# three car seats across: yes or no?



## BonMaman (Sep 25, 2005)

We are expecting Bambino #3 in mid-January and are in the process of car shopping for one that will accommodate three car seats. Our lads will be 3.5yo & about 22mo when the new baby arrives, so they're both in sizable car seats still. We've been looking at seven-seater crossover vehicles such as the GMC Acadia, Chevy Traverse, and Toyota Highlander, all with options for captain's chairs in the middle row for both easy access to the "way back" and a little more space for everyone. I like the new Honda Pilot, too, but it does not come with the option for captain's chairs in the middle row -- it's just two bench seats in the back, meaning the three LOs would have to be seated *right* next to each other. We're concerned that having the three of them in such close proximity is an invitation for fisticuffs and other such dangerous shenanigans in the back seat while traveling.







:

If you have three (or more) LOs in car seats, please share your experience and configuration.

Thanks!


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

I have two kids in an Acura MDX, the interior is the same as the Pilot, except my third row only seats two instead of 3. I often do three in the second row so I can take my friend's DS along. The nice thing about my car is that they second row is very wide. I currently have a Regent, a Boulevard, and a Radian across it. My kids are okay sitting next to each other. However my friends DS sometimes picks on them. If I had a couple more narrow seats it might make it harder for him to do.


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## Smalls181 (May 12, 2006)

I have, on several occasions, put 3 across in my 4-door Saturn. Often times, one of the kids was in a HBB, though.

Ive done a Turbo Booster, a RF Evenflo Titan, and a Graco Snugride infant seat.


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## pixiepunk (Mar 11, 2003)

i have a 7-seater Toyota Highlander, and i still put the kids 3 across in the middle row. i put the oldest in the middle (she's in a HBB) and my 3.5 yo on the passenger outboard and the baby RF'ing behind the driver, both in Radian 65's. i contemplated putting someone in the 3rd row, but it's not easy to access when there are carseats in the outboard positions (since those seats need to push forward to get into the 3rd row), and when the 3rd row is up it swallows up most of the trunk space making the available trunk miniscule. so 3 across in the middle was better for us.

if the child that would be in the third row will be in a harnessed seat that an adult will need to help buckle/unbuckle, i think captain's chairs in the middle would be essential so you could reach the back more easily. i can't imagine trying to do it everytime we got in and out of the car with a bench seat in the way.

but it's been 7 months now, and so far we've not really had any shenanigans with the older two sitting next to each other. on rare occasion there are the 'stop touching me' moments, but it's not frequent or terrible. it's nice to have DD1 so close to the baby so she can hold her hand or grab her toy for her as-needed, and it's also nice to have them all within arm's reach if someone gets thirsty and i need to hand back water or something - not sure how i'd manage that for a passenger in the 3rd row without stopping the car.


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## HrCreuzi (Dec 5, 2008)

I've had 3 in a row in my Buick a few times and it's worked fine.


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## Peony (Nov 27, 2003)

When we add #3 next spring, they will be spread out over two rows. I know people do 3 across all the time, but my children would kill each other.







For the moment, I have DD1 and DD2 next to each other, they are almost 6 and 2, but many times over the last couple years, they have been separated. DD1 just can not keep her hands to herself, driving with them sitting next to each other turns into a screaming match. I really can't imagine adding a 3rd one into that.







:


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## hockeywoman (Nov 6, 2007)

I have 3 across in both our 2003 Sienna (back row) and 2002 Protege. We've only done forward facing, but here's what's worked for us:

Sienna:
Marathon / Radian / FPSVD

Protege:
Marathon / Radian / FPSVD
Nautilus / Radian / FPSVD

We've really only had issues on long car trips with kiddos keeping hands to themselves, etc. I've never had it escalate to fisticuffs - mostly just whining about not keeping hands to themselves. In the car, it's a necessary evil, but in the van, it's much easier to be able to leave out 1 captains chair (more space for everyone to get in and jackets off with the door shut in the winter), and we'll put up with the reminding required to keep hands to self.


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## JenMidwife (Oct 4, 2005)

has anyone ever done 3 across in a Honda CRV? My friend is pg, will have a newborn, 2yo & 3.5 yo. Right now she has (& LOVES) 2 Triumph Advances. She swear there's no way to get 3 car seats across.

How wide is a Nautilus if she got one of those for her 3.5 yo? Or would a Radian be a better idea?


