two RF seats in 7 passenger Sienna?

mommyfied · Apr 14, 2010

I tried searching, but couldn't find anything about this.

We will have 3 kids soon. A 3.5 yo, 17 mo, and newborn.

We are going to put our 3.5 yo DD in the back seat in her Nautilus since she can climb in and buckle/unbuckle herself.

We only have the two captain's chairs in the 2nd row, so with 2 rear facing seats, both doors will be blocked.

I can't see myself climbing into the van and trying to buckle my 17 mo old in the back seat, but I also don't want to turn her around to FF yet.

Both RF seats will probably be Boulevards. I have a Snugride but I think we may just skip that because my kids grow out of it so quickly.

Any ideas??

aeormsby · Apr 14, 2010

Does your passenger seat slide to the middle? If so I'd put both RF in the 2nd row, and the FF passenger side or center in the 3rd row. Or remove one of the 2nd row seats and put 1 RF 2nd row, with the other RF seat behind it and the FF seat in the 3rd row behind the removed seat.

spokaneCPST · Apr 14, 2010

What year is your van? As long as its not the brand new 2011, the passenger side seat in the center row should be able to be moved to the middle, right next to the driver's side seat. We had 2 rear-facing seats set up that way for awhile, and my teenager and pre-teen could climb in the passenger side door with lots of room.

Be aware that the Boulevard probably will not work for a newborn, as the bottom harness slots are usually too high. I would plan to use the Snugride for a few months, until baby's shoulders are at the bottom harness position.

Congrats on the coming new addition!

DahliaRW · Apr 15, 2010

I did what the PPs mentioned in my '09 Sienna. Moved the passenger side seat to the middle and have my rfing seats there, and my 4yo in the back seat.

Jennifer mom to my 7 · Apr 15, 2010

I just want to reiterate about the boulevard not fitting a newborn.

http://car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=1041542&postcount=22

Here is a post where I put pics of my ds at 2 weeks old in the boulevard, and his keyfit that he come home from the hospital in on the second slot already. And sitting in the decathlon.

karlatta · Apr 15, 2010

You can do the pushing the seats together thing, but I found that cumbersome. It was still sometimes difficult to reach into the 3rd row to buckle/unbuckle my child. Especially if he fell asleep or something and had to be carried out of the car.

I find that I prefer removing one of my captain's chairs entirely and installing 2 seats in the 3rd row and one in the 2nd. In your case, I would put the two oldest in the back, FF child on the passenger side, RF child on the driver's side. And then put the baby RF in the 2nd row captain's chair. You'll have plenty of room to move around in the vehicle to get everyone in place, and having the chair gone means you have a convenient place for changing diapers.

And yeah, the Boulevard will likely not fit a newborn. I just went and put my 4 week old in my Marathon to see how the fit was, and he's just now almost big enough to use the bottom slot. And he has a really long torso.

MANDY1234 · Apr 15, 2010

3 rear facers

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=123059

I have 3 RF in my 7 passenger Sienna, I crawl in door w/ all the kids and then walk the 16 month old to the rear (well not currently as I am 37 weeks preganant lol) To get the kids in the rear unbuckled I go through the trunk

The 16 month old is taken out of the car through the truck is she is sleeping.

I have a FF in what looks like an empty seat in the picture...that is why I havn't moved that chair or taken it out.

mommyfied · Apr 15, 2010

Thanks for all the ideas. We actually have a 2011 so we can't move a seat to the center, but it would be perfect if we could. I think the new feature for the 2011 is being able to slide it forward and back. I'm not familiar with any other vans, so I don't know!

I was hoping there was something I hadn't thought of. We did try using less recline on her Boulevard but that only gives us a few extra inches... still not enough space to get in and out.

I'm still open on whether or not we'll use the Boulevard or the Snugride. I will be having a home birth so it's not like we'll be having to transport him anywhere for a while. If he doesn't fit into it right away, we can use the Snugride, but as fast as the girls grew I'm guessing it won't take long to fit into it. (Both DH and I have long torsos so the kids do as well.)

Thanks for the pic, brookelynn. It might actually be feasible to put the baby in the back seat and just take him in and out there. Even if we have to use the Snugride I won't be taking the bucket in and out anyway.

mom2acrew · Apr 16, 2010

What about flipping the pass 2nd row seat down and putting one older rf child 3rd row with the FF child?

As far as a newborn being below the bottom slots the manufactures I have spoken with say the child weighs so little it is insignificant how much they may or may not slide up in a crash. :twocents: For your ease though I'd use an an infant seat that would buy you a few months with the 3rd being easier to access as well.

two RF seats in 7 passenger Sienna?

mommyfied

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aeormsby

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spokaneCPST

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DahliaRW

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Jennifer mom to my 7

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