Baby Seat install question...

[RidgeDOC]

Originally Posted by hikalot

You should spent more time reading child safety books then on this board. For the security of your child, place the rear facing seat in the middle and use the latches or the seat belt.

Yup hes right.
I have a 3yr and a 9mo. Parker and Camden. Lil one goes in middle. Big bro right behind dad(driver) Hey you can still lift the shorter seat to upright position this way. If you decide to follow the book and put baby in the middle thought you should know it can be done with latch and still raise passenger back seat.

[RidgeDOC]

Oops should have read the whole thread. Congratulations BTW. It really is a cool thing being a parent. Hey I like it so much the first time I had another

[chisoxjim]

thanks for the input all,

middle it is..

[kspept]

How did the install go? I was really concerned when I put mine in, that the front in of the seat base would move around from side to side, but I was told by the inspector that it was normal. I hope it went well for you. Good luck to you when the baby arrives

[chisoxjim]

kspept

I didnt get to it last night,

I didnt get home until 7:30 p.m. last night , and I go to bed around 9:00 p.m. most nights to get enough rest before the 5:00 a.m. alarm.., and the 2 hour morning commute.

I gotta get to it tonight.

thanks for the interest.

[BillB]

I was really concerned when I put mine in, that the front in of the seat base would move around from side to side, but I was told by the inspector that it was normal.

It is normal, but that doesn't mean you can't improve the stability. I have gone through quite a few seats in the time my 8 and 10 year olds have grown and I always supplimented the seat belt/latch attachment points with additional strapping that stabilized the front protion of the seats. I usually used cargo tie down straps and found points under the vehicles seats that were able to accept a tie off point and then routed the strap to places on the seat front where holes were eligible for tying to. Most seats have areas where have holes from the construction process or even where the standard straps run through. You just have to be careful not to impede the normal movement of the "official" harnesses and the area the vehicles seat belt passes through. You also have to be willing to buy extra seats for your second vehicle because these more stable seats now are a permanent fixture in your vehicle as you do not want to re-tie them every time you change cars.

I always felt my children, when younger, were safer in a more stable seating position and even today my boys still sit in very well made and comfortable booster seats that position the vehicles seat belts properly on their less than adult size bodies, but they no longer need this extra strapping.

[Mobile06]

Originally Posted by chisoxjim

thanks for the input all,

middle it is..

Middle really is the best place and your concern about the Stroller, it should fit in the passenger side even with the carseat in the middle. For some reason the middle latch attachments are closer to the drivers side just enough for a travel system stroller to fit on the passenger side, atleast my graco did.. itwas tight but fit. As for there being some slack in the seat, i'm no engineer but it seems to me a little give in all directions would decrease the impact a little. I also would not suggest sticking a suction cupped mirrow directly behind the child seat. I just hit the brakes once and my flew off into the seat. Hate to know what would happen if you actually had a collision

[rtboy1961]

my baby is 3 weeks old. I put the seat in the middle. Leaves room for passengers and is better protection from side impact.

[rtboy1961]

one funny thing I noticed. When my first baby was born. He is now 24 years old. Half the time we didnt use a car seat or just put him in a baby seat in the back seat, no seat belt at all.
Today, my 3 week old daughter looks like she is driving in NASCAR with all her harness and seat and neck protection.

[hikalot]

Last thing chisoxjim, for the safety of your child, do not fold a rear seat and fill the aft cabin space with stuf that can fly all over the baby in case of an accident (rollover, side impact etc.). Use the in bed trunk.