Need advice for 3rd carseat

[tsrunion]

We are expecting our 3rd child this fall and trying to figure out how to fit 3 car seats across in the backseat of both of our vehicles. We really cannot afford new cars and we both drive the children equal amounts.

First about the kids:

Our daughter will be 3.5 when the baby is born - she is currently about 27 pounds and 37" tall (long and skinny). She is now in a Britax Marathon ff in the 1st and a Fisher Price Safe Voyage ff in the 2nd.

Our son will be 19 months when the baby is born - he is currently 23 pounds and 29" tall. He is also in a Britax Marathon ff as well as a Fisher Price Safe Voyage ff.

Now the cars:

1- 2003 Chevy Trailblazer
2- 2004 Toyota Camry

We would of course want to keep both the older children in the safest convertible seats possible (we love the marathon). And the newborn likely in a Graco Snugride (until switching to a convertible) - but would be willing to consider other alternatives if safe and would provide a better fit.

Can anyone give any suggestions for BOTH vehicles? We love the Britax and like the Safe Voyage but definitely would replace all 6 seats as long as the kids are safe, comfortable, and have a good fit.

Thanks.

	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.

	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 - 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.

[MnMadhouse]

first of all, your kiddos could all be RFing (which is the safest way to ride). Just wanted to put that out there to you. The seats you have will RF your children to 33lbs. Off the top of my head, the narrowest seat you will be able to fit with the other 2 seats will be a Sunshine Kids Radian. They have 2 models. One goes to 65lbs, the other to 80lbs. It is the narrowest convertible seat on the market and is usually recommended for doing 3 across.

Another question I have is, have you tried taking the other MA or the other FPSV and putting 3 across in either vehicle? It would be a tight fit, BUT as long as they are independently installed and not relying upon the other seat OR the door to be in there tightly, then mission accomplished

You may have to puzzle the seats around to see which would work best. In my vehicle, the RFing seat works best in the middle and it has to be the first one installed or the other 2 just don't fit. HEre is a link for you to seek out a tech in your area. https://ssl13.cyzap.net/dzapps/dbzap...AFEKIDSCERTSQL

	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.

	Sunshine Kids - Click for more info Makers of a number of accessories geared towards making parents lives easier, Sunshine Kids has recently embarked in a new direction. In 2005 they unveiled their first car seat, the Radian. Their years of experience working in children's products focusued on child comfort and parent convenience shine through in this unique convertible car seat. The Radian is packed with safety features and is the first ever folding convertible car seat appealing to parents who car pool or travel often.

	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.

[tsrunion]

I have not tried playing around with the seats just yet - was looking for some preliminary suggestions at first. I thought we may be able to use one of each of our existing seats in each car with the infant carrier for the first bit and then move into the convertible. I just think with 3 of them so small it would be helpful to have the infant carrier so it's one less child to put in and out and I can just carry them with me.

	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.

	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.

[MnMadhouse]

I totally understand. have you looked at the Baby Trend Flex-Loc? I have installed several of these seats and found them to be fairly narrow and very easy installs. I also really like the Chicco KeyFit, which usually fit smaller babies very well. Babies R Us carries both of these seats and you could try them out in your vehicle before you purchase it.

	Chicco - Click for more info Chicco makes car seats that are tested for safety and comfort. Italian-made Chicco is sold the world over to discerning parents everywhere, mainly because they are thorough with their design but each children’s product they sell is simple to use and stylish. All of Chicco’s car seats have certain universal elements: they’re lightweight, they are easy to install or use, each have the extra perks like canopies or liquid levelers for added convenience. Take a look and you’ll find an up-and-coming competitor for some of the best car seats on the market.

	Chicco Key Fit - Click for more info The new and improved Chicco KeyFit infant car seat (dubbed the Chicco KeyFit 30 thanks to its enhanced-to-30 lbs harness) has the same great features of the original KeyFit, but with a higher harness weight capacity. It is recommended that a child stay in a rear facing car seat for at least the first year of his or her life, and this infant seat from Chicco assures that your child will.