We're hoping to install the carseat tonight, but DH and I got to talking about *which* seat to put it in?
Is it best to position the seat behind the driver? Passenger? What works best for you? Its a Hyundai Santa Fe, so I probably wouldn't be able to reach baby well regardless of which spot she was in.
46 votes
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
When we had just DD she went behind the driver's seat.
She's still behind the driver. DS is behind the passenger.
pomegranate / 3388 posts
The middle is safest in general, but it usually doesn't have the latch system, so you'll have to use the seatbelt. In my car they don't recommend doing a center installation b/c of the contour of the seat. We have the carseat behind the driver right now, but I think I want to switch it to passenger.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts
It's in the middle in DH's car, but it's on the passenger side of my car. Once this belly gets bigger either DH will need to always put her in his car, or it will need to be moved.
pear / 1992 posts
The seat for the driver couldn't be positioned far enough back for us with out touching the carseat so we had to do passenger. The middle seat would have also been the same case (driver can't have seat far enough back to drive comfortably without interfering with the carseat).
nectarine / 2127 posts
The middle, even though it doesn't have LATCH 
I'm just über paranoid I'd get t-boned on the side LO was on.
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
I wanted to do center but our car only has LATCH on the sides and the install was much tighter on the side, so that's what we did. We put it on the passenger side so we can see her better while driving and because DH has long legs and would have to be really close to the steering wheel if it were behind the driver.
persimmon / 1379 posts
I have also heard that the middle is safest, but our car only has LATCH on the outer two seats.
I decided against putting the first car seat behind the passenger because once upon a time I read that it was the 'suicide seat' because drivers instinctively protect themselves, thereby putting the passenger in danger.
BUT
Then we had a second kid, sooooo....now I think of it as just as safe 
coconut / 8305 posts
The safest spot is where you can get the best install, regardless of seat or car.
Like already stated most cars do not have a middle LATCH system & some cars/car seats don't allow for using the shared anchors...... In this case you may not be able to get a good install with the belt in that seat position SO of course another spot would be the best/safest choice. (using the seatbelt is JUST AS SAFE as LATCH given you can get a good install)
The best plan of action is to take some time to read your car seat & vehicle manual concerning car seat installs & airbags (for the vehicle manual) and then install the seat where the best viable option is.
pear / 1693 posts
We only have the latch system on the side seats, so we put the carseat on the passenger side. I figure I'll have more visibility that way if I'm driving, and if DH is driving he'll have more room for his legs because the seat can go back further.
pomelo / 5258 posts
We had the carseat installed in the middle, using the seatbelt. Even though we had it inspected by a police officer it never seemed like it really fit there. No matter how we adjusted it the seat was always slanted. We've since moved it to the passenger side. In our car it seems much more secure there.
honeydew / 7917 posts
Our car seat is in the middle, and we plan on our toddler to remain in the middle once LO2 arrives. The baby will be positioned most likely behind the passenger seat.
honeydew / 7811 posts
Passenger side in my car, middle in DH's. Middle wasn't an option in my car, couldn't get it in tight enough. I struggle putting LO into DH's car though! You need some good upper body strength to lift that car seat in and out of the middle, phew!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
The fireman that checked our seat said not to use the middle seat cause we can't use LATCH in the middle. We have ours on the passenger side.
grapefruit / 4681 posts
Our infant seat couldn't be seated in the middle using LATCH per our SUV's owners manual (the LATCH was too wide in the middle for the type of seat we had), so we put it behind the passenger. When DS moved to the convertible seat we had the opposite problem (LATCH points were too narrow on the sides for the seat and it needed the wider position in the middle) and had to place the car seat in the middle, which is ideally where we would want it.
Check your car seat manual and your cars owners manual to see what your options are.
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts
Thanks everyone! DH installed it behind the passenger's seat - we didn't like how it fit in the middle. Its kind of exciting to know that there's a CAR SEAT for a real live baby in my car now!
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Ours is in the middle but our car doesn't have a LATCH system.
coconut / 8305 posts
@redsmarties: Yay!!! I actually really enjoy installing our seats. lol What kind of seat do you guys have?
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