What do you suggest?

My van was stolen with my car seats. So for now, until we can either recover the van or get a new one, I have to figure something out for my moms van. We had gotten new seats for her van, but ended up returning them because we could not for the life of us get a good install. Never got around to replacing them.

So here's the problem...

I have 3 kids.

David (7, 79 lbs, 4'10"... yes I know he's super tall for age) can not be boostered in her van because he does not fit in a HBB that I have any money for and there are no head rests.

Melanie (4, 37 lbs as of last week, not sure on height and shes sleeping so I can't harrass her to find out that or her torso height) She needs a FF seat.

Joey (19 months, varies between 26-33 lbs due to steroids) He rides RF in my van but... this is where we hit a pickle...

First pickle... my mom has a van however only the very back seat is available for seat installation. The middle seat was removed for my sisters wheelchair. (while she will never be in the van when me and the kids are, she can't get her chair into the van if Joey's seat is RFing.

Second pickle... It is HARD AS HECK to get a good install in her van! I don't trust my installation in that van at all.

Third pickle... I have to fit the 2 car seats next to one another so that David will have a shoulder belt.

And finally... I do not have a lot of money, need seats to get us by until i can get new ones and need them ASAP.

I thought about playing the whole install, uninstall game to keep Joey RF. But honestly... I don't think I can guarantee a good install each time (in fact I almost know I can't). And it seems to me that as much as RFing is TOTALLY safer than FF, if I can't gaurantee a good install each time then FF would be a better diea since I can have the seats installed and leave them installed. Unless you have another suggestion.

So... I was thinking get 2 seats, one for each of the younger 2 kids. Temporarily turn the youngest FF and pay to have the seats installed properly. While this is not ideal... constantly having to play car seat shuffle in a car that I can't get a good install in is more dangerous, right? And in the meantime find a new vehicle for us, or recover our van.

Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions on 2 seats that puzzle well together AND leave room for the oldest to sit on one side?

just to clarify, you are planning to put the 7 y o in just a seat belt with no headrest? i would not be comfortable with that. i'm just others will chime in with possible solutions...my CR expertise lies in the small children area...

A 4'10" child may pass the 5-step test. I would still prefer to see a 7yo boostered because of the hip bone issues, but if the child passes, I don't think seatbelt-only is grave misuse.

You shouldn't have to pay to have your seats installed. I don't know what area you are in, but I would try to find a good tech that will (for free) teach you how to install them so you don't have to worry about not knowing how.

for low cost options I would probably get the baby a scenera that way if there is any way possible you could rear face him, also an Evenflo Maestro would probably be a good option for your DD since it harnesses to 50lbs. I would hate to put her in a 40lb weight limit seat and have her suddenly gain weight (I don't know about yours, but mine usually gain in 2-3 lb spurts).

I am so sorry about your van being stolen, that is just awful! Good luck on figuring out the seat situation!

What is the year/make model of your mom's van?

My initial thought is a Maestro for your middle and a Scenera for your youngest, but without knowing the van I don't feel comfortable saying it will definitely work.

This is an odd suggestion, but for your 19 month old -- would he still fit in an infant seat by height? I'm thinking something with a 35RF limit (the Onboard 35 is the only one I can think of, but I'm not that up on infant seats,) where you could leave the base installed at all times but just take the bucket in and out as he rides in there.

It wouldn't be ideal and I wouldn't typically suggest it, but if it's a short-term solution and you can afford it, or maybe borrow from a friend, it may work. (You could probably sell the seat when you get a more permanant solution for a good price.) That way you could keep him RFing?

Maestro sounds like a good solution for your 4yo. You could keep using it after you get your seat situation straightened out, too. Would a Cosco High Rise be an option for your 7yo, help the hip issue without getting him too high for the headrest issue? They're like fifteen dollars at WalMart. If they boost him up too high, though, and the belt fits fine without then it's one less expense, given the circumstance.

I'm sorry to hear about your van. I would be wrecked if my van & seats disappeared.

We just moved David out of a booster in our now gone van, because the seatbelt fit better without it. He does pass the 5 step... and has for a while, but I wanted him in a booster as long as I could keep him in one. I'm HOPING that if we have to get a new vehicle, we can get one that he will fit better in a booster. In my moms van, a booster is not an option because the HBB that i can afford are not tall enough for him, and a LBB with no headrest is just plain more dangerous.

This is only a temp solution until we either recover our van or get a new one, which we are working on. Not going anywhere is not an option, my son has crucial appointments that can not be missed, rescheduled, or delayed without risking him relapsing and frankly a relapse would be more life threatening than putting him in a car seat different that I normally would for a few days/weeks. Once we get our own vehicle again, you can bet my youngest will be rear facing again... for a VERY long time.

All car seats and arrangements at this time are very short term. I am working on replacing seats with more permanent seats within the next 2 months, and replacing my van as soon as humanly possible. My husband is asking about using a company vehicle (2010 Kia Sedona) in the meantime (and his company has told us anything they can do to make sure the baby gets his treatments, they will do what they can).

But I need something for tomorrow morning, no exceptions, and for Friday.

Please know I know the benefits of ERF, harnessing and boostering and I normally have them in proper seats, properly installed, and facing whatever direction is safest for them (my 4 yr old turned FF just last year when she hit 35 lbs). Typically the 19 month old is RF'ing in a EFTA, the 4 yr old is FF in a GN, and the 7 yr old (soon to be 8) JUST moved out of his booster when the seat belt no longer fit better with it. he does use a booster in other cars that he can still fit better in a booster.

That being said... my mom drives a '94 chevy astro. The middle bench has been removed for my sisters wheelchair, however, no matter how they put the seat in, and no matter where a rear facing seat is, the wheelchair hits it (and its a big powerful chair).

Carrie_R said:

This is an odd suggestion, but for your 19 month old -- would he still fit in an infant seat by height? I'm thinking something with a 35RF limit (the Onboard 35 is the only one I can think of, but I'm not that up on infant seats,) where you could leave the base installed at all times but just take the bucket in and out as he rides in there.

It wouldn't be ideal and I wouldn't typically suggest it, but if it's a short-term solution and you can afford it, or maybe borrow from a friend, it may work. (You could probably sell the seat when you get a more permanant solution for a good price.) That way you could keep him RFing?

Maestro sounds like a good solution for your 4yo. You could keep using it after you get your seat situation straightened out, too. Would a Cosco High Rise be an option for your 7yo, help the hip issue without getting him too high for the headrest issue? They're like fifteen dollars at WalMart. If they boost him up too high, though, and the belt fits fine without then it's one less expense, given the circumstance.

I'm sorry to hear about your van. I would be wrecked if my van & seats disappeared.

Click to expand...

we've already considered an infant carrier as a possibility... but he is just too tall. I HATE the idea of him even sitting in a FF seat... much less riding in one.

If it wasn't for the appointments I already mentioned, I wouldn't be so devastated. But I am not willing to transfer my sons care to the local hospital which could provide transportation because of how many issues we had with them. So we have to come up with something FAST, that will work short term

Do you have a kmart or sears close? I would get the baby an avenue. It will last longer then the scerena. And once you have your own van it will last longer rf.

I would get the Meatro for the 4 year old which is also at sears.

Thank you, everyone. Sending my mom to get seats this afternoon. Already working on replacing my van, and think I may have found one possibility.

Also asking my MIL if we can borrow her car for appts this week so that I can just put a seat in RF and ease my own mind.