Question Need advice for carseats in Sienna

[Unregistered]

Bought a new 2014 Sienna when we found out we were pregnant with baby #3, then found out at 14 weeks it was twins! Because of the Sienna only have one tether in the 3rd row I am having a hard time trying to figure out where to put all the seats. I wanted to put the newborns in the middle row captain seats and then put my 26lb 2.5 y.o. forward facing in her evenflo symphony in the middle of the 3rd row, with the only available tether. Which means my 42lb 5 y.o. would have to go in a thin booster, as the graco nautilus and the britax frontier that he currently has been using (5 point harness still) seem too wide and hard to reach the buckle. I was also thinking I could put the babies in the 3rd row and then would be able to keep my 5 y.o. in a 5 point harness as I had originally planned. Thoughts on what set up would be best? Or recommendations on a thinner but safe booster to fit in the 3rd row?

 

[Kac]

If that were me, I would put my 2.5 yo rear facing in the 3rd row and buckle from the way back and the 5yo harnessed in the middle of the 3rd row if possible. You also could put the babies in the 3rd row and the older two in the captains chairs.

I guess it depends if you're able to possibly buy a new seat. What are all of the current seats that you have for the babies and the two older children?

Congratulations on the twins!

 

[MommyShannon]

Congrats! I agree with RF the 2.5 year old. I've had my youngest as a baby and my then 3 year old rf in the 3rd row of our van. It's not bad at all to buckle through the back.

 

[MamanMag]

Congrats on your twins!!!! You're in for quite an adventure

Our twins were a big surprise too, and we went from 3 girls to 5 in a town and country!! I would put both twins rf on the captain chairs so it's easier to load them in their baby carrier, the 2.5 yo, I would keep her RF in the 3rd row in a radian or a foonf possibly, it really is not that bad to attach a rfing kid through the back!! And the 4.5 in the 3rd row in the frontier if you can manage to place it in the middle so it can be tethered, since, there's only one top tether anchor in the middle seat on the 3rd row...not sure if it's feasible but maybe you can try... I've never had a Sienna so I'm not sure how much space you have back there... If that doesn't work you could probably put your 4.5 in a high back booster outboard on the 3rd row and then keep your 2.5 yo rf in her current seat on the 3rd row. I would try the frontier first though, much better to be harnessed at his age! I think I would even try a narrower 5 points harness before the HBB, like an evenflo sureride that could last him until he is booster ready... If you put your 4.5yo ff in a 5point harness, I would put it in the middle so it can be tethered but it means buying a narrower seat for your 2.5yo... Hence the radian or the foonf...

The thing with putting the babies in the 3rd row is that it is not easy to put a small infant, who doesn't have any neck control, through the back. And plus, you really want to have them in bucket seats where you can let them sleep and just bring the seats inside... Believe me, you won't want to wake them up!!

I would look into buying a couple of chicco keyfits for the twins. Great seats that accommodate tiny babies very well since your babies may come a little early and be on the small side...

Hope this helps!!

Mag. Ps: get as much sleep as you can