2 door car and infant car seat

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ASM505

Guest
I have a 2001 Mercury Cougar which is a 2 door car. This is my second child and I didn't have an issue w/ my first because she never really outgrew the height on her infant seat. My 2nd daughter did and we had to buy a Graco SafeSeat. I like it except I am having trouble lifting it out of the car because of where the release handle is on it. My first car seat, it was lower so I could easily lift it out, with this one, the release handle is closer to the top of the seat. You probably won't have any words of wisdom but I thought I would ask.

PS. please don't tell me to get a new car - that is not an option at this point and time.

By the way, my daughter is 7 months old, 15 lbs and 27 1/4 inches tall.
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Is it possible to return the safeseat and get a convertible seat? The safeseat is a LONG seat from front to back. You may have more room with a Roundabout or another RFing convertible. You'd lose the carrying capability, so I guess for that you may just want to leave the safeseat in there in the first place.

I have no idea, I guess. :) Sorry!

Wendy
 

LuvBug

New member
yes I was going to ask, can you return it and go ahead and move up to the convetible?
Is the seat behind the driver or passenger? would be it possible to move the seat infront of it up when someone is not using it?
 

didymama

New member
i share your pain. i had a 1999 ford escort zx2 for a long time with my first and sometime with my second. luckily i bought a new car (a 4dr) when my youngest went into the convertible. but i did have this issue with my first. my solution was to go convertible (already had one) and climb in and out. i put him on the passenger side so that i could jsut get in from the driver's side. it kinda sucked, but it is what i had to do. if your other child if RF this could be an issue though.
 

SPJ&E

New member
I have a Snugride and a Marathon, both rear-facing in my 2-door Cavalier. The Snugride is behind the driver's seat. I don't understand what problem you are having with the release handle being too close to the top...
 
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ASM505

Guest
We bought the safeseat because we assumed that a stationary RF convertable would be next to impossible to get her into the car seat. WE bought the safeseat because i will allow you to keep the baby in the infant seat up to 31 or 32 inches (I can't remember at the moment) and I figure by then, she will be able to be forward facing.

Those of you w/ 2 door cars and a convertable seat, how do you get the baby in? I am thinking I would have to climb in behind the driver seat to get her into the passanger side.
 

smurf

New member
I don't know what the difference is btw the Snugride and the Safeseat, but an easy way to do this in a 2-door car is simply to fold the front seat and well, release the infant seat, no? It's what I used to do, but like Sam & Pacey I had a Snugride, not a Safeseat.
 

SPJ&E

New member
Same here...I just put the front seat up, just like I would if there was something getting out of the backseat and it's no problem to get the seat out.
 
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ASM505

Guest
My problem isn't really getting the car seat past the front seat. This morning I realized the more I use this seat, the easier it will be for me to get it out of the base. It is more difficult than my previous one because the handle was lower so it allowed me to use release it and pull the seat up in a smoother motion. With this one, I feel like I am shaking it alot till I get it out of the seat and get a better grip on it.

Now I am wondering what I will do if she gets too heavy to lug around in the carrier. How do you possibly get your kids in a convertible car seat in a two door car?
 

SPJ&E

New member
lol, read my post called "bracing"...if it's not still on the front page, check the second page. We were just talking about getting them in and out of a 2-door car!
 

smurf

New member
Well, I had DD FF in the outboard driver's position and the DS RF in the other outboard position. To get DS in his seat, I would sit kind of wedged between the two seats and plop him in his seat and buckle him up. The passenger seat had to be all the way forward. Kind of a pain in the a** but doable. Cheaper than buying a new car, anyway. You have to be careful to not hurt your back, though.

Sam & Pacey probably has a more acrobatic way of doing this since she has 2 RF kids in a 2-door car.
 

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