Needing to fit 5 seats in a Caravan

[hgm_mom]

We are expecting our 5th litttle one in about 1 month. I have been searching & reading, trying to find the best seats to fit our needs. We have a Dodge Caravan (2000) The third row has only lap belt in the center. I need to fit my almost 5 year old (12/02) 42" & 34 lbs, my 3 yr old 39" & 28 lbs, and my almost 2 year old (12/05) 32" & 22 lbs. The Caravan isn't long enough to allow room between the seats & have room behind the seat for anything to have any of these seats rear facing. These children are currently in 5pt harness convertible boosters (The eldest 2) and a traditional convertible infant/toddler car seat. Their big sister(7 in November--52" & 60 lbs) needs to stay in the middle row, on the end nearest the door. She is in a high back booster--also convertible but with the harness removed due to her height. The new little one will ride beside her on the middle seat--behind the driver seat. I am concerned with what seats will all fit together in the 3rd row. I want all to be harnessed due to the size of the kiddos. We will be getting a larger van (15 passenger) sometime next year. I am not opposed to getting all new seats for these 3 kiddos. The ones they are all in now are about 5 yrs old. We have visited the nearest BRU where I tried to find someone who would let us try a few seats to see what could be puzzled together. They weren't very helpful the day we were there. It is about 1 hr away, so not someplace we go on a regular basis. Do they have someone to arrange an appointment with to get better help, once I have an idea of what specific models I am wanting to try?

Any help would be great. I keep coming up with nothing. I am starting to feel anxious about finding seats that will allow all of us to travel in one vehicle.

Thanks!

Hillary in Indiana

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

[BEW]

Check out the Radian65. Baby Car Seats & Child Booster Seats - Seat Reviews & Fast Shipping is fabulous!

[Papooses]

The Radian may be the answer Or almost any 2 high weight harness seats outboard in 3rd row + Ride Safer Travel Vest center (so long as the vehicle seatback is at least even with kiddo's eyes or above) RSTV does require top tether anchor with lap-only belt, too....

	Sunshine Kids Radian 80 or 65 - Click for more info If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent. While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.

	Top-Tether A top tether (or top strap) is the supplemental attachment now standard on almost every new carseat in the USA. Top tethers can be used with either the seat belt or with the lower anchors (as part of the LATCH system). In other countries, their use may be required by law. A top-tether is simply a strap that connects the top of the carseat to an anchor mounted in the vehicle at a location behind the carseat, usually the parcel shelf or a point on the floor of the cargo area. It is designed to prevent the forward movement of the top of a forward-facing carseat in a frontal crash. This reduces the head excursion of the child, and can reduce the chances of injury. Almost all current carseats can only meet the tougher new federal safety standards when the tether is used, even though they must still meet the minimum safety standards without a tether.