Please help, I'm now all kinds of car seat confused.

[lellian]

After doing a search on here for Radian and Sienna, I"m all kinds of confused about where the car seats should be placed in the minivan. We are looking at a 2012 Sienna. We have 24 month old DD in a forward facing Radian in our small car. Six month old DS is in his RF pumpkin seat. We only had a back seat, so that's where they are. From what I've read I'm now not sure if DD is supposed to be RF in the captain seat, or even if DS should be in the second row?!? I thought it was challenging enough to figure out which minivan to get, but now I'm more perplexed than ever about baby placement. Can you please help me figure this out?

DD is 24 months and 34 pound. DS is obviously RF at six months and 22 pounds. We make big breastfed babies.)

Thank you for your help.

[alegna]

First- your 2 yr old should still be rf.

They can both go in the center captains chairs probably, though you may need to put one in the middle to get the radian rf without hitting the front seats- you might also get the new angle adjuster.

[elus0814]

I would keep the two year old forward facing if that's what you're comfortable with and have them both in the captain's chairs so you can easily get them in and out. 

[LiLStar]

I thought it was fine for the radian to hit the front seat, as long as it wouldn't interfere with advanced airbags in the front? thats what a cpst told me! 

[Maedze]

It's not about parental comfort. It's about physics.   

While a 24 month child has just barely, barely, barely reached the bare minimums where it MIGHT be ok to forward face, it is by no means anywhere near the safest or best way for that child to travel.   

The answer is yes, your daughter should be rear facing, and ideally rear facing for another two years.   

Radians can be braced against the seat in front, but not in your car, OP.  The vehicle prohibits contact with the front seats.     

You will need a Diono angle adjuster to get a good angle in your car; you'll want to order it now because they're back ordered.  

Of course the baby can be in the second row :-)      Did someone tell you differently?   

Kids need to stay rear facing as long as they fit, and ideally that is around the 3rd to 4th birthdays.  

I am assuming based on your daughter's age that you have a Radian that goes to 40 or 45 lbs rear facing, yes?

Originally Posted by elus0814 

I would keep the two year old forward facing if that's what you're comfortable with and have them both in the captain's chairs so you can easily get them in and out. 

[DahliaRW]

The sienna prohibits child restraints from touching the front seats at all.  And yes, angle adjuster will be needed for the radian or it will tend to overrecline in the sienna.

Other than that, the two middle captains chairs are perfectly safe and probably easiest for you.  Beware that the latch in the 2012 is buried and can make latch installs a challenge.  I took some skin off of my knuckles installing in a 2011 (same seats).