Car seat placement dilemma

littlemaybaby · August 2009

I know that the middle rear seat is the safest place to put the car seat, but due to having an extraordinarily large dog that can't fit in just one seat - we are struggling trying to figure out how we are all going to travel together. (Which we do quite often.)

I really can't come to terms compromising the safety of the placement of the car seat for the dog - however, the dog will not fit on one side of the car seat or the other, and if forced, I'm concerned the dog will try to step on the car seat (and LO!) trying to get comfortable. (Or be in such a tight arrangement with LO that they make friends and LO gets licked and drooled on obsessively!)

But then I think about cars that don't have a rear middle seat (Honda Element and Mazda RX-8 both pop into mind) and obviously people with those vehicles have to install the car seat on the side. And those cars aren't considered unsafe for car seats are they?

Unfortunately we can't afford a different vehicle right now - so we are kinda stuck.

Knowing that the middle is more safe, does that mean I should have safety concerns about installing the car seat on one side or the other? Any thoughts? WWYD?

kreeper611 · August 2009

The middle is the safest, but it's not the only option. I would suggest diong the middle for every day trips, and moving to the side for long trips.

thehoneybadger · August 2009

We had to put DD on the passenger side of the car. DH is too tall to have a carseat behind the driver side or in the middle. We did not really have a choice.

kkalina · August 2009

visiting from the first tri

my coworker told me yesterday that if you go to your local police station they will put the car seat in correctly for you, i know that doesnt help with your doggie situation but i thought it was useful info since i had no clue they do that!

good luck with the doggie!

Nicole731 · August 2009

I have my son on the back passenger side. Middle is considered safest, but just wouldn't work out in my car. As long as you have the baby in the backseat and in a safe carseat I would not worry. I would be more worried about a large dog trying to step over the seat, or you being occupied with keeping a large dog from doing so while driving. That seems like more of a risk to me.

BinksMomma3016 · August 2009

We have ours on the passenger rear side. I know middle is safest but we only have two captains chairs/bucket seats. So we had to picka side. Its worked out fine for us. Now that the new baby is coming we will probably move DS to the drivers side.

Abinormal · August 2009

The only reason why the car seat is safer in the middle than it is on the side is because of the possibility of getting into an accident. If you were to get broadsided (or t-boned) by another car you are going to be hit on either the right or left side of the car. Putting the infant seat in the middle keeps the baby away from the sides of the vehicle.

This being said, DH and I plan on keeping the infant seat in the middle a majority of the time. However, occassionally we do have our dogs with us or we have to carry extra stuff in the car and on these occassions we will probably move the seat to one side or the other.

The car seat can be strapped in just as safely and securely in any seat of the car (except the front seat, air bags are an issue there). It's only minimizing the risk of impact on the baby that makes most people say that the middle seat is the safest place.

foreignroyalty · August 2009

I've actually never seen a carseat placed in the middle seat. I know for our car because of the shape of the seat it was safer and more stable to place it on the side. I have no idea how I'd get baby out if he was in the middle, but maybe that's because I'm short.

SpartanGirl · August 2009

We have a minivan so the middle wasn't a good option for us. We put DD on the passenger side.

When this baby comes we will have DD in the middle of the third row, DS behind the driver in the middle row and baby on the passenger side of the middle row.

littlemaybaby · August 2009

Thanks ladies. This makes me feel better!

jkfranklin · August 2009

You are fine with putting it on one side or the other. People with twins or more than one child have to put at least one of them not in the middle. As pp said as long as it's a secure seat you will be fine.

I also liked the idea of having it in the middle for everyday trips and moving it to one side for long trips. We have to same problem and are looking into getting an SUV.

mwalliser · August 2009

Yes the middle is the safest... but it's fine to put the seat on either side as well. Think of what you'd have to do if you had more than one car seat...

I've heard that statistically it's safer to put the car seat in the rear passenger side rather than driver's side... but I honestly don't know if that's true or not. It is where we have always had DD's carseat. Once we have this child then we'll have one on each side... so does it really make much of a difference? I think not. As long as your car seat is installed properly then I wouldn't worry about it that much.

Mariposa24 · August 2009

Middle is safest but if you can't go middle, go rear facing behind the passenger seat. It makes it easier for you to reach them and you can see them if you have a mirror on the headrest. The rear facing aspect is the most important!

nuttybunch · August 2009

You can leave your dog home most of the time.

We have ours in the rear passenger seat. It's not the safest, but it's not far behind in safety. Just make sure you have it installed right and you should be fine.

After all, once you have baby #2 and have 2 car seats, they won't fit next to each other, anyway, and you'll have one on each side.

CRM724 · August 2009

In the EXACT same boat. You have a Bernie? We have a Newf, so we've been trying to figure that one out too. He's only 8 months old but already takes up the entire backseat if he stretches out. Travel together a lot too, can't afford a bigger car either. I think one of the outside seats is fine- I agree that the middle is best, but really, sometimes it's not an option. What do people do when they have more than one carseat in the back? Obviously both of them can't be in the middle. I think as long as it's properly installed, and the back/side/curtain airbags are turned off (if you've got an option), you'll be fine.

As far as the drooly licky situation, we've been letting Noah sit in the backseat with the carseat with a stuffed animal strapped in it. OBVIOUSLY not the same as a real baby, but at least he's getting used to the idea of it taking up some of his space.

CRM724 · August 2009

Nicole731:
I have my son on the back passenger side. Middle is considered safest, but just wouldn't work out in my car. As long as you have the baby in the backseat and in a safe carseat I would not worry. I would be more worried about a large dog trying to step over the seat, or you being occupied with keeping a large dog from doing so while driving. That seems like more of a risk to me.

Very much agreed.

epopp85 · August 2009

My Ford Freestyle has the split seats so we're going to put the carseat on the passenger side. That way we can still see the baby when driving (with the little mirror of course.) I've heard this is the best place and also the place that keeps them in mind so that you don't accidentally leave them in the car. I've read so many horror stories about that and just want to take every precaution that I can think of against it.

littlemaybaby · August 2009

CRM724:
In the EXACT same boat. You have a Bernie? We have a Newf, so we've been trying to figure that one out too. He's only 8 months old but already takes up the entire backseat if he stretches out. Travel together a lot too, can't afford a bigger car either. I think one of the outside seats is fine- I agree that the middle is best, but really, sometimes it's not an option. What do people do when they have more than one carseat in the back? Obviously both of them can't be in the middle. I think as long as it's properly installed, and the back/side/curtain airbags are turned off (if you've got an option), you'll be fine.

As far as the drooly licky situation, we've been letting Noah sit in the backseat with the carseat with a stuffed animal strapped in it. OBVIOUSLY not the same as a real baby, but at least he's getting used to the idea of it taking up some of his space.

First, let me say that I LOVE Newfies! I am actually a sucker for just about all giant breed dogs.

Yes, we have a Bernie (he's 9 months old) and like Noah, he already fills the backseat quite well. When he has room to lay down, he travels like a champ - he just sleeps for the whole trip - so I think if we put the visor up on the car seat, he'll probably leave LO alone. (Although we are definitely going to have to keep an eye out - and do a couple trial trips with a baby doll in the car seat first!) It's when he can't lay down and get comfortable that he gets really antsy. The couple times we've taken him anywhere in a full car, where he has to try to stay sitting up in one seat, he ends up climbing and flopping and drooling on the person next to him trying to get comfortable.

I don't know why - I hadn't really thought about what people with 2 car seats have to do - but I do feel much better about putting LO on the side than I did a couple hours ago.

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