Ah, I need this. I've got a Kia Sportage, I love it, and it's perfect for two kids. But this is number 3. We're debating between buying a new car or trying to fit three across. My preference would be fitting three across, but that means buying all new car seats. I know there's a few months here with 3+, so... advice?
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe DD2: October 2016 DC3: coming May 2019
We only have one but got his car seat knowing we eventually will (hopefully) need to do three across. We have the graco slim fit (convertible seat) and like it a lot. Depending on the ages of your kids if they are already forward facing there are some good narrow options for forward facing only too, I haven’t paid much attention to them yet though, sorry!
@expandcontract To answer your question from the other thread, southern California. The nurses wouldn't even touch the car seat, and we asked for help since we had the newborn insert wrong and couldn't buckle it. One just sat there while I was basically in tears trying to figure it out (we left at like 11:30pm). Legally they can't help at all. I feel like a lot of places they tell you to go like fire stations, police stations, etc say no because they don't want the liability. At least around here.
@k2k2tog This is my third too and I have a Rav4, which I think is pretty similar in backseat space to the Sportage. I have heard a lot of people say that they use the Diono Radian for achieving 3 across. I am actually pretty miserable even with just 2 car seats in the back because we can't even really take a passenger anywhere. Obviously, that would be off the table entirely with three across. I know I'm basically the only person on this board who feels this way, but (FFFC) I want to buy a minivan and I don't care if that makes me lame! I would sell my soul for a damn sliding door; I'm so tired of trying to load and unload kids in tight parking spaces.
@misskimsue we had one as a loaner for a week and I gotta say, even with one current kiddo...it was nice. I just wish they weren't so fugly! I've been eyeing the new Subaru SUV that has the third row and optional second row captain's chairs. I think I may switch to that in a year or so. I've got a Forester now that I love, and I think will be fine on room for 2 now, but I'm just planning ahead for long trips etc.
@sleepy33 I have never found minivans ugly, but I am not really a "car person" at all - I mostly view them as practical objects rather than an extension of my personal style. I would probably just keep the cars I have (2007 Mazda 3 and 2008 Rav4) until they broke down, except that they are becoming increasingly inconvenient for a bigger family. That is cool about the new 3rd row Subaru (looks like it's called the Ascent)- hadn't seen that one before.
Yes that's the one @misskimsue! It seemed actually fairly reasonably priced compared to other cars that size. I think my SO will have a heart attack if I mention buying something else right now, since we're buying a house this year, but I've filed it away for maybe next summer...
@misskimsue I have absolutely nothing against minivans. I had many reasons to want one (sliding doors plus optional built-in vacuum, yes please!), these are the only reasons I decided against it:
1) We live in rural Saskatchewan (and previously in rural Alberta) so winter driving is a big concern. If I'm remembering correctly, the only minivan that I could get AWD in was the Toyota Sienna, and a Toyota dealership was not easily accessible to us for service, etc. 2) We honestly require A TON of cargo space. I've never used a cargo carrier and for some reason they intimidate me. Like I don't feel I would be able to handle it on my own... I don't know. But I frequently have my older niece and nephew with me, plus my two kids for a long road trip. Everyone's stuff, sometimes our chocolate lab. It just wouldn't all fit while using the 3rd row of a minivan
We ended up getting a Yukon XL with captain chairs in the middle row. The 3rd row is comfortable enough and offers the older kids pretty decent leg room, plus there's top tethers for all 3 seats back there so I can configure car seats in any of the 5 rear seats however I please and theres so much cargo space with the 3rd row up so I'm all good there too. I also feel way more comfortable driving in the winter in a truck, something about having 4LO makes me feel like I can get myself out of any crisis.
@k2k2tog I've also heard great things about the Diono Radian. Clek is also good for 3 across, but it takes up A LOT of space in RF-mode and if memory serves Diono makes a positioning wedge that can help with that issue with the Radian. Remind me, whereabouts in Ontario are you? I know there are a couple of West Coast Kids in the GTA. I always buy my seats at the Edmonton location because they let you try them in your car before you purchase so that's a great way to play around with configurations and figure out which seats will work in your vehicle. All car seats are Final Sale there, which not everyone likes so thats something to consider, but I prefer it that way. I try the seat in my vehicle before buying so I know for certain it will work, and I appreciate that there's no chance of me getting a returned car seat that someone has mishandled in some way.
