[Phoenix~Mama]

Okay, first time Mom and I need some fears put to rest. lol I figured this may be the best place to put this as it is a safety fear?

We have the baby seat in the middle using the latch system on the car, as we were instructed that is the safest place for it to be.

My DSD's booster is right next to the baby seat then... it seems squashed to me. Will DSD be okay?

Also, for those of you with more than one... how did your older LO's do sitting next to their newborn sibling? I'm really worried about DSD bothering the baby since she is sooo close... but I don't see any alternatives with the baby seat needing to be in the middle!

So... um, feedback please? Thank you so much!!

 

[BeckC]

Congratulations on your upcoming babe.

Before I answer your questions, let me give you some general car seat info.

Have you researched ERF (extended rear facing)? The law says that a child can turn forward facing at 1 year and 20 lbs but it is much much safer to keep a child RF to the limits of a convertible seat (most go to 35 lbs now). If you haven't looked into it please just spend 10-15 minutes researching it and come back and ask any questions you have. Also, before your baby is born take your car to a Safekids certified CPST to have your seats inspected. You can find a tech near you with this link.

Carseats are fine next to each other as long as they are independently tight. In other words you can't put 3 across in the back of a car and have the side seats be the only thing keeping the middle seat tight. I hope that makes sense.

First of all you said that the seat is installed in the middle with latch. Most vehicles do not have dedicated latch anchors in the middle and most manufacturers do not allow you to borrow outboard tether anchors. Check your car seat and vehicle manuals.

Secondly, you're right that the middle seat is the safest. The general rule is to put the least protected child in the most protected spot. Some people would argue that because a newborn is so fragile that they should be in the most protected spot. Others would argue that a child in a booster seat is least protected in a side impact crash so they should be in the middle. That's a choice that you have to decide. Either way proper use of a carseat drastically increases your child's safety in an accident.

ETA: I just noticed from your siggie that your DSD is 4 years old. Most booster seats are legal to use from 4 years old and 40 lbs (and some younger than that) but most 4 year olds are not ready to sit in a booster seat. I would also look up the benefits of harnessing for a couple more years.

I'll see if I can dig up some links for you. I have to head out so it may take me a couple of hours but I'll get back to you.

 

[Anastasiya]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeckC First of all you said that the seat is installed in the middle with latch. Most vehicles do not have dedicated latch anchors in the middle and most manufacturers do not allow you to borrow outboard tether anchors. Check your car seat and vehicle manuals.

I was going to say this too - most cars don't have LATCH in the middle, and most don't allow using one anchor from each side.

Quote:

Secondly, you're right that the middle seat is the safest. The general rule is to put the least protected child in the most protected spot. Some people would argue that because a newborn is so fragile that they should be in the most protected spot. Others would argue that a child in a booster seat is least protected in a side impact crash so they should be in the middle.

Was gonna say that too!

RFacing automatically makes one a lot safer, whereas FFacing lessens one's safety and increases vulnerability. Personally, I'd put the 4 year old in the middle, and the baby outboard.

The kind of booster you are using (if I were you I'd harness her longer as well!) would certainly help ME decide what to do - if it's backless, then I'd say for sure DSD should be in the center, because the baby will have the whole carseat shell protecting her, but DSD will have nothing. Her head could crash into the window/door during a collision.

Just something to think about.

 

[Attached Mama]

I would just not put 3 kids across in a backseat -ever!! Our friends had 2 kids on the end in carseats - noone in the middle. They were in a bad accident. The 2 seat smashed together in the middle. Everyone was fine. Had there been no room for the seats to move, had their been a child in the middle, someone would have died. Carseats properly installed have a *lot* of leway so far as wiggle room. Putting 3 across wedges them all in with no room for the seat to move in the side of the car is smashed in.

