What side are you putting the carseat on?

MrsR0908 · June 2009

My DH and I have been discussing where the baby will be safer. He says the side and I say the middle. I have googled and gotten pretty much 50/50 on it but I just wanted to see what you ladies planned on doing.

TIA

hisprincess06 · June 2009

Great question..we have been pondering the same thing!

Lovin Wife · June 2009

We were told middle, so that is where the baby will be.

Sweetgurl6630@yahoo.com · June 2009

FI put the base in the middle of the backseat. It was recommended in my car manual.

Smellygirl · June 2009

Our car manuals on both of our cars said to install it behind the passenger seat. I was shocked - I really expected it to go in the middle.

greenmtbride · June 2009

We decided against the middle for two reasons. 1 the latch system is only on the sides in our cars and 2 the base did not fit fully on the seat in the middle of the car, so it seemed much more stable on the side.

mlh21 · June 2009

Check your car manual. At our childbirth class, we had a licensed car seat person there...she told us the safest place is in the middle. However, some cars will specifically tell NOT to put them in the middle.

For our cars, LO will be in the middle for mine, but behind in the rear passengers side in my DH's car (it won't fit in the middle).

DSteed-to-be · June 2009

We're doing the middle.

Only the side seats have the LATCH locking, but we've installed the seat with the seat-belt option in the middle. I don't feel comfortable with the baby being on a side when we could be hit from either side. I'd rather him be in the middle and be furthest from a point of impact.

soontobe05 · June 2009

The middle is the safest place for it. Believe me...we were in a bad car accident (almost died) when I was ten and my sister thankfully wasn't with us, but she was only like 6mths old and her carseat was in the car...well, both sides were smashed in, but the middle was good and her carseat was in tact. So that's where I'm putting it.

Aliliv · June 2009

Like pp said check your car manual. The middle is supposed to be the safest; however, if it is not compatible with your vehicle than the side is best.

margeincharge2 · June 2009

We're going to try for the middle as long as it is stable and it passes inspection. If not, then the passenger side.

MrsR0908 · June 2009

mlh21:

Check your car manual. At our childbirth class, we had a licensed car seat person there...she told us the safest place is in the middle. However, some cars will specifically tell NOT to put them in the middle.

For our cars, LO will be in the middle for mine, but behind in the rear passengers side in my DH's car (it won't fit in the middle).

Ahhh. Great Idea. I see the latches on the back of all three seats for the carseat to attach too. I am going to go read my manual . Thanks

andijane · June 2009

We are going to put it in the middle (yeah I know I'm 38wks and we still don't have it in the car yet). I figure that is the safest place for it...lot more room on either side just in case something were to happen. I suppose putting it closer to one door or the other would leave more room in the back seat and would probably be easier to get the seat in and out...but I would rather have it in the middle.

MrsR0908 · June 2009

DSteed-to-be:

We're doing the middle.

Only the side seats have the LATCH locking, but we've installed the seat with the seat-belt option in the middle. I don't feel comfortable with the baby being on a side when we could be hit from either side. I'd rather him be in the middle and be furthest from a point of impact.

This is exactly how I feel!! DH seems to think since we have the side airbags in the back that its ok to put on the side but I would just feel safer is she were in the middle

schmoodle · June 2009

At our infant safety class they said middle was safest so that's where we put ours.

mavilabride · June 2009

Today must be car seat position day.

In a standard vehicle, the middle is the safest.

Soon2BMrsN · June 2009

Middle... I had my carseat inspected yesterday and the fireman told me middle is the safest place.

MrsWanee · June 2009

the middle is the best but some cars can't fit it in there. we are going to try to put it in the middle and hopefully it will fit. if you have any questions, ask your doctor. also, a fire station can install it for you - we're having that done next week.

mavilabride · June 2009

MrsR0908:
DSteed-to-be:

We're doing the middle.

Only the side seats have the LATCH locking, but we've installed the seat with the seat-belt option in the middle. I don't feel comfortable with the baby being on a side when we could be hit from either side. I'd rather him be in the middle and be furthest from a point of impact.

This is exactly how I feel!! DH seems to think since we have the side airbags in the back that its ok to put on the side but I would just feel safer is she were in the middle

You don't want the baby near the airbags as it can cause serious harm. That is why you aren't supposed to put the baby in the front seat.

