Looking for CRAZY Car Seat People!

[cooper2010]

I have a car seat dillema. Expecting baby #3 in Oct. I have a 09 Camry. Both my kids are still in 5 point harnesed seats, a Britax Frontier (8yr and 55lbs) and a Graco Nautalis (6yr and 40lbs). I am really hoping that I can keep my 8 year old 5 point harnessed until she grows out of that seat, which could be a year from now. But when trying to fit in a 3rd seat that becomes impossible.

I bought a Radian and tried it out, but can't get a good fit RF. That would be for the baby. The seat is so damn heavy and super complicated, I am pretty certain I am taking it back to the store. I feel like my only option is to put the baby in the narrowest infant carrier I can find, and try to find a nother narrow seat for my 6 yr old. Maybe something without cupholders.

Best case scenario, I can keep the 8 yr old in the frontier, get a narrow seat for 6 yer old and baby and they will puzzle together wonderfully.

Getting a minivan is not an option right now. I would be upside down with payments and would never be able to afford one unless it was a lot older. My Camry seat is actually fairly wide its 53 inches in length so I am hopeful that I will be able to make something work.

Any suggestions?

 

[m_t_rose]

The radian say it can fit 3 across in a mid-size car so could you fit 3 radians across with one being RF or find a really narrow infant carrier which would work until your baby is about 22 lbs and at least 6 months and by then your 8 year old would almost be 9 and possibly wouldn't want to sit in a harnessed seat anymore.

Actually if you really think about it once a child is old enough not to play with their seat belt and wear it properly it might be safer to put them into a booster seat because when strapped properly into a 5 point harness the shoulders are strapped back and in a collision only the head can move forward so it puts quite a strain on the neck. With a shoulder belt it allows the child's upper body to come forward a small amount reducing the strain on the neck. I think in Sweden they usually keep them rear facing until about 5 and then move them directly into a booster with a seat belt. SO you may want to think about moving the 8 year old to a booster seat.

 

[cooper2010]

I was thinking that. We all want our kids to be safe. You do make a good point. I am not happy with the Radian. It is very heavy and overwhelming. I can put my 8 yr old in booster, I am just scared, but I don't think I have a choice!

 

[m_t_rose]

Just remember to keep an eye on your 8 year old the first few times and really stress the importance of sitting properly and always keeping the seat belt on. If used properly a booster is just as safe/possibly safer than a harnessed seat.

 

[mommyof3co]

I have a Radian too and definitely understand what you are saying and some cars it will just flat out NOT install RF...not sure if a Camry is one of them. BUT if it does fit in the space you need it to it might be worth going to a car seat tech and seeing if they can get it installed, if so they'll teach you how to and you leave with it installed by you so they know you can do it.

Honestly I'm not one that is "for" extended harnessing, not at 8yrs old at least. I truly believe that at that age, for a developmentally normal child, that a booster is just as safe. There is no evidence that is clear cut on kids that are of age, size, maturity in booster vs harness that shows us which is actually safest. If I were you, if the Radian won't work, I honestly don't think in a camry with those 2 seats you have now they are very wide you're going to find an infant seat that will fit. (you might try an onboard I think they might be the thinnest). I would move the 8yr old to a booster to free up some space. I have both my 8yr old and 6yr old in Britax Parkway high back boosters in our mini van and feel they are completely safe. Obviously, it's a parental decision, that's just my advice with the given seats and car You do have some time though you can booster train him....correct him constantly. Though really at 8 he very well may surprise you and do great from the start I do agree with m_t_rose though, I'm more of the thought of mind that once they get to a certain age it actually is safer to have them in a booster so their body can move together in the event of a wreck instead of being held back by the harness and head thrown forward...but again just theories, no evidence to show us which is actually safest.

 

[cooper2010]

I have a Radian too and definitely understand what you are saying and some cars it will just flat out NOT install RF...not sure if a Camry is one of them. BUT if it does fit in the space you need it to it might be worth going to a car seat tech and seeing if they can get it installed, if so they'll teach you how to and you leave with it installed by you so they know you can do it.

Honestly I'm not one that is "for" extended harnessing, not at 8yrs old at least. I truly believe that at that age, for a developmentally normal child, that a booster is just as safe. There is no evidence that is clear cut on kids that are of age, size, maturity in booster vs harness that shows us which is actually safest. If I were you, if the Radian won't work, I honestly don't think in a camry with those 2 seats you have now they are very wide you're going to find an infant seat that will fit. (you might try an onboard I think they might be the thinnest). I would move the 8yr old to a booster to free up some space. I have both my 8yr old and 6yr old in Britax Parkway high back boosters in our mini van and feel they are completely safe. Obviously, it's a parental decision, that's just my advice with the given seats and car You do have some time though you can booster train him....correct him constantly. Though really at 8 he very well may surprise you and do great from the start I do agree with m_t_rose though, I'm more of the thought of mind that once they get to a certain age it actually is safer to have them in a booster so their body can move together in the event of a wreck instead of being held back by the harness and head thrown forward...but again just theories, no evidence to show us which is actually safest.

That really does have me thinking....I have been looking online. Is a 8 year old safer in a 5 pt or in a booster? There is nothing I can find about that. I know she fits in the seat has room to grow too, but yeah that is a tough one. I am torn. I do have time, and that is wonderful!

I was looking at the Parkway...thinking I will put my 8year old in that if I decide to. How do you have your Radian installed? I tried to instal it RF for the baby...and that was a nightmare. Then tried to install FF and that had issues too. I don't get how I am going to top anchor it when its RF.

