We're expecting a baby in the fall, and are starting to do some car seat puzzle solving. We have a 2010 Toyota Matrix. I'm 5"6 and average size; my husband is 5"11 and larger so needs to have his seat fairly far back. Our 2.5 year old son is 30lbs and currently rear facing in a Clek Foonf in the middle seat, which allows both of us to put the front seats back to a comfortable setting (just barely). Son will be 3 when baby arrives and will still be well within the height and weight limits of a rear-facing Foonf at that time, but the only place he fits that way is in the middle. I think our choices are:
1. Move older son front facing behind the driver, which would give my husband plenty of room and means a slightly larger car seat could go in the middle spot. We'd like to keep him rear facing as long as possible, though, which brings us to..
2. Keep older kid in rear-facing center Foonf, and put baby behind the passenger. When baby is 1 and older kid is 4, older kid can then go front facing and 'new baby' (ie, age 1) can be rear facing in the center seat, or we can get a Diono with 'angle adjuster' or...something. My concern is that first year though: because you can't brace in a Matrix it will need to be a fairly small infant seat. We're set on an infant seat and not a convertible. So far the Peg Perego Primo Viaggo and the Graco Snugride seem to be the lead contenders in this department, but I'd welcome your thoughts.
Also:We're in Canada, so some car seats are just not available here (for example, the Chicco NextFit Zip).
Which option do you think is better, and, if it's #2, which infant seat would you recommend?
Thanks in advance,
1. Move older son front facing behind the driver, which would give my husband plenty of room and means a slightly larger car seat could go in the middle spot. We'd like to keep him rear facing as long as possible, though, which brings us to..
2. Keep older kid in rear-facing center Foonf, and put baby behind the passenger. When baby is 1 and older kid is 4, older kid can then go front facing and 'new baby' (ie, age 1) can be rear facing in the center seat, or we can get a Diono with 'angle adjuster' or...something. My concern is that first year though: because you can't brace in a Matrix it will need to be a fairly small infant seat. We're set on an infant seat and not a convertible. So far the Peg Perego Primo Viaggo and the Graco Snugride seem to be the lead contenders in this department, but I'd welcome your thoughts.
Also:We're in Canada, so some car seats are just not available here (for example, the Chicco NextFit Zip).
Which option do you think is better, and, if it's #2, which infant seat would you recommend?
Thanks in advance,