How would you arrange these seats?

jdchic3 · Aug 5, 2008

Alright. How would you do this?

We have a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It has no center top tether, although at the moment DD and DS are both RF.

Baby 3 will be here next spring and at for now it looks like we'll be doing a three-across. We have 2 MAs and a Snugride. So, how would you arrange the kids? DD's and DS's stats are below. Any arrangement will be considered!

Oh, and please share why you choose what you do so it helps me make a decision!

azgirl71 · Aug 5, 2008

I would probably put DD FF in the center, DS RF behind driver, New Baby RF behind passenger. Driver could have thier seat in a comfortable position if DS is behind them since he is older and can sit more upright thana NB. I know we are always saying use top tether. It is very important you use it if you are able. In this situation I don't think you could get 2 RF seats side by side that is why I said I would put DD in the center since she would be the least protected. This is just what I would do. YOU have to be the one to make the descision.

skipspin · Aug 5, 2008

I"m going to have a simlilar situation, except my DD is older and definately FFing.

I also have at least one Radian in the mix, and DD has outgrown the Britax convertibles FFing.

I am planning on having DS RFing (in a WZ or Radian) outboard till he hits 32/33lbs and needs to be FFing.

I would like DD to be in the center in her RN, and the baby outboard in Connection until he/she is big enough for the RA- as soon as that happens I'll switch to a RFing RA.

However, I may try baby in the center, with DD behind the passenger seat and DS behind the driver too. Until last week DD and DS sat next to eachother, but DS started hitting DD too much. They miss sitting close, but DS need to get a little more control first. Hopefully by the time he is two-ish he'll be better about not hitting.

MOM25BOYS · Aug 5, 2008

Not a tech, but I agree with Azgirl.:thumbsup: I would definately put DD center FF, but if you are worried about not being able to tether you could also see if someone would swap your MA for a Princess RN.

I chose to go with the RN for the boys since how they rated without being tethered and I have only 1 tether on the 3rd row. But thats just my :twocents:.

DS outboard RF will be alot easier to get in and out and the baby RF in the carrier outboard is still more protected than DD will be. If you are doing DS and DC3 with LATCH you may have to offset them some to get them to puzzle but it will work.

Good Luck and CONGRATS!

Ahzryn · Aug 5, 2008

I don't have my LATCH manual on me....can a top tether be added to the center? Also, is a lap belt only in the center, or a lap/shoulder? Lap should with the built in lockoff would help some with the head excursion...

If not, I'd say dd in Radian ff in the center as well, and the rf seats outboard. You MIGHT be able to get all three rf with the snugride in the center, probably baseless, but the day to day use would be really problematic.

MissAllyLou · Aug 5, 2008

I second (third??) the Radian for DD in the center. Then, DS outboard driver and nb outboard passenger to give you the most space. I think the RN will be needed once baby outgrows the snugride, too!

jdchic3 · Aug 5, 2008

Well, someone in the three across thread said they got two Regents and a RF radian in a Grand Cherokee. So you all think you'd rather see DD center without a tether than outboard, if she's FF? My first plan is to try them all RF. Just to see if I can. If I were to decide not to put DD in the middle, would you put DS or the Snugride in the middle? My thought is the lesser of the two evils is the Snugride, but I just don't know. Oh, and I've already had someone check a LATCH manual for me regarding adding a center tether. It's a no go. If someone wants to check again that'd be fine with me though, just to be sure!

Oh, and I've also heard of someone that got three original Evenflo Triumphs RF in the Grand Cherokee, but I have no idea if they were checked and or not.

Misty-Bug · Aug 5, 2008

I am not a tech but.....

I would put DD FFing in the center. But it poses another problem that you can't get top tether. Not sure if it is even an option to get the radian but if it is I would do that as well. Put the radian in the center.

First I would try all three RFing. But if it doesn't work FF your DD in the center, cause she is the least protected, and then the baby passenger side and I think it was DS (??) behind you cause of a couple things. 1) DS can sit more straight up 2) you can reach baby better when on the passenger side and 3) behind the passenger seat you will have more room to move the front seat.

Now if you can do RFing what I would do it put your eldest, DD, in the center. Since she will be older she can crawl over either the SR base or the other MA. Better then the younger one in the MA. They are all equally safe RFing so that wasn't a choice in my option to put her in the center. Just easier for you. I wouldn't put the SR in the center cause it will be hard to reach the SR over the MA's. Plus the first six weeks your muscles are tender cause they still have the elasticity in them from being pregnant. So going over the MA may be too much of a stretch. If you know what I mean.

I really hope that makes sense

MOM25BOYS · Aug 5, 2008

jdchic3 said:
Well, someone in the three across thread said they got two Regents and a RF radian in a Grand Cherokee. So you all think you'd rather see DD center without a tether than outboard, if she's FF? My first plan is to try them all RF. Just to see if I can. If I were to decide not to put DD in the middle, would you put DS or the Snugride in the middle? My thought is the lesser of the two evils is the Snugride, but I just don't know. Oh, and I've already had someone check a LATCH manual for me regarding adding a center tether. It's a no go. If someone wants to check again that'd be fine with me though, just to be sure! Oh, and I've also heard of someone that got three original Evenflo Triumphs RF in the Grand Cherokee, but I have no idea if they were checked and or not.

The 2 Regents and the RF RN probaley worked good together since there are no sides to them so really no puzzling involved.

I am not sure if you will be able to RF to MA's side by side in your Jeep and then the SR outboard.:shrug-shoulders: It may be doable with some knuckle bruising and scraps.

I have a full size Expedition and it was hard for me to get my Snugride and 2 RF MA's in there, but I did.:thumbsup: Granted the 2 MA's don't mesh well side by side in my opinion because they touch eachother at the widest point, make sense? But if you could swap your MA for a RN you might could easily get DD center RF with the RN since it should fit nicely under the curvy sides of the MA and SN. That could also be another option if you want to keep her RF.

azgirl71 · Aug 5, 2008

jdchic3 said:
If I were to decide not to put DD in the middle, would you put DS or the Snugride in the middle? My thought is the lesser of the two evils is the Snugride, but I just don't know.

I agree with you on this. I would put the snugride in the center if you do not put DD there. The reason is a NB is more fragile and would be considered the least protected if all 3 were RF.

Kat_Momof3 · Aug 5, 2008

I just don't like not tethering... unless it's the only option (IE, all of them were ff kids, then the oldest (being strongest) would be the one not to tether.

SO... I think you should either get a Radian (which has been tested to solve this problem) and put the ff kid in the center (save the other MA for the new baby and do MA, Radian, MA), or put the MAs outboard.

If you do put a rf child in the middle, since they are both rfing, that's when it comes down to age, so, yes, you would put the baby in the center, optimally.

If you need the infant seat outboard for ease of access, then do, because it's still safe just by baby being rf, but I would rather the new baby be there than the older kid who is rf.

if you're asking what my first choice would be, it would HAVE to be Ma, Radian, snugride - followed by Marathon when baby outgrows snugride)

jdchic3 · Aug 6, 2008

Thanks so much for the suggestions guys! I never thought of putting a Radian in the center FF because I was so stuck on making sure the FF seat would be tethered. And with the handle up on the Snugride and the MA being tethered I don't have to worry about DD getting whacked in the face with a seat in an accident, lol! I'm REALLY itching to find that SR in the shed now. I am totally a planner when it comes to the kids.

Misty-Bug · Aug 6, 2008

jdchic3 said:
Thanks so much for the suggestions guys! I never thought of putting a Radian in the center FF because I was so stuck on making sure the FF seat would be tethered. And with the handle up on the Snugride and the MA being tethered I don't have to worry about DD getting whacked in the face with a seat in an accident, lol! I'm REALLY itching to find that SR in the shed now. I am totally a planner when it comes to the kids.

personally I would just put the handle down on the SR. I never really liked mine up. It isn't too much extra work. But that is my :twocents:

jdchic3 · Aug 6, 2008

Misty-Bug said:
personally I would just put the handle down on the SR. I never really liked mine up. It isn't too much extra work. But that is my :twocents:

That's funny because with DD I left it up and with DS I put it down! Lol!

Patriot201 · Aug 6, 2008

Pictures can be deceiving, but it looks like you have a fair amount of space in between the two Marathons. :twocents:

I like the idea of your DS being RF in a MA behind the driver, your DD in a Radian FF in the center, and the baby being RF in the SR or MA behind the passenger. :thumbsup: That sounds quite doable!

How would you arrange these seats?

jdchic3

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