Desperate for suggestions!

[RockyO13]

I really hope someone here can help me. In a few months baby #8 will be arriving and I need to rearrange kids & seats in my truck. I drive a 2001 Ford Expedition that seats 9. I need to move one of the kids to the middle of the front seat and this is where I am having a problem. There is only a lap belt, has a fold down armrest and there is an airbag with no cutoff switch. I was looking for recommendations on a harnessed booster that doesn't require tethering that I could put there for either my 6.5 yo (49 lbs) ds or 4.5 yo (35 lbs) dd. I need to find a way to make this work since a new vehicle is not an option for us this year. HELP???

Roxanne
Mom of many

	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.

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

[MnMadhouse]

Roxanne, you are definitely the mom of many, but what blessings and happiness you must have in your house!!! Congratulations!!!!

There is the Graco Nautilus that just came out. It is at Walmart and runs about $150. It will harness to 65lbs and booster to 100lbs. I don't know how tall your 6.5 y/o is as he would be the older of the 2 and the one that will likely be the better fit for that location...I just don't know if he will be too tall for the seat. If there is any possible way for you to try your kiddos out in the seat, that will be the best bet for you!

There is a rumor of Britax releasing a seat this year that is comparable, but nothing set in stone as a release date.

	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.

	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.

	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.

	Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Click for more info Graco, an industry leader in juvenile products, knows that your child's safety is of the utmost importance to you. Graco designs its products with your child's safety in mind, while at the same time ensuring that you get optimum value for your money. In both regards, the new Nautilus 3-in-1 MultiUse Car Seat fits the bill perfectly. The Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat is designed for both versatility and safety, offering right-size comfort and protection as your child grows. Nautilus is a harness seat, a high-back booster and a backless booster. Because it adapts as your child grows, from age 1 to age 10, you can buy one Nautilus instead of a toddler seat, booster seat and backless booster. That's one seat instead of three--a fantastic investment that doesn't compromise on safety. Nautilus is the last car seat you'll ever need to buy! You get three products for the price of one!

[BookMama CPST]

You may also consider petitioning NHTSA for permission to have the air bag de-activated. It's still not ideal to have a small child in the front seat, but it will be much safer for the child without the airbag. I found some good information on that here: Air Bag Safety

[RockyO13]

Thank you both for the info. I had looked at the Nautilus already but it's manual says not to use in front of an airbag. Apparently things have changed a bit since I last had to consider this possibility (3 yrs ago). According to NHTSA I would qulaify for getting an on-off switch but it also says in their info brochure that if the child can be properly belted and can't lean forward (a harnessed booster would prevent that) then they can safely sit in the front seat with an airbag. So do I do what the manufacture of a seat says not to do so I can keep the airbag for my 16yo who sits in the front passenger seat or do I follow the carseat manufacture's info and turn the airbag off??

Roxanne
Mom of many

	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.

	Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Click for more info Graco, an industry leader in juvenile products, knows that your child's safety is of the utmost importance to you. Graco designs its products with your child's safety in mind, while at the same time ensuring that you get optimum value for your money. In both regards, the new Nautilus 3-in-1 MultiUse Car Seat fits the bill perfectly. The Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat is designed for both versatility and safety, offering right-size comfort and protection as your child grows. Nautilus is a harness seat, a high-back booster and a backless booster. Because it adapts as your child grows, from age 1 to age 10, you can buy one Nautilus instead of a toddler seat, booster seat and backless booster. That's one seat instead of three--a fantastic investment that doesn't compromise on safety. Nautilus is the last car seat you'll ever need to buy! You get three products for the price of one!

[MnMadhouse]

You can do either. If you do have the child in the front seat (which all manufacturers are going to tell you to NOT put the child in the front seat due to the airbag, but in your case, there is an exception. Never, in a million years, would I put a RFing seat in the front with an airbag, but for a harnessed FF seat, I would.

You want to make sure that the vehicle seat is as far back as it can go and that the harness is as snug as can be on the child. Definitely remind the child to sit back and not lean forward, etc, while riding.

I don't know if this is an option or not, but could you contact Ford and ask them if there is a way to "upgrade" the airbags so you can have an on/off switch? I know replacing airbags is VERY expensive, so I don't know if this can be done. Most of the larger families I have dealt with have huge conversion vans or Suburbans.

	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.

	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.

[RockyO13]

I found one at a Wal-mart nearby today from checking their site and took my ds to try it out this morning. I like the seat (and really want one now!) and he was happy/comfy with it too. I especially liked that he had some room to grow in the harness. Then I turned it around and discovered that the back is shaped like a carseat and not flat! There is no way it would work up against the armrest. So the search continues....

Roxanne
Mom of many

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

[JPS911]

I'm not one of the resident gurus, so take my advice as the $.02 it is worth, but you can also check out Airbag Safety - giving you a choice. They can install a switch that allows you to manually turn the bag on or off depending on who is in the car.

[MnMadhouse]

Did you try it in your vehicle? I installed a seat with the back similar to the Nautilus in the middle where there was a LARGE "hump" from the armrest and had no issues.

JPS--LOL--I posted the same thing up there

	Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat - Click for more info Graco, an industry leader in juvenile products, knows that your child's safety is of the utmost importance to you. Graco designs its products with your child's safety in mind, while at the same time ensuring that you get optimum value for your money. In both regards, the new Nautilus 3-in-1 MultiUse Car Seat fits the bill perfectly. The Graco Bravo Nautilus 3-in-1 car seat is designed for both versatility and safety, offering right-size comfort and protection as your child grows. Nautilus is a harness seat, a high-back booster and a backless booster. Because it adapts as your child grows, from age 1 to age 10, you can buy one Nautilus instead of a toddler seat, booster seat and backless booster. That's one seat instead of three--a fantastic investment that doesn't compromise on safety. Nautilus is the last car seat you'll ever need to buy! You get three products for the price of one!