Need 3 across advice

[firespirit]

Car: 2005 Subaru Legacy

Child 1: A little over 5 years old 33lbs. Currently forward facing behind driver in a Radian. Driver does not fit if this seat is rear facing. Wasn't a problem until we got a taller au pair. Turned her FF a year ago.

Child 2: 3.5 years old rear facing in Radian 28 lbs. Behind passenger.

Child 3: Due in June. Peg Perego is expired so need a new seat.

Tried Safety 1st onboard 35 base was too wide and too high to even install.

Tried new Peg Perego Viaggio 4/35. Fits if turn seat for 3.5 year old FF. I think we are going to find this is the case for most bucket seats. The bucket really also has to go in the middle if all 3 are in car seats or it will be super difficult to actually tighten the straps.


Other option is to put infant seat behind driver and 5 year old in middle in the travel safer vest. However, on current growth curve she will not be 40lbs until she is 7. We have used the vest in the past when it is a trip where the only time she's the car is taxi to and from the airport. She can also thread the seat belt herself and buckle it in.

This car will only be used by the au pair as transportation to get them to and from local things (school, library, etc.). They will never be on roads with speed limits higher than 35 mph (however that's not to say that others vehicles couldn't speed on these roads).

So do we put the 5 year old in the vest in the middle or turn the 3.5 year old forward facing?

Is there another option?
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[lgenne]

How do you feel about a convertible for the baby?

What about not loosening/tightening straps? FF Radian in the middle for 5 year old, leave the harness adjuster alone. Does the Peg fit outboard then?

 

[featherhead]

Have you tried an angle adjuster for the rear-facing Radian? It makes it more upright so it takes up less space.

Also, I have my 4 year old in a forward facing Radian and I only adjust the straps when needed. I don't loosen and tighten very time. It would drive me nuts with the Radian! She slips her arms through the straps just fine, and sometimes can buckle herself, if she isn't wearing any extra layers.

 

[firespirit]

Have you tried an angle adjuster for the rear-facing Radian? It makes it more upright so it takes up less space.

Also, I have my 4 year old in a forward facing Radian and I only adjust the straps when needed. I don't loosen and tighten very time. It would drive me nuts with the Radian! She slips her arms through the straps just fine, and sometimes can buckle herself, if she isn't wearing any extra layers.

Already have AA on passenger side otherwise the Radians just don't fit RF at all. My husband could barely drive the car with one like that behind driver. Au pair had knees against the dashboard which doesn't work for driving a car.
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[firespirit]

How do you feel about a convertible for the baby?

What about not loosening/tightening straps? FF Radian in the middle for 5 year old, leave the harness adjuster alone. Does the Peg fit outboard then?

I might have accidentally replied to this anonymously, will wait to see if it shows up before replying again.
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[firespirit]

Oh as additional info here is schedule starting August, 3 days a week.

5 year old goes to kindergarten in AM. In theory she is the only one that needs to get out of the car since I think they have a pick up / drop off line. So between 2 RF seats we would have to remove a child one way or another so she could get in and out without stepping on a sibling. Would still have to do that with the vest in the middle, but wouldn't have to put baby carrier on the ground to help unbuckle her, she doesn't have the strength at that angle to unbuckle the radian.

Then 3 year old goes to a preschool program. Must be walked in, so baby has to come with for pick up / drop off. That's why we want the infant bucket. But except for the radian I thought convertibles were wider anyway so I'm not sure how we would get those to fit with 2 RF and get the baby at a low enough angle.
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[lgenne]

Oh as additional info here is schedule starting August, 3 days a week.



5 year old goes to kindergarten in AM. In theory she is the only one that needs to get out of the car since I think they have a pick up / drop off line. So between 2 RF seats we would have to remove a child one way or another so she could get in and out without stepping on a sibling. But would have to do that with vest, just wouldn't have to put baby on ground to unbuckle her. She can unbuckle a seat belt but not the radian.



Then 3 year old goes to a preschool program. Must be walked in, so baby has to come with for pick up / drop off. That's why we want the infant bucket. But except for the radian I thought convertibles were wider anyway so I'm not sure how we would get those to fit with 2 RF and get the baby at a low enough angle.

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The Combi Coccoro is the absolute narrowest seat out there. It's a convertible. Many convertibles have shapes that puzzle better with each other, too. Infant seats have handles that often hit other seats.

If the 5yo is in the middle, could (s)he climb over or under a RF Radian?

Alternatively, find a different infant seat that fits next to a RF Radian. Maybe a Chicco Keyfit or one of the Snugrides? (There are like 7 different car seats all called Snugride. Some are narrow, some are not. I can't remember which is which.)

 

[firespirit]

The Combi Coccoro is the absolute narrowest seat out there. It's a convertible. Many convertibles have shapes that puzzle better with each other, too. Infant seats have handles that often hit other seats.

If the 5yo is in the middle, could (s)he climb over or under a RF Radian?

Alternatively, find a different infant seat that fits next to a RF Radian. Maybe a Chicco Keyfit or one of the Snugrides? (There are like 7 different car seats all called Snugride. Some are narrow, some are not. I can't remember which is which.)

I think I might see if we are able to turn around in the driver seat and unbuckle / buckle her into a FF radian.

There's no room to climb under the radian especially with the tether strap and stupid tiny doors. Over is possible but the 3 year old would have to get out of the seat or she would likely get stepped on (especially with the twisty car seat puzzle).
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[firespirit]

The Combi Coccoro is the absolute narrowest seat out there. It's a convertible. Many convertibles have shapes that puzzle better with each other, too. Infant seats have handles that often hit other seats.

If the 5yo is in the middle, could (s)he climb over or under a RF Radian?

Alternatively, find a different infant seat that fits next to a RF Radian. Maybe a Chicco Keyfit or one of the Snugrides? (There are like 7 different car seats all called Snugride. Some are narrow, some are not. I can't remember which is which.)

It looks like the Snugride will have the same problem as the safety 1st, the base is too wide and too tall to fit next to the FF radian.
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[lgenne]

Which Snugride? Like l said, there are a bunch of them. One not working doesn't mean another one won't.

 

[firespirit]

Which Snugride? Like l said, there are a bunch of them. One not working doesn't mean another one won't.

Not sure but the one we tried at BRU was only 15 inches wide. Though RF we use latch for the radian, but we might have to use the seatbelt.

 

[lgenne]

Oh yes, definitely. Seat belts for everything when you're doing 3 across.

 

[aept]

The different snugride shave very different bases. I'll try to measure ours but it's the snugride 30 with classic connect. It's a very rectangular shape to the base, doesn't flare out.
Did the one you tried flare out? Our old snugride did and wouldn't have fit bear as many things.
And yes, always seatbelt installs for three across. It gives you a couple extra inches!

 

[Keeanh]

Nuna Pipa has a very tall narrow base.

I know this isn't a popular option, but I almost always use baseless installs for 3-across.

 

[mamah]

How about putting the two RF radians next to each other, the 3 yo in middle, baby by door and five year old by door? Much easier for school drop off.

 

[tanusscott22]

I agree, have you tried installing the baby bucket with out the base to see if it fits better? Also I would put the 5 year old FFing in the middle and turn around from the driver's seat to buckle her. But don't adjust the straps every time.

 

[Kel]

I was also going to suggest baseless for the bucket. Or a coccoro. I love my coccoro because it can go behind my 6'4" DH. But a baseless bucket might be better for you with pre school things if you don't want wake baby etc... I always woke baby up I guess, lol.