@mcewen3 Those are some great things to consider! I am not totally against a 3rd row SUV if it has 2nd row captain seats. I live in Portland, OR area, so my driving conditions are mostly urban and winter mostly consists of rain. You are absolutely right about minivans having less cargo space when using 3rd row, so we will have to think about that. I do like that they are more compact than 3rd row SUVs, though, because I am mostly driving in a city or suburban environment. TBH I am not looking forward to buying a new car AT ALL, but your input is greatly appreciated!
@sleepy33 my mom got a Subaru Outback a year and a half ago. I don't think she'll ever go back to another car brand. They really are awesome! I've driven it quite a few times and man can it handle the road. The Ascent is pretty new, but they seem like the kind of company who wouldn't roll out a new model without making sure it lived up to the brand standards.
@mcewen3 I've been nothing but thrilled with mine! I put a ton of miles on it and never had a single mechanical issue; I love the AWD. I will say that the fact that it's lower profile than a standard SUV means the cargo area in the back isn't as tall, if that makes sense? Once or twice I've tried to load something into it that I was sure would fit and it was just a bit short. So I'd definitely enjoy having more clearance that way. I had a Jeep Liberty before and that sucker was tall, I could stack all kinds of stuff in it!
@misskimsue I definitely would NOT recommend my vehicle to anyone living in a urban area, lol. I actually got hung up going into a parkade one day when I was running late for a pedi appt in the city. I mean, it was a really poorly designed parkade, but still, its a beast to drive in an urban setting if that's your primary area. We are very country where we are. And I actually think minivans are pretty comparable to other smaller SUVs (if not maybe a bit better) for cargo space behind the 3rd row. We obviously chose the most massive thing we could buy, and that is not for everyone. I got a great deal on a gently used one (the price of a new one literally made me want to vomit) and surprisingly its actually pretty fuel efficient. I've been getting better fuel economy than DH who drives a GMC Sierra, same model year. I thought they would be pretty much identical but mine is winning on every road trip.
@sleepy33 I know exactly what you mean. It really seems like a "true crossover" if you know what I mean. Like really a cross between a hatchback and an SUV. I've loved my mom's so much and when we were thinking that we may be moving to Europe I was researching the best way to go about getting a vehicle over there. Cars are INSANELY expensive in the Netherlands, like outrageous, and it was looking cheaper to basically import your own vehicle by ship. So we were considering buying an Outback (after we sold all our way too big for Europe vehicles) to take over there since we love how it drives and it fits my kids car seats amazingly well.
@misskimsue my gripe with minivans is that they feel excessively large. I pick up DD2 from daycare, but most of my daily driving is done by myself. A minivan feels huge for that, but my little SUV feels like the perfect size for me plus all my crap, plus groceries once a week.
I have heard that Dionos can do 3 across. Both of my DDs will be forward facing by the time baby comes along. DD2 just turned 2 and she's only still rear facing because we're lazybecause it's safer ah, let's be honest, it's because we're lazy. I don't know if I can do a bucket seat with the other two seats though, even if we did upgrade to Dionos. I found a website that said the Chicco Keyfit 30 will fit? But it's a $250 seat! Wah! Plus 2 new Dionos... but I guess it would all be cheaper than buying a new car?
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe DD2: October 2016 DC3: coming May 2019
We have a Honda CR-V with AWD bc it snows here, we need it. We're just adding #2, so we'll have a Diono and the UppaBaby Mesa until baby 2 is big enough for another Diono. We went with Diono specifically for the 3-across thing. I am sure it will be the most irritating thing in the world to have 3 across, especially if the other two are still rear-facing, but I'm not entirely sure when we'll be able to afford a new car (a house is our current goal), so we decided to just prepare for a mini-SUV and three kids.
I'd love a Honda Pilot with captains chairs one day. Is that even an option?!
