moms of three, or soon-to-be...

beachbride5 · February 2014

ok ladies, i am on the hunt for a way to keep all my babies in the second row of my car because the third row is so inconvenient to use. i have a gl450 with a 40/60 split backseat and i won't be able to fit two seats in the 60 with the 40 dropped down, so i would have to move both my bigger littles to the third row and leave the newbie in the second row. not ideal, given that my dd will still be in a 5pt harness so climbing back to buckle her in the third row will stink.

i am currently working with the chicco keyfit, the graco nautilus with the back still attached, and a second graco nautilus- just the booster and am about four inches too wide. ugh. if you are fitting three across the back, which seats do you love? i saw that little inflatable booster and was wondering how safe it is to put my ds in between the two littler girls?

thank you so much, ladies!!

TonyaCody06 · February 2014

All 3 of mine are in one row. I had the Chico keyfit 30 as a infant seat when I had an infant back there. They are all now in Safety First Air Complete car seats in one row of my honda oddessy.

When #4 comes, the two older will move to the 3rd row since they can buckle themselves.

curlylocks3 · February 2014

You could also check out the Facebook group "Car Seats for the Littles"- its a closed group but I think pretty much anyone can join. The admins are certified car seat techs and if you tell them what make/model car you have they can give you advice. If the seats you currently have will not work in that configuration, you can tell them your kids ages, heights and weights (and your budget) and they can make recommendations for car seats that hopefully will!
Good luck

EmbracingChange · February 2014

I'm buying a new car... Problem solved

I can barely fit the two kids and dog in my truck as it is. A car seat would fit, but I still want a new car.

RaisingABuzz · February 2014

I am working with 2 graco nautilus and a graco snug fit. I have stow-n-go bucket seats in the second row so my plan is to put the older 2 in the back seat and then stow one of the bucket seats so that I can get to the 3rd row easier to help buckle. The baby will be alone in the second row, but I think it's the best way because both of my older boys are still in 5-point harness and need help. Hope this helps!

justme04 · February 2014

Everyone I know swears by the Radians. I don't think we'll avoid the third row though as DH is refusing to purchase 3 brand new car seats. We will probably put our two oldest in the third row and stow on of the second row seats and put baby in the other.

ncbelle · February 2014

I have a 2010 Outback and plan on 3 radians - haven't actually put them all in yet so hope it works

rcbuko · February 2014

I have three across in both of our cars with different seats. Our 2011 Honda Odyssey has lots of room so we have two Britax Frontiers and one Britax Roundabout 40. Our Subaru Cross Trek is much smaller and is like a normal car size so we have 2 Radians (Bought them when the brand was Sunshine but are now Diono) and a Chicco Keyfit 30 in the middle of them. All three fit fine as the Radians are skinny.

MrsAMB07 · February 2014

We just tested ours this weekend and everything JUST fit. We have a Pontiac Torrent that's paid off and want another year or so out of it.

DS is in a Graco booster seat (Turbo Booster, maybe? Can't remember the model name) on one end, baby will be in a Graco Safeseat (a pretty big seat/base) in the middle, and DD is in an Evenflo Triumph on the other end.

The infant car seat will expire in December and we'll have to get another convertible car seat. I'm not sure how that will work out, but we'll deal with that then!

beachbride5 · February 2014

hampire said:

No experience but this site has measurements. https://sites.google.com/site/carseatmeasurements/home

thanks! i will check it out, but even the measurements listed for the seats i have on bru differ from the actual seat in my car when i measure... by miniscule details like 1/2" but those add up!

beachbride5 · February 2014

MegK82 said:

Can your oldest buckle up on their own?? If so, could you put the new one and the one in the 5pt harness in the middle row and the oldest in the third row? The reason we got a minivan was because there was no way we could fit or stand having all three in one seat row. It was much more efficient even to be buckling my oldest into his booster seat in the third row and then snap the baby into her base and buckle the middle one in her 5pt harness in the second row than it was to try to get them all buckled in in one row. Now, all 3 of mine can buckle themselves in, so the two girls will probably be in the third row and my oldest and the baby will be in the middle row...he's 11 so he can help out getting the baby in and out too.

my oldest use the actual seat belt with his backless booster and is fine to buckle to he is green lighted for the third row, but my dd is in a harness and cannot operate that crotch buckle, so she is not an ideal candidate. haha. i cannot fit her seat and the infant seat in the 60 split of the backseat with the 40 down to access the third row and the back seats are fold flat (ish) not sliding. boo.

beachbride5 · February 2014

curlylocks3 said:

You could also check out the Facebook group "Car Seats for the Littles"- its a closed group but I think pretty much anyone can join. The admins are certified car seat techs and if you tell them what make/model car you have they can give you advice. If the seats you currently have will not work in that configuration, you can tell them your kids ages, heights and weights (and your budget) and they can make recommendations for car seats that hopefully will!
Good luck

thank you!

beachbride5 · February 2014

danielle4348 said:

I've heard great things about the Diono Radians, especially space wise. I have an Acadia with the 3rd row and will be moving both my older guys to the 3rd row seats. I feel your pain since they are only 3 and almost 2 so still in a 5 point harness system. I have captains seats in the 2nd row so plan for baby to be in one of them and then be able to fold the other down to easily access the back row. I hope it's not as much of a pain as I imagine it to be.

i would LOVE captains chairs in the second row. i think it is ridiculous that none of the higher end brands even offer captains chairs! mb says not through their 2016 model and lexus is a no go. i am keeping my gl for another year but after that am really hoping for a better/easier option. i hear the new infiniti can slide and tilt the backseat for third row access with a car seat attached! that would be amazing. but i was also just looking back at the volvo that i had when ds was an infant and he could ride on the pop-up booster with two littles on either side, so maybe that's a route to consider next year. thank you!

beachbride5 · February 2014

thanks for all the great advice- i will check out the seats you gals are using. i have never heard of a diono but will be googling now!

i really wish i thought farther ahead than "will need a third row" when i picked my car. the mb was the best option at the time, but realizing that none of the ones i decided between are actually convenient for day-to-day travel is very frustrating. since my ds is at school full time now that he is in kindergarten, i might check out that inflatable seat and see if that fits. we have a yukon for long family rides, i just need an option for my daily errands, the drive to school, etc.

thanks again!

beachbride5 · February 2014

hampire said:

No experience but this site has measurements. https://sites.google.com/site/carseatmeasurements/home

this site is amazing! thanks for sharing. it should definitely be bookmarked for future posts.

pammyxjean · February 2014

Dang I have no idea, I have a good ole mini van that can fit five, one in each back seat. I love it.

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