What's your car seat set up?

We have a 3 year old and 9 month old twins. All three are in convertible car seats, the twins rear-facing and older DS forward facing. Currently we drive a Chevy Trailblazer and it's definitely a tight squeeze in the back seat. We are purchasing a mini van this weekend, we're looking at a Nissan Quest. The only problem is we're trying to figure out what the best set up for everyone is going to be in regards to seating. The middle row has two bucket seats and the back row is a bench seat. I'm thinking older DS in the very back and the twins in the bucket seats in the middle row. Any suggestions?

 

Can your DS buckle himself in and out of the seat? If so I would put the twins in the middle two bucket seats and him in the back middle. Other option can you remove one of the middle bucket seats? I can stow one of my captain seats in my Dodge. When I had three I used to like to put one in the middle bucket with the other seat stowed and put two in the back. I would put one of the twins rearfacing in the middle seat, stow the other and then rear face the other seat directly behind the other rear facing seat. Then I would put your DS in the seat by the open area. Does this make sense? If the seat is gone you will have room to move around and get everyone in their seats and buckled. If you can't remove a seat you could always lay the seat down and move around a little easier.

 

I would agree with PP... the twins in the bucket seats and your oldest in the back. I drive a Suburban and decided to put the babies in the middle row bucket seats. My 4 year old sits in the 3rd row. We took out half the bench in that 3rd row so when I drop DD off at school, she lets herself out of her seat and exits through the rear back hatch door.

The only trouble I have found with my current setup is that my 4 year old is having a hard time getting herself strapped into her Britax seat with her coat on. It's a 5 point harness so I'm sure that's part of the difficulty. I've just learned to help her in first and then go back and get the twins in.

No matter what, I still feel like I'm driving a clown car when we all get out!

 

:laughing: Me too!!

We have a Town and Country and like a pp we have the passenger side middle bucket seat stowed in the floor and the boys are in the back with Hannah RF behind me My boys can't buckle yet though.

 

Can you imagine what they think as I'm unloading my five? lol Sometimes I have had people stare as I'm getting kids out.

 

I have a 2005 Nissan Quest and we have our oldest in the 3rd row and the twins in the captain's chairs in the middle seats. It's worked out great for the most part. I do miss being able to hand things to my son while I'm driving because he's now in the 3rd row. But, he makes faces at the girls and keeps them occupied in the car - so that's good! (Or bad, since no one seems to sleep on long drives anymore.... )

BTW, I just love my Quest to pieces. I think you'll really like that van.

 

When we found out we were having twins I knew I'd be heading down the minivan path. And I've been in love with the Quest since they came out with the new body style. We're looking at an 07 Quest. We've been approved but due to our insane and record snow falls, I haven't been able to get out to go test drive it yet. Hopefully Friday. I'm thinking the twins will be in the middle row and older DS in the 3rd row.

 

Like everyone else said this is what we do too. I have DS's seat on the far right of the back bench so I can lean in over one of the babies to do him up. He can climb in himself but can't buckle himself up (not that I want him to learn because that means he could also UNbuckle himself, lol).