fitting 2 carseats in backseat

Karen Kite

New member
I need suggestions. I have my 2 1/2 yo rear facing in a Fisher Price safe embrace (which is really wide, but is supposed to be a really safe seat, acc. to Consumer reports) in the middle of the backseat. Now our new baby is due in 2 months. I wanted to get the Husky by Britax bc I want my 2 1/2 yo to be in a 5 point harness. He is 35 lbs now, so he will quickly outgrow all the other 5 point harnesses for boosters and have to use the shoulder belt which I do not think he is nearly ready for.
I have considered the Marathon also, it goes to 65 lbs forward facing, doesn't it?
My problem is the backseat is too small (Honda accord 1995 stationwagon) to have the husky( and probably the marathon) and the Safe embrace side by side, so they will both have to go on the outer backseats and no one will be in the middle. I feel so weird about putting an infant on the outside, instead of the middle.
Any suggestions on seats or positions??
 
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
It *can* be a little unnerving to go from the center to the outboard, but the truth is that all seats in the back ARE really very safe, especially for children harnessed properly in 5 pt seats. Both the Husky and Marathon are very nice seats...just a few things to consider...the Husky can't be taken on an airplane, so if you do air travel, the Marathon's a better choice. Also, if you go with the MA, you might be able to squeeze the ocassional third person in the back seat if you ever need to...with the Husky, you probably won't be able to do that (it's HUGE). If you can really just plunk the Husky there and not have to take it out almost ever or fit a third person in the back, then it's a great seat. if you need a little more flexibility, the Marathon's the way to go (it will likely be outgrown before 65 pounds, but the listed height is 49" and many 6 year olds fit nicely in it....at which point a booster seat is a fine option. Here's a picture of a very tall 5 yo in the Marathon http://pages.ivillage.com/momika/carseatphotos/id24.html ). I have one of each in a sedan, and we really like both seats very much, they are definitely worth every penny :)
Oh, one more thought about putting one kid on each side of the car: the baby won't be in any "danger" from a "helpful" older sibling....little kids can sometimes tend to poke and prod new babies in ways that you don't want them to when you can't supervise ;)
good luck!
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Actually, I think the Marathon *may* fit in the back of the Accord next to a rear facin convertible seat. My friend has a '95 Accord sedan, which has a slightly larger back seat than my Saturn wagon, and I can put the Marathon next tow other seats in my car.
 

Karen Kite

New member
I tried the Marathon next to the Safe Embrace today and it DOES fit!!!!!! However, the Marathon will be right up against the door, no space at all when the door closes. How safe is this in a side impact? And would it be safer if it were not so squooshed (sp?) up against the other carseat and the door?? I am thinking if it were not so tight, it may be over away from the door a tiny bit more and may be able to move more in case of a side impact. Ideas?
 

bazanna

Senior Community Member
i have had those same thoughts and questions about putting two close together like that. i hope to see some more opinions and answers.......i think statisically speaking, it's an unknown at this time because we are only just recently really starting to consider stuff like this. then again, if there were any glaring cases, you'd think they would have been recorded someplace and we would read about them in tech literature....and i've never seen anything....actually it's the contrary. the advice has always been that if you can fit two side by side and the kids don't kill each other, it's better to still have at least one in the center instead of two outboard.

ok that was too long LOL what i really wanted to point out was WATCH THE BABY'S HANDS when you close the door! :) i had that problem with my ds' britax advantage when he was still rearfacing and i banged his little hand toooo many times, poor baby :(:(:( the advantage doesn't have this problem when it's forward facing now, though. i don't know about the marathon...it should be similar but it's a bigger seat in the same shape so things could be off kilter just enough that you will have to watch it both ways.

oh....and if you are visiting relatives and they accompany you to the car and put a kid in the carseat...they won't know about the smashing of hands possibility...so you'll have to watch that too...BTDT, unfortunately.
 

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