Four RFers

Does anyone have four RFers in a van?


I don't yet, obviously, but DH was asking me what my plan was because we're about to car seat shuffle for our three and he doesn't want to buy something new now only to replace it when #4 comes along (we're TTC this summer).

Right now I have three across.

DD I know will stay in the Multi Tech because that's the only place she fits. I was thinking of getting either a Two Way Elite or second Multi Tech for DS1, then putting DS2 in a True Fit Premier, baby in the Keyfit eventually.

But I don't know.

I don't, but I have a friend that does. I think she has an Oddessy van, and has a nb, 1, 2, 4 yo kids all rearfacing. She has a RN/MA/RN in the third row and a RN in the drivers passenger side captains chair.

I don't have my van any more, but when I did, it was a GMC Safari (huge, wide seats) with two bench seats. The third row was centered in the back, and the second row was the same width but slightly off-center (set towards the driver's side) so that you accessed the third row by scooting between the seats on the driver's side. IIRC, my third row was (driver to pass) RF TrueFit (32lb almost-4yo,) RF Radian (39lb just-turned-3yo,) Graco Airbooster (6yo.) My second row was Nautilus (not-quite-5yo,) MyRide (24lb 1yo) and SR22 (18lb 21mo... and yes, she still fit by height, Scenera (same kid) or Pronto (8yo.)

I had a loading procedure, essentially, kid in TF then kids in Radian/Nautilus would climb in. (Nauti kid would carefully step one foot in the MR to get over.) I would help MR & Scenera children in, then stand in front of the Airbooster to buckle the TF & RN kids. (They were old enough to put their arms in themselves.) I would move out of the way and the AB kid would climb in and buckle up while I buckled the MR child and checked the Nautilus child, and then I would check the AB child. Either I would buckle the Scenera child when I buckled the MR child, or the Pronto child would buckle and load while I checked the AB child, and then get checked.

Whew!

Until I turned my now-4yo, I would sometimes have five (!) RFers in my Pilot. (I got the Pilot after I crashed the Safari in Feb of '10.) I had a 3-across that was usually Radian (44lb not-quite-4yo,) MyRide (33lb not-quite-2yo,) and Avenue (33lb not-quite-5yo.) Then the second row would be Scenera (24lb 2.5yo) and SR35 (infant.) Whew! The 4yo has turned, so my third row is now RN/CCO/FFer, and the second row is booster/MR/SR35. I turned the 5yo when I turned the 4yo, but she wanted to RF again, lol.

Again, for me (with or without all of the RFers,) it's all about developing a loading procedure that works. It's a lot of trial and error for me. Over Spring Break, I only had two RFers, and wanted to change up my third row. We tried a totally new setup one day and it was a DISASTER. I had a 10yo and he had such a hard time getting out of his spot that he ended up sitting in a backwards MR trying to get out of the car, lol!!

So, load from the center, put the most self-sufficient kids in the hardest-to-reach spots, and choose easy-to-operate seats. Realize that you're going to have to climb, it's just part of life with a bunch of kids. I crouch up in my Pilot's tailgate daily. No skirts for me...

What van do you drive? General suggestion would be two and two, on the same side of the van (so pass/center or driver/center, both rows,) or load the third row kids through the hatch. Or, do your three youngest three-across the second row, and teach your oldest how to flip over the second row seat and buckle herself. Then you will just have to check her (via the hatch, I guess.)

It's do-able, just not the world's easiest thing.

Carrie_R said:

What van do you drive? General suggestion would be two and two, on the same side of the van (so pass/center or driver/center, both rows,) or load the third row kids through the hatch. Or, do your three youngest three-across the second row, and teach your oldest how to flip over the second row seat and buckle herself. Then you will just have to check her (via the hatch, I guess.)

It's do-able, just not the world's easiest thing.

Click to expand...

2006 Odyssey.
My oldest is only 2.5 so I don't think she'll be able to buckle herself for a while (the Multi Tech has a puzzle buckle).
Great advice though, thank you.

Okay, knowing your vehicle, I'd start thinking Radians...

for now, I'd put the older two in the back row and leave a 2nd row seat empty... I'd keep Jack in the 2nd row as he's so young.

By the time a baby comes, Jack will be older (at least 1yr) and I'd have him and Liam use those in the third row... put baby in the KF30 or TF, and leave Reagan in her MT in the 2nd row.

when Reagan does go ff, that's when she and Liam can switch seats... she in the Radian, him in the MT... and see if that or the TF will fit between the radians... if not, I'd consider a third Radian if you plan to have a fifth or even 6th kid.

Basically, I find it easier to try to have 3 across once someone is ff, and loading through the hatch just makes life with rearfacing kids so much easier.

I hate Radians lol. I've tried them twice and can't do it (hence the MT). I don't like the install, the adjuster, anything lol. I sincerely hope our fourth is our last kid lol. Five car seats makes me wanna, well, we wont go there lol. I think I will definitely move the boys to the back row. I do have a Radian question, can it brace on the seat in front of it if the seat in front of it is NOT one with advanced airbags?? Like putting it in the third row, outboard, resting against the seat with the MT installed on it.
Thanks for your help.

As for FFing Reagan. I'm considering leaving her RFing until 5 or 6, if she fits...so I'm expecting a second MT in our future.

i was told the radian cannot touch the seat in front of it. if there were an accident, the seat can't rebound the way it should if it has no room to move.

The Radian does allow forceful bracing. I have my ODS RF in the 3rd row or my Ody, and his seat is braced against the captain's chair in front of him.

If I had 4 RF kids in the Ody, I would put the two oldest outboard in the back and buckle them from the hatch. Then the two younger ones in the middle row.

I have an 2007 Ody and I have had 4 RF. I dont have Multi techs but I have gotten a Myraid of car seats back there.

I also frequently do 3 rf car seats across my 3rd row along with ds rf in a Radian in one of the captain seats. I forcefully brace my Radians also or else the angle would be greater than 45 degrees (especially with ds who is 40lbs). I have an 06 Sedona which has been great for car seats

I will have 4 RF'ers in my dodge caravan next week, but only for 1 week.
I had originally thought 3 across the backseat, and then 1 in the 2nd row, and stow the other captain's chair. That way I'd have a spot to do diaper changes, etc in the car.

I just (today) tried to get 3 across RF (radian/myride/radian or radian/radian/myride) and gave up. I have no idea how to get 3 across, and I have no idea if you can even tether the radian from the 3rd row, so I'm meeting with a tech from this board on Monday

Right now I have it with our 2 radians in the 2nd row captains chairs, and the myride and scenera in the 3rd row.

I do, but only two of the kids are mine. I rearface all of my daycare kids, so I have 4-5 rearfacing in my van.

We have a Ford Windstar. I have two rearfacing in the middle and two (or three) rearfacing in the third row. I load the third row from the back hatch.

wow, i wish i had known you could forcefully brace a radian. i took my car and my 3 seats (when dd was still RF in her radian) to a tech and they told me i couldn't do that. which mean there was only 1 seat in my car that i could put the radian RF and it was a PITA to install there.