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for those having #2...  

post #1 of 40
10/4/07 at 5:01pm
Thread Starter 
where are you going to put the baby's car seat? middle or window?
we have a sedan car and of course our dd has been in the middle with her carseat since birth (the safest spot).
but with # 2 do we put both on the window seats so they are equally in less safe spots???
(not to mention that the baby might be safer away from dd's reach)...
anyway, how are you all gonna do it?
post #2 of 40
10/4/07 at 5:28pm
I was thinking about putting one in the middle and one beside the window on the passenger side, depending on whether they would fit in that way. That way, we would have space for one (slender) passenger in the back. This is assuming that Dylan can resist the urge to poke and fiddle with his brother.
post #3 of 40
10/4/07 at 5:38pm
i don't post often, but i have been thinking about this too and decided that the baby should definatly go in the middle. my dd1 has much better head/body control than the baby will. it is not an easy thing to feel like you are not going to give both equal protection.
post #4 of 40
10/4/07 at 6:36pm
in my car, DS is behind the passengers side, but we are moving him to behind me this weekend. We cant put a seat in the middle, but, if we did, thats where the babe would go for sure.

In the truck, DS is in the middle now, but we are hoping to bump him over to a window...not sure which one - I am just hoping and praying that they fit that way and not have to both have window seats. If so...we will probably never be able to drive it. The infant seats only fit in the middle without either the passenger or driver having to sit on top of the dashboard. grrr...
post #5 of 40
10/4/07 at 6:45pm
This will be my third in the back seat so I am thinking both car seats near windows and my oldest DD in the middle of them. Partly so that my toddler is not sitting next to new baby doing who knows what to baby! LOL Must protect new baby from toddler monster!

He hit me in the face with a water bottle today, just think about the love he would show new baby in the back seat!
post #6 of 40
10/4/07 at 6:58pm
We have a minivan with two captain's chairs in the middle row. Each captain's chair has the ability to slide towards the middle (but only one at a time). Currently, DD is in the passenger-side chair slid as close to the middle as possible, right up next to the other chair. I haven't figured out yet how to position them when the new baby comes.. So far, my plan was pretty much just to slide DD's seat back over to the normal window position and put the baby behind the driver because I'm afraid she'd mess with the baby if she's that close to him.
post #7 of 40
10/4/07 at 7:08pm
Well, at first, I'm going to have to move my office out of my car. Then until DSS goes south with DH, I have to worry about the three in the back seat issue. Right now, DD is on one side, DSS is on the other in a booster and my paperwork and pamphlets live between them. I have an infant car seat/carrier that I plan on using in the middle. I can't move DSS to the middle because it's just a lap belt. I also have the extra mirrors to keep an eye on everyone. Then once we move, my inlaws are getting us a full size van so everyone in the family can ride together (Inlaws included). That will be some help once we get everyone in one spot.

Anna
post #8 of 40
10/4/07 at 7:43pm
We're putting DD by the window on the passenger side and the baby in the middle. I hate moving DD over but there's just no way around it.
post #9 of 40
10/4/07 at 7:48pm
Our car is so tight on space in the back I decided to take it to the car seat clinic and see whats the best/safest arragement. When the carseats are one either side with nothing in the middle the infant seat touches the back of the front seat and I'm not sure if thats ok? I do have some worries about ds bugging the baby if they're right next to each other though.
post #10 of 40
10/4/07 at 8:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisalulu
When the carseats are one either side with nothing in the middle the infant seat touches the back of the front seat and I'm not sure if thats ok?
It depends on the angle the carseat is left at while touching the front seat. In some cases, it can actually be safer to have some resistance from the front seat.

When we were adjusting to two carseats, we couldn't get the infant carseat to install properly with the toddler's carseat on the side. So they both went on the sides.

This time, we're moving all three to the van: two in the sides in back, and the baby in one of the middle captain's chairs. We'll be removing the second captain's chair for a while so I can more easily get back to the third row to properly buckle the older two, plus more easily put the baby in his carseat. That will also leave some floor space for changing diapers on the go, nursing, etc.
post #11 of 40
10/4/07 at 8:43pm
I've been wondering about this too. I have to see if my infant seat will even fit properly next to DD's big ole Marathon. If it doesn't, I'm going to move DD behind me and put the infant seat on the passenger side (so I can see the baby with one of those mirror things in my rearview). I'm calling my police station tomorrow to see when they do carseat checks--I figure they'll have opinions about what would be best.
post #12 of 40
10/4/07 at 10:52pm
Thread Starter 
good ideas thanks!
post #13 of 40
10/4/07 at 10:55pm
Here's my experience...
Though you want your newborn in the safest place (the middle), you will want to be able to reach your toddler/preschooler still and if the baby is in the middle, you may not be able to reach your other child. Believe me, they will still need to you to hand them things and comfort them while you are driving. And you probably won't want them poking at the new baby or setting things on them. So, for us, we just put them both on the sides once we had two. That worked the best.

