Baby capsule not in the middle? What the?

Hubby just informed that the baby capsule goes either on the left or right side of the backseat?

What the? I know its been awhile since DD 8 years.... But in Canada the RN who checked us before we left the hospital was adamant that bubs be in the middle of the back seat.

So so confused as I want bubs in the middle as it is way safer imo. Hubby argued that it would be harder to get capsule in and out?!? I said who cares.. If we were ever in an accident bubs would be safer there.

Please tell me what we are supposed to do? Or I might not have a choice as the bolt is on the left and right, he has just informed me!

We have it in the middle. You can put another anchor point in it if need be. I thought they went in the middle too

Thanks darlin. Dh just informed he never even looked in the backseat... Insert frustration here!! ; )

Hahahaha men

They can go wherever you decide you want them to be. I have three kids so the capsule is on the passenger side so I can see him, he is away from dd2 who loves to poke him and I can get the capsule in and out easily.

as far as i know it has always been the middle? dd is in the middle with the boys either side now, but when bub comes ill have her seat rear-facing in the middle and dd & ds2 on either side. hopefully we will have a 3rd row seat in the wagon for ds1 by then.
ive always been told that babies had to be in the middle?? maybe check your states road laws on carseats?

Legally, the capsule can be installed in any position... as long as it is correctly installed! I am not aware of any research that says the middle is safer than either side, although it is a common belief. Perhaps someone will come in with some factual research??

We have the capsule behind the passenger seat in my car as there is not enough room behind the drivers seat (so also in the middle). The passenger seat is pushed quite far forward to accommodate the capsule. As I have a back injury, I would have a lot of trouble getting the capsule out of the middle. I have three kids, so all positions in the back are filled with a capsule, a Maxirider and a Hi-Liner. You know, someone has to sit on the side and I value all my kids the same!! In fact, the capsule offers the best side impact protection of all the seats so it's probably the best one to have on a side!

I had mine on the passenger side. TBH, I dont see how there is any difference between putting a baby on the side to putting a toddler on the side. In a side impact accident, both are equally dangerous. Infact, I would have thought with the inserts in the capsule (head ones) and the fact that bubs is more coccooned in a capsule, it would be safer to have bubs on the outside and your toddler in the middle.
JMO

ETA LOL, just saw the above post ^^what nickle said^^^

We put ours on the side because we can't put the drivers seat all the way back if it's in the middle, so then DH can't drive.

I think it's fine wherever you put it, but just keep in mind that it will be harder to get the baby in the middle just after your c-section my lovely xxxx

When we had DS1 he was in the middle. When DS2 came along they were on both passenger sides. When DD arrived i had all seats installed professonally and he recommended that the capsule go on the passenger side, DS2 is in the middle and DS1 in his booster + harness is behind the driver. It is easier in our situation to have the capsule on the side, it really can get quite heavy but having the two boys side by side can get a bit crazy if they're moody and start agrivating eachother.

Ok, years ago the safest place was behind the driver.. it was in an NRMA study.... reasons being...

*in the middle... any thing coming through the front window has straight access to baby... and baby has no protection from a seat in front of him/her, meaning straight out the window....

* behind passenger/behind driver... apparently when in an accident, a driver instictivly turns AWAY from the danger (why we hear of driver fine/passenger died etc) so behind them places them safer than behind passenger, who has a much higher percetnatage of danger/death....

But this was a few years ago...

With 3 in car seats, soon to be 4, I have to put them where they will fit though!!! But I always put my little ones behind the driver.. I find as a passenger I can get them better there anyway....

Yes it can be difficult if you are tall and need to put the seat back to drive. We were told that the front seat should never actually be touching the capsule either :dunno:

There is also some concern if you have the split back seat 60/40 thing with possible middle seat for the capsule. We went for passenger side for the capsule and passenger side for the reversible seat (separate cars) because we had split seats

Ah too right Mel. Mind you not sure if I will be able to drive.. We do not have a teether in the middle anyways.. Dh is being his usual pregnant self and throwing a tanty over this as they will now have to take the hilux (2010) in and pull it up apart to put one in! Yaaa right. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Also searched many different sites. Rta. RCQ and Qld government. Heaps of info on other states and placement but not Qld. Frustrated to say the least.

