How do you get 2 babies into their convertible car seats?

I know this has been discussed before, but I didn't pay enough attention at the time, and now I need some tips!!

Please tell me how you go about the task of getting 2 babies into their car seats (convertibles) when you are by yourself. We just installed convertible seats (versus infant carrier seats) AND started parking in the driveway (versus attached garage) so we can use the garage for storage. It's HOT in the car here (Arizona!), so I have to leave the car running as soon as I get a baby in... and I don't like to leave a baby unattended in the house or especially in the car. It's not a long walk but it's a lot longer than I'd like, and I can't see the car from the front door.

I'm so nervous about someone coming by and stealing my running car & baby if I were to run out, put one baby in, and then run in and get the other baby. My neighborhood is nice and it's not really likely, but this is my baby we're talking about and I just feel sick even thinking about leaving either of them alone in the car unattended at ALL!

I've been using a Hotslings baby carrier to help me carry them both at the same time (one in my arms, one in carrier) from the house to car and that works *okay* for now, but as they get heavier and squirmier (more squirmy? :laughing: Mommy brain!!), I am sure that will prove to be rather dangerous in its own right.....

So, please tell me how you do it!

 

I'll be anxiously awaiting the replies on this one. DS is just about out of his seat!! Thanksfully DD is a peanut, and she should last in hers for a few more months. Right about now I'm cursing the fact that I didn't buy the Graco Saferides that go up to 30lbs!!!

Good Luck! Suzi

 

Oh good topic... we will be heading to this delima soon and I need suggestions too. Good luck.

Missy

 

How funny, I'm another one who wants to see the replies. My girls have perhaps two more months in their infant seats, but I'm already dreading convertibles. We have an attached garage, but it's a full flight of stairs down from the rest of my house, with just a small landing and the garage on that floor. So... right now I carry them both down in the infant seats, leave one on the landing, take the other into the garage and her into the car, then repeat. I have no clue how I'm going to do this when they're not in their infant seats!

 

put them in the stroller inside the house, wheel stroller out, and proceed to do one, then wheel around to other side, put the other in, fold stroller, put in trunk, and go....i also live in a hot climate and start the car and a/c before putting the kids in HTH

sandra

 

I do the stroller thing as well. We strap them in the stroller, walk to the car and sit one in the seat, we then put the other one in. It took some getting used to, but it works. As of late I have taken to putting them in a sling I made. Both kids fit and my son is 16 pounds and my daughter 14 pounds!

 

I have done the stroller thing and the sling too. But if I am in a hurry I carry them both out and get one into the seat (not buckled yet) keeping my arm by him and then put the other on the floor of the seat (we have a minivan)and kind of use my knee to keep him in one spot and give a toy. Then buckle the one in the seat. Then get the other in. I take turns on who I "pin." Its not the prettiest way, but it works.

 

I have a minivan so I will get manage to get the door open :wacko: and sit one down on the floor with my knee in front of her while I'm strapping her sister. It definitely is a challenge. I like the stroller idea but also, what about using a wagon? Would you feel safe leaving that in the driveway while you are away?

 

QUOTE(Trishandthegirls @ Nov 20 2007, 10:24 PM) [snapback]503902[/snapback]
How funny, I'm another one who wants to see the replies. My girls have perhaps two more months in their infant seats, but I'm already dreading convertibles. We have an attached garage, but it's a full flight of stairs down from the rest of my house, with just a small landing and the garage on that floor. So... right now I carry them both down in the infant seats, leave one on the landing, take the other into the garage and her into the car, then repeat. I have no clue how I'm going to do this when they're not in their infant seats!

And THIS is why my house is going on the market after Thanksgiving I feel your pain. I daydream about moving into a one story. I'll be hitting the convertible seat soon as well-hoping to get them for Christmas gifts!

 

I often have to leave one unattended but I never leave the car running. I just get back as quickly as humanly possible. If my car is too far away (we have street parking) I leave them in pack and plays in the house while I run to get the car or I take them both there in their stroller. My boys are 23 lbs each so slings aren't helpful for us. I just think of this as an inevitable aspect of having two infants.

 

I live in Chicago, a few miles from downtown in a duplex down with street parking. Summer or winter, this is what I do (I don't let them sit in a running car, NO WAY ... but keep doors open with warm weather - we switched at 6 months = May). They're not going to overheat in 2-3 minutes, nor will they freeze to death in that amount of time.

I have 3 across. Make sure everybody is dressed and ready. So I take the lightest twin and put her in the middle. Leave the door open, run back in, get the other twin (who is behind me) and my oldest (who stays with the twin). Put the twin in (street side), have my oldest climb in her seat (Radian 65 so pretty easy), and then buckle her in.

Out ... first take my twin boy out (behind me), leave the girls. Put him inside, run outside again, get the girls.

It's not ideal, but it works pretty good. If I can't park in front of the house, I park in our (detached; shared with our neighbor) garage ... pretty similar set up. But I prefer in front of the house which is often possible, because it's not a very big garage so I can't open the doors as far as I would like.

 

I'll use the single stroller a lot. Put one in, carry the other. That way I don't have to mess with the double. That is just to much hassle.....

Or, sometimes, I'll do one at a time - BUT.... I will lock the car up tight before running back in to get the other baby, running or not. It gets cold here (at least for the girls who've never known any different) so I'll leave the heater running. I'll use 2 sets of car keys to accomplish that. As for leaving the one twin unattended inside, she's usually in their play yard, in the swing or in her crib, plus we have 2 huge dogs (one a German Shepard) that will eat any stranger trying to come in!! LOL And it's only like 10 feet from our truck to the house anyways...

I feel ya though, I do NOT like leaving a baby unattended AT ALL - especially in light of the fact we did have some people staking out our house, turns out they were trying to serve papers to the previous owners, but still, they had been staking our house for a few weeks and we could never figure out why - until I was home for 2 minutes one day (literally just to run in the house) and the dude rang the door bell and tried to give ME the papers... THAT was a scary time all the way around....... Which is why I will lock my car, even if I am running 10 feet away for a mere 10 seconds, whether or not the car is turned on.

 

I never used infant seats, I just carry them out together. As babies, it was easier as they weren't so wiggly. To open the car I have them straddle my leg and put my foot up on the tire. This gives me a free hand to unlock and open the car. Then I put one in and then the other. We have on street parking so I don't leave them in the car at all.