Car seat placement

BebeOnBoard · April 2016

Hi moms of 2+. I need help. We are expecting baby #2 in a week or 2. We have a minivan with bucket seats in the second row. Where do you find is the best place to put each of the car seats? Our 2 1/2 year old is in a rear facing convertible and our new born will be in an infant seat.
Thanks in advance!

mrstrax · April 2016

We have our newborn behind the passenger and DD behind the driver for two reasons. 1) it's where DD has always been and 2) I'll typically have the baby carrier and my husband will walk with/carry DD through the parking lot. Since he almost always drives, that keeps us each on our side without needing to circle the van. It's really all up to you though.

Ready4theParty · April 2016

DH and I had a similar conversation last weekend and are going with a different placement. It's more for personal preference. If I am on my own with the two I don't trust DD1 to not run off if I am taking an infant seat out. I know she knows better but for my piece of mind I would rather get an infant out before my toddler.

Monicagail1 · April 2016

I had my oldest on the passenger side, mainly because I could then reach back and hand her things if necessary. Also, if DH was riding with us he likes his seat farther back/more reclined and there was more room that way. Baby went behind the driver in the infant seat. They've stayed in those spots for 4 years, and now newest baby will go in the middle.

BebeOnBoard · April 2016

Ready4theParty said:

DH and I had a similar conversation last weekend and are going with a different placement. It's more for personal preference. If I am on my own with the two I don't trust DD1 to not run off if I am taking an infant seat out. I know she knows better but for my piece of mind I would rather get an infant out before my toddler.

So you have infant behind drivers seat and toddler behind passenger? That's what I was thinking. I could have DS1 climb in and walk through to second seat then put infant seat in. That way he safe in the van. I could then walk around and buckle him in. Once he's FF I could get in my own seat and buckle him in by turning around.

That brings up another subject. Convenience wise I want to switch him to FF, so he can climb in his seat himself. He's 2 1/2 this month and 32 lbs. but I'm still crazy and paranoid and want to keep him RF until he's 15.

brie_and_almonds · April 2016

@BebeOnBoard My DD is smaller at 3 years/27 lbs, but she is able to climb into her rear-facing seat on her own. Personally, I couldn't justify the convenience when I know she is safer RF.

momofmanyinthemitten · April 2016

I have my rear-facing ones in the back row. I put them in through the trunk. We use convertible car seats from the get go. My forward facers are in the captain chairs. We just turned DS around yesterday because his car seat fits better that way in the captain chair and he's 3. It's a lot easier to buckle the front facers in the middle row.

cmjenkies · April 2016

In my car, 5yo in his big convertible is on the passenger side. I'm hoping infant seat fits well behind me because I'd rather be able to reach my big guy to give him things in the passenger seat and also keep him and his long legs from kicking me all the time. We'll see how it goes. If I have to switch them. In DH car, he has DS behind him so I guess it will be the opposite there. He drives a sedan and I drive a crossover.

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Car seat placement

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