dumb car seat question

Puppins · January 2010

So we are having triplets- and I refuse to get a minivan. So we are thinking of getting the Radian car seats so they all fit 3 across the back of our SUV. My question is- and I can't figure out for the life of me- how do you get all those babies in and out from house to house without having those car seats with the handles? Is there another option besides carrying them one-by-one? I've been looking online and it seems all people do is have the handled seats. Thanks.

pea-kay · January 2010

i'm not going to tell you what to do, but your life would be infinitely easier if you get infant seats while the babies are young. but it's your decision. you'll have to take them out of the seats and put them in a stroller or something. that's the only option i can think of, unless you have three adults.

does your SUV have a third row? can you put one kid back there?

macchiatto · January 2010

You really do have to carry them out one by one. Even if you started with the handled seats, most likely there would be a stretch of time in between when the kids outgrew their infant seats and when they were able to walk well enough to walk to and from the car by themselves. (Our bigger twin was over 21 lbs by 7.5 months so we moved to convertibles then, and now at a year they're still a ways a way from being able to walk out to the car themselves.)

I guess your other option would be to wear one baby but you'd still have to make two trips unless you wore one baby on the front and one on the back and carried the third in your arms. But I would think getting the babies in and out of the wraps (or the stroller if you used that) would take just as long as making multiples trips unless you have to park far from your house. (We're lucky; our car is just a few feet from our front door.)

Puppins · January 2010

Ahh- I thought maybe there was something out there that I didn't know about... oh well. We have a Grand Cherokee right now- but will most likely be getting a Pilot before the monsters come. Maybe we can figure out a way to mix and match the Radian with 2 infant seats on the side?

Thanks.

amcam24 · January 2010

You might, might be able to get 3 infant carseats in the second row of a pilot. I'm not sure though. The driver would not have a lot of leg room. We have a pilot, (I refuse to get a mini van too. I realize it's stupid, but that's how I am.) We installed an infant seat RF behind the driver side, and my DH couldn't fit very well in the driver seat. (He's 6'2") So we are going to put Henry's Decathlon behind the driver's seat, and the infant seats next to each other.

The pilot has a 3rd row, but it's not easy to get to, you have to fold down the second row. (It's not THAT big of a deal, but enough that you would be annoyed.) Plus, with the third row up, you wouldn't be able to fit a stroller in the back.

I personally wouldn't like having newborns in a convertible seat. They are just so tiny. It can be done though, so if you can figure out the logistics of getting them in there, kudos! We are going to get radians after the infant seats.

macchiatto · January 2010

I have to say, I also agree that I would hate to put a newborn in a convertible seat. They are not nearly as comfortable for them. And especially with triplets, they will most likely be especially small as newborns. The infant seats are also very handy when you're getting them in and out of the car, taking them into places (e.g. if you and your H go to a friends' house, you can carry the babies in in their seats. Otherwise what would you put them in when you get there short of holding them the whole time?)

Temp159135562506975 · January 2010

i'm willing to bet that your triplets would not pass the car seat test in the radian seats to go home from the hospital --- because chances are they will be small - and might need NICU, etc --- so car seat restrictions become even more important with those tiny babies.

i would never deal with convertible seats from day 1 - even with only one baby --- it's SOOO much easier to have infant seats you can carry, put down on the ground to lock the door, etc.

We moved Gibby out of the infant seat at 4mo b/c he was so heavy- but still have Gray in the infant seat b/c it's so much easier to have at least ONE baby in an infant seat.

with triplets?? no way would i deal with carrying them out one at a time... I'd never leave the house. I have 3 kids now (twins + toddler) and go somewhere almost every day.

and really - minivans are the BEST for lots of kids with all their crap. The self opening doors on their own are worth having a minivan for. You're going to be a mom- of 3 --- you may just need to get over your issue with minivans... I did- and i'm so glad b/c i love having a minivan now. I don't mind driving it anymore- I am a mom- so it's OK if i look like one in my car

Temp159135562506975 · January 2010

macchiatto:

also very handy when you're getting them in and out of the car, taking them into places (e.g. if you and your H go to a friends' house, you can carry the babies in in their seats. Otherwise what would you put them in when you get there short of holding them the whole time?)

very good point! With Gibby in a convertible seat now it's a big pain when we go places- we have to bring a bouncy seat with us so we have somewhere to put him down if we can't hold him the whole time... Gray can just sit in his infant seat still... but we have to either bring a stroller into a house or a seat - it's a pain.

SaucySarie · January 2010

I have a Dodge Durango. 3 infant seats fit across the back seat perfectly. I also have the 3rd row seat, but it never gets used b/c that's where the triple stroller goes. Anyways- getting that middle baby in the seat SUCKS! I used to be one of those ppl who HATED minivans. Now I wish I had one. Now that the kids have gone into the convertible seats, they still fit three across the back seat and it's still a biitch to get that middle kid in. I have always carried them out one by one to get in the car. Most places I go by myself ( I know, go me!) and it's the only way I can do it. When they were in their infant seats then I would move everyone to outside the door, then move them all closer to the car and then put them in. Now that they sit in convertible seats I take 1 out and then go back in for the other 2. That's the only way I have been able to do things. HTH

EverAfterinMi · January 2010

yeah..I said I was never going to have a mini van too. Then I had triplets and bye bye Tahoe and Trailblazer! Hello Town and Country!

My three infant seats fit across the back seat of both SUV's and the bigger seats would have across the Tahoe, but getting that third baby in and out of the middle was a blazing nightmare. And if you are considering getting a triple stroller.. yeah.. it barely fit in the back of both and won't in if you have a third row seat. The only other viable option was the suburban and there was no way I was dealing with lugging myself into the back to get a baby back there. We'll go back to the suburban in a couple years when they can get themselves in and out.

And honey.. no offense.. but please please please do not think about putting your preemies in a Radian car seat. Get the infant seats. you want your child to be safe.

MrsAmyB · January 2010

Ditto the others.

With likely preemies even some infant seats aren't good enough to pass a carseat inspection. If I were you (and I'm not telling what to do), I would do some research on slim carseats that hold preemies well.

I did this and found the Chicco key fit will work with our Acura MDX and are great for preemies.

We have a 3rd row seat, so either all three will be in the 2nd row and DD in the 3rd, or 2 in each row.

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