Question What would you do? Infant seats

AtownMom

New member
So I'm trying to figure out what the best options are for me and my van and my baby Sprout due this October.

I was originally drawn to the Chaperone due to the AR bar. My plan was to take out my middle passenger captains chair in my '04 Odyssey, put DD in her Frontier in the 3rd row passenger, DS RF in his classic MA in the 3rd row driver, and put baby in the remaining middle captain's behind the driver. In this way, especially in the cold winter, I can enter everyone from the passenger side, click baby in, easily help the older ones buckle, and if it's really nasty out even crawl into the front all without getting out of the van.

BUT.....I quickly tried the Chaperone in the drivers Captains chair this morning and even though I have a minivan, my DH is tall with all his height in his legs and I would have to have the Chaperone touching-even bracing a bit-the drivers seat if DH were to drive.

So, my options as I see it are either get a different infant seat other than the Chaperone. Or, put the baby behind the passenger in the middle and move the front passenger closer to the dash. (Which, as I understand it, is then decreasing the safety of the adult front passenger as you are supposed to sit as far back as you can, right?)

So with those options, is increasing the safety of the baby with the AR bar on the Chaperone worth decreasing the front adult passenger safety?

Or another option I thought of was to put the baby all the way back in the 3rd row and put DD and her frontier in the middle. But then is putting baby so far away from mommy worth it?

There is another infant seat that has the AR bar, but that one is actually connected to the seat itself and that seams like it would make it so inconvenient to use that I wouldn't be able to use the infant seat to it's maximum limits. (Which I want to get one that has VERY high limits only because I'm hoping to get my little peanut-I have small kids-through the majority of the snowy cold season NEXT year with the convenience of being able to bundle them in the bucket indoors without having to monkey with ponchos and backwards jackets and extra stuff like I would if I switched to a convertible)

Is there something I haven't thought of? Maybe a different option?

I did try the Keyfit in behind the driver and it does fit, although I was a bit disappointed with the idea that I might have to give up the AR bar on the Chaperone.
 
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jenfrogmom

New member
Does you husband drive the van much? Is it possible to move the seat over to the passenger side when he is driving? Not ideal, but if you really had your heart set on the Chaperone, this might be an option.
 

Pixels

New member
Additional safety of an AR bar is theoretical.

What would be the downside of putting baby in the third row? You are not going to be attending to baby's needs from the front row while you are driving. If you have the seats close enough, your 3.5yo would be able to help with basic things like giving baby the pacifier when it's dropped or telling you if baby is awake or asleep.
 

AtownMom

New member
Does you husband drive the van much? Is it possible to move the seat over to the passenger side when he is driving? Not ideal, but if you really had your heart set on the Chaperone, this might be an option.

Didn't think of that-it would be a PITA, although if it means keeping us safe it is an option. I'd have to completely move the entire captain's chair in order to move the baby. :( Plus on a weekly basis we do lots of things like I'll drive to pick him up from work and then he drives the rest of the way to Grandma's or what-have-you. Would be an option though-just kind of towards the bottom of the list :eek:
 

AtownMom

New member
Additional safety of an AR bar is theoretical.

What would be the downside of putting baby in the third row? You are not going to be attending to baby's needs from the front row while you are driving. If you have the seats close enough, your 3.5yo would be able to help with basic things like giving baby the pacifier when it's dropped or telling you if baby is awake or asleep.

I know that 'technically' every seat, used correctly is safe. It just seems to make sense to me that it would be. Although up until this one the seat that I've used for the older two was a Graco Snugride 22 so no AR bar there.

I didn't think DD would be able to help much considering she'd be on the opposite side of the bench and in her 5-point harness. Plus, when DH is driving it isn't unheard of for me to just reach back and stroke the baby's head and talk to them in order to try to calm them. I know probably not ideal, but I stay in my seat belt and it's less distracting for the driver than a screaming baby. Not like we do a TON of long-distance travel but I'm just trying to think of as many situations as possible.
 

AtownMom

New member
Was the captain's chair all the way back on the track?

Yes :( Which was one of the reasons it was so disappointing.

(My DH apparently has really long legs!)

I hope to borrow one from a friend to really play with the install on the Chaperone some more. Maybe, just maybe, if I really mush it in there or something like that maybe I'll be able to make it work?
 

AtownMom

New member
So I'm trying to figure out what the best options are for me and my van and my baby Sprout due this October.


There is another infant seat that has the AR bar, but that one is actually connected to the seat itself and that seams like it would make it so inconvenient to use that I wouldn't be able to use the infant seat to it's maximum limits. (Which I want to get one that has VERY high limits only because I'm hoping to get my little peanut-I have small kids-through the majority of the snowy cold season NEXT year with the convenience of being able to bundle them in the bucket indoors without having to monkey with ponchos and backwards jackets and extra stuff like I would if I switched to a convertible)

Ok, so I just took another look at the Combi Shuttle 33 (the other one that has the AR bar). As much as I think having the AR bar attached to the bucket would be cumbersome, I did notice that the bucket itself is just over 9 lbs. Less than what I think I remember the Chaperone being. So if this fits, would the lesser weight of the bucket make it less of a PITA to carry than I think? (Mind you, after the first 6 months it would probably only leave the van in inclement weather anyways due to the weight of carrying around a baby in a bucket and the fact that I baby-wear anyways)

For those that have used the Shuttle 33 is it cumbersome? How long did your baby fit in it? Was it easy to fit front to back? I'm just thinking that maybe this is a valid option afterall?
 

