minivan car seat placement

U

Unregistered

Guest
I have a 19 month old who weighs 28 pounds and he has a marathon and currently still rides rear facing in the centre. I am pregnant and I don't know which new configuration is safer for the two kids:
1. both kids in middle row of seating with newborn by the window and rear facing and 19 month old in the middle, forward facing (by then he'll be 25 months and unfortunately I think he'll be over the rear facing weight limit)
or
2. newborn rear facing in the middle of the middle row of seating and 25 month old in rear row of seating in the middle seat forward facing.

Is number 2 dangerous in a rear-ender crash?

ONe other question to anybody who knows: how strict are the weight limits for rear facing. As I said my son is only 19 months and already near teh weight limit for the marathon. Can I leave him rear facing a few pounds over the limit? Are there any car seats that would keep him rear facing longer?

thanks for your help.
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Unregistered said:
I have a 19 month old who weighs 28 pounds and he has a marathon and currently still rides rear facing in the centre. I am pregnant and I don't know which new configuration is safer for the two kids:
1. both kids in middle row of seating with newborn by the window and rear facing and 19 month old in the middle, forward facing (by then he'll be 25 months and unfortunately I think he'll be over the rear facing weight limit)
or
2. newborn rear facing in the middle of the middle row of seating and 25 month old in rear row of seating in the middle seat forward facing.

Is number 2 dangerous in a rear-ender crash?

ONe other question to anybody who knows: how strict are the weight limits for rear facing. As I said my son is only 19 months and already near teh weight limit for the marathon. Can I leave him rear facing a few pounds over the limit? Are there any car seats that would keep him rear facing longer?

thanks for your help.

The limits are pretty strict. It's up to you, but when my daughter hits 33 pounds (or before if her ears are too high) she's getting turned back around to forward. But that's five pounds, and he's at an age when weight growth tends to slow, so that could be another year or two for him. I'd wait to see where he is when the new baby comes, then redo your configurations for two rearfacing seats.

The Cosco Scenera has a 35 pound RFing weight limit. That's the highest in the US available right now. There's another one with a 35 pound RFing limit, but I can't think of what it is.

No idea about the configurations. I'd probably put the baby in the middle RFing and your son by the window, simply because I wouldn't want to be too far from either of them, and I certainly wouldn't want a RFing child in the middle in the far back (which is less safe in the case of a rearender, but unless the seat is added afterward it is a safe location and has been tested to be sat on during an accident). I'd put the baby in the middle because if you're using an infant seat and removing it from the car you can easily put baby on the floor in the back while you help your son into his seat while leaning over the low base of the infant seat, then put your infant into the base. If you're not using an infant seat, or not removing it from your car, then I'd do whatever is easier for you with two convertibles or seats in the middle row.

Wendy
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
that's helpful thank you

Thanks Wendy, that helps a lot. I'm disappointed I can't buy a car seat that will keep him rear facing a lot longer. If it were up to me he'd be rear facing until he is 16. thanks for your help.
 

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