 

[bobandjess99]

you've already gotten GREAT information!!!! To emphasize..
You do not "have" to put any certain child in the middle. When a parent has only 1 child, and can get a good install in the center, yes, we of course recommend putting a baby in the center. The rear center is the safest position in the car. However....when transporting 2+ children, someone always has to go on an outside.
As was explained, chances are your vehicle won't let you use LATCh in the center, so check that. the most important thing is a good install, so if you can't use LATCH, use the seatbelt and see if the fit is good..that will help you make your decision as to who to put in the middle. I know that in nmy car, BOTH of my kids have to go on the sides, because their seats will not fit next to each other with 1 seat in the middle (they are both pretty big, wide seats)
Does this dsd ride with you often/live with you? that too might help you make your decision.
As has been said..a booster for a 4 year old is am legal option in most places, but not a preferred or very safe option in most cases...can you buy the dsd a harnessed seat?
That is really going to be the number one thing you can do to make sure both kids are as safe as possible..because, for example, if your dsd isn't sitting properly in her booster, or it fails to restrain her, not only could she be injured, but she would then become a projectile that could hit your infant...
again, it has been discussed that most techs use the philosophy of "least protected person in the most protected position"..which, in this case, most would argue that your older child, if you keep her in a booster, is WAY less protected, and should therefore get the "better placement in the center.
I hope you have learned from this thread..n please fill in any more information and ask any furthr questions you may have..including the exact carseats you have, and the stats of your child (height, weight, etc) and the vehicle. that will help us help you decide what is best.

 

[azmomtoone]

the no latch in the center is dependent on the car; my DH's and my mom's car both have latch in the middle (and a third top tether anchor in the middle). The cars are a Neon and a Malibu. (my car's newer and doesn't have a center LATCH or top tether). If there's a third set of LATCH hooks it's definitely allowed; if not you have to check the manual because it depends on how the bar behind the seat it (and I think the distance between the anchors)...

Quote:

Have you researched ERF (extended rear facing)? The law says that a child can turn forward facing at 1 year and 20 lbs but it is much much safer to keep a child RF to the limits of a convertible seat (most go to 35 lbs now). If you haven't looked into it please just spend 10-15 minutes researching it and come back and ask any questions you have

DEFINITELY spend a few minutes; if nothing else do a quick search on you tube about the benefits of rearfacing.

 

[TCMoulton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attached Mama I would just not put 3 kids across in a backseat -ever!!

Many parents have no choice but to put 3 carseats in the backseat of their car.

 

[alysmommy2004]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCMoulton Many parents have no choice but to put 3 carseats in the backseat of their car.

: I've actually heard a tech say that there may be some evidence that the seats installed next to each other might actually be safer. You still want individual tight installs, but if they're all next to each other they won't move as much.

 

[an_aurora]

Definitely check to see if you can use LATCH in the center. It will be in your vehicle manual

If you have a lap/shoulder belt and a headrest in the center seat, it would be optimal to have the baby outboard and the 4 year old in the center seat. Like others have mentioned a harnessed seat would be ideal for her as well.

 

[an_aurora]

Quote:

Originally Posted by azmomtoone If there's a third set of LATCH hooks it's definitely allowed; if not you have to check the manual because it depends on how the bar behind the seat it (and I think the distance between the anchors)...

Not necessarily. You always need to check the manual

Some cars have staggered sets of anchors, and some don't.

 

[User101]

I'm not a car seat tech, so all I have to add is something from a practical point of view-- if you have a kid in a booster next to a kid in a seat that's belted in, be super careful to always check and make sure the boostered child didn't accidentally unbelt the car seat. This happened to us once. I have no idea how long the car seat wasn't secured, and I'm so thankful nothing bad happened.

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

Thanks for all the responses!

I have a 2005 Hyndai Sonota... My DH found the latch things okay, and when I bought the car the sales guy said we could use the latch system in any of the seats... but I will need to make a note to check the manual in the morning.

I have been in conversation with the state police who do child seat checks here and am waiting for a call back to set up an appointment for the trooper to check... I work right across the street from the state police, so I figured that would be best.

DSD's seat does have a back and head rest and the belt does fit across her really well. She has always done well in the seat. I am not positive on the exact make of it as DH bought it.

We only have DSD every other weekend, a total of 4 days a month.

So not very often, but I wanted to check into this anyway.

We already have an extended rear facing seat for when DD graduates from her newborn seat too. A Britax something or other... I'm awful with all the names.

