two seats...which one for infant? And where to put in Van?

[ktgrok]

First, this forum is the greatest. I read a ton here before getting my daughter her Tru Fit recline seat. And we love it. I am due with a new baby in a month, and just was able to get a Radian 120 for a steal through a safety workshop. My question is....which seat do I put the new baby in, and which one do I use for the 2 1/2 year old? My thought was to put the 2 1/2 year old in the new Radian, if only because she will love a new seat, and it is low so it might make it easier for her to get in by herself. Then put the baby in the Tru Fit. But y'all might know better than me and have good reason for me to do it the other way around.

Also, I have a mini van (Dodge Caravan) with two bench seats. And I have a 13 year old son. How should I arrange everyone? My plan was to put my daughter, who will be about 3 when the baby comes, forward facing in the rear seat, on the passenger side, and baby rear facing (obviously), in the middle seat, also on the passenger side. That lets me load everyone from one side for safety in parking lots. And maybe my dd can actually get into her seat on her own if it is FF and low, like the Radian is supposed to be. Best of all the 13 year old could sit by the baby and help entertain him if he is a screamer the way my others were in the car as newborns.

But then I worried that the toddler is so far from me if I need to get to her in an accident....would it be better to put her in the middle seat with the baby, and have the 13 year old in the back as he is more able to take care of himself. Although, by that logic, he could scramble into the back seat to unbuckle his sister if need be....when we were rear ended a year ago (and a car seat ago) he had his sister unbuckled by the time i turned the car off, and was comforting her.

So....which seat for which kid, and where would you put everyone?

 

[Brianna]

Congrats on the new baby!

I would probably put the newborn in the TrueFit and the older child in the Radian, because a Radian at a newborn recline takes up a lot of room front to back.

If you're interested in rear facing the almost 3 year old, here is some information on that http://carseatblog.com/5168/why-rear-facing-is-better-your-rf-link-guide/ . If she's going to stay forward facing, I would keep her in a position with a top tether, and make sure you're using safe stop if she's under 40 pounds and the top tether is attached.

What year is your van, and where are the tether anchors? As for seating- I would probably put the Radian in the middle and the TrueFit outboard passenger. You can have the 3 year old climb in under the Radian, buckle the baby in the TrueFit then walk around the vehicle and buckle the 3 year old in. You might even be able to buckle her from the front seat if she's forward facing. When the 13 year old is with you, (s)he can help buckle her in too.

Just a side note- if you're in a crash again, try to keep all children in their car seats until medics arrive. If there is any spinal or neck damage, it can be made worse by removing the child from the car seat. Of course if there is a clear need to remove the children from the vehicle like a fire, then the fire would be a more immediate concern than keeping them in their seat.

 

[ktgrok]

Ok, what is Safe Stop?

The vehicle is a 2006 Dodge Caravan, the SE bare bones type.

And yes, I agree that ideally the baby should have stayed in the car seat, but we were not safe in the vehicle where we were...had to get out and get off the road...although I think my son just acted out of compassion, not logic. I'll make sure he knows to leave them in unless there is an emergency, or until I tell him.

Any reason you think both car seats in middle seat and 13 year old in the back seat, versus the other way around?

 

[Brianna]

Ok, what is Safe Stop?

Safe Stop is a load limiting device. It is attached to the harness on a Radian and is only used when the top tether is attached (forward facing) and the child is less than 40 pounds. You should be able to find more information about it in your manual.

The vehicle is a 2006 Dodge Caravan, the SE bare bones type.

Then it looks like the tether anchors in your 2nd row are for each outboard seat, not in the middle, so I wouldn't put the Radian there.

And yes, I agree that ideally the baby should have stayed in the car seat, but we were not safe in the vehicle where we were...had to get out and get off the road...although I think my son just acted out of compassion, not logic. I'll make sure he knows to leave them in unless there is an emergency, or until I tell him.

That's a very natural reaction and I wouldn't blame anybody for doing it. I would have done the same before somebody told me otherwise- and there's still no guarantee that I would remember this in the panic of a crash. If you can remove the entire car seat, that's an option too.

Any reason you think both car seats in middle seat and 13 year old in the back seat, versus the other way around?

It just seems like it would be easier, and I'm not sure if your 13 year old would prefer to be alone in the back seat or with siblings.

What set-up would you prefer if the Radian is moved to one of the outboard positions in the 2nd row? You have another tether anchor in the center of your 3rd row, you could put the Radian back there also.

 

[ktgrok]

The middle/second seat is a short bench, so there really are only two positions there, not three. Not sure if that makes sense. But if you are saying there is no top tether on the outboard position in the back seat than I won't put the radian there, and will leave both seats in the second row. I guess I need to go look at the car, lol.

 

[Brianna]

Sorry! I was going off of another post I found here for an 06 Caravan. You can check your vehicle manual for tether anchor locations, they will be identified in your vehicle by this symbol http://www.saferoads.com/images/child-safety-anchors.gif

 

[ktgrok]

Sorry! I was going off of another post I found here for an 06 Caravan. You can check your vehicle manual for tether anchor locations, they will be identified in your vehicle by this symbol http://www.saferoads.com/images/child-safety-anchors.gif

Ok, thanks. I hadn't even thought to look for the tethers before you said something about them. That totally answered my question. There is no tether in the outboard position in the rear seat, so that won't work. I'll put both in the second seat, and 13 year old will have to ride in the back.

And I'll let big sister have the new carseat