where to put infant capsule and toddler seat?

[tanyaya]

hi there,

we have just added an infant capsule to the car, which is behind the passenger seat (my thinking being that i could easily access it if necessary, as it's diagonally opposite where I sit). My 2 y.o. DS's toddler seat is in the middle.

However now I realise this may not be optimal, given that DS will have to enter/exit the car on the driver's (ie street) side. He can climb out of the seat/car himself once I unclip the buckle, which I have encouraged him to do lately, given that I am 9 months pregnant.

Our thinking was that it was ok to have the two seats right next to each other, that way if someone else (adult/child) needs to sit in the back, they can do so... although it'd be a bit squashy. This isn't as convenient if the seats are on either side of the middle and the adult/child needs to climb over both.

So my question - how did you arrange the car seats in a similar situation (for two little'uns)?

Any pointers / feedback / recommendations?

Thanks in advance,
Tanya

[Danielle_NZ]

We are having one on either side but we have the option of putting them next to each other if required as we have three anchor points, means our nearly 3 year old won't be able to grab baby. Toddler is behind drivers seat cause more room us required by capsule and only possible behind passenger.

[HotI]

DO you reckon your toddler will poke the baby? That is the main reason i can see in putting the kids on the edges.

[feeb]

We didn't have a capsule but a reversing car seat.

DS2 in Rear facing seat is on passanger side and DS1 is on drivers side we make sure door lock is on so he can not get out unless we let him out and we tend to either pick him up or hold his hand and lead him out, while getting into car sometimes he will crawl across floor while I am putting DS2 into car seat, often thought he trys to sit in middle or in front and then needs persudaing to get into his car!!

It was suggested to me by man fitting seat that not to have them next to each other as toddlers can often be mean to babies or over the top nice so could not poke or annoy baby.

Hope that helps (DS1 is now over 2 and 1/2 and DS2 is 14 months)

[tanyaya]

Hi HotI

i don't _think_ so, he's generally not "naughty", but who knows. if he does i'll have to move toddler behind me, or better still behind the passenger seat.

/tanya

[tanyaya]

ok - thanks everyone, and esp. feeb....good idea to have the child-safe locks on. i hadn't thought of the "being too nice" option, which is more likely in our case.

[Frangipani]

We have our seats on either sides. We have DS2 behind the passenger seat- so i could comfort or pop his dummy in and DS1 behind the driver seat. In my car there is not much room between them anyway, but DH's car I've easily got myself into the middle seat (even slept there on our long distant driving holiday earlier this year).

There was no way i could have them next to each other- DS1 just adores his brother too much- always trying hold his hand or stroke his head. But now there older i might move them next to each other in DH's car- the other day in my car i saw them reaching across to share some food and then later they were holding each others hand...it was so cute.

But then is it safer for them to be on the outside or inside??? DH's car has side air bags.

[Sammiejane]

We have put ours next to each other with DD (age 3) in the middle. She crawls under the rear facing seat to climb into the seat then I go to the drivers side to buckle her.

Don't know how it is going to work, as bubs is not here, but we set it up
Early and have been putting a doll in the baby seat for her to 'practice' with.

There is no way we could have them on either side as DSS who is 13 would not have fit in the middle!

I am a bit worried about it, but we will just have to see how we go...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wysiwyg]

Mmm food for thought I had not even thought of putting next to each other but in a corolla might not work anyway? I was planning on putting number 2 on drivers side as thought capsule would be easier to get out road side than toddler plus I do most of driving and it needs more room but will fit behind me. Fingers crossed if dh needs to drive will be able to put seat back far enough.

[OceanPrincess]

We put baby in rear-facing seat in the middle. This is the safest place in the car and there was no other option in my mind. To me that's more important than whether DD was going to be mean or overkind to the baby and that's saying something as my DD is pretty rough with him sometimes.

DD is next to him in her toddler seat - yes sometimes she grabs his hand or steals toys but she is learning and now she is really good with him - she holds his hand when he cries and tells him "it's ok little man!"

FYI - if you have side curtain airbags, I think you're actually supposed to have them deactivated if a baby is next them... The capsule/rear-facing seats have their own safety system which is negatively impacted by airbags or something by that. Same reason you are not meant to have either of the front seats touching the baby seat.

[megs]

When I had my second my eldest was only 16 months old, so I didn't trust him not to poke the baby etc. I had my toddler on the passenger side and put the baby in a capsule behind the drivers seat. My reasoning for this was that I could sit the capsule on the ground or have the baby in the pram on the footpath whilst getting my toddler into his seat, then I could deal with that baby. I really didn't trust my eldest not to want to run around to his door to try and get into the car (he could be very independant).
It worked for us. Now I have 3 kids so there is no room for anyone in the car anyway.

[FabFiona]

At this stage we are planning on putting the capsule behind the drivers side. My toddler is a cheeky monkey and I just can't see it being safe to be getting him in and out on the road side of the car.

However this might change depending on how it works in reality.

[OceanPrincess]

Now I have 3 kids so there is no room for anyone in the car anyway.

[ShootingStar]

We have it, capsule is passenger side, DS in the middle and DD on the drivers side. So far i havent parked on the road where that would be a problem (have so far parked in parking areas), but my kids can duck under the capsule to get out on the passengers side.. DS showed me how clever he was the other day by doing this.. so i guess if and when that does happen ill just get them out that way.

[tanyaya]

thanks for all your input guys!

i think i'll leave it as is, as it's been installed by a professional and just see how it goes for now - maybe DS can climb over the unit once the capsule has been removed....

good idea re: putting a doll in there for now to mentally prepare him.