Car seating arrangements?

I have a mini-van. Currently they are in the captain seats behind me. I have a third row of seats in the back (one with latch). The chairs that the twins are in now go into the floor. What are your plans for transporting them after the new one is born? I was thinking the new one woudl go in the back because then I can still hand things to the twins and with the back facing car seat, I really can't do anything no matter where he is sitting... but... then what if I were to put one of the seats down and put the twins in the back and the baby up front? HELP! LOL What are your plans/thought?

 

I drive a Suburban with the same set up as you (2 captain's chairs in the middle). I am planning on moving Abby & Kate to the back row (without latches), and I want to put the baby in the captain's chair behind the passenger seat. That way I have the other captain's chair open for me to get in and out a little easier to load everyone in. (Does that make sense?) Also, on longer trips I will be able to sit back there with all of them in a more comfortable position.

 

I have bench seats in my mini-van (and an extra child than you). What we are going to do is have the girls (twins) in the back seat. DS and the baby in the middle seat. The baby will be behind the driver so DS can't kick the driver's back going down the road. Plus we have built in carseats in the middle row and DS will be able to sit in the built-in so we won't have to worry about the seat belt interferring with getting the girls (twins) in and out of their seats.

*Yesterday, DS and I were talking about how he will sit next to the new baby when she is born. He told me "Gavyn's going to rock the baby. Baby not cry." It was so sweet!

 

My situation is backwards from you, but... We have the twins in the back in bench seat- one with the latch, and the other with the seatbelt, and my toddler son in the captains chair- the other captains chair is in the stow and go space. We found this easier to get around and manuver to put the kids in. It is harder than you think to lift either a kid or a baby seat through the captains chairs- especially when you are recovering from giving birth
But if you needed your other seat, you can just pull it back up!

 

The 2nd rown in my van is a 2-seater adn the back one seats 3. Right now the twins are side by side. However, with using the seat belt to hook the seat in, it's almost impossible to get to the back seat. So, we are putting one of the twins in the back adn the infant carrier and other twin in the front row.

 

I've been stressing about this for a while now b/c I drive a Pacifica. I have two captain's chairs in the middle and a two seater bench in the back (only one side has a latch). The problem is that there is a console in between the two captain's chairs and it will be virtually impossible for me to continue to climb in and out to buckle the girls up back there (it's fine occasionally when we need an extra seat). So, here's my thinking...for the first few months, anway, the girls will continue to sit in the captain's chairs in the middle. The side of the back seat without the latch will be folded down and the baby will be in the other side. I can get him in and out through the back (it has an automatic liftgate) since the carrier just snaps into the base and I won't have to kill myself to buckle him in. We're sincerely hoping to have the car paid down enough to trade it in for a minivan by this summer. I know I'm going to get some really strange looks b/c everyone will think I'm putting my baby in the trunk!

 

I plan on putting the baby in the third row and keeping the twins where they are side by side in the 2nd row bench seat.

 

We have a Tahoe with bench style seats in the 2nd and 3rd row. We plan to put Ava & Bella in the 3rd row and Jax and Lola in the 2nd row. We'll leave one of the seats nearest to the window on the 2nd row open so that we can fold it up and down so Ava and Bella can get in. We're going to look like a clown car trying to get everyone in and out, but as long as we all fit safely we're happy.

Jackie, if I was in your situation, I would put the twins in the very back seat. It seems like it would be a struggle to lift a baby car seat in and out of the 3rd row.

 

QUOTE(Amber 8719 @ Jan 31 2008, 04:35 PM) [snapback]599496[/snapback]
Jackie, if I was in your situation, I would put the twins in the very back seat. It seems like it would be a struggle to lift a baby car seat in and out of the 3rd row.

Yeah, that is what I was thinking! Thank you everyone! That will be a big change!! But, I do agree! Thanks! Now the decision as to which side I will collapse! :winking0009: As convenient as it would be to do it on the driver's side, is that the safest side to be getting in and out? We'll see.

 

I plan on stowing the driver's side capt chair, twins in the back and baby on the pass side. We don't parrell park very often so I think for me that will be easiest.

 

Great post! I am stressing over this right now. For your situation, I would put the new baby in the 2nd seat. Isn't the second row supposed to be the safest? Not that you don't want your other kids safe, but a newborn should be in the safest seat IMO.

We have a Honda Pilot that has two seats with latch in the way back. I am thinking that I will put all 3 kids in the 2nd row - is this crazy? My twins are still rear-facing, though I am thinking of finally switching them soon. Only problem is that if they are forward facing, they can more easily reach the new baby. I am thinking of having the twins in their seats in the middle and side seats and the new baby in the other side seat. Is this a dumb idea???

 

I went with the baby in the driver's side captain's chair and the twins in the back. That way the baby would be in the side I am on and I wouldn't have to go around the van to get him. If I had seats that collapsed into the floor, I may have considered putting the baby on the passenger side because then I could easily climb in and out of the van but I don't so I didn't.

 

QUOTE(camdensmommy @ Jan 31 2008, 03:58 PM) [snapback]599344[/snapback]
My situation is backwards from you, but... We have the twins in the back in bench seat- one with the latch, and the other with the seatbelt, and my toddler son in the captains chair- the other captains chair is in the stow and go space. We found this easier to get around and manuver to put the kids in. It is harder than you think to lift either a kid or a baby seat through the captains chairs- especially when you are recovering from giving birth
But if you needed your other seat, you can just pull it back up!

That is what we are planning on doing.