As for research no clue, just know that 40% of accidents are side impact. Probably because it was told me to all the years ago and everyone I know has them in the middle back home, I am just accustomed to that being the "only" way. Obviously isn't. : )

To be honest, now I am over it already... just put the bloody seat in. DD sits in the front now...

Thanks ladies as per usual, you guys rock. xx

My newborns have always gone behind the passenger seat. It makes it easier to get them in and out of the car and they are curbside.
As i had more kids and they got older, the youngest is behind the passenger, my 5yo is in the middle (he can just climb over to the front and get out the passenger side) and my 9 yo sits behind the driver.
I had VB but i still suffered a very sore back for months afterwards, i wouldnt have coped very well getting a capsule in and out of the middle seat.

I have no research either but I've been on the road a long time and been to plenty of prangs. The middle is definitely not my choice for the positioning of a baby. I don't like DD sitting there now and she's nearly 5.

eta I realise that someone has to sit there when you have 3 though.

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They can go wherever you decide you want them to be. I have three kids so the capsule is on the passenger side so I can see him, he is away from dd2 who loves to poke him and I can get the capsule in and out easily.

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Actually, the capsule has to be either in the middle (which is the safest position) or the passenger side.

A capsule should never be installed on the driver side because that's the road side of the car when it's parallel parked.

You'd be hard pressed to get a child restraint installer to do it for you in that spot too, they aren't allowed to

That makes sense Pandora...

Mine was put there yrs ago....and the phamplet was given to me in the office.. NRMA installed the seat... but there is also very little parralel parking here, its mainly 45 angle... the study didnt go into getting bub in or out, it was on how most crashes are head-on, or rear-enders and that in the middle is worst for both cases.... It may still be in DS's blue book :think:

But thats was a while ago, I'm old now..... :shakehead:

Mine was fitted by Kidsafe to behind the passenger. The fitter said that it was the best spot for it. I kinda trust that.

When we stayed with the ILs, though, they had a rearward facing seat in the middle. I had no issue with that either, although it was a pain in the hole getting her in and out.

I've always been of the same thought as PB - behind the driver is safest.
I don't see why where you park your car has anything to do with the safety of your children while they are in a moving car? That argument has always stumped me.... I do get it to an extent with the whole being on the road side of the car, but seats are for when the car is moving, right?

I have my DS (1) in a rear facing seat in the middle, my DD (3) behind the driver in a 5 point car seat and my DD (2) behind the passenger in her car seat.
I go in through the rear passenger side door, step up reach over and un-click DD (3) belt and she can climb out as I am taking bub out and into the pram and then undo DD (2)...I feel it is the safest for us.
I think that in the event of a front on accident the back of the rear facing seat would take most of the impact of anything that hits it...protecting bub...if it was one of the girls they would get the full impact of anything coming through.

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Actually, the capsule has to be either in the middle (which is the safest position) or the passenger side.

A capsule should never be installed on the driver side because that's the road side of the car when it's parallel parked.

You'd be hard pressed to get a child restraint installer to do it for you in that spot too, they aren't allowed to

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yeah that and also it will depend on the shape of your centre seat as to whether it is appropriate to put a child restraint there rearfacing......if you have a hump in the middle as a lot of new design cars have it is not safe to put the rear facing seat there as it is not as secure......When we swapped from the baby capsule to a still reafacing convertible seat recently we had to move from the centre where the capsule was to the passenger side as the installer said it would not be as secure in the centre due to the hump in the centre seat.

Hey question. Who are these installers anyways? Do they do a course or something that makes them the same all across the board?
We were going to get someone to install ours because I thought it was mandatory but then was told no... Please correct me if I have been misinformed.
See if we had a manual that came with these babies, we would know all the answers. ; )

It is not mandatory everywhere but yes some hospitals will not let you take the baby home unless you have the certificate of proper installation. IMHO and on the advice of an accredited installer I would always get it prpfessionally fitted for rear facing mode because the seats and capsules have to sit at a certain angle and they hav the correct inclinometer equipment to measure it is at the right angle and they may have toi pack the seat up or out to get the correct fit etc etc. The installer then showed us how to do it ourselves properly when we turn the seat later on....he said it is more staright forward to install a seat forward facing but rear facing should always be professionally done.

Mine is in the middle too... well it will be. Check with Iona where the point is in her car cause you have the same one dont you?

Qld Ambulance can install them for you Tams. Just have to book it in.

Well it seems the answer depends on who you ask! I looked up the nrma site and it recommends middle.. But not for a booster seat if it's only a lap belt.

