Question Adding infant seat to 2 big Britax seats

M

MisterMom

Guest
Hi there, we're expecting again and will be needing to add an infant seat to a Britax Regent (huge but my almost 3yr old loves it) and a FF Britax Marathon (for our 1.5yr old).

We're trading in our '09 Optima not only to fit the seats but for more room. We've been considering everything from Tahoes to 4-door Tacomas...I just want the seats to fit well and use the latches if possible.

I guess my question is, can I even fit an infant seat between these two that I already have? Do I HAVE to go full-size or will something like an Escape or Tacoma work? I see that the Radian is popular but I would prefer a removable baby carrier w/ base setup. I'm trying to avoid the F150 Supercrews, Tahoes and the like based on MPG but they're just SO big and I'm certain anything would fit there.

Would appreciate any advice!
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Welcome.

How heavy are your current kids? LATCH has a weight limit, so you may find you're over it already, depending on the vehicle.

Also, your younger child is not yet old enough to forward face, as per the 2002, 2009, and 2011 AAP recommendations and policy. The 2002 AAP recommendation was at least 1 and 20, but to the limits of the convertible seat. The 2009 recommendation was at least two years old. The 2011 policy change is to rear face to at least two, preferably longer for optimal safety. (http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;109/3/550, http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/30/4/12.2.full, http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm). At your child's age, it is up to 500% safer to be rear facing. http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/

I doubt you could get a three across in an Escape or a narrow SUV with the two seats you have now. Two Radians for your three and one year old would give you enough room for an infant seat, probably, in a smaller car. Also, it'll probably make more sense to install a three across in a smaller, more fuel efficient car with the seatbelts, rather than LATCH. That way you can pull the seats closer to the door, giving you more room in the center for the least safe child (who right now would be the 1.5 year old. When you turn that child back around it would be the three year old).

We're happy to recommend new seats that will fit in a smaller car, or if you'd really like a larger car we can make recommendations there as well. You could always look at something like a hybrid Tahoe.

Wendy
 

Chely7425

New member
First, your 1.5 year old really needs to be rear facing so I would go out and turn the marathon back around today :) second I think you'll have a really hard time fitting an infant seat with your current seats unless you get some full size, they definitely won't fit in an escape

it may appear that I do not have a firm grasp of the English language... blame my iPhone
 
M

MisterMom

Guest
My 3ry old is just over 30 lbs and our stout little 21 mo old is creeping up on 30 lbs himself. I see that I've turned him FF to early and will remedy that today...and I'm sure he'll be thrilled. :( But thanks for the advice, will also look into moving from latch to seatbelt (latch always seemed like the safe/sturdy way to go...glad I came here).

We really do need to move to at least a mid SUV/Quad Cab with the eventual addition of a K9...so yeah, Ford Escape would be a bit too small. Also, very slightly used Tahoe Hybrids are pretty hard to come by.

There is a very nice '10 Explorer available in my area. Would I need to replace the "Airplane Seat" Regent to work with that vehicle? If I added a Radian for the infant and went to seatbelts on the outer seats, would that work? I guess I could live w/o the detachable base.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'm glad you're going to turn him back around. If he screamed as you took a steak knife away, would you give it back? No. You would tell him its for the best and you're the parent. Same thing in the car. Like it or not, this is the safe way. He doesn't need to be reclined to a newborn, angle, though. If you keep him more upright he'll be able to see out and see his sibling.

If you want an infant seat you can probably get one if you replace the Regent, rather than buy the baby a Radian. Get a Radian for the three year old, then use your infant seat with the new baby. That would probably be your best bet. And actually, the Radian and Marathon puzzle really well together if they face the same direction. So if you rear faced your three year old (also safer than forward facing) in a Radian, kept your 21 month old rear facing in the Marathon, you'd actually gain room. The Marathon plus Radian widths do not equal their sum when they're next to one another. So you could probably get room enough for an infant seat.

Wendy
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
As for infant seats, look at the Safety1st onboard35, graco snugride30 and chicco keyfit30. They are all narrower.

Stay away from the other gracos as they are wider. Also stay away from the evenflos because the require handles down and 1.5" between handle and front seat.
 
M

MisterMom

Guest
Thank you, everyone, for your advice. I really thought I had car-seats down...glad I came here!

Gosh, there's a forum for everything. God bless the internets.
 

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