AutumnBride929 · June 2009

Right now, I have the base behind my seat. I figured if something happened (God forbid) where the carseat came off the base in an accident, at least my seat would stop it, lol. I know that's not supposed to happen but I can't help but think of the even ever-so-slim-to-nill possibility. Also, it wil be easier for me to get the baby and/or carseat out on my side of the car and not have to lean to far into the middle to fuss around with it.

Okay, yeah, maybe the middle is the best place, lol. I think I'll check my car's manual. I meant to do that & I forgot!

T&BMay142005 · June 2009

At our birthing class we had a officer from the police department come in and talk about car seats. He told us the middle is the safest spot.

Jules G · June 2009

Middle.

MrsL.inMarch · June 2009

AutumnBride929:
Right now, I have the base behind my seat. I figured if something happened (God forbid) where the carseat came off the base in an accident, at least my seat would stop it, lol. I know that's not supposed to happen but I can't help but think of the even ever-so-slim-to-nill possibility. Also, it wil be easier for me to get the baby and/or carseat out on my side of the car and not have to lean to far into the middle to fuss around with it.

Okay, yeah, maybe the middle is the best place, lol. I think I'll check my car's manual. I meant to do that & I forgot!

Driver side is the worst position. Behind the passenger is safer. Middle is preferred.

KSimone619 · June 2009

middle is technically the safest (furthest from any impact) if it can fit safely there!

kenitaw248 · June 2009

hisprincess06:
Great question..we have been pondering the same thing!

so have I, After reading these posts, I think we're going to go with the middle. But I will check our car manual and the car seat manual first.

heatherlane · June 2009

I've always heard middle. I think we are going to do middle while he's in the infant seat, and then when he graduates to the one year seat we will do side to make it easier on our doggie...

MrsR0908 · June 2009

oh gosh. I just now saw the post before me asking the same thing. Sorry Ladies, I should have scrolled down....

jmj715 · June 2009

i had heard middle, so that's what we'll be doing..

dmsmth · June 2009

I say middle, but it depends on your car. Some cars you can't put a seat in the middle. There is one side of the car that statistically gets hit less. But... i don't remember what side that is right now and my coworker who knows is out today...

clpeters7836 · June 2009

Baby #1 went in the middle of the back seat but now that we need to make room for #2, baby will go behind the passenger seat and DD will go behind the driver seat.

carolinaem · June 2009

Check your car mauals carefully! Most cars do not have latch in the middle. You can latch your base in the middle using the side latches but they are not technically for the middle seat and the base will not be secure using these latches. It you have the latch system in the middle you should have 6 across the backseat (with 6 symbols indicating latch there).

techsan1298 · June 2009

Because we will have two car seats, we will have one on each side.

mrsbhk22 · June 2009

It depends on your car. Read your owners manual. Both my 2005 accord and DH's 2007 Camry state its safest behind the passenger seat, not in the middle. Our cars do not have the LATCH in the middle and LATCH is almost always safer than using the seat belt.

KristensMom314 · June 2009

I've heard that the middle is safer, but I keep my daughter on the side. Then again, we have a van where the seats are split down the middle, and I don't want to crawl in and out to the back seats. I think either way is okay as long as the car seat is installed correctly.

skorpia1074 · June 2009

I just got my car seat inspected and the lady that did it said in the middle was the safest. In Florida, they are trying to pass a law that all car seats need to be inspected. Look it up on your local BRU and they have these inspections during the weekend and are free.

lkich · June 2009

mlh21:

Check your car manual. At our childbirth class, we had a licensed car seat person there...she told us the safest place is in the middle. However, some cars will specifically tell NOT to put them in the middle.

For our cars, LO will be in the middle for mine, but behind in the rear passengers side in my DH's car (it won't fit in the middle).

Wow, I just assumed it was the middle for all cars. Guess I'll be checking our manuals tonight. Thank you for this post!

Cristydz · June 2009

It will be in the middle of my car since there are 3 latch positions. I am not sure about DH's vehicle, though. I haven't had the chance to take a look at it yet or read the manual.

Want a personalized experience?

What side are you putting the carseat on?

Re: What side are you putting the carseat on?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards