Where would you put everyone?

desiree_leigh

New member
(hopefully I'm in the right forum)

Ok so #3 is due in May (yeah I like to worry early ;) ) and here's my current vehicle and setup - 2002 MPV, Paige (5 yr old, 43 lbs) in a Radian in the 2nd row middle/psgr side seat (the seat slides from side to side depending on where I want it) and Mikaylah (3 yrs old, 33lbs) in a Frontier, 2nd row, driver side. There are 3 TA in this van (both 2nd row seats, attached to the seat, not on the floor, and middle 3rd row but the anchor is on the back of the trunk well), and 2 sets of LATCh (both captains chairs in the 2nd row). I'm assuming I'll have a SS1 for the baby (can't see myself spending the extra $$ to get a 22lb Keyfit) I was THINKING of putting Paige in the 3rd row, still in her Radian, Mikaylah going to the sliding seat, baby on the drivers side. BUT BUT BUT - if I put Paige in the 3rd row, her tether will go straight across the trunk well, meaning that I'll have a heck of a time getting a stroller in and out of the vehicle each time I need it. I am a sling/carrier user, but I do love my strollers sometimes. When baby3 comes, Paige will be almost 6. Do I put Paige on the psgr side outboard 3rd row (lapbelt in the middle) in a booster? She's currently a bit wiggly in a booster but by then I could probably work on it with her between now and then. Also, if she's in a booster outboard, I can easily reach her to buckle - in the ctr, I have to reach over her from the back of the van to buckle her, which is a bit tough.

WWYD? Suggestions pls? Hopefully I haven't left anything out!
 
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crunchierthanthou

New member
Is it an option to have the SS1 in the 3rd row? I know it's inconvenient to have the baby so far back, but I'd maybe do that until you need a rf convertible or Paige seems ready to ride in a booster. Since you can buckle the baby before putting the seat in the base, it won't be too much of a pain to have a rf seat there.
 

desiree_leigh

New member
Yup, definitely an option. I've got a really bad back but I may be able to swing that for a while. I'm not sure about enough front-to-back space for an infant seat but it's worth looking at. The thing that concerns me is the inability to do anything for the baby that far back (yeah I shouldn't be reaching back, etc etc etc) but it can be overcome :) Thanks for the suggestion.
 

katiesmommy

Active member
I'd slide paigey to the middle and put the baby in the 3rd row passenger side. I think that's your best option. And technically if you need to you could climb in and place the baby there, right? Hopefully you can get your back fixed.
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
Yup, definitely an option. I've got a really bad back but I may be able to swing that for a while. I'm not sure about enough front-to-back space for an infant seat but it's worth looking at. The thing that concerns me is the inability to do anything for the baby that far back (yeah I shouldn't be reaching back, etc etc etc) but it can be overcome :) Thanks for the suggestion.

yeah, not being able to reach was what I meant by inconvenient. Let's face it, we've all rooted for a lost pacifier or toy- even if just at a stoplight. As far as front to back space, I meant the same as katiesmommy- slide the 2nd row passenger to the center and have the baby passenger side outboard.

If that doesn't work and she's not ready for a booster, the only other option is a tethered seat third row center. :shrug-shoulders:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
well, here's another thought... what about (since Paige has a Radian which has been show to do quite well without the tether) Putting Paige in the 3rd row and leaving the Radian untethered and putting the baby and middle kids in the 2nd row (with baby on the sliding seat... you can move it as needed for accessing the third row.

The reason being that Paige is old enough to get her to learn to buckle herself and have you just check and tighten/loosen as needed.

BUT... when she is ready for a booster... then put your middle child in that spot with the Radian and put the baby either back there in the convertible (if you an load her through the back hatch like I used to do in my Caravan with Ruthie) or keep her in the 2nd row with Paige using the Frontier as a booster.

I just think it's enough of an option that, with your back being bad, that's what I'd do till you can work with a chiropractor to fix it.
 

desiree_leigh

New member
well, here's another thought... what about (since Paige has a Radian which has been show to do quite well without the tether) Putting Paige in the 3rd row and leaving the Radian untethered and putting the baby and middle kids in the 2nd row (with baby on the sliding seat... you can move it as needed for accessing the third row.

The reason being that Paige is old enough to get her to learn to buckle herself and have you just check and tighten/loosen as needed.

BUT... when she is ready for a booster... then put your middle child in that spot with the Radian and put the baby either back there in the convertible (if you an load her through the back hatch like I used to do in my Caravan with Ruthie) or keep her in the 2nd row with Paige using the Frontier as a booster.

I just think it's enough of an option that, with your back being bad, that's what I'd do till you can work with a chiropractor to fix it.

This all SOUNDS great but I'm in Canada so I could stand to get in some crap for driving around without my seat tethered :( There have actually been roadside seat checks in my area (not sure that they're ticketing?) so I would be mildly nervous about it.

Also, WRT my back, I'm afraid of chiros b/c when I was 15, I had surgery to remove part of my disc at L5. It had bulged and actually broken off (about 1/2 of it, not the whole thing). I only discovered this after seeing a chiro first. When I first started seeing my chiropractor, my back was mildly sore - by the time I'd been seeing him a month or two, I was nearly immobile and living on Tylenol2s. I know he may not have caused any damage himself, and I know that not all chiropractors are created equal, but despite all that, I'm scared to death of seeing a chiro again. I'm going to try massage therapy, maybe I'll have luck with that. Anyway, the 3rd row isn't out for me at all, I could even load an infant seat thru the hatch if I wanted, since my back seat will recline down flat and then I could raise it back up if I wanted. Anyway - again, I appreciate the opinions! In my mind, it was just going to have to be that my almost-6-yr-old would HAVE to learn to sit properly, but I like to hear that others feel there's better options.

Total aside - can a SS1 touch the seat infront of it? (in this case, a ss1 in the 3rd row touching a 2nd row seat) I'll have to get to BRU and try a SS1 in my van to see what we can do with it :)
 

desiree_leigh

New member
If that doesn't work and she's not ready for a booster, the only other option is a tethered seat third row center. :shrug-shoulders:

Yup, you're totally right. In a 6 yr old - is not being ready for a booster (no special needs that I know of, just typical wiggly kid?) a discipline or age issue? Basically, if I had a 6 yr old that sat well, fit well in a good booster (probably a Monterey), would I be crazy to put her in a booster?
 

crunchierthanthou

New member
Yup, you're totally right. In a 6 yr old - is not being ready for a booster (no special needs that I know of, just typical wiggly kid?) a discipline or age issue? Basically, if I had a 6 yr old that sat well, fit well in a good booster (probably a Monterey), would I be crazy to put her in a booster?

no, not crazy. Six is a perfectly reasonable booster age if she's ready. I don't think it's necessarily a discipline issue if she's not. Some kids are just wiggly, but she may get better at it by then. I'd start trying her on short trips in the next few months.

and yes, the SS1 can touch the seat in front of it. You can also leave the handle all the way up. :)
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
Okay... Don't know how I missed that you're in Canada.

I think then your best bet is putting your new baby in the third row.

And every kid is different... so it's not unusual for a 6yr old to not be ready for a booster in terms of wiggliness.
 

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