@misskimsue I do not want a minivan because they make me think of my dad but you are so right about the sliding doors and tight places. The number of times I have had to do the most bizarre shimmy because the moron next to me parked too close, GRRRR.
@k2k2tog If you do most of your driving by yourself, it does make sense that a compact SUV would work best for your life. One other consideration for 3 across is this: kids getting in each other's space. Specifically, my kids kicking and hitting each other all the time. They do this already even though there's a gap between their seats... 3 boys soon? Ahhhhhhh. You may not have this problem, but just bringing it up!
My sister has a Chicco Keyfit 30 and it's a great car seat. I am envious of that thing and I'm actually planning to buy one because my 5-year-old Britax B-Safe is feeling dated. I have heard that it is a commonly used infant seat in a 3 across scenario. Black Friday sales (do you have those Up North)? Or Amazon completion discount? Target does a Carseat Trade-in sales event every once in awhile, if you have those. I'm a little at a loss for baby gear deal advice because we don't have any baby stores in my metro area since Babies R Us went under. But even though car seats are expensive, they are definitely cheaper than a new car if your current one is meeting your needs!
@DuchessOfCambridge My aunt has a 2018 Honda Pilot and I drove it for a day... it's a really nice car. My usual problem with big SUVs is that they feel big, but I will admit that when I was driving the Pilot it didn't feel that big. (Apparently, after looking this up, Pilot is a "midsize SUV"... once again proving that I know nothing about cars. But I still stand by my comment that it drives nicely and doesn't feel overly large.)
@misskimsue yeah, I definitely think we'll be keeping an eye out on Black Friday (yes, we have it! But I don't think it's as good maybe?) and Boxing Day this year.
If DD1 has a bit of a growth spurt before this baby comes, she may also be able to upgrade to a high-back booster, which I think come pretty slim anyway, though I'm not sure how comfortable I will feel letting go of the five point harness...
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe DD2: October 2016 DC3: coming May 2019
@DuchessOfCambridge the nice thing about minivans is that with lots of them (I haven't shopped them all so I don't know if this applies to all of them) the 3rd row stows below the floor in the cargo area so when you put it up you get a nice little dip in the trunk. I would guess that most full size strollers, especially doubles, would have to be leaned up against the 3rd row seat in any mid-size SUV as well as a minivan and then you risk it falling out at you as you open the hatch except for with that trunk dip it would kind of secure it.
They're kind of $$, but the Clek Fllos are sooooo nice and fit 3 across. It's such a safe feeling seat. Heavy as heck though, so we bring her other one if we go on an airplane
@SpaceBurger we love our Clek too. And that actually is the seat I brought to Europe in the spring, mostly because DD2 was still just under the seat + kid weight limit to use UAS anchors and I knew the rigid latch was probably my safest, most guaranteed secure and easy install no matter what rental car we ended up with.
3 across was not a concern for me when purchasing our car seats so that wasn't really something I considered. My kids both have extra long bodies though, so max shoulder height was a big factor in my buying process. When DD1 outgrew her infant seat at 6.5 months because of torso length the Diono Radian and the Clek Foonf were the two convertibles on the market that had the highest max shoulder height. We opted for the Foonf just because it seemed to cradle my baby a little better when she seemed way too small to be in such a big car seat. By the time DD2 came along the Britax ClickTight seats had been out for a little while and they actually had an even higher max shoulder height. I'm so happy we decided to go with the Boulevard instead of the Foonf for our next convertible because DD1 actually outgrew the Foonf shortly after her 3rd birthday and had to ride exclusively in the Britax. She's starting to get a bit more proportionate now, because she can still ride in the Boulevard when needed (its DD2's primary seat these days) and the difference in shoulder height between the two car seats wasn't that incredibly huge that she shouldn't have made up that gap in 2 years time.
If you plan on swapping car seats between vehicles often, I highly recommend the Britax ClickTight line of car seats. Both of sets of grandparents are very involved and wonderfully helpful with our kids, as is DH's sister and my brother and his wife. They all offer to help us out often with the kids and its so evenly spread amongst all of them that it makes no sense for any one person to exclusively have a spare car seat. I can move a ClickTight seat in probably 1.5 minutes, max. So 3 minutes of work to move both car seats into someone else's vehicle (we're usually running with a Britax Boulevard and and a Britax Frontier these days).
