5 car seats in 2021 Honda Odyssey

[TLoobo14]

Baby #5 is due within a month now, and I'm still struggling with the best way to get 5 car seats in our 2021 Honda Odyssey, 8 passenger. Here's who I have to fit:

-7 yo / 52" tall / ~60 lbs / has been in a HBB for a year and does well with it
-5.5 yo (6 in Sept) / 47" tall / 45 lbs / has been harnessed until now, but has done well with trying out the HBB and seatbelt; would also sit appropriately in a booster
-4 yo / 44" tall / 43 lbs / has been harnessed until now,
-23 months (2 in August) / 35" tall / 24 lbs / RF
-impending newborn

And the seats we currently have:

-2x Cosco Rise LX boosters
-Graco Turbobooster highback booster
-Graco Nautilus 65 LX 3-in-1
-Graco Atlas 65 2-in-1
-Safety 1st Continuum 2-in-1
-Graco SnugRide 35 Lite LX

The oldest 3 need relatively easy access out of the vehicle for school drop-off. I do not want to load anyone through the rear hatch. The Continuum fits best in 2C because my husband needs the driver's seat so far back that it interferes if it is in 2D.


My current set-up, after a couple hot and sweaty hours of moving car seats around, is:

2nd row, center seat, removed and 2P slid over to center position
Toddler in Continuum in 2C
Baby in SnugRide in 2D

4 yo in TurboBooster (not ideal, I know, but legal and it fits.) in 3P
5.5 yo in Cosco Rise in 3C
7 yo in Cosco Rise in 3D


I don't love how tricky it is for the back row kids to access their seatbelt buckles because of the Rise armrests, and I would rather keep the 4 yo harnessed until at least 5, but we also all need to fit in the vehicle. I tried the Turbobooster in 3C with Rises on each side; both of the Gracos in 3P with the 2 Rises, and nothing seemed to work because of the Rise armrests.


Can anyone help with alternative arrangements? I'd be willing to buy another seat or 2 if necessary, but I want to be efficient about it. Thank you!

 

[ketchupqueen]

Hi, sorry this got missed.
You'll likely find it easier to re-harness both the 4 and 5 year olds and put them in the spots where buckles face each other. First, as you've seen it's harder to buckle a booster than a harness in a tight 3 across. Second, that will prevent accidental unbuckling of a harness seat.

I would try the Graco SlimFit3 LX/True3Fit if they fit it. It's very slim and sits high enough to maybe make bucking a booster easier (though if needed you could also try a booster with no armrests) and could be later passed down to a rear- or forward-facing child if needed.