 

[mommyof3co]

I've used it both ways in a couple cars. It can be a total PIA RF in a lot of cars, usually not AS bad FF. I don't like how you can't adjust the RF boot to get a better angle or make it fit on your car's seats better. The RF tether isn't required, we weren't able to do it in our other car because there wasn't a place to attach it. You have to have that D-ring it comes with looped around something fixed in the car. Like a bar under the seat in front of it, can't be on the seat the carseat is on. But some cars, like our Audi, nothing is fixed, all of it moves when you move the front seat so there is no where it can be attached.

Right now it's FF in our 08 Dodge Grand Caravan in a captains chair and it fits really well on there, nice and tight.....my 3.5yr old is riding in it. He can still fit RF but he likes to get out of his harness no matter how tight it is and then I can't see him so that was becoming really dangerous. Plus it's quite reclined in my van so with the baby on the way I can really only have one RF seat in there so since the baby will be we decided on just keeping my 3.5yr old FF.

But I really love our Parkways, we had just Graco Turboboosters before for my oldest and he outgrew it in height around age 7-7.5. The Parkway is a lot more comfy and adjusts MUCH higher, there is no way he'd outgrow the height of this before being able to ride without a booster at all.

 

[HannahsMummy]

It has been proven that when a child reaches 4-5 years and can no longer RF (depending on weight) that a harness is more likely to cause serious injury than a seatbelt. This is due to the forces placed on the neck if in a crash. The harness restrains the body so that just the head moves which can seriously damage the neck. With a seatbelt the upper body moves slightly so that the whole body takes the impact and not just the neck.

I would recommend removing your 8 year olds harness asap.

Racing drivers can only use a harness because the also have a neck support which is built into the helmet and racing overalls.

I'll try and find the details and post them up for you.

 

[cooper2010]

It has been proven that when a child reaches 4-5 years and can no longer RF (depending on weight) that a harness is more likely to cause serious injury than a seatbelt. This is due to the forces placed on the neck if in a crash. The harness restrains the body so that just the head moves which can seriously damage the neck. With a seatbelt the upper body moves slightly so that the whole body takes the impact and not just the neck.

I would recommend removing your 8 year olds harness asap.

Racing drivers can only use a harness because the also have a neck support which is built into the helmet and racing overalls.

I'll try and find the details and post them up for you.

Thanks, that would be great information to have if you can find it. I have been looking, but all things just focus on having your kid in a booster rather than nothing at all. I am going to continue to look and figure out what my options are! I have a friend who kept her shildren in 5 pt for as long as possible Im not sure where she had gotten her information from....she is freinds with a lot of car seat techs. But it would be interesting for me to bring this up to her and see what she says.

 

[mommyof3co]

I'd like to see that information as well because all techs here agree there is no conclusive evidence. That theory is what the Swedes believe but it certainly hasn't been shown in any US study using our seats. I do agree with it though, it just makes sense to me, but again that's just my opinion, no facts to support it.

 

[ChristinaRN]

Just my opinion but I think you're better off putting the 8 year old in the booster (who has a more mature skeletal structure) and putting the infant in a Britax (much much better than those infant carriers). In an accident your infant needs more support than your 8 year old.
On a side note......payoff that camry ASAP and see if you can get a van.....makes a world of a difference!

 

[mommyof3co]

The Britax she has is actually a FF only seat so can't be used for the newborn But a lot of britax convertibles actually don't fit newborns even though they claim a 5lb weight limit. The new ones are a little better but still don't fit all newborns. A convertible does last longer than an infant seat, but both are great options, neither is really better just preference. We have decided to skip the infant seat this time and go with a convertible from birth...the Combi Coccoro

 

[cooper2010]

I looked for a bit today and still can't find anything. I emailed a safekids coalition to see if they new anything about putting big kids in 5 point...so we will see if I get a response.

 

[mommyof3co]

You can talk to a bunch of techs on car-seat.org but really there is no testing showing us for sure which there is. But they can give you more information on both sides of the argument to help you make your decision

 

[ChristinaRN]

I got the Britax Marathon which goes from 5lbs and up.....with a few added receiving blankets on either side....my kids have always fit great (granted they're all almost 9lbs at birth). Might be preference but I just feel like my babies are so much safer in the Britax than the infant seats.....for one their head doesn't fall forward in the Britax (that's the biggest thing that scares me aside from an actual accident).

 

[mommyof3co]

Really there shouldn't be much of a difference because for a newborn it needs to be at a 45 degree angle whether it's a convertible or an infant seat. (as far as their head falling I mean) But really it's about preference, if that's what you like there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. BUT do keep in mind to fit the straps have to be at or below their shoulders. In the older Britax Marathon that is almost impossible with a newborn...the new ones that have the infant inserts are more likely to fit but don't fit all newborns still. So even though it's a 5lb limit it's also about the harness, not them being just 5lbs.

 

[cooper2010]

Im going to check on car-seats.org. As of this moment, my plan is to put the baby in the chicco keyfit. That way I can put my (small) 6yr old in the frontier and put my 8yr old in the parkway. Thanks mommyof3co.

 

[mommyof3co]

Hope that works out for you We had a Chicco KeyFit 30 for my youngest and it was by far my favorite infant seat I've used/played around with. LOVE it!! If we were doing an infant seat again this time it would definitely be that one