STMs-Car Seat Arrangements

[veggiemo]

Currently, DS (2.5) is still rear facing on the passenger side of our Honda Pilot. I was just going to put the new baby in the vacant seat on the driver's side, but then I got to thinking. Is it easier to have the infant diagonal from you and the older kid behind you? I'm just not sure about configuration and maybe it's totally a matter of preference but for second/third, etc. time moms...what have you got going on, or plan to have going on?

Also, our second car is a 2-door coupe, and DS is forward facing the middle back seat of that car. Anyone planning on shoving 2 kids into a 2-door coupe? It's not ideal, but DH and I trade pick-ups and drop offs depending on the day and so the kids will need to eventually both be in the coupe for short rides. Is it doable or do I need to suck it up and get a new car? TIA.

[junch817]

Our 3 year old is FF on the passenger side. We are planning on moving her over to behind the driver and putting baby RF behind passenger. The infant car seat takes up more room and makes the seat in front have to be a little further up. I'd rather jam the passenger up front than the driver. It's more important to have the driver be comfortable IMO.

[nettje]

We're doing the same as junch817. The bucket seat takes up more room and when DH is driving, he needs his seat further back. We also have a mirror (which I've read is a no no but I think we'll use it as it secures really well to the headrest) and then I can see LO if there is an issue.

[dmoney]

My sister has 3 (and a mini van) She has my Nephew who is 2.5 in the middle row and then the twins in back row... I dont personally agree with this configurations as I think my Nephew should be in the back and the twins in the middle but not my kids. Just wanted to give you ideas as to what I have scene!

[bendherova]

DS1 is FF on the driver's side. He has to be there or his seat blocks too much of the rear window. Tall kid problems.


DS2 will go on the passenger side as a result.

[honeybunches101]

I have been going back and forth on this too! We will be parking on the street a lot and I think it would be easier to strap the 3yo in while I stand on the sidewalk as then quickly clip in the infant seat before I get in the car. Another benefit to having the older one behind the passenger is that I can more easily hand snacks or toys or whatever back to him. He has always been in the middle though, so I don't how how well an infant seat will fit behind the driver seat. If I am pushed up too far to drive comfortably, we'll have to put DS behind the diver and the baby behind the passenger.

[lalamomma]

I have an Armada so I have plenty of room for car seats. DD is currently FF on drivers side but I am switching her to the passenger side. I can reach her either place so thats not an issue, but I'd rather have the infant seat there. DH is getting a new car so we need to see how carseats will fit in there but I don't foresee a problem for the rare occasions he needs to have them in his car.

[Girlymama79]

I have a Yukon. My six year old sits in the back, alone and she feels very important back there. My four year old sits in the middle row behind the driver and this LO will sit in the middle of the middle row, because the passenger side middle row is the seat that moves forward by itself. I really wish I can captain seats!

[billyhorrible]

Right now LBB is forward facing in both of our cars in the middle, since that's still the safest seat back there.

When the new one comes, LBB will move behind the driver and the baby will go behind the passenger seat. The passenger side of the car is the most dangerous side, both the front and back, so I like the added protection of rear-facing there as opposed to forward facing.

As for the coupe issue- DH drives a 2-door M3 and won't be getting rid of it any time soon. We purposely chose our car seats based on recommendations from BMW boards dealing with car seats so I'm not concerned about them fitting.

[alayne926]

DS is FF on the passenger side and LO will be behind the driver seat in my car.

In DH's car, it will have to be opposite so there's enough room for the infant seat.

[Deleted]

We have captains chairs in our second row, so no middle seat. Baby will be behind me, because then I don't have to walk around to the other side of the car to get him out. DS will be on the passenger side so he doesn't have to climb over the baby to get out of the car at soccer practice or car pool line at schoo.

[Widget123]

Apr 21, 2015 13:47:57 GMT -5 billyhorrible said:

Right now LBB is forward facing in both of our cars in the middle, since that's still the safest seat back there.

When the new one comes, LBB will move behind the driver and the baby will go behind the passenger seat. The passenger side of the car is the most dangerous side, both the front and back, so I like the added protection of rear-facing there as opposed to forward facing.

As for the coupe issue- DH drives a 2-door M3 and won't be getting rid of it any time soon. We purposely chose our car seats based on recommendations from BMW boards dealing with car seats so I'm not concerned about them fitting.

I agree with billyhorrible that the middle seat is the safest.  DD is currently rear facing in the middle in 2 of our cars and on the passenger side on DH's 2 door coupe.  I am planning on moving DD to the passenger side the 2 regular cars and putting baby in the middle.  I have always sat in the back passenger side seat next to DD while DH was driving, so I might end up sitting in the driver's side after the baby is born on some occasions if it is the 4 of us in the car, but I'm totally dreading that because DH reclines his seat too far back and I don't like to be squished. 

For the 2 door coupe, DH says he is going to start forward facing DD on the driver's side and then rear face the baby on the passenger side and that is the only way all 3 of them would fit in the car.  But I don't think all 3 of them are going to be riding in the coupe together anytime soon as the only time DH uses it is to drive to work and this LO will probably start daycare at a different facility and DH and I plan on splitting up daycare duties between the kids. 

[megeliz1]

We have one year old DD RFing on the driver side. We plan on switching baby to the drivers side and DD to passenger side I think. I don't know that it makes a huge difference for us though. Just more for ease of reach to get things to DD RFing (snacks, toys).

The safest place for a car seat is wherever you get the best install, not necessarily just the middle. Outboard installs are perfectly fine as long as the seat installs correctly and that maybe the only way to do so with two, depending on the seats you have and the size of the car.

[veggiemo]

Wow, all great responses so far. And it seriously just made my decision harder because there are now many more things I hadn't considered! Ugh. Ok, gotta think this one through a bit more! Thanks everyone!

[sonuptosondown]

I just rearranged to get ready for this. I have two already and a Honda Odyssey. Normally they are both in boosters- one drivers side and one passenger side. But we actually took the middle seat out of the middle row and moved my biggest kid to the back (7 y/o). The 5 y/o will be on the passenger side in the booster and the infant seat will go on the driver side. Reasoning. 7yo can walk right through the middle to the back and buckle himself. 5yo can climb in and buckle himself too. When I get in baby can go in the car as I'm getting in on the driver's side. Our car has plenty of space between the drivers seat and the middle seat and also DH and I aren't particularly tall so for us it's the most convenient option.

[tiffbot]

We just bought a mini van, and we have DS forward facing in a convertible behind the driver seat because for my pregnant self it's easiest to hoist him up right by the door, rather than reaching in as the middle row is a bench with 2 seats off to the driver side, so I figure the infant seat will be easier to reach in and clip in than having to get right in to buckle DS in, if that makes any sense. It does in my head lol.

[silv3rlining]

I hadn't given it much thought other than DS has been RF behind passenger seat (he was in the Prius and still is in the Sienna) and planned to keep him there and put LO behind driver.