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Car seats

3 car seat struggle

6 replies

Cantstopsmiling37 · 03/04/2016 20:58

Hi, have done lots of googling but can't find a straight forward answer anywhere. Hoping someone can help?

We have a 4yr old in a high back booster secured with 3point seat belt, a 2yr old in forward facing harness seat and about to have Baby no 3 in a few weeks for whom we have bought an isofix base and maxicosi cabrio.

We have 2 cars - OHs is main car and will fit all 3seats across back seat. Which order is best to fit them? We were thinking baby in isofix base behind passenger seat, 4yr old in middle with 3point seat belt and 2yr old behind driver? Does that sound best?

But my car does not have room for all 3 across the back. What to do??
Could buy a seat base for a baby seat which could be seatbelted into passenger seat and then click baby seat in with airbag turned off? or simply seat belt the actual car seat into passenger seat? or put one of the older children in front and then baby is in back with proper isofix?
Cannot find out which way is safer? Am I over thinking?

OP posts:
AliceMum09 · 03/04/2016 23:18

I would not bother with a second infant carrier base, instead make doubly sure the airbag is off and then just belt the infant carrier into the front seat.

It's not dangerous to have children in the front seat - your car manual will tell you what to do with regards to forward facing children and the airbag/seat position. For example my car manual states that if you have a forward facing child seat in the front you should leave the airbag on and set the car's seat to a midway position on the sliding rail it sits on.

3boys3dogshelp · 03/04/2016 23:23

4yo in middle, then it would be easier to have 2yo on passenger side so that if you park on the road they can get in off the pavement. Baby behind driver because you'll always be carrying them.

3boys3dogshelp · 03/04/2016 23:26

I have the bigger car in our family Blush but when mine were that small if I used the smaller car my 4 yo went in the front.

JellyTipisthebest · 04/04/2016 03:58

If the 2 years old seat is not isofix make sure the side you are doing up the 4 year old is not the same side the 2 years seat does up as the chances of the 4 year old undoing the wrong one is high.
Are you sure you can't fit 3 in the back of your car have you tried. In your car I would put 2 year behind driver getting them in open the passenger door let 2 year old climb in then put the baby in and go round strap 2 year old in and climb in and strap 4 year old in.

Cantstopsmiling37 · 04/04/2016 04:06

Thanks everyone, I will mostly be driving OHs car while I have all 3 with me anyway but just need to be sure on configuration of second car as there will be times when it has to be used for one or all of the children.

Jellytips - excellent point which I hadn't thought of at all! I think that is the decider then for which way round the baby and 2yr old go. Thank you.

OP posts:
redcaryellowcar · 04/04/2016 04:31

I would (although sounds from your second post that you may do this) leave all car seats in bigger car, moving them frequently is a hassle and I always fear in a rush we won't install them properly. We were told that safest seat is behind passenger seat, so youngest child there, I agree with 4yo in middle as they will be most likely to safely clamber across. Pp makes a good point about safety of 2yo though in getting in from pavement, I can totally see this logic.

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