3 Kids under 6 and Struggling to Fit 3 Car Seats across!

MadgeH on 22/09/2020 - 12:59

Hoping someone here can help. Wife recently gave birth to our third so he's a few days old and we have a capsule for him.
My other two are 5 and 3, 5 year old is in a booster seat and 3 year old is in a forward facing car seat.

My 3 year old is big enough to go into a booster but I don't know if that'll solve the issue. What do you guys have set up on the back seat to fit 3 seats in and allow for the kids to clip their seat belt in without a massive struggle?

I have a Hyundai Tucson 2018 and also a 2017 Mazda 3

Hoping there's a cheap way of getting this sorted, I've had a look online but haven't really found anything overly useful.

Toys & Kids Baby Car Seat

Comments

  • 87percent on 22/09/2020 - 13:12
    +3

    the capsule is what kills the 3 across the rear.. but i would suggest going to Baby Bunting and getting their advice

    • iDroid on 22/09/2020 - 14:46
      +3

      i would suggest going to Baby Bunting and emptying your wallet there

      FTFY

      • 87percent on 22/09/2020 - 14:49
        +2

        you dont have to actually buy from there.. just go there and get advice

  • Halo375 on 22/09/2020 - 13:28
    +1

    There are narrow versions of booster seats you can buy, that’s what you’re going to need or you’re looking at adding a third row to that car!

  • Switchblade88 on 22/09/2020 - 13:30
    +2

    Look for a narrow car seat or booster to swap in; some are specifically designated slimline for 'crowded' back seats like yours.

    I'm assuming you've tried chopping & changing the seating arrangements already? With #3 child we had to stick the capsule in the middle seat so the car seat headrest 'wings' wouldn't touch.

    Final option is a 7-seater SUV - we eventually stuck the two car seats in the rear, and then #4 in the capsule in the middle; #1 being 8yo then was in the folding middle seat for easy access. Rather expensive upgrade but if you're still planning a fourth child, certainly required!

  • onetwothreefour on 22/09/2020 - 13:36
    +1

    Yep, same as above look for narrow car seats, that's probably the only way you'll get them to fit.

  • Baa on 22/09/2020 - 13:49

    We had 3 of the narrow car seats and managed to fit 3 in the back row in both a Corrolla and Mazda3.

    I don't think the booster will necessarily solve your problem, from experience a proper booster seat can sometimes take a more space than a car seat.

  • MS Paint on 22/09/2020 - 14:01

    Ummm. Should have thought about this 9 months ago.

    • djones145 on 22/09/2020 - 15:00

      to be honest this is right….
      have to consider impacts like
      - car seats
      - car boot space for prams etc!
      - is ur hosue big enuff! where to place beds and cots
      - are u INSANEEEEEEE lolz (i only have 2 kids, ONLY)

      • Mechz on 22/09/2020 - 16:32

        More than zero is too many.

  • Stimps on 22/09/2020 - 14:12
    +5

    Congratulations on the new arrival. Time to embrace a minivan, I suggest a cheap one as they are going to tear that thing apart.

  • pjetson on 22/09/2020 - 14:25

    My 3 year old is big enough to go into a booster

    The law seems to say that kids have to be four years old for a booster seat. Before that, they must have a seat with a built-in harness.

    https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/children…

    Added later: There does seem to be an exemption to that rule if the child is too big for the restraint specified for their age.

  • brendanm on 22/09/2020 - 14:43
    +4

    Kia carnival

    • coxjon on 22/09/2020 - 14:47

      Yep that’s what we did

  • tissue on 22/09/2020 - 15:07
    +8

    My area of expertise.

    Couple of things:
    - Put the middle seat in first, and it usually has to be the most narrow seat.
    - Put the 5YO into a harnessed booster. Make sure it’s a harnessed booster not a convertible booster. A quick fix is to get a seat belt extender but they aren’t legal.
    - Ditch the capsule and put the newborn into a rear facing seat. Narrow.
    - Keep the 3YO in their seat provided its narrow.
    - Most likely scenario will be 5YO in the middle (so they can climb in and buckle themselves in), newborn rear facing on the edge and 3YO forward facing on the other side.

    Ultimately if you aim for seats that are max 44cm width then you can fit 3 across in quite a lot of cars. Ive done it in a Lancer and in a Forester, so should be similar for a Mazda 3 and Tucson. Your struggle will be when the newborn goes to forward facing, as you have to fit 3 forward facing seats side-by-side which is difficult in anything that’s not a people mover, large SUV or large sedan/wagon. Even then things like Prado’s and Pajero Sports wont fit 3 across.

