Question Three forward-facing car seats in back of 2006 Sienna?

I have six kids, and it's time to turn my twins forward facing. They turn two on Wednesday and are still in their OnBoard 35's. I'd like to have three cars seats installed in the 3rd row of my 2006 Sienna. I know it will be challenging, but I really hate that 3rd row! It's small and my Radian was almost impossible to install.

Is it possible to have three forward-facing car seats installed back there? I have one 11yo child who is not in a booster seat, two in backless boosters (9 and 6), and a 4yo in a Radian. I'm going to buy two seats for the twins ASAP, and am willing to buy another seat for my 4yo who weighs about 35 pounds, but I need to keep the costs down.

Thanks!
Jennifer

Can you explain further why you want to turn them forward facing now? They are still safer RF even after age 2...so if your current configuration works, no need to mess with it.

Hello and Welcome

I am sure at close to 2, they will be outgrowing the onboard 35s. How are they outgrowing them? by height or weight? Are you sure they still fit?

It is still safer for them to rear face, until the limits of a convertible seat.

I can get the radian installed rear facing in the third row in both the middle and driver side. I believe others have had it passenger side.

So, to break it down

11 year old no seat (are you sure they pass the 5 step test?) http://www.carseat.org/Boosters/630.htm

9 year old backless booster

6 year old backless booster (this child might still benefit from a high back)

4 year old 35 pounds radian ff (probably better off keeping 4 year old in this seat)

then the almost 2 year old (sound like on the smaller side) twins in the onboard 35 infant seats.

Now, the sienna actually has one of the bigger 3rd rows of most of the minivans and suvs. It is 51+ inches, most 3rd rows are only about 49 (even the suvs).

Right now, I have 2 non booster kids plus a rear facing radian for my 4.5 year old in my 3rd row of my 8 passenger 05 sienna. I have had the radian rear facing in the outboard second row seats, also.

Rear facing info:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sssIsceKd6U&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - ‪Rear facing vs forward facing position in the car‬‏[/ame]

all the info in one place

http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/


What budget do you want to work with?

What is more convenient for you reguarding which kid sits where?

I also have 6 kids in a sienna, as do a few other members of this board. Right now I have 3 seats, but I have had 4. One member has 6.

I have a booster and two forward facing seats in the third row of my sienna. I have a radian and a classic marathon back there, but two radians fit as well. You can fit almost any seat on the passenger's side.

I would highly recommend keeping your twins rear-facing for awhile yet, though. It is so much safer!

To answer the questions:

My 11yo (4'11" and 97 pounds, so she does pass the test easily) is in the middle of the 3rd row and that seat belt just doesn't fit her well. (It doesn't fit anyone well.) I want a car seat installed there instead.

My 9yo is begging to "outgrow" her booster, but it'll be a while.

My 6yo outgrew the high back she was in height-wise a while ago. She's very tall for her age.

My twins are outgrowing the 35's height-wise, but they're still within the weight. I'm actually surprised that we made it two years in them. They fit them when they were 5 pounds and still fit them now at 25-28 pounds (I don't know exactly what they weigh right now, but they're fairly far from 35 lbs.). It's getting hard to get them in and out of those seats, now. I know rf installs are easier than ff in the 3rd row, but there's no way I could get them buckled and unbuckled that way. Now you're making me worry about turning them around...which is ironic, because I turned my others around at about 18 months (before the new guidelines)...

As for convenience, it doesn't much matter. I need to be able to flip at least the passenger side 2nd row seat down for 3rd row access so my 11yo or 9yo should probably sit there. Right now my 9yo is sitting there in a booster and she just drops it to the floor to flip the seat. It might be nice to have the twins in the two driver's side positions for buckling ease, but I really think I'll need one in the middle of the 3rd row since that seat belt is weird and neither me, my husband, or a car seat tech could get the Radian to install there ff (although he did tether the Radian to that anchor...is that okay?). I really don't like the Radian install--we really had to twist the buckle and I'd like to move it to the 2nd row instead.

As for budget, as small as possible, but safety first.

Thanks so much! (When the twins were born we had a Marathon added to the mix, too, and all my kids were in some kind of seat! )