to make partner sit in the back of my car for a couple of years?

[nina3638]

just bought a new car as we’ve just had a baby and the last car was a two seater. the car i bought is still fairly small (hyundai i10) as i’ve not been driving too long so can’t get good insurance deals on bigger cars etc. it’s all in my name so it’s not like he’s paying for it.

since having my baby i’ve been really anxious with things like car safety to the point that i’d just stopped leaving the house because i didn’t trust her car seat. so yesterday i bought a sturdy seat with a proper isofix base and feel so much better about going out with her. however i underestimated how long my partners legs are and he can’t actually sit in the front seat anymore as he can only get one leg in 😂

he said he’s fine just sitting in the back until we can turn the seat front facing in a few years but i feel really bad about it. would you take the seat back if you were me or just leave partner in the back for a few years?

feels like such a stupid situation but for me baby’s safety trumps partner sitting in the front but i don’t know if i’m just being stupid and should just go back to using the three point system on a smaller car seat?

Swap the isofix seat to be behind you, rather than your partner?

Assume the car seat wont fit in the back?

Leave partner in the back, especially as he’s quite happy!

Partner is fine with the back, what's the problem?

I can’t see the problem either tbh!

Sorry thought it was in front seat, wont it go behind you?

Plenty of people do that once car seats affect leg room. And some people just prefer to sit with their children. Not an issue at all.

I sit in the back for a couple of years as DDs car sickness was better in the front.

He'll be able to entertain the baby if he's sitting next to them!

Is the baby seat behind the passenger seat? If so can’t you move it over.

He can sit in the back no problem and entertain the baby, might make for a more relaxing drive for you.
I anticipate a similar dilemma, my DH will just have to be grateful I didn’t keep my 2 seater sports car and make him walk

I so fix isn't necessarily the safest option. I have the axkidd move which is one of those really safe, rear facing scandavian seats which attaches via seat belt (it just stays in the car so I don't have to faff about moving it. I had it in the back left side of a mini cooper and my 6'3" partner could just fit in the passenger seat...

Don't put DD in an inferior/less convenient car seat to enable DP to sit in the front.

DP is fine with set up, so I'm not sure why you're over thinking it.

Also, you have a child together, why have YOU had to buy the car?

To add, I purposely sought out cars with a long wheel base (audi a6, skoda superb, etc) so we could fit multiple rear-facing seats in and have space in front.

With a regular or small wheel base, you have to make comprises to fit everyone in comfortably and many people do sit in the back.

It's for a short time (just a few years) and your partner is happy, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Why are you overthinking this? DP has said it’s fine. So it’s fine. It’s really not a big deal.

Baby seats need to be behind the passenger seat for safe access from the pavement. Otherwise you're getting the baby in and out from the road. So suggestions to move it make no sense.

Wouldn’t want baby in the front seat, to distracting for the driver.

@saraclara

Baby seats need to be behind the passenger seat for safe access from the pavement. Otherwise you're getting the baby in and out from the road. So suggestions to move it make no sense.

Unless you park on the other side of the road..or are able to just stick your head in and lean over 2 feet...

We bought an extended rear facing car seat for DD and now DH can barely fit in the front passenger seat (he has a medical condition that means he can’t drive) so he always sits in the back now. Most of the time when it’s the two of us in the car, DD is there too so he keeps her company/entertained.

Just to second that based on all the research we did, and Which reviews, isofix isn't automatically the safest option. Belted seats can be just safe or safer as long as they are installed correctly, and that's not hard as long as you're not in a rush and double check everything. We much prefer both sitting in the front as it means we can more easily have a conversation eg. on long trips when DD is sleeping. We have the Joie i-gemm 2 which has a high safety rating when belted.

@saraclara

Baby seats need to be behind the passenger seat for safe access from the pavement. Otherwise you're getting the baby in and out from the road. So suggestions to move it make no sense.

We live on a one way street and parking is on the right so DC1 was behind the drivers seat to enable this. Now we have two one of them is taken out roadside 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP if your partner is fine with it then there’s no issue, my DH did this for about a year although more so to entertain the baby rather than leg room.

@saraclara, parking isn’t the same side on all streets though. Not always possible to park passenger side next to pavement.

He’s fine with it so there’s no issue!

When you have a baby and toddler, it's safer to take baby out road side than toddler...
I believe the safest is the middle seat due to side impacts, but that doesn't always have isofix...

Unless you park on the other side of the road

But not at night, of course.

Not that anybody in real life takes any notice.

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

When you have a baby and toddler, it's safer to take baby out road side than toddler... I believe the safest is the middle seat due to side impacts, but that doesn't always have isofix...

You never take a child out roadside. Baby seat is nearside and older child in the far side gets unclipped and then steps across the car to the pavement side.

Getting any child of whatever age out of a car on the road side is incredibly dangerous.