So that answers my question enough for me.. We will put bub rearfacing in the middle and the two older ones in boosters either side. Dd will still be harnessed for a while but I think Ds might be right with the adult belt booster. Think you can get ones still with some harness attachment tho.

Plus I can't imagine putting the older two right next to each other anyway. Oh boy that's just asking for trouble lol!

Eta: we've had ours professionally installed before and they've never used any equipment to measure inclines etc. He padded it up underneath so it sat flush against the back seat.. Nothing to do with angles etc.

Thanks Melbel and Kylz, will have to remember to mention that to Iona. ; ) Hubby has already done it but will check with Qld Ambulance. ; ) xx

Thanks Liz! I must of missed that. : 0

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Legally, the capsule can be installed in any position... as long as it is correctly installed!

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Yep, thats it in a nutshell. My mum fits baby capsules through work and it can go anywhere in the backseat. Obviously the passangers side or middle is preferred as its not the roadside and it would be 'better' to put an older child there.

tams, just seen this

last year when our car was being serviced i asked them about anchor points in the hilux, they said that i needed to go and get them put in by someone, so that we got the modification plate and the only people they knew were all van mods at slacks creek (most prob someone on the northside for you but these ones are closer for us). so i sent them an email asking cost etc - got an email saying $450 installed for 2 anchor points etc

i rang on friday to book in and the guy i spoke to said they just put the anchors in and it's $22 each and i just need to drop in not book - am going on tues so will see if they are correct but i need the 2 anchor points as luke still needs to be in a 5 point harness seat

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Well it seems the answer depends on who you ask! I looked up the nrma site and it recommends middle.. But not for a booster seat if it's only a lap belt.

So that answers my question enough for me.. We will put bub rearfacing in the middle and the two older ones in boosters either side. Dd will still be harnessed for a while but I think Ds might be right with the adult belt booster. Think you can get ones still with some harness attachment tho.

Plus I can't imagine putting the older two right next to each other anyway. Oh boy that's just asking for trouble lol!

Eta: we've had ours professionally installed before and they've never used any equipment to measure inclines etc. He padded it up underneath so it sat flush against the back seat.. Nothing to do with angles etc.

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I think it must depend on who you ask...they guy who fitted ours is a tester who examines and certifies other installers and he used a little angled spirit level type thing to make sure the seat was at the correct angle and padded our seat underneath until the angle was correct.....some of the newer capsules actually have a built in levelling device (pegperego for example) where you wind up the capsule base until the ball is in the green zone indicating the base is at the right angle.....I dunno, it must be for some reason, not exactly sure what.....

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Qld Ambulance can install them for you Tams. Just have to book it in.

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Actually they don't install your own ... we wanted them to do that for us but they only install their own capsules cos as they guy said, they would end up with too many people and have to install many months ahead of time. Tyres and More I think it's called... they are certified to install ;)

With Oskar, he was behind passenger seat in capsule.. and like some others have said, it's very difficult to pull a capsule out from the middle of the car, you need to lift, twist then lift a bit more. Elijah was behind drivers seat. Ambo guy said it didn't matter which side, but when you have one toddler and one baby, they generally like the toddler on the passenger side so they're not getting in and out on the road.

It can't be "Law " that its passenger or middle as my van has no driver side door so there would be no reason the seat can't go there. No option but curb side to get in & out anyway.

hmm... melbel.. I wonder if it's different for capsules? Ours is a convertible seat.

The rules governing the restraint of children fall under the Australian Road Rules (thus, Australia wide). However you are best to check with your State police re any specific regulations which may state otherwise. In SA, there are no rules which state where in the vehicle (other than not in the front row of seats in a vehicle other than a utility).

Pretty Butterfly is right on the mark with her comments though - good post / info PB! :).

We'll be installing the third car seat in the rear of our 'family' vehicle soon too, and playing with scenario's re - where to seat each child; we may end up switching the seats around a few times until we find what works for us.

We put ours on the passenger side of the car because if it goes in the middle, neither seat can be put back and if it goes behind drivers side, DH wouldn't be able to drive the car (he's 6ft 4")...

when we have our second, the new one will have to go in the same spot and DD will go behind drivers side.

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hmm... melbel.. I wonder if it's different for capsules? Ours is a convertible seat.

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it was a convertible he used the inclinometer thingy on hun so dunno......