Lots of questions from 3 car seat family!

Updated

Hi, obviously I'm new here. I have a dillema and a friend reccomended that I visit this message board.

For starters:
I am going to have my 3rd child in March. Right now, we have a Chevy Trailblazer extended on a lease. It is due in March. Since I don't think there is a way to get all 3 car seats in the Trail Blazer without having my oldest crawl through the hatch... is there something else I should look at?

Here are the particulars, though I don't know model numbers. Geez, I may have to update this post when I remember which carseat is which brand! I'm so embarrassed!

1 four year old, not in a booster yet. (Not 40lbs yet) May be Evenflo?
1 21month old who is a lightweight. Eddie Bauer, I think?
And for the new baby, I have an Evenflo Discovery Rear Facing.

Ok, I was wrong on at least one car seat. My husband ha the car tonight so I can't take pics and the manuals may be behind the seats, so I will update again in the morning.

Taking pics or getting the models would definately help. It's very possible that even though your 4 year old isn't 40lbs she may have outgrown her seat by height. Deciding which seats you will be using for which child will definately help in make suggestions!

Ok, I guess I'm wrong on at least one carseat. I found my manual for the infant seat. It is an Evenflo Discovery Rear Facing.

I may be wrong on my oldest child's as well... but my husban is gone with the car and I think the manual might be behind the carseat, so I'll take pics in the morning.

If you are using the same infant seat as you used with your oldest, you should check the manufacture date. The seat expires 6 yrs from when it was made...and most people don't check how long it's sat on the store shelf before purchasing a new carseat.

Susan

Thanks! My infant seat says it was manufactured in 9/02. I guess I've never heard or thought about that before. Does it have to do with plastic wearing down or something?

This little girl is due March 4th. What do you think?

Ok, I have pictures of the other 2 carseats. One is Eddie Bauer and One is Graco.


Eww. And after taking this picture I realize these are in bad need of cleaning. So I guess I'll add that to my todo list!


Anyway... I need some vehicle suggestions. Money is tight, so we are eager to let this loaded Trailblazer go back (I'll miss my heated seats however) We were paying... ummm maybe $320 a month?

So something with a lower payment and maybe safer. I'd like to go three across, but it's not a must.

Well, let's discuss the seats you have there. On the left is a Graco CarGo. That's a great seat for a tall but thin child.

I can see from the photo that the harness is twisted. What you need to do is take the harness out and untwist it. It should lie flat against the child's body with no twists. The harness should be so snug that you can't pinch it at the shoulders, and the retainer clip should be at armpit level.

The Eddie Bauer high-back harnessed booster you have is more appropriate for an older child. You mention that your 21 month old is a lightweight. A child of that age needs to still be rearfacing. There are many options on the market that will allow your 1 year old to be facing in the correct direction.

It sounds like you will be squeezing in before the expiration on your infant seat. However, there are some things to consider before you use it. Does it have a three point or a five point harness? A five point harness provides more protection than a three point. Also, most seats on the market today have upgrades which include energy absorbing foam (the same stuff that is in a bike helmet). That would be a quality you'd definitely want in a new carseat