Now, with almost 3, I'm still throwing around the possibilities and completely unsure what we will do, but we'll probably have to just play it by ear and if one arrangement doesn't work, we'll try another.

But for 2, unless you have a much older child who you don't need to reach and who will not unintentionally hurt the baby...my opinion is that you should put them on seperate sides.

Also, I talked to a certified carseat tech who said the rule of thumb is to put the most vulnerable child in the middle. And believe it or not, a child in a booster is considered more vulnerable than a newborn in a rear-facing carseat. So, if you have a shoulder harness in the middle, they recommend putting that child in the middle still and the infant on the side. But, if you do not have a shoulder harness, then the child in the booster must stay on the side. Makes sense?
post #14 of 40
10/4/07 at 11:02pm
Alisha,
That's interesting about the most vulnerable child thing. My DD is still in a carseat (she is only 30 pounds at almost 4, so she will be for a very long time, especially since I may get her a Britax Regent when she outgrows her Marathon--I don't like the crash test results of booster seats). So who is more vulnerable--DD is a front-facing convertible seat or the baby in a rear-facing bucket seat????
post #15 of 40
10/5/07 at 12:46am
I was just talking to another group about this. The "most vulnerable" aspect is huge.

An infant carrier or rear-facing seat is THE SAFEST. Next is a harnessed forward-facing then a booster. So unless the dimensions in your car just don't work out for some reason or another, the toddler should stay in the MIDDLE.
post #16 of 40
10/5/07 at 1:19am
DD will be about 25 months when the baby is born. DD is in the middle rear-facing right now. I am going to move her to the window, and put the baby in the middle. Why? I feel that a baby has less head control and would recover slower/not as well as dd if injured. So I put the most vulnerable in the safest spot. There really isn't another way to do it, unless I buy a huge car with 3 rows of seats. But then, the one in the last row isn't as safe in the event of a rear end accident.
post #17 of 40
10/5/07 at 1:20am
Alegna, who seems to know her stuff re: carseats, says baby should go to the side because it is the most protected, being rear facing and likely in a bucket seat.

Opposite of what I would have done! Glad to have the information.
post #18 of 40
10/5/07 at 1:28am
Question:
Why does my car only have LATCH on the window seats but not for the middle one? I hate installing with just the middle lap belt, but have no choice. Why oh why don't I have LATCH on all 3 seats? I have tether anchors for all 3 seats, but LATCH only for the window seats. Does anyone know why???
post #19 of 40
10/5/07 at 6:04am
There is only latch on the outboard seats for most cars because the Fed regs only require 2, but they require the top tethers in 3 places. It's amazing how many people use the 2 outboard one's for the middle incorrectly. I don't have latch in my vehicle, so I don't have a problem installing a car seat in the middle with the belt, but with infant seats you might need a locking clip if you have a shoulder belt to keep the base from tilting.

You guys really know your stuff! I learned in child passenger safety training that the middle of the rear most seat is the safest. Rear end crashes aren't usually that bad and front end are most common. But of course there is more to riding in a car with your kids than crash statistics-like peace of mind that your newborn is still breathing! I have 3 rows so I have my two older kids in 5-point harnesses on either side on the third row and baby will go where I can see it-middle of second row. Technically I should have my 2yo in the center of the 3rd, 4 yo center of 2nd, and baby outboard.

I believe I remember the reason that the RFing child should be outboard is the the back of the seat will turn toward the impact area but with a FF seat, it is the child that turns toward the impact.

Another thing to keep in mind and my biggest downfall is loose things in your car become dangerous projectiles in crashes. Even those wonderful mirrors and window shades can be dangerous. You want the mirrors that are anchored down and not suctioned on. SUV's are especially bad for loose items since they don't have trunks. Unharnessed pets and unbuckled passengers count as loose "items" too.

There is so much in child safety in cars to learn. I highly recommend getting your car checked by a tech and can't stress enough that you read your vehicle manuals and car seat manuals!
post #20 of 40
10/5/07 at 7:06am
We have an 8 passenger mini-van so reasonably I could put Aldrea in the middle (3 seatbelts in the middle row) but DH and I decided she'll go behind the passenger seat.

For several reasons

1) James HAS to have a toy in the car and I'd rather it not be pitched at Aldrea's face : like a PP said, gotta protect Baby from the Toddler Monster!

2) I want to be able to crawl in back and sit between them if one needs comforted

3) It's easier to get Aldrea in and out if she is right by the door (otherwise I'd have to crawl halfway into the van) since I will also be wrangeling a toddler in parking lots and what not

4) I need to be able to hand James things/see him while I'm riding

5) Our passenger side rear door opens by remote/push button so Aldrea will go on that side so I don't have to fumble with holding her, holding James hand, my purse/diaper bag/etc and try to open a door. Plop her in the seat, walk around buckle James in, walk back around, buckle Aldrea in. Remote close door, get in drivers side *yes I'm exhausted just THINKING about it*
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