Help me with carseat configuration.

[Anonymous]

I have a 3 row SUV and 2 kids, with one more on the way. The middle row is a bench seat, not captains chairs, and has a 60/40 split. My toddler sits rear facing (and will for a while after baby arrives - very, very tiny) and my preschooler sits forward facing.

With 2 rear facing and one high backed booster, what's the ideal configuration? It seems that if I put the two rear facers on either side and the booster in the middle, the big kid wouldn't really be able to access the middle seat because of the rear facing carseats taking up so much room, but if I put my middle kid in the middle, they can't buckle themselves like the preschooler can, so not sure how I would manage that. The only other choice is to put 2 kids (the rear facers) in the 2nd row and the big kid in the 3rd row, but the rear facers still have to sit next to one another because otherwise the big kid can't access the back.

Thoughts? Any creative solutions from those of you who have BTDT?

[Anonymous]

Two rear-facing seats outboard, oldest should be able to crawl under one of the seats to access booster seat in the middle and buckle him(her)self in.

[Anonymous]

Did this -
Backward facing on sides. It might be worth investing in new slimmer seats so that it is easier to independently buckle booster. Fitting the right seats makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 3 row SUV and 2 kids, with one more on the way. The middle row is a bench seat, not captains chairs, and has a 60/40 split. My toddler sits rear facing (and will for a while after baby arrives - very, very tiny) and my preschooler sits forward facing.

With 2 rear facing and one high backed booster, what's the ideal configuration? It seems that if I put the two rear facers on either side and the booster in the middle, the big kid wouldn't really be able to access the middle seat because of the rear facing carseats taking up so much room, but if I put my middle kid in the middle, they can't buckle themselves like the preschooler can, so not sure how I would manage that. The only other choice is to put 2 kids (the rear facers) in the 2nd row and the big kid in the 3rd row, but the rear facers still have to sit next to one another because otherwise the big kid can't access the back.

Thoughts? Any creative solutions from those of you who have BTDT?

What two big kids in the way back and just the single seat up in the middle?

Biggest kid in the seat directly behind the baby and you can climb in to help rear facing toddler if s/he can’t buckle in, better yet, teach the big kid to help the middle one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two rear-facing seats outboard, oldest should be able to crawl under one of the seats to access booster seat in the middle and buckle him(her)self in.

This or you can help buckle after you sit down leaning back.

[Anonymous]

We put the baby in the middle. We just swing the infant car seat up over the forward facing seat and push it in. I figure your baby will be in the infant seat for about 9 months before moving on to the rear facing car seat. We figure by the time baby 3 moves to the rear facing car seat, our oldest will be 6 and in a high back booster, at least in DH's less driven car. 3 car seats won't fit in his car

[Anonymous]

Thanks all!

The seat we have currently is way too bulky to sit in the 3rd row - I’m actually not sure it’s recommended to rear face in the 3rd row in my car - I’ll have to look into that. I think that no matter the option, I need to find a lower profile seat for the toddler (currently in a Britax Boulevard).

The easiest thing would be to just turn the toddler around (will be 3 but nowhere near the height/weight limit for rear facing), but I’m trying to not let myself think that’s an option!