car seat question...

southmiamiwifejen · November 2009

How did you decide where to place your infant car seat? I have always read/heard that the center is the safest place, but our car (a Volvo), doesn't have the LATCH system in the middle, just on the two sides. We tried installing our car seat (the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 30/30) in the middle using the seatbelt and the base and no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't get it as tight as we wanted. We tried pulling the seat belt as tight as possible and we could still wiggle the car seat significantly. So today DH installed it using LATCH on the back passenger side and he says it seems much more secure that way.

What do you guys think?

FSUSammy · November 2009

We couldn't use his carseat in the middle of our Pilot because it would tip over using the seatbelt. I put it behind the passenger so that I could see him better

Gator09 · November 2009

I have no middle in my minivan so I put him behind me this was easiest for me getting him and out of the car quickly

FutureHernandez · November 2009

I have mine in the middle right now and it's a PITA! Jen, you look as petite as I am (5'1) and it kills me everytime I have to get the infant carseat out. I have bruises on my knees and my back hurts. Why I haven't moved it over to the passenger side??? Still don't know!

southmiamiwifejen · November 2009

FutureHernandez:
I have mine in the middle right now and it's a PITA! Jen, you look as petite as I am (5'1) and it kills me everytime I have to get the infant carseat out. I have bruises on my knees and my back hurts. Why I haven't moved it over to the passenger side??? Still don't know!

This is def. a factor! I'm 5'3" and the car is a hybrid SUV so it wouldn't be easy for me to get the car seat in and out if it were in the middle, esp. since this particular car seat is pretty heavy. But I didn't want to just put her on the side out of my own convenience/comfort since I had always heard that the middle was considered safer. In our case, however, I am thinking it's better to stick to the side since the LATCH system seems so much more secure...

MrsVictoriaB · November 2009

I always read that the center was the safest and the next safest place was the passenger side so thats where we have Jake since the center won't work. We had the same car seat as you Jen!

SoontobeSavino · November 2009

When you put the carseat in, get in it yourself, and then pull the latch as tight as you want it. I always hop in, knee first, and have Rob pull the latch, it helps to get it THAT much tighter. Since I have 2 in the backseat, I have Alex behind me and Max in the middle. We just moved Max over the weekend to forward facing in the middle.

MrsLeanna · November 2009

What Volvo do you have? I have the S80 and it has the Latch in the center. We moved the car seat to the back passenger side a couple months ago b/c she just got too heave to keep lugging her to the center anymore and it's fine. Definitely do it whichever way feels most secure. I would prefer to use the latch on the sides than the seatbelt in the center.

ANJ410 · November 2009

I started off with Nicholas in the center, but ended up moving him to the passenger side because the carrier just got too heavy to lift that far into the car anymore. He is still in the same spot now, only in a regular carseat.

Mrs.ClariC · November 2009

Mine is right behind my seat because we couldn't put it in the middle. I like it for now, once he's forward facing I'll put him on the other side if we still can't do the middle, that way we can see each other.

southmiamiwifejen · November 2009

MrsLeanna:
What Volvo do you have?

It's the XC60, Leanna. I don't get why it doesn't have LATCH in the middle

Thanks ladies...I think I will leave it on the passenger side with the LATCH.

mrsjessnjorge · November 2009

that is the car seatwe have and we put it in the rear passenger side fro the exact same reason

MariM · November 2009

I used to have the Volvo S40 and I had Nadia's infant seat in the center. Although it only had latch on the side seats- I was able to pull the straps on my seat far enough to get it done. And it didn't bother the side seatbelts either (hope I'm making sense) I had the Chicco Keyfit though- so maybe it's straps are longer?

UMwife · November 2009

I've always read that the middle was the safest place for the carseat, but if it's more secure in the side because of the LATCH system, then I would be more comfortable putting it on the side since it's a tighter fit and doesn't wiggle.

g8orell · November 2009

I was told that the LATCH isn't that great, that traditional seatbelts are much better (the fire dept installed my car seat and told me that) - he put it in the middle seat with the regular shoulder belt.

car seat question...

Re: car seat question...

Choose Another Board

Search Boards