I have a 2 1/2 year old and one due in 5 weeks. I am trying to figure out the safest/best placement for both carseats. We have always kept her in the middle because I think it's the safest place and it's easier to reach her to give her things.
I'm thinking it's probably safer for the carseat/base to be in the middle, and DD on the side. Is that what others have done?? I feel like I'm over thinking this!
Re: S+TM - Car Seat Placement
Our kids will be 2 1/2 years apart too. When DS was in an infant seat he was in the middle. When we moved him to a convertible, I moved him behind the driver because I didn't want to crawl up into the car to buckle him it. I've read the owner's manual for my car and it recommends not having a car seat in the middle and on the side, but rather each side. We will put DD behind the passenger seat and keep DS behind me. RF infant seats are safer than FF convertible seats so that factored in a little. Also, I figured if I have both kids, it would be easiest and safest to go to the passenger side first, let my 2 1/2 year old crawl in and over to his seat, click in the baby, walk around the car, open his door and click him in, then get in myself. That way it's less walking around the car for me and he's safely in the car rather than in a parking lot next to me.
Until a few weeks ago our only car was a beetle, which doesn't have a middle seat (only 4 seatbelts and you can't "borrow" latch hooks from the sides to put a carseat in the middle) so both of my kids have always been outboard.
If you have the option of a middle seat the rule of thumb is least protected kid in most protected position. If your older one is RF then the baby should go in the middle. If your older child is FF then they are less protected and should be in the middle. Of course, the two seats may not fit safely side by side in which case the kids will be very safe both outboard.
My two kids sit on either side of the car; no one is in the middle. The car seat tech we talked to at the hospital said this was usually the best arrangement because it keeps the older child from messing with the younger child. She told us about one toddler and infant she knew whose mother had originally installed the infant in the center seat; the mother moved the seat to the side after the toddler tried feeding french fries to the newborn.
My kids are both outboard bc I couldn't get the seats to puzzle. Both are RFing but I also tried with the convertible FF and the bucket both with and without base. But we have a Prius and the middle is super narrow.