https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 16:34:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432123 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 17:07:30 +0000 mauxie 1432123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aegie: thanks for the update! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432094 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:51:43 +0000 aegie 1432094@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are new LATCH rules for 2014. The weight limits must INCLUDE the weight of the car seat as well as the weight of the child. </p> <p><a href="http://csftl.org/2014-latch-changes-dont-panic/" rel="nofollow">http://csftl.org/2014-latch-changes-dont-panic/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432062 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:33:46 +0000 swurlygurl 1432062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: Hahaha - that's what I'm mostly worried about! L always throws around anything she can touch... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432057 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:29:55 +0000 mauxie 1432057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swurlygurl: I think so, yes! But reading some of these posts does have me thinking my older one may bother the infant a bit.. She tends to toss things (shoes, socks, toys) off to the side as she rides :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432050 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:27:04 +0000 yin 1432050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a sedan that cannot accommodate a convertible and infant car seat side by side. There isn't enough space so we have the kids on the sides and leave the middle empty. I know that ultimately I will need to upgrade to a bigger vehicle, but I'm holding off for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432043 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:23:54 +0000 swurlygurl 1432043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Great thread - I'm going to be needing to do this research very soon. Just trying to figure out which Convertible to get now... ugh, a whole separate nightmare.</p> <p>@mauxie: Do you think you could fit your bucket and your Convertible side by side? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432040 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:22:58 +0000 mauxie 1432040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@heartonastring: Thanks so much for the suggestions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432037 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:21:47 +0000 mauxie 1432037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Thanks! I think the Britax might allow touching as long as it doesn't change the angle of the seat.. Will need to to look into that.</p> <p>@Baby Boy Mom: Hmm, now that you mention it, I could get into the middle seat if I wanted to. I hadn't thought of sitting there first and then having my DH/driver put the infant bucket into its base. Definitely will be cramped though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432032 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:19:00 +0000 heartonastring 1432032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to add that LATCH is not safer than seatbelt install. They are both equally safe. You should install with whichever method gives you the best install with the least movement. Also, some cars do allow LATCH borrowing (i.e. using LATCH in the middle by borrowing the anchors from either side) but this varies from make to make, so you need to consult your car's manual.</p> <p>If you options are either to place both seats RF in outboard positions, or to keep one in the middle and turn your toddler FF I would overwhelmingly go with the former option. Keeping children RF as long as possible is a much higher safety priority than keeping a seat in a middle placement :) </p> <p>Also, if you have more specific questions, I highly recommend finding a car seat tech and/or posting your questions on the FB group Car Seats for the Littles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432018 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:12:38 +0000 wonderstruck 1432018@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: Ohhh okay, thanks for clarifying!</p> <p>I'll be making this decision soon too, but I think I'll be putting the seats on the outer edges, behind the passenger and driver's side seats. L has a tendency to wave his toys around everywhere and drop them, and I can so see him dropping something on his little brother or sister as they're falling asleep in their car seat! And most Britax seats have good side protection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1432004 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:07:01 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1432004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have them both rear facing on either side of the back seat. It was the only way we got both seats to fit well. (I do squeeze in the middle from time to time, but it's pretty cramped). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431999 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 16:05:07 +0000 looch 1431999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: yes, that's exactly what I mean. I am not sure of the rules of which seats allow bracing and which don't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431985 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:58:09 +0000 mauxie 1431985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: ohh you mean if I were to move the middle RF convertible to the side, it should not touch the driver (or passenger) seat at all, right? Hmmm good point! May have to leave her there after all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431974 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:52:36 +0000 looch 1431974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I thought of something else! You can also narrow down your options by confirming if your car seat can touch the seat in front of it. It may rule out a combination. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431966 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:50:56 +0000 mauxie 1431966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wonderstruck: no, it is only for the 2 sides so my LO right now is in the middle RF with the seatbelt install, not LATCH. sorry my original post may have been confusing.. If I were to keep her there in the middle and put the infant on either side, that install would be with LATCH.