit so I think installing both outboard will be my only option (well, other than purchasing a new convertible). But as a PP mentioned, keeping toddlers rfing is a huge step in safety.

I find it interesting/reassuring that many are mentioning it being best to seperate toddler and newborns.

[Dot-to-Dot]

Originally Posted by Eresh

I bought a blvd 65 which fits slightly differently than the new ones. I found it to be very cramped RFing my tall toddler

I kinda figured them all to be cramped rear facing a toddler. My lo is a little taller too and I know her legs will be cramped in probably any of them until we eventually FF.

[Dot-to-Dot]

Originally Posted by Eresh

I find it interesting/reassuring that many are mentioning it being best to seperate toddler and newborns.

Oh, yes! I meant to say that in an earlier response. I find it reassuring too! Thanks, ladies, for your helpful input. I'm feeling better about outboard babies and not choosing between them as far as middle safety.

[DahliaRW]

The new Complete Air 65 goes to 65lbs. It has fantastic SIP (IMO). Love the seat myself. The biggest problem with the britax convertibles is the shorter shell and lack of leg room.

[Eresh]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot

I kinda figured them all to be cramped rear facing a toddler. My lo is a little taller too and I know her legs will be cramped in probably any of them until we eventually FF.

The CA has much more room RFing than the Blvd.

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by Eresh

The CA has much more room RFing than the Blvd.

And, even the old style CA's (the 50 pound ones) would last almost any kid longer than a Blvd, because they are roomier with taller shells and higher harnesses. A CA (esp. the new 65 pound ones) would keep most kids harnessed until boostering age (5-6), whereas the smaller Britax is often outgrown by height before then.

Both the Britax and CA have the same RF limit of 40 pounds, but I can't imagine any 40 pound kid being short enough to fit in a Britax RF. My child is of average height (36") and skinny (26 pounds), and he'll outgrow his Boulevard RF by height months (years?) before outgrowing the CA RF.

Kids almost always outgrow seats by height before weight. Harness height and shell height are (IMO) more important factors to consider when choosing a seat than weight limits.

The Britax seats are easy to install, and that is a definite plus. But, the Complete Airs are usually quite easy to install too. The LX models have an adjustable base with 4(?) recline positions to help get just the right RF angle. The non-LX models often need a pool noodle or rolled up towel to help get the angle right (which is perfectly safe).

[c'est moi]

you gotta do what you gotta do. i don't know if this comforts you, but my only child has been outboard since day one. it was the most practical option for our family since we sometimes have to take our pet with us in the car.

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by Dot-to-Dot

I kinda figured them all to be cramped rear facing a toddler. My lo is a little taller too and I know her legs will be cramped in probably any of them until we eventually FF.

This is not necessarily true. My DS can totally stretch out in his (albeit, more reclined) Radian, but we have to bend him in two to get him in the Boulevard. A plus of the Radian/Complete Air is that the sides by their legs are lower, allowing kids to sit criss-cross more easily, or even hang a leg over the side!

Having squished legs is not a safety issue. It is also not always a comfort issue (kids are very bendable!). For me, it's just easier getting DS in and out of a seat with lower sides and more stretching room.

[Dot-to-Dot]

Okay, and you all (if you're still keeping up with this thread) think that the Complete Air is as safe as a Britax?

I still can't find the CA that says it holds up to 65 lbs ff. I'm still searching for it though. I'm finding a lot of complaints about the difficulty in getting the seat to recline when I read reviews.

I do want her to have leg room rear facing...I haven't decided for how long, but certainly for as long as I can stand it. I don't want the bulkiness of the carseat to cause me to prematurely switch her around. I know it will be tough the bigger I get in pregnancy, so ease of use is definitely a concern. Installation not so much...we won't be taking it in and out, so even if it takes us (read: dh) an hour, when it's done it's done.

[allisonrose]

At Babies R Us: link and a girly link.

[goldingoddess]

Hi,

The radian only has to be at a 45 degree angle for newborns. My son is in a radian that is quite upright and we rear-face in a Honda Fit and my six foot husband can sit comfortably in the seat in front of the car seat.

I love my radian, and love knowing it will keep my son rear-facing longer than any other seat out there.