Car seat set up

JDBtwinmama · June 2017

I apologize if this is a double post, I searched and couldn't find one! I'm wondering how all you ladies are arranging your car seats? I have twins who are 19 months and the new baby. The twins are just starting to help themselves in (put their arms through the straps). I have a minivan, and as of now the twins are rear facing in the captains seats in the second row. Trying to decide if we should move both older kids to the third row? Or just one? Anyone else with three rear facing seats?

taylormarie923 · June 2017

I have the opposite set up as you. One older toddler in a convertible seat, which I just flipped this pregnancy in anticipation of having three across, and twin infants. Even if he were still RFing, I'd still have him in the middle because it's the only way I can fit all three seats in my car and I didn't want to deal with having him in the far back seat because it's hard to access in my car (SUV). I dream of the day when I can buy a minivan.

Do your twins like sitting next next to each other? That would be the deciding factor between splitting them between rows or moving both into the back.

JDBtwinmama · June 2017

@taylormarie923 because they're in captain seats they can't really see each other. They talk to each other but I don't know whether that makes a difference in terms of their car happiness, because they can't really see each other. I think they'll still talk to each other even if not next to each other

morgy_bee · June 2017

I will have my toddler and infant in the captains chairs and my DS in his booster in the third row. He is able to buckle himself now so that works out great. If needed, could you fold one of the chairs into the floor so you don't have to climb over it every time you need to buckle the twins in the back row?

JDBtwinmama · June 2017

@morgy_bee it doesn't fold, but I could take a captains chair out!

bumpybump · June 2017

@JDBtwinmama I was going to suggest what @morgy_bee suggested. Removing one of the captains chairs out/into the floor. I have other friends who utilize this set up with the older kids in a third row and youngest in the middle.

mrsvp614 · June 2017

FTM here. I'm trying to figure out *when to install our seat. I don't want to ride around with an empty seat for weeks, in case of an accident. But I also want to have time to get to a car seat tech to make sure it's installed correctly before delivery.
Any advice?

SouthernMama15 · June 2017

@MrsVP614 I think we did DS's around 35 or 36 weeks. We will probably wait a little longer this time since we know what we're doing. I'm actually more concerned about turning DS's convertible around.

We'll have his convertible on one side and the carrier on the other. Trying to decide where to put them, but I think I'll do convertible on the passenger side and infant carrier on the driver side

Kathryn0903 · June 2017

@MrsVP614 I'm 34 weeks 5 days and we're installing the seats today. I'm a little more on a time crunch since I'm likely delivering at 37 weeks, though.

bumpybump · June 2017

@MrsVP614 we are installing ours on July 6. That will be at 36 weeks. We have the car seat tech inspection on that day so we want to get both DD's convertible (will be going FF) and the new infant carrier checked together. I feel like we did similar timing last time too.

littlebug2010 · June 2017

@MrsVP614 We are installing ours this coming weekend (after cleaning the car!). My shower is on the 8th, in Maine, about 4 hours away. I want to get the seat installed, and car cleaned, before we go, as ill be 35 +4 for the shower. I would hate to be 4 hours away with out the car seat, and go into labor. We are going to have my dad check the seat when we get there, becuase he was a police officer for years, and knows how to get the seat set correctly.

MetsGirl18 · June 2017

At those ages, I'd probably put 3 across if they fit. It seems like a pain if they were in the third row and you would have to go into the car every time you need to buckle and unbuckle them. My kids are older and DS1 can buckle himself in a booster. They'll all be across the same row in my SUV and DS1 will be in the third row in our minivan.

taylormarie923 · June 2017

@MrsVP614 I am installing just the bases this week, but I'll wait to put the carriers into the car until it's actually go time.

@SouthernMama15 I have always heard to put the older child on the drivers side because you tend to protect your own side while driving and a FF seat isn't as protective as the Rfing seat so they are at higher risk of injury. There was a news story going around a few weeks ago of a woman and her two kids who hit a tree. The older child had a spinal injury and was fitted for a halo device, while the infant had a bruise.

kvh22 · June 2017

@MrsVP614 I agree with @taylormarie923 - I am getting my car seats inspected (we are supposed to try to install them ourselves) at about 34 weeks. We'll leave the bases in each of our cars but won't be driving around with the actual car seat - that way if there's an issue with an accident, the base is a lot cheaper to replace than the whole thing.

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f · June 2017

@MrsVP614 We installed ours this past weekend and got the bases checked in both cars. Just wanted to check it off the list! One less thing to worry about. I echo PP's idea about just driving around with the base instead of the actual seat, in case of an accident.

JDBtwinmama · June 2017

I'm getting mine installed ASAP. I had a very hard time finding someplace to install them last time and we didn't get it done until a week before one of my twins came home from the NICU

kmwills · June 2017

DH will be installing our car seat base when I'm in the hospital after the birth. Don't need it til you come home, right?

bumpybump · June 2017

@kmwills you don't need it until you're home but I highly recommend getting a certified car seat tech to check the installation. Especially, if you've never installed that seat or any car seat.

kvh22 · June 2017

@kmwills 100% agree with @bumpybump about getting it checked out by a certified technician.We went to a free class about car seat safety and the officer who led the class said there was a study done and 8 out of 10 car seats were installed incorrectly. They thought this was way too high so they tried it again with a wider group and 9 out of 10 were installed incorrectly. It's really important to get it checked.

knottie0d8cc4d43bacc09f · June 2017

kvh22 said:

@kmwills 100% agree with @bumpybump about getting it checked out by a certified technician.We went to a free class about car seat safety and the officer who led the class said there was a study done and 8 out of 10 car seats were installed incorrectly. They thought this was way too high so they tried it again with a wider group and 9 out of 10 were installed incorrectly. It's really important to get it checked.

+1 to this and what @bumpybump said. I know the install seems pretty straightforward, but there were some random things the police officer told us about best practices that I would have NEVER known and aren't necessarily listed in all the manuals.

JDBtwinmama · June 2017

It took 2 police officers who each took a 6 week training course to properly install our 2 car seats. I second what everyone else says, make sure a certified tech installs it

taylormarie923 · June 2017

In case you aren't sure how to find a certified technician: https://ssl06.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbzap.bin/apps/assess/webmembers/tool?pToolCode=TAB9&pCategory1=TAB9_CERTSEARCH&Webid=SAFEKIDSCERTSQL

Nxy · June 2017

I didn't read all this very close so I maybe repeating some awesome advice. Just because your police station or fire department offers carseat checks DOES NOT mean they have been trained or certified in any special way. We learned that the hard way after they installed DD's infant seat all sorts of wrong. Thankfully they did such a bad job it was super clear it wasn't right

We installed ours today after finally finding a pool noodle that wasn't hollow. The only tech here is by appointment only and is leaving for a few weeks soon so I figured better early than wrong.

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