High back boosters being kept buckled in...

[Blii]

Not sure where to post this question really, but hopefully someone here will have been in the same position.
So I have a baby due next month and I have a 4 year old and a 7 year old. I’ve found the narrowest HHB for the older ones and the baby will be in a maxi Cosi pebble.
They all fit along the back row of my car... just.
But my problem is, they are sooo close together that it’s going to be difficult keep buckling the older ones in as there is no room between the seats to get a hand in there to buckle the belt.
Has anyone left the seatbelt done up and just let their kid climb into the belt each time they get in the car and then just tighten the belt once they’re sat down? Hope that makes sense.

I don't think my 8 year old would have space to do that in the car so I don't think its a solution unless you are going to change the car soon.

Could you put one of them in the front - more likely to be OK for baby in rear facing car seat with the air bag off? You would have to check your user manual.

I can’t see how that would work. What we’ve had to do is fasten the child in the middle in, then one on the outside climbs into the seat and I shuffle it along so there’s a few inches to get my hand in to buckle it up, then shove the seat with child in back into position and tighten belts. It’s easier than it sounds!

Take out one booster. Buckle in middle child. Booster back in, 8yo does up his own seat belt

Can you access the buckles quickly and easily if you need to get them out in an emergency?

When we had this we found the Maxi Cosi Rodi was the narrowest high back booster although this was a few years ago. We had an Isofix base for the Maxi Cosi rear facing baby seat. Then we put face cloths into the holes the seat belt sockets went into. This meant when you were trying to plug in the seatbelts at least the plug couldn’t keep folding down into the holes in the seat. Made it a bit easier to find the socket.

Is the 4 year old too big/heavy for a 5 point harness ?

You need to make sure as well that none of the seats are resting on the buckle releases.

I wouldn't do this op. It's not very safe if someone has to get your dc children out in an emergency. I would put the baby in the front with the air bag switched off.

Thanks for your answers ladies. Never thought about an emergency situation and getting them out quickly.
I’ll have to look into how to turn the airbag off in the front seat.
My husband also made a good point when I suggested it to him, what about in the winter if their shoes are wet and muddy, if they have to climb into their seats they will get wet and mud all over the seat and then have sit in it.
Not very practical.

We only ever needed to get a hand between the two high backed booster. The rear facing seat was behind the driver and had an Isofix base so it never moved.

The two high back boosters were next it and both seatbelt plugs were next each other between the high backed booster seats. Both these seatbelt anchorages were at the same location so you only needed to reach through once. Also by 7 the child was able to plug in their own seatbelt and we just checked it.

We have 4 kids so had 3 across the middle for many years, still do but now only one left in a high backed booster. Never had an issue with someone standing on someone else’s booster seat and making it muddy.