Has anyone here ever gone without the bucket seat? I'm really humming and hawing over this one, mostly because I'm cheap and I already gifted my infant bucket seat to a friend because I thought we were done. This baby will be getting the Foonf once he/she is out of the bucket for sure, but I'm considering just buying the Infant Thingy for it and skipping the bucket. I have the bassinet attachment for my stroller, and several carriers. In the summer I don't think it will be a problem, but I'm worried about that first winter.
@mcewen3 ClickTight is awesome. I was pretty annoyed that they decided to come up with that feature right after I had already bought all of my car seats!
@misskimsue it was literally months after I bought my Foonf. Like, I think 2 months? It was already being advertised on social media by all the baby gear gurus and was my frontrunner to look at when we began shopping, but then DD caught me off guard by all of a sudden outgrowing her seat and needing a new one like, yesterday. I seriously went to bump her shoulder straps up a notch and realized we were already on the highest notch. I drove to the city the next morning and had to buy a convertible. Couldn't wait for the release. Luckily we didn't buy anymore until DD2 came along so we've mostly switched to ClickTight since then. Its such an awesome feature, and makes me feel 100x more secure allowing other people to install my kids' car seats when I'm not there. They really can't mess it up.
@mcewen3 Not sure about where you live, but the hospitals here will only release the baby into a bucket seat, not a convertible one, even if there is an insert. You could probably borrow one from someone for the hospital though if any of your friends have one.
@mcewen3 So, we’ve been looking at the Clek since I’m unhappy with the convertible car seat we have now but my big concern is how much space it takes up for RF. Does the Britax Boulevard take up less space because Britax was my second choice?
@sleepy33 planning to fit all 3 in my Forester 😬... 2 has been fine, I even had them next to each other (both in Radians) for a while until they started fighting.
I agree that Britax ClickTights are the easiest way to get a solid install... right now both my girls are riding in Boulevard ClickTights in my car and Radians in DH's, but I think that will have to change to get three-across (FX that a RF ClickTight and a FF Radian will puzzle well next to each other, or maybe next-to a Keyfit).
Whoever mentioned it, yes the Radians have a rear-facing "angle adjuster" that can be used to make them take up less space front to back... they still take up quite a bit of space though. Also, due to weird features of my car, the Radians were weird to install rear-facing because they have a load leg that has to go in the seat bight, which is weirdly high on my 2016 Forester.
I had a Chicco Keyfit 30 for DDs, but it expired so we traded it in for that sweet, sweet coupon at Target. I'm planning to get another one for this baby cause I know it's one of the narrowest infant seats on the market.
@DressageDarling I want to say yes, a little bit but I'm honestly not positive. It's been a while since I had them both RF and when I had them in the larger of our two vehicles (when both kids were RF I drove an older-style Nissan Pathfinder and you legit couldn't fit anything RF behind the drivers seat so I always drove DH's truck that summer) it didn't really matter. I can pull the Clek out over the weekend and take a look for you.
But truly, your best bet is to look into what baby stores near you will allow you to test the seats in your car before purchasing. I recommend this to everyone I know because it is really the absolute best way to find the seat that fits your specific vehicle the best. It also gives you a chance to test out the difficulty of installation prior to purchasing.
@mcewen3 idk, I can see why you wouldn't want to but the bucket was invaluable for me. Just, clicking that sleeping baby in and out was awesome. And I just bundled him all up and didn't have to take him in/out in frigid weather. I only stopped using it (DS still fits) because the weight was concerning me while pregnant.
@DuchessOfCambridge, my main reason for wanting to skip it is the cost, plus the short-time use. I've got to do some research into the new models, but as per my post above, my kids are notorious for having long torsos and outgrowing car seats way before they should. It makes it sound like they are giants or severely disproportionate, but you wouldn't know it to look at them. They're sturdy kids but pretty average in height and weight. People we know are usually surprised when I tell them the issues I've had with car seats because you can't tell by looking at them that they are that much longer in the body than the other kids unless you sit them side by side and really make an effort to measure. But my Peg Perego infant seat had high limits and we were forced to ditch it before 7 months with both of them. If I can find one with better shoulder height limits I'll pay the price. Because being able to bundle them up after buckling them in is definitely super convenient and when we are running in and out of the rink 4x a week and to everything else that the older ones will force us to be running to, I'm sure I'm going to want that. But it wouldn't last me past December if this baby is the same as the other two, and with the same type of car seat.
@mcewen3 I ditched the bucket pretty early with DD2 because I got a great deal on the convertible I wanted when she was ~4 months because it was a PITA to schlep around and I wore her instead... but then I went back to it because she would fall asleep in her seat and then she would wake up when I moved her.
I have an acquaintance who just had her sixth (!) baby, and I think she's skipped the bucket with at least the last three.
@DuchessOfCambridge it has plenty of trunk space, we don’t ever have the third row up at this point though, so you’ll definitely lose a chunk if you plan on using that often.
@mcewen3 that makes a lot of sense then. DS is very small and has been since birth. He doesn't look it and people always comment on how tall he is. He's finally up to 14th %ile in weight (was hovering around 1st/2nd forever) and just dropped to 36th for height. We could probably use our bucket seats for another 2-3 mo (he just turned 1) at least. I'd definitely feel differently if he had outgrown his bucket seat quickly. And who knows, this next one might!
@mcewen3 Not sure about where you live, but the hospitals here will only release the baby into a bucket seat, not a convertible one, even if there is an insert. You could probably borrow one from someone for the hospital though if any of your friends have one.
I remember this discussion from my old BMB. One of the moms became a certified car seat tech and is actually one of the main admins on CSFTL now. I am pretty sure she said that legally they cannot force you to purchase an infant bucket seat, but it would probably be advisable to bring it up ahead of time so you don't have to fight them on it right after delivery. There has to be a way they can check that baby is safe without you needing to buy an unnecessary seat or borrow from a friend. Andplusalso, most nurses are not certified car seat techs so they really don't know how to properly check a car seat anyways. Unless you have a premie. Then there is definitely an actual car seat test that they sometimes perform. Is it an oxygen test?? But I think you could uninstall your convertible and bring it in to the hospital.
Re: Car Seat Advice
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe
DD2: October 2016
DC3: coming May 2019
1) We live in rural Saskatchewan (and previously in rural Alberta) so winter driving is a big concern. If I'm remembering correctly, the only minivan that I could get AWD in was the Toyota Sienna, and a Toyota dealership was not easily accessible to us for service, etc.
2) We honestly require A TON of cargo space. I've never used a cargo carrier and for some reason they intimidate me. Like I don't feel I would be able to handle it on my own... I don't know. But I frequently have my older niece and nephew with me, plus my two kids for a long road trip. Everyone's stuff, sometimes our chocolate lab. It just wouldn't all fit while using the 3rd row of a minivan
We ended up getting a Yukon XL with captain chairs in the middle row. The 3rd row is comfortable enough and offers the older kids pretty decent leg room, plus there's top tethers for all 3 seats back there so I can configure car seats in any of the 5 rear seats however I please and theres so much cargo space with the 3rd row up so I'm all good there too. I also feel way more comfortable driving in the winter in a truck, something about having 4LO makes me feel like I can get myself out of any crisis.
And I actually think minivans are pretty comparable to other smaller SUVs (if not maybe a bit better) for cargo space behind the 3rd row. We obviously chose the most massive thing we could buy, and that is not for everyone. I got a great deal on a gently used one (the price of a new one literally made me want to vomit) and surprisingly its actually pretty fuel efficient. I've been getting better fuel economy than DH who drives a GMC Sierra, same model year. I thought they would be pretty much identical but mine is winning on every road trip.
I have heard that Dionos can do 3 across. Both of my DDs will be forward facing by the time baby comes along. DD2 just turned 2 and she's only still rear facing because we're lazy because it's safer ah, let's be honest, it's because we're lazy. I don't know if I can do a bucket seat with the other two seats though, even if we did upgrade to Dionos. I found a website that said the Chicco Keyfit 30 will fit? But it's a $250 seat! Wah! Plus 2 new Dionos... but I guess it would all be cheaper than buying a new car?