Oh! Wanted to add there is no way for DSD to unbuckle the belt for the baby seat as the belts all latch on the opposite side. DSD wouldn't be able to reach the belt to undo it... and I really can't imagine her unbuckling the baby's harness... though I will now make a mental note to go over that point when they first ride together.

 

[an_aurora]

No, you can't use center LATCH in Hyundai cars.

Why don't you put the 4 year old in the Britax seat until baby gets it? It would be much safer really.

After baby needs the Britax (when she outgrows the bucket, probably around 4-6 months), put your DSD back in the booster and if you can, put her in the middle. She will be much more protected. Either way, baby RF'ing should go outboard and the older FF'ing child should go in the center, if the seats fit.

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

The 4 y/o doesn't fit in the Britax anymore. lol

So what latch things are we using if we can't use the center? hmm... Really need to remember to get the manual out of the car in the morning.

 

[an_aurora]

You are just borrowing the side LATCHes.

Are you sure the 4 year old doesn't fit? Is she exceptionally tall?

 

[bobandjess99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by an_aurora You are just borrowing the side LATCHes. Are you sure the 4 year old doesn't fit? Is she exceptionally tall?

ya, that.
The only way I can imagine not fitting in a britax convertible is if ti is a roundabout(the 40 lb britax seat), or else a gigantic 4 year old. If you do have a roundabout..you should take it back, as it only lasts as long Rfing as most infant seats - the shell is really short. Take it back for a 65 pound harnessing model (blvd or marathon). unless it isn't new....in which case I guess it'll do for a while, but you'll still need to get another seat to both rear face and forward face harnessed longer. Also..never buy seats too far ahead of time, since they expire....you don't want to lose a year out of your 6 years, you know? the expiration is from date of manufacter, NOT when you start using it. And as has been said, hyundai does not allow you to use LATCH in the center, so you MUST reinstall with seat belt to use the center. Or else put baby on the side with LATCH.

 

[an_aurora]

True, I didn't think about it being a Roundabout

.

 

[Phoenix~Mama]

Okay... went out in the cold and got the car manual.

There is the top latch system that can be used in each of the the three seats... however the ISOFIX anchors are only on the outside seats... it appears DH attached the seat to two of those... so that needs to be fixed.

And DSD is pretty tall. She meets all the law requirments for the booster in my state, so we are okay with that.

 

[an_aurora]

She might meet the law, but harnessing is always safer. If nothing else, put her in the middle, providing there is a headrest and a lap/shoulder belt.

 

[BeckC]

The anchor/tether situation you have in your car is pretty common. It would be a lot easier if every tether anchor point also had lower anchors, but who wants to make things easy on parents?

Tethers should always be used if they're available regardless of how the seat is installed. Lower anchors and seatbelt are equally safe provided a good install with both. Also keep in mind that although Hyundai doesn't state a weight limit for the lower anchors, some seats will. Or they'll defer to the car manufacturer who will defer back to the car seat manufacturer, which generally means you're good to 40 or 48 lbs depending on the tech you talk to.

I understand that your DSD is legally able to be in her booster seat. I'm glad you take the law seriously. I hope you're not feeling ganged up on, but there is a very good reason that we're encouraging harnessing.. A harnessed seat is much safer for a child your DSD's age. Here are some links showing what we mean.

Reasons for extended harnessing

Front Impact - Harness vs. Front Impact crash - Booster

Side Impact - Harness vs. Side Impact - Booster

Also someone brought up getting a different convertible seat. It's really not a bad idea. Britax is a great brand and the Roundabout is a fine seat, it's just not a very good deal money wise. You'll end up having to buy another convertible to keep the child rear facing after he/she grows out of it height wise, and then it won't last very long forward facing either. If budget is an issue (who doesn't have that as an issue these days, I know I do) I would recommend seats like the Evenflo Triumph Advance (RF to 35 lbs and FF to 50 lbs and has a tall shell) or The First Years True Fit (RF to 35 lbs and FF to 65 lbs and also has a very tall shell and some extra nice features). Both are under $200.