three is the magic number - HELP

[weavermum]

i have a 5 1/2 year old, petite 3 year old and no three expected in feb. also have car i love but am struggling to work out how to get 3 car seats in the back. it should work as 3 proper seats, each with 3 point belt and each with their own isofix points but nothing seems to work! none of the car seat manufactorers seems to have tested for middle isofix position and when i put 5 year old's booter seat in the middle my pudgy pregnant fingers (and dh's ) can't squeeze through space to buckle up. car is a chrysler 300c. any help appreciated. surely this is possible. am willing to buy new car seats (as cheaper than new car!).

thanks wendy

could you not get a slim high-backed booster with harness for your 3yo,a high-backed booster for your 5yo and a baby seat in the middle of the back seat for your baby?
if you put the baby seat in the middle it might be easier?

not sure 3yo will fit a booster, she's a skinny minnie and only 28lbs but will look for a slim booster for 5yo. is it ok to use middle seat isofix? can't understand why their would be a problem. thanks for help

Try putting the middle seat in place, doing up the seatbelt and then putting the other seats in. Leave the middle seatbelt fastened and just pull it out really far and get your 5yo to clamber in underneath the seatbelt and pull it tight?

that could work and might protect baby for assult of toys/sweets/sandwichs being lobbed over from 3yo.

if you put your 3yo in one with a harness so suitable from 9m) that would be fine,

the britax hi-liner is one of the narrowest high backed boosters, halfords have them on offer atm,
we found the seats fitted in better when the baby seat was in the middle,
i had my lo in the front unless we were all going away as a family as it was MUCH easier,is that an option for you?

i'm having a dilemma at the minute too only i'm trying to find a car that will take 3 seats! the narrowest hbb is the maxi cosi rodi sps. not sure about the others as i'm trying to fit in 2 group 1 rear facing seats with the hbb. good luck, it seems to be quite a challange lol.

my hi-liner is narrower than the maxi-cosi,they were side by side in halfords the other day,the shape of them fits in fab with the maxi-cosi and also my new britax,
its really not that bad to fit 3 in depending on what seats you use,
i could fit my 3 in a 3 door corsa with plenty space to do up the buckles,

you will prob need something pretty big to fit in a hbb and 2 rearfacing seats though nicm

i was told yesterday at the in car safety centre that the maxi cosi rodi SPS was the narrowest hbb(not the XP model).

sazm that's what i'm thinking but don't have the money to change to something big again at the minute. have to get rid of the scenic though as it's crap.

thanks for this. am going to go to halfords and check out the britax hi liner and juggle the seats around. just a bit hacked off as one of the reasons we bought car was because it had 3 isofix points in the back and i stupidly assumed that i would be able to easily put 3 isofix seats in back.

cheers wendy

halfords should let you try out all the seats they have to find some that fit well,

i found their prices and their range of colours very limited(we have a small store though) so i told them i would order online as it would be easier as i didnt have space in my car boot to transport 3 new seats home,
then i ordered from kiddicare as it was MUCH cheaper and they had some lovely fabrics,