STM carseat placement

sdlaura · January 2014

This question is about ease of use, rather than safety. I'm having the safety of the installation of both carseats evaluated today by a carseat tech.

My question is about ease of use with an infant and a rear-facing 17-month-old in a convertible seat. We have the LATCH system on the two sides of my backseat, and can get a much tighter fit there than we can in the middle with the seatbelt, so the seats will be on the sides. DD is used to riding behind my driver's seat because that was easier for us getting her in and out of the car in the garage. I won't be able to park in the garage anymore now that I have to get kids in and out on both sides of the car.

So, what do you think is easier logistically? The toddler behind me and the infant behind the passenger seat, or vice versa?

dorismomma · January 2014

I've been wondering the same thing..

magentawarped · January 2014

I've been wondering about the logistics of this myself, but with a front facing 2 year old. I think we're going to have the baby behind the driver's seat, because I'm more likely to have to hand things to the toddler while driving, and I'll just get a mirror to see the baby with.

NoelMarieFrey · January 2014

i have been wondering the same thing!!!!!! The middle of my car has a hump, and it doesn't always allow a car seat to sit evenly.

christen_z1 · January 2014

We have the infant seat behind the drivers seat and our toddler's car seat behind the passenger seat. We have a van so our older kids sit in the back.

dadalou · January 2014

I have manual locks on my car and don't want to have to unlock all 4 doors every time we get in the car so I think that I am going to put DD rear facing in either the middle or passenger side (preferably middle) and baby behind the driver's seat. I may have to set him on the driver's seat while DD gets in and buckled since she will need help, but I think that should work.

JackieP1023 · January 2014

I'm a FTM, but have a booster seat for the 'lil sis' (I volunteer through BBBS). She's a small 7yr old. The booster used to be behind the passenger seat, but when we tried to install the infant seat, it didn't fit very well in the middle-we also have the LATCH system in the two outside seats. We plan to have it safety checked this week, but because of the space the infant seat requires, we had to put it behind the passenger seat. (It could be moved up to accomodate space-wise... Driver seat we didn't want to move).

slwprincess · January 2014

Honestly, we had it both ways at different times... can't say that it made much of a difference. Do you have to do carpool for the toddler at all (preschool/daycare?)- if so, toddler should go on the passenger side for that. Another thing to consider... when you are out and about, which one will you load first? If it's the infant seat, then put that one on the passenger side so you aren't having to walk around the car multiple times to get kids in and then to climb in the drivers seat. Personally, I like to use a snap n go stroller frame so I usually loaded my toddler first (so I didn't have to worry about him running into traffic!) on the passenger side and then loaded infant seat on driver side, threw the SNG in the back and got in the drivers seat.

ETA: we also did the infant seat in the middle for a while early on (with the seatbelt) so that one of us could ride back there if we needed to. DD hated the carseat so if we were going to be in the car for a long time, someone would have to sit back there to keep her from screaming bloody murder.

Virgo&Aquarius · January 2014

I would do the infant behind the passenger seat. It makes it easier to reach her just in case rather than reading directly behind you. My 9 year old is still in a booster and has been behind the passenger seat since 08, now I'm going to move her behind me and put LO behind the passenger seat. Same reason, the latch system isn't in the middle seat of my truck.

cbear47 · January 2014

Okay, this might sound morbid, but I've been told to put the more vulnerable child behind the driver. This is due to our most basic, instinctual, self preservation. In the event that you may be able to choose, you will turn your vehicle so your side avoids hitting whatever it is.

Most car seats are built to be so safe that when installed correctly are safer in the car than we are.

gfam23 · January 2014

@L12541

A mostly on-topic side question for you, because you are in SD, right? Can you tell me where you're going for the inspection? I need help with my Britax Boulevard. TIA!

And I lean toward having your older child behind the passenger seat to make her more accessible to you.

sdlaura · January 2014

gfam23 said:
@L12541

A mostly on-topic side question for you, because you are in SD, right? Can you tell me where you're going for the inspection? I need help with my Britax Boulevard. TIA!

And I lean toward having your older child behind the passenger seat to make her more accessible to you.

Sure, in the past I have had inspections by the Carlsbad PD - they do them twice a month and I work in Carlsbad. But they aren't doing them this month because the main officer who does them is expecting a baby (go figure). So I made an appointment to have it done at Rady through the Kohls Cares program - I'm down at Rady often for cardiology appointments so it worked out. I bet you can google for it - they had various locations and dates.

KaraLeigh115 · January 2014

Ok this was my conclusion.
I didn't wanna run around the car multiple times to put LO in and be sure DS was strapped in.
So we are putting LO behind the passenger seat and DS behind driver. The reasoning is I can let DS climb in and get in his seat and then put in LO on the base. As I go around to my side, just open the back door to check if DS is securely strapped and then get in to drive!

inluv4life2 · January 2014

I thought the passenger side was safer for the more vunerable child? We just moved DD to behind the driver and installed baby seat on the passenger side. I wish I could remember where I heard that passenger side was safer - I'm googling now!

cbear47 · January 2014

@inliv4life2 - thx for checking it out!!

inluv4life2 · January 2014

All I can find is that middle is best. I can't do middle with two kids. Boo!

cbear47 · January 2014

If it makes you feel better, kids are safer in their PROPERLY installed car seat today than ever before. (Paramedics have been know to call correctly installed infant seats orphan makers, because of how safe the babies are!)

MaxsonMomma · January 2014

I would put baby behind the driver and toddler behind passenger. For me it is because when I leave the house the first door I get to is the passenger...I can set down the carseat and buckle in the toddler. Then pick up baby carseat and walk around to driver side to snap baby in. It shall be interesting with 4 kids ;-)

inluv4life2 · January 2014

@cbear47 Good point!

gfam23 · January 2014

@golfergirl08 @L12541

Thanks! That helps a lot.

(I did google this briefly yesterday and didn't come up with much, so thanks again!)

mdr619 · January 2014

gfam23 said:
@golfergirl08 @L12541@gfam23

Thanks! That helps a lot.

(I did google this briefly yesterday and didn't come up with much, so thanks again!)

I used seatcheck.org to find a place near us. This searches nationwide so if others need help, check out this site!

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