Volvo XC90 and Nissan Maxima

[kristen&kids]

Please help!!! I have a dd who is 3 & 1/2 and about 30 lbs. She is currently sitting in a Marathon in both of our cars. Now we are expecting twins! I drive a 2003 Nissan Maxima and dh drives a 2004 Volvo xc90. We just tried to move her marathon into the middle of my maxima hoping that would leave room on either side for a snugride or safeseat. It does not look like there is enough room. Dh is insistent on this and is now saying that it won't be able to work in his car either. I was hoping to not have to buy a new car. Now dh is saying we HAVE to get a minivan and that whoever has the kids will drive the minivan. I hate the idea of another car payment because I just paid off my car 2 months ago. But, even more I hate the idea of having only 1 car that everyone can fit into. Dh's volvo does have a 3rd row but I am not sure if you can put a carseat in the 3rd row. And if you have carseats in the 2nd row, how do you get back to the 3rd row?

Please help! My question is whether anyone has had experience fitting 3 seats. Also, what is the narrowest convertible seat that I could get dd into? I would much rather buy new carseats than a new car!

Thank you guys so much!

	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.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Graco SnugRide - Click for more info The Graco SnugRide with EPS infant car seat is a highly popular and top-rated infant car seat that provides first-rate transportation safety for your baby, plus convenient mobility options for you. Even with its relatively low price, the Graco SnugRide with EPS receives unmatched praise for its safety by leading consumer magazines and websites.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

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[MnMadhouse]

If you could measure your backseat, we could likely be able to recommend some seats. I know that Baby Trend infant carriers (they are at bigger targets and babies r us) have a small base and the seats aren't too terribly wide.

I have a safeseat sitting in my house right now (I purchased it for a friend) and it is 19" wide at it's widest point, so there goes 38" with just the base and the marathon is almost 20", so if your backseat is around 58" wide, you may be able to get them in there.

As for the 3rd row in the Volvo, check the manual and see if you can have seats in that location. If you can, if the 3rd row splits, you could install one seat in that location, then your other 2 in the 2nd row. I have known many people to use their 3rd row with only one seat and put their child in through the back of the vehicle!!

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

[Volvoguy]

The manufacturer does NOT recommend putting a car seat in the 3rd row and I am sure you would not jeapordize your dd by doing it anyway. I just looked in the back seat of an XC90 on my showroom floor and cannot imagine that you would not get three seats in there. Anyway... hope this was a little helpful.

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[KPorch913]

Hi

I just joined this forum for the sole purpose of answering your question!

I have a 2 yr old, a 1 mo old, and a 2 month old. In my XC90, we have the infant carrier seat on one side and two regular forward facing seats in the middle and on the other side. We have a Britax Marathon and an Evenflow Triumph, they are in no way small seats, but probably not the biggest out there, either. Our infant seat is the Graco travel system seat.

I also have a 14 year old step-daughter. We leave one of the 3rd row seats flipped down and one up. She climbs in through the back when we are all going somewhere together.

It's a tight squeeze, but we fit! I have considered putting my 2 yr old in the 3rd row, but have been completely unable to find any information on whether or not you can put car seats back there. (That's how I ended up here, Googling for info on the 3rd row!) He is about a pound short of the Integrated booster, so by the time he turns 3 in June we will probably put him in that instead.

I am NOT a mini-van person, and I picked this car when #2was on the way specifically because I knew we would have one more and I could fit all my little ones in the back! (We tried before we bought it)

Good luck to you--

	Forward Facing Car Seats A forward-facing car seat is one in which the child sits facing the front of the car. The seat should be installed in the back seat of your vehicle. Most forward-facing only seats are for children above 20 pounds.

	Britax - Click for more info Britax International has been producing reliable child safety products for over 30 years. Not only does Britax have decades of experience creating car seats and other children's safety equipment, Britax has a long standing reputation as an industry leader and innovator. Britax International is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but Britax car seats are designed and manufactured at facilities in Germany, Austria, and the United States. In the summer of 2002, Britax strengthened their commitment to creating the safest car seats with the opening of a brand new, state-of-the-art crash testing facility in North Carolina. Britax car seats have a reputation around the world for being some of the safest, most reliable, and best designed child safety seats ever made.

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	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.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

[Papooses]

Originally Posted by KPorch913

He is about a pound short of the Integrated booster, so by the time he turns 3 in June we will probably put him in that instead.

Please do not prematurely graduate such a young child merely for convenience 4 years and (not or) 40 pounds is the minimum recommendation for safe booster use. Please read through my website, specifically the page titled "Preschool--Preteen"

	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.