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe
DD2: October 2016
DC3: coming May 2019
I'd love a Honda Pilot with captains chairs one day. Is that even an option?!
@misskimsue I do not want a minivan because they make me think of my dad but you are so right about the sliding doors and tight places. The number of times I have had to do the most bizarre shimmy because the moron next to me parked too close, GRRRR.
My sister has a Chicco Keyfit 30 and it's a great car seat. I am envious of that thing and I'm actually planning to buy one because my 5-year-old Britax B-Safe is feeling dated. I have heard that it is a commonly used infant seat in a 3 across scenario. Black Friday sales (do you have those Up North)? Or Amazon completion discount? Target does a Carseat Trade-in sales event every once in awhile, if you have those. I'm a little at a loss for baby gear deal advice because we don't have any baby stores in my metro area since Babies R Us went under. But even though car seats are expensive, they are definitely cheaper than a new car if your current one is meeting your needs!
If DD1 has a bit of a growth spurt before this baby comes, she may also be able to upgrade to a high-back booster, which I think come pretty slim anyway, though I'm not sure how comfortable I will feel letting go of the five point harness...
DD1: June 2014 - VBM4lyfe
DD2: October 2016
DC3: coming May 2019
3 across was not a concern for me when purchasing our car seats so that wasn't really something I considered. My kids both have extra long bodies though, so max shoulder height was a big factor in my buying process. When DD1 outgrew her infant seat at 6.5 months because of torso length the Diono Radian and the Clek Foonf were the two convertibles on the market that had the highest max shoulder height. We opted for the Foonf just because it seemed to cradle my baby a little better when she seemed way too small to be in such a big car seat.
By the time DD2 came along the Britax ClickTight seats had been out for a little while and they actually had an even higher max shoulder height. I'm so happy we decided to go with the Boulevard instead of the Foonf for our next convertible because DD1 actually outgrew the Foonf shortly after her 3rd birthday and had to ride exclusively in the Britax. She's starting to get a bit more proportionate now, because she can still ride in the Boulevard when needed (its DD2's primary seat these days) and the difference in shoulder height between the two car seats wasn't that incredibly huge that she shouldn't have made up that gap in 2 years time.
If you plan on swapping car seats between vehicles often, I highly recommend the Britax ClickTight line of car seats. Both of sets of grandparents are very involved and wonderfully helpful with our kids, as is DH's sister and my brother and his wife. They all offer to help us out often with the kids and its so evenly spread amongst all of them that it makes no sense for any one person to exclusively have a spare car seat. I can move a ClickTight seat in probably 1.5 minutes, max. So 3 minutes of work to move both car seats into someone else's vehicle (we're usually running with a Britax Boulevard and and a Britax Frontier these days).
@sleepy33 planning to fit all 3 in my Forester 😬... 2 has been fine, I even had them next to each other (both in Radians) for a while until they started fighting.
I agree that Britax ClickTights are the easiest way to get a solid install... right now both my girls are riding in Boulevard ClickTights in my car and Radians in DH's, but I think that will have to change to get three-across (FX that a RF ClickTight and a FF Radian will puzzle well next to each other, or maybe next-to a Keyfit).
Whoever mentioned it, yes the Radians have a rear-facing "angle adjuster" that can be used to make them take up less space front to back... they still take up quite a bit of space though. Also, due to weird features of my car, the Radians were weird to install rear-facing because they have a load leg that has to go in the seat bight, which is weirdly high on my 2016 Forester.
I had a Chicco Keyfit 30 for DDs, but it expired so we traded it in for that sweet, sweet coupon at Target. I'm planning to get another one for this baby cause I know it's one of the narrowest infant seats on the market.
But truly, your best bet is to look into what baby stores near you will allow you to test the seats in your car before purchasing. I recommend this to everyone I know because it is really the absolute best way to find the seat that fits your specific vehicle the best. It also gives you a chance to test out the difficulty of installation prior to purchasing.
I have an acquaintance who just had her sixth (!) baby, and I think she's skipped the bucket with at least the last three.