</p> <p>@MsLipGloss: you're right! I guess I need to just try it out and see the space I'll be left with.. If there's barely any room, I think I might as well go with LATCH on both ends and leave some space so they don't annoy each other too much hehe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431933 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:43:50 +0000 wonderstruck 1431933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does your car truly allow using LATCH in the middle? I thought mine did and recently found out my seat was installed wrong this whole time! If your car doesn't have latched specifically for the middle seat, you need to check the manual and see if it allows LATCH borrowing - most cars don't! My DH's does, but mine doesn't - I have to have a seat belt install to use the middle seat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431932 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:43:50 +0000 MsLipGloss 1431932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mauxie: I don't see why you couldn't have one seat in the middle, and the second seat behind the driver's or passenger's seat (which would leave room for one person to sit in the back). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431924 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:41:05 +0000 mauxie 1431924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you, ladies!</p> <p>I sat in the back with LO#1 a lot so I'm kind of sad with one on each end, I won't be able to.. Of course, what's safe is best but I had assumed I'd use up the middle and have one side open for me to squeeze in the back seat with them from time to time, haha. </p> <p>Anyway, appreciate the responses and links! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431764 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:01:29 +0000 MsLipGloss 1431764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Yep! That is the very last sentence on the page (link) I posted . . . a great point to bring up/highlight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431760 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:00:20 +0000 looch 1431760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MsLipGloss: yes, except when the weight of your child and their seat exceeds the LATCH limits, then you must use the belt for installation. In that case, LATCH is not safer. Just wanted to make sure people knew this, I was certainly surprised to find this out, as I figured you could just use LATCH the entire time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431748 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:56:17 +0000 MsLipGloss 1431748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@septca: Latch and Belts are equally safe . . . the safety is determined by whether the car seats are correctly installed, and in most cases, parents were 19 times more likely to install a child safety seat correctly in a vehicle with easy to use latch designs. But assuming the install is correct, they are both equally safe anchors for the car seat.</p> <p><a href="http://www.thecarseatlady.com/vehicles/the_latch_system_3.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.thecarseatlady.com/vehicles/the_latch_system_3.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431747 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:56:14 +0000 looch 1431747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I personally would put both seats in the outboard postions, using LATCH where you can (after a certain weight, you can't use LATCH anymore anyway).</p> <p>eta: I wanted to clarify my above comment about not being able to use LATCH anymore. With a Britax seat, once your LO reaches 40 pounds, you must switch to the seat belt for installation.</p> <p>I believe part of the logic for putting a seat on the driver as opposed to the passenger side is instinct. If you get into an accident, you might instinctively protect your side of the car more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431740 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:54:17 +0000 Smurfette 1431740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would have both seats RF on each side. Leave the middle seat empty. </p> <p>We only have one seat and it is on the passenger side, not the middle sea because I felt better using the LATCH then the seat belt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431736 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:53:04 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1431736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following...! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431735 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:52:58 +0000 septca 1431735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lucie's List has a really good article on this, but from the best of my memory...<br /> You should only use latch in the middle if you have latch there (not stretch from the two side latch areas).<br /> While the middle seat is safer than the sides, latch is safer than the seatbelt, so if you only have latch on the sides, that is where you should put your car seat(s).<br /> With two, I would prefer to have one seat on each side so that my toddler couldn't reach my infant.</p> <p>Different convertible seats have different side impact safety ratings, so you should check into that. We only have side latch in our car (and always had the bucket seat behind the passenger seat for the curb-side loading you mentioned), so we bought a convertible seat with an extra good side impact rating (which was more $$$). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/2-under-2-car-seat-arrangement-for-sedan#post-1431718 Tue, 18 Feb 2014 14:48:46 +0000 mauxie 1431718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi everyone,</p> <p>My 17 month old is currently in a Britax convertible, rear-facing/middle in our sedan. We'll need to add an infant bucket to the mix soon...</p> <p>I've read that the Britax should stay in the middle because it is "less protected" than the bucket. I assumed then that the infant bucket would go behind the passenger seat.. My thinking was that the passenger side is better/safer when unloading and such because it's the curb side.. Is that correct, or is that more about preference? </p> <p>Logistically I'm not sure if both will fit in the car rear-facing, so in that case, would it make more sense safety wise to switch to forward facing for my toddler, or have both rear facing on each side (empty middle seat)?? I believe there is LATCH on both ends, but the middle would have to go with just the seatbelt install. </p> <p>Eventually we'll get a minivan (eek), but in the meantime, thanks for the help!! </p>