Jocey'sMommy

New member
I haven't even touched either one but from what i have read the shuttle is one of the tallest infant seats so in that aspect it would prob last you a long time
 

monica-m

CPST Instructor
It fits newbies really well. Be aware that it has a puzzle buckle. My cousin has a Shuttle 33 for her baby that is about 6 weeks old and she loves it.
 

AtownMom

New member
It fits newbies really well. Be aware that it has a puzzle buckle. My cousin has a Shuttle 33 for her baby that is about 6 weeks old and she loves it.
I just saw the puzzle buckle aspect mentioned right after I last checked this thread. Although it sounds like it might take a bit getting used to, it doesn't scare me. Especially on a bucket where for the first couple months it will be inside when I'm messing with it so I won't be learning on a squirmy, antsy, toddler in a convertible or anything like that.

Does she find that the AR bar gets in the way at all when maneuvering the bucket into and out of the house, church, etc?


If you put the Chaperone in the back in the middle, couldn't you just sit next to the baby on a longer drive?

That would be an option. Especially in the beginning where our 'longer drives' will be about 30 mins or so. I do get car sick so it wouldn't be ideal, but I'm learning that this isn't going to be an 'ideal' situation anyways no matter what. Thanks for the idea ;) Definitely something to consider.
 
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lovemybabies924

New member
i had a shuttle, a keyfit and now a chaperone for this baby :p

shuttle: arb doesn't get in the way at all for moving it around, i couldnt get it in and out of the base comfortably, and the puzzle lock is hard on a noob..i felt like i was hurting her trying to jam it in. decent fit on noob (i had the 22 tho)

Keyfit: perfect seat, installed so well in my Odyssey i dont feel the arb is needed in the captains chair (you can get the seat so upright makes and AWESOME install). perfect fit on noob, EASY to install in seconds w/latch or seatbelt..could be moved in a whim and re-installed in the 3rd row or wherever. only reason i got a chaperone was for the cow

chaperone: love this seat as well..the space it leaves between the seat and the babys feet will come in handy. i have it in the captains chair moved to the center position...can your car do that? no where near the drivers seat and leaves enough room for the passenger as well. it is the heaviest of them all..shuttle lightest IMO, i do love the headwings on this, but the base doesn't install as easy as the KF30 w/latch. i have trouble getting a tight install w/latch w/out the straps getting scrunched up..but the seat is new.

pm me if i was cofusing on anything or if u have another ? :)
 

AtownMom

New member
i had a shuttle, a keyfit and now a chaperone for this baby :p

shuttle: arb doesn't get in the way at all for moving it around, i couldnt get it in and out of the base comfortably, and the puzzle lock is hard on a noob..i felt like i was hurting her trying to jam it in. decent fit on noob (i had the 22 tho)

Keyfit: perfect seat, installed so well in my Odyssey i dont feel the arb is needed in the captains chair (you can get the seat so upright makes and AWESOME install). perfect fit on noob, EASY to install in seconds w/latch or seatbelt..could be moved in a whim and re-installed in the 3rd row or wherever. only reason i got a chaperone was for the cow

chaperone: love this seat as well..the space it leaves between the seat and the babys feet will come in handy. i have it in the captains chair moved to the center position...can your car do that? no where near the drivers seat and leaves enough room for the passenger as well. it is the heaviest of them all..shuttle lightest IMO, i do love the headwings on this, but the base doesn't install as easy as the KF30 w/latch. i have trouble getting a tight install w/latch w/out the straps getting scrunched up..but the seat is new.

pm me if i was cofusing on anything or if u have another ? :)

You've answered all my questions AND you have an Oddy to boot for real-life experience-you ROCK!

I'll have to try the Chaperone again. This time really taking my time to see what I can do. My passenger captain's in the middle does move over a bit so it kind of goes in the middle-sort of. I'd probably still have to move the front adult passenger up a bit but only an inch or so-I didn't try it for sure so that'd be something I'd have to go back to play with. (especially considering it looks like I might be able to borrow one from a family member for free-cowmoo, even, to match DD's Frontier)

I'm thinking that if the Shuttle fits that might be my next option, though due to the higher shell as long as it'll fit my newbie well. (I have 6-7 lbers) How does that one fit in the vehicle?
 

mom22boys

CPS Technician
Check your manual for install issues with bracing and airbags... I have an 06 oddy and had wanted to put my radian RF behind the passenger seat- because it would have been braced against the seat (tall DH) it throws off the airbag sensors. But bracing against the drivers side was ok... I know this isn't clear- i'll check my manual in the am.
 

cupcakepirate11

Active member
my son used the combi shuttle while he was little for a brief trip out west and i thought it was really light, comfortable and easy to use. However he had a keyfit at home which was albeit heavier but more use friendly.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
Just to throw a wrench in your plans---have you thought about the First Yrs infant seat? It doesn't have seperate rebound bar, but the preferred handle position in the car is forward...like above baby's feet.

Susan
 

squishles10

New member
Are you ever going to use the seat in a different car? Every one I've seen with a rebound bar is huge- none would fit in my car when we tried, even with the seat all the way up. Same thing with my husband's car. Are you okay with a seat that allows the handle to be in the top position instead of the rebound bar? We did that with the Keyfit and I was comfortable that baby's face wouldn't slam into the seat if the handle was up. It's definitely not the same, but it's something.
 

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