A question about car seats.... which side for each?

[Shanti]

With baby #2 on it's way we are thinking about car seats and positioning in our car.

22 month old DD is behind the passenger seat at the moment and thinking of keeping her on that side of the car and putting the baby's carseat on the other side behind the driver seat.....what do most people do? What would be easiest? I'm not sure I want to get baby out of the road side though if that makes sense! Not very safe. I still want to be able to see DD while she's eating etc but I also want to be able to see the baby too!
But can't imagine putting them next to each other due to safety reasons? ie DD hurts baby or tries to feed the baby food or something!

We have a Toyota Kluger SUV, quite spacious car.

Advice please!

[*TripleJ*]

we have DS behind the driver because the baby seat facing backwards doesnt fit behind the driver without being too close to the steering wheel

[feeb]

WE have DS1 behind driver and DS2 behind passenger. I was going to put DS2 in middle but man that was fitting it said no toddler might feed baby or hurt baby so we seperated them. Can only have rear facing seat behind passanger as DH is tall and needs chair back which he cant do with rear facing seat.

Other friends have baby on driver side.

We have no off street parking so DH was worried about DS1 and the road but safety lock on car door so he cant get out anyway. I didnt like idea of fiddling with a newborn on road side either. (But as I said we had no option in end as rear facing car seat takes up to much room for DH to get seat back.

[~Hestia~]

We'll be moving DS across to behind the driver and putting new bub behind the passenger.

[Laranna]

When DD was born, we moved DS to behind drivers seat and DD is in the turn-a-tot rearward facing behind passenger seat.

[Arimeh]

We always put bub behind passenger for the same reason as every one else - with DH being 6 foot 7 there was no chance in hell of him fitting behind the wheel of the car with a rearward facing baby seat behind him!! He can't even fit in the passenger seat if its rear facing, so he always has to drive.

At the moment, DD2 isn't rear facing any more, so he can sit in the passenger seat for the next few months and get a break from driving. As soon as the new bub comes along though, he will be back to driving duty!!!

[Rach75]

yep same here can't have rearward behind Jase but that being said its so easy to get jack to crawl across to his side put luek in then go round to jacks side and buckle him up...

[Phteven]

We put our older child behind the passenger seat so they get into the habit of getting out onto the footpath.

[boomba]

We put our older child behind the passenger seat so they get into the habit of getting out onto the footpath.

Thats so true...I might change the kids around.
We had DS2 behind the passenger seat becuase we wouldnt be able to drive safely like the others have said.

[Snowy Love]

We had DS1 in the middle while DS2 was in the capsule & he couldn't reach to harm the baby, although I guess he could have thrown toys at him. We moved DS1 to behind the driver when we got a new seat for him & rear faced the old one when we returned the capsule. Having rear facing behind the passanger makes it easier to loosen the top strap to get baby out rather than behind driver.

I very rarely parallel park, most places I go to have off street parking, or on street that's 90 degrees to the kerb so DS1 getting out on the footpath isn't a big concern to me.

[AwesomeFoursome]

We have DS behind driver and DD behind passenger and bub will be in the middle. I would rather have them all separate but don't have that option anymore.

[~Kim~]

I wanted to put DD curbside like Onyx suggested but DH was too tall to have the rear facing seat behind him like many DHs of PPs. However I discovered it far easier to tend to the baby if he was curbside, whereas DD is more able to get what she needs herself. She is also able to understand road sense a bit more than DS. I faff around far longer with him so I'd rather have my bum hanging out curbside too.

[Shanti]

Hmmm hadn't thought about the rear facing seat taking up lots of space for the driver....DH and I both have long legs too.

Thanks girls, that's given me lots to think about.....I guess we won't know until we try the rear facing behind the driver side and see how much room we have? Then make a decision?

I do like the idea of keeping DD where she is, it being the footpath side and behind passenger. That way I can see her while she's eating as I worry about choking in the car.

[SammyRo]

We're another with DS in the rear facing behind the passenger side because there's no room on the driver side. In regards to getting out onto the road, DD knows that she has to hold my hand and then walk straight round the back of the car and onto the path. Besides, the majority of time, we park in a car park so there is no footpath and both sides you have to worry about cars.

[Liz]

We had DS behind the passenger and DD rear facing in the middle. Never had a problem.

Now - DS is still behind the passenger and DD is behind the driver. They both know to climb out curbside.

Bub number 3 will be rear facing between them.

[UsPlus2]

another that cant decide where to put the eldest. Had never considered the rear-facing one not fitting behind the driver. hmm might have to try that out tomorrow. I'm thinking that DS will only be 18months when DD is born so has no road sense at all! and the thought of getting him out on the road side freaks me out.

[Shanti]

We've decided to move DD over to behind drivers seat and the baby will be behind passenger seat then. I can unbuckle DD and then get her out the same side as the baby as she'll be able to climb across. I will only need to do that if parked on side of the road which is rare anyway as mostly we are parked in carparks etc away from the road. I can always put the child lock on too!

[LimeSlice]

We are having the similar issue at the moment. DD2 will be in a capsule, DD1 is in a booster, in the middle presently.
DH will not be able to drive with the capsule behind the driver, but given he is only home 1 out of every 2 weeks, and I do 95% of the driving, I am not too fussed.

I think at this stage, DD1 will stay in the booster, but go behind the drivers side, and the capsule will be behind the passenger - DH will have to survive with less foot room, but it means I can see bubs, DH can drive when he needs too and as Charlotte is over 3, I am not as concerned with her being streetside (we rarely parallel park anyhow.)