    Might need to mix up brands as well, as most Infasecure and some Britax sit on a wide plastic ‘tub’ as the base, where other Britax have a very narrow base and more suitable for the middle seat.

    I ended up putting a Infasecure Quattro in the middle (42cm wide) and put an Infasecure Grandeur on one side (44cm wide) and Britax Maxi Guard (46cm wide) on the other. Ultimately getting new seats is usually cheaper than getting a new car. Especially since you basically have two new cars anyway.

    • leiiv on 22/09/2020 - 16:00

      By the time you need to switch to forward facing, hopefully the eldest one will be 6 years old and does not need the booster anymore?

    • MadgeH on 22/09/2020 - 16:43

      Thank you for the detailed response, this is exactly what I was looking for

      • MS Paint on 22/09/2020 - 16:47
        -1

        You actually came here for a genuine response? I'm impressed.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2020 - 15:30
    +3

    When I was a kid, I rode footwell.

    Not a suggestion. Just thought I'd reminisce out loud.

    • havebeerbelywillsumo on 22/09/2020 - 15:49

      Now waiting for dicky seat memories…………..

    • sahh on 22/09/2020 - 16:45
      +2

      Yes those were the days! My parents would also bring a newspaper to flap open in case we stopped next to a police car or any car which could see into our car.

      • John Kimble on 22/09/2020 - 16:59

        Officer: Ma'am, any reason you're reading a 3 month old newspaper?

        • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2020 - 17:15
          +2

          I did it! I can't believe I did it! Oh my god, what is the date today?

    • miwahni on 22/09/2020 - 21:18
      +1

      Night time trips from Sydney to Melbourne with the three of us kids sleeping on a mattress in the folded-down back of the EH station wagon. It was kind of magic, lying down, looking out the side windows and watching the stars until you fell asleep.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2020 - 21:35
        +1

        Ah those were the days. I had a blanket fort. I tied it to the front and rear headrests.

        Kids these days are strapped in and stare straight into the iPad.

    • djones145 on 22/09/2020 - 22:07
      +1

      when I was a kid, i sat in the boot with my cuz, Ford hatchback

  • corollachick on 23/09/2020 - 07:59
    +1

    put your 6 year old back in a harness seat
    so much easier than trying to fight with a seat belt. there are seats that harness until torso height of 51cm which is average 10 year old. by then your youngest will be forward facing and you can get slimmer seats

  • mjwills on 23/09/2020 - 08:15

    The main issue is the seat belt (getting it on and off).

    So - get rid of the booster seat. A 5 year old would likely still be safer in a FF car seat (people pull their kids out of car seats too early, generally - but check the manual). 2 FF car seats and a capsule should be achievable - we did that for years in a Corolla.

  • bsus20 on 23/09/2020 - 09:29

    We actually just had the same issue - so I forked out $$$ for the narrowest car seats on the market, and it seems to work fine.

    Note that Baby Bunting does not stock all models, so it also worthwhile to do some googling before any purchases.

    The Infa Secure Quattro Astra is 42cm - not cheap but the narrowest out there - is for the newborn.

    And I bought a Infasecure Achieve Premium for the five year old.

  • Genga on 23/09/2020 - 09:33
    +1

    You can also join this facebook page - Child restraints. Is your child restrained correctly? - it's a wealth of information and you will probably find someone that has the same car/situation as you.

  • OzHunterNSW on 23/09/2020 - 10:09
    -5

    Looks like you struggle to plan ahead and expect thing to simply fall into place.
    Sell one of the vehicles and get a proper "family" car.
    Do it quick before the fourth child comes along and really really before the fifth.

    • MadgeH on 23/09/2020 - 11:39
      +2

      Glad you got that off your chest bud

  • Out24q on 23/09/2020 - 21:03

    What state are you in? I pretty sure some States don't allow booster seats anymore.

  • scozbargain on 01/10/2020 - 21:36

    I dont know if still same service level but around 10 years ago I went to: https://www.bananababy.com.au/car-seats for help when they were at kogarah. Now at St Peters. Could not have been more helpful or patient and had good prices at the time. They spent lots of time looking for best fit in car.

    Good luck.

  • oscargamer on 09/11/2020 - 19:23

    Can your wife hold in number 3 until number 1 outgrows their seat?

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