might want a third child someday, but don't want a van/SUV

Feeling very conflicted lately. DH is scheduled to get snipped soon because we think we have to be done at two children, but we are both having major, major doubt recently if we should really go through with it. We cannot afford to get larger vehicles to accommodate 3 children and their carseats, plus I don't WANT to drive a van or an SUV. I like my small, compact or midsized cars and their mpg. I think I could fit 3 radians across our two cars: Chevy Cavalier and a Kia Rio, but I just don't see how that's practical. Seems so crowded, and would be difficult to buckle the middle child?

Right now I have a 3 year old and an 8 month old, both rear facing. If we don't have another child for several years or more, both my boys could possibly be forward facing before we have another child..

Anyone here have three children and not have a large vehicle? How do you manage it? Plus, I'm worried about the space as they grow. I'm imagining a 12yo, a 9.5 year old, and a 6 or 7 year old all sandwiched into the backseat of a car during a long trip beating each other up with elbow jabs and driving me nuts with the fighting. LOL

We had three in a Corolla until I was pregnant with a fourth. They honestly did fight BUT not as much as they did once they got their own space! They learned quickly that if they instigated, retaliation would happen.

I would never, never, ever get a big vehicle for a third child. We only got a van for the 4th (and 5th, etc.).

We had a Malibu with 3 kids. Easy! We had two Radians and anything else (convertible, infant seat, etc.) fit for the baby.

Still do 3 in a row in the van and always will. And a few kids in back. next to one another if they fit!

I have an Accord and only 2 kids. Both seats are outboard, no one in the middle. They still fight like crazy in the car

My kids drive me nuts in the CR-V where they are 3 across, I much prefer the van because I can keep them separated.

BUT there are more choices now when it comes to smaller vehicles. You could always get something like a Mazda 5 for your main "family" car.

I don't have 3 kids, but frequently drive 3 around (my niece plus my 2). There obviously isn't the issue of sibling rivalry in that case, but it is very doable to fit 3 kids in the back of a small/midsized car. I always have either DS or my niece in the middle since DD's booster does not fit well there and reaching across to buckle isn't an issue, although buckling RFing in the middle I find easier.

My car is fairly small and is no more cramped than putting 3 car seats in the back of a smaller SUV (in fact, I was test driving a few SUVs recently and found some of them MORE cramped than my car for back seat space). The SUVs with a third row are nice for carpooling or occasionally driving extra people around, but a lot of people seem to find them annoying for everyday use with multiple children since there are often a lack of tethor anchors in the third row and to access it you either need to fold down a seat in the 2nd row, or climb in through the back. Some of the newer SUVs have fantastic gas mileage (better than my 10yr old small car) but the only advantage I found space-wise was in the cargo area.

If you are second guessing yourselves at all, I would not go through with the vasectomy (reversals are possible, but a pain). Once they are teenagers you may be able to have a compact car for when you are not all driving together (commutes to work and such) and a slightly larger vehicle (even just one with a roomier back seat) for travelling as a family.

I'm trying to help a family now that drives a normal sized car (I won't mention make/model specifically, but think Corolla-ish). Everything was dandy for them until their last child moved to a booster. Fitting three boosters across is next to impossible. We don't have the Bubble Bum up here, so that's of course a factor, but generally speaking three 'everyday' boosters is tough in a snug 3 across.


I'm not pro huge vehicle, either. I'm all for a 3 across, and in fact I love showing people that you don't need a van for more than two kids. When I had just two kids they were side by side (always) because I opted to keep someone in the middle. They know nothing different than being beside each other and don't fight in the car. Now we have a third as well, and they're fine. In fact they feel like something is off when I use the 3rd row with them. It's all in what they're used to, I think.


Anyway, I'm all for snugly 3 a crosses while you can, but at some point, when your kids are older and in boosters, you might have to re-evaluate things. Just keep that in mind.

I had all three in a Ford Fusion for 2 1/2 years and it was fine. It did get a little tougher when our middle son moved to a booster, it was really tough to buckle the second booster. The kids fought, but they still fight in our new vehicle (Honda Pilot). I can either have all three in the middle row which isn't too different than the Fusion (a little more room, but not a ton) or I have one in the third row. I generally have DS in the third row since the girls don't fight. However, with DS in the third row he usually figures out some way to bother his sisters. He either makes faces at the rear facing 3 year old or tugs on the seat belt of the 9 year old or throws a pencil eraser at her head, etc...

The biggest reason we moved to a bigger vehicle was our dogs. We like to hike and do stuff with them but we had to take 2 vehicles if they were with us which was a pain.

3 across is definitely possible with a smaller-ish vehicle, if you're willing to play around and find seats that work for your kids and your vehicle. I think you have sibling rivalry no matter what size vehicle you put kids in And if you have any doubts about whether you want more children, I would say don't go through with the vasectomy. I had my tubes tied after #2 and truly regret it. It's much easier to do something short term now, then have to try a reversal, which doesn't always work and is very costly. good luck!

I've had 3 across in my 05 Matrix dozens of times w/ different seats. Most of the combos had 1 RF RN, which seems to help, but I've had it all from buckets to boosters and RF/FF convertibles.

Don't let car seats stop you from having more kids, where there is a will and a few hundred dollars, it can be done.

tam

We were expecting our second and undecided on whether we'd go for a third when we bought our Mazda 5. We're now expecting our third and undecided on whether this will be our last or not. I think I'll still be happy with our choice of vehicle when number three comes along.

There are of course other reasons behind having planned for the big snip, this is just one of the things that put the "should snip" list so much longer than the "shouldn't snip". I've already had two csections, I have terrible sickness (acute morning sickness where I lose weight, become dehydrated, and am bedridden for moms so DH is pretty much a single parent at that time), I have huge 10 and 11lb babies, it really taxes my employer who is a very small business (only 4 of us) so when I'm unable to fullfill my workload my coworkers have to pick up the slack, and we are not made of money and can't afford the kind of childcare or babysitter I'd prefer and instead rely on family(who doesn't want us to get fixed and doesn't mind helping us - if they said we had to be done, we'd snip no questions asked!)). As for my "shouldn't" list... it's "what if I want another!?" That's the only reason on there. Sorry, turned this into a vasectomy topic instead of just the carseat/car issue.

Thanks all for the help. I'm sure we won't have our current cars forever (but we are not in any current position to get new vehicles if we found out we were expecting anytime in the next 3-5 years either), and maybe years in the future if we have 2-3 kids plus multiple dogs (I'm a dog groomer by day, and when the kids are older I'll be joining my sister in her professional dog training business and train dogs by night, so will need room for the dogs I plan to have! currently only have one small/medium cocker that rides on the floor), I'll actually maybe be more open to a larger vehicle.

I have had 2 frontiers and a MA in the back of my camry. More cramped then my van but totally doable. Re:having had 2 c-sections.....I had 4. OB said I could have another csection if I wanted but I said "no way....tie those tubes before you close me up". So 2 csections is no reason to not have another.....unless your OB says otherwise for some reason.