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenMidwife* 
has anyone ever done 3 across in a Honda CRV? My friend is pg, will have a newborn, 2yo & 3.5 yo. Right now she has (& LOVES) 2 Triumph Advances. She swear there's no way to get 3 car seats across.

How wide is a Nautilus if she got one of those for her 3.5 yo? Or would a Radian be a better idea?

I'm sure it could be done, but it would take at least a Radian or two, maybe three. I'd start by measuring the length of the back seat and then comparing with some car seat measurements for an idea.


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## JenMidwife (Oct 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alysmommy2004* 
I'm sure it could be done, but it would take at least a Radian or two, maybe three. I'd start by measuring the length of the back seat and then comparing with some car seat measurements for an idea.

hehe, they are considering buying a minivan, so I think they're probably buy a new car before buying new car seats







(this mama LOVES her Triumph Advances!)


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Yes. One of the reasons I bought the car I did is so I can put 3 seats across.


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## BonMaman (Sep 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pixiepunk* 
i have a 7-seater Toyota Highlander, and i still put the kids 3 across in the middle row. i put the oldest in the middle (she's in a HBB) and my 3.5 yo on the passenger outboard and the baby RF'ing behind the driver, both in Radian 65's. i contemplated putting someone in the 3rd row, but it's not easy to access when there are carseats in the outboard positions (since those seats need to push forward to get into the 3rd row), and when the 3rd row is up it swallows up most of the trunk space making the available trunk miniscule. so 3 across in the middle was better for us.

if the child that would be in the third row will be in a harnessed seat that an adult will need to help buckle/unbuckle, i think captain's chairs in the middle would be essential so you could reach the back more easily. i can't imagine trying to do it everytime we got in and out of the car with a bench seat in the way.

but it's been 7 months now, and so far we've not really had any shenanigans with the older two sitting next to each other. on rare occasion there are the 'stop touching me' moments, but it's not frequent or terrible. it's nice to have DD1 so close to the baby so she can hold her hand or grab her toy for her as-needed, and it's also nice to have them all within arm's reach if someone gets thirsty and i need to hand back water or something - not sure how i'd manage that for a passenger in the 3rd row without stopping the car.

This is very helpful. My LOs will all be about 21 or 22 mos apart, the oldest being 3.5yo, so while sometimes I bet my DS1 would be helpful when necessary, it's the other times I worry about.







: I do worry about being able to attend to the one seated in the "way back", especially since 3.5yo DS1 does not buckle or unbuckle himself in his seat as yet.


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## claddaghmom (May 30, 2008)

fisticuffs?


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## BonMaman (Sep 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *claddaghmom* 
fisticuffs?

yes... along the lines Peony describes.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Peony* 
When we add #3 next spring, they will be spread out over two rows. I know people do 3 across all the time, but my children would kill each other.







For the moment, I have DD1 and DD2 next to each other, they are almost 6 and 2, but many times over the last couple years, they have been separated. DD1 just can not keep her hands to herself, driving with them sitting next to each other turns into a screaming match. I really can't imagine adding a 3rd one into that.







:


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## carmel23 (Jul 21, 2006)

I have three across in a Honda CRV! And it is wacky sometimes, but the kids deal. I have a booster, a Sunshine Radian 65, and a graco something rather (5 point harness). I flip the radian rear facing for my almost 2 year-old depending on the trip. But she does kick her brother when she gets bored...

I wish we could get a bigger thing, but I'm waiting for more hybrid options (that we could maybe someday afford).

I'd love a 5 person party bike!







:


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

My brother has a Camry and they can get 3 across, but I'm not sure what kind of seats they are. SIL drives a Sienna, and of course there's no problem fitting all 3 in there.

I have an Accord and yesterday, I couldn't get 3 across for her class field trip. I had DD's marathon on the driver's side and was trying to fit two backless boosters in with it, but I could only fit one. I might have been able to do it if I had put the Marathon in the center, but the teacher had an extra spot in her van, so we didn't need to.

My neighbor can fit 2 boosters and a Scenera in the back of her Mercedes, and she can do the same configuration across the middle row of her Escalade too, usually with the big seat in the middle and the boosters on either side.


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

We have three across in a sedan and I thought it would be constant fighting, but it has actually worked out ok. I found that having the oldest in the middle gives her the chance to help the other two when needed without me pulling over. When I had the baby in the middle it was hell. The other two would fight over the top of the baby. Oddly enough putting them next to each other caused the fighting to die down.

We have two Radians and a Boulevard right now. We used to have a Radian, Boulevard and Roundabout.


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