I need 3 across in a Prius - wwyd?

[jesseandgrace]

I have a new prius, yah!!!! I've wanted one for ages. We also have a Sienna.

I have three kids, a 7.5 year old ds, a 5 year old dd (next month), and a five month old ds2.

I have a radian (dd uses it now in the Sienna)
A Jane high back booster with latch (ds uses it in the Sienna)
An Orbit infant seat (ds2 uses it in the sienna)
A Graco infant safeseat (currently in the Prius for ds2)
A Britax Parkway (currently in the prius for dd)
A Graco turbo booster backless (not fitting in the prius for ds)

The parkway is a PIA in the Prius, because you can't easily buckle it because of the infant seat in the center. I think I want to switch it out for the Radian so she can buckle herself in. I might buy another Radian since I don't know if I want her in the Jane or the Parkway yet. This does not take care of the booster for my 7 year old though, I still don't have one to fit on the other side of the infant seat!

I also need to get ds2 out of the Orbit any day now as he is approaching the weight limit. I'm thinking of the Orbit toddler seat for the minivan, but I don't know much about it yet. I could also switch the Graco to the van for now as that goes to 30 pounds, and get a convertible for the prius, I would like a radian, but when I tried dds rear facing in the Prius it didn't seem like it would be a good fit, and also doesn't look like the best seat for a baby. I'm also not sure how the toddler Orbit seat would fit in a prius, and I don't really have a way to test it out. So, I'm not sure where that leaves me, or if anyone is following me here anymore, LOL. Both cars have side airbags in all rows. My kids are small height wise, and the younger two are a little chubby :), the oldest is very skinny, so I'm not ready for him to be out of his carseat any time soon, and he isn't complaining. I've also thought about a clek for him but they look a little wide.

Any ideas? TIA!!!!

[August Mom]

Do you have to have seats for all 3 in the Prius? I only have 2, so the 3rd child could put a wrinkle into things, but we have 2 seats in our Camry and only 1 seat in our Prius. Then, we just switch cars if DH will have both kids.

I was going to say put DS1 in the Parkway and get another Radian for DD for the Prius if you must do 3 across but maybe the Parkway won't work well on either side of the infant seat.

[KrisM]

Do you have to have seats for all 3 in the Prius? I only have 2, so the 3rd child could put a wrinkle into things, but we have 2 seats in our Camry and only 1 seat in our Prius. Then, we just switch cars if DH will have both kids.

I was going to say put DS1 in the Parkway and get another Radian for DD for the Prius if you must do 3 across but maybe the Parkway won't work well on either side of the infant seat.

We will do the same thing. We are still hoping to get 3 in my car, but will only have 2 in DH's car. At first, we'll have one RFing and one FFing so he can take any combo of 2 kids. Then, when DD FF's, we'll probably have DS get a Safe Rider vest and squeeze between the other seats.

Is something like the Safe Rider vest an alternative for your oldest?

[jesseandgrace]

I can switch cars when all three are with me, but I would like to take all 3 in the prius if I can, and I'm not comfortable with my 7 year old in just a lap belt. I keep thinking there must be a solution. I'm wondering if I move the infant seat to a passenger side if maybe it will work with the radian in the middle, and then a booster. The car isn't small, so there must be a way! I LOVE our Sienna, but I want to take the prius as well!

[bubbaray]

I can switch cars when all three are with me, but I would like to take all 3 in the prius if I can, and I'm not comfortable with my 7 year old in just a lap belt. I keep thinking there must be a solution. I'm wondering if I move the infant seat to a passenger side if maybe it will work with the radian in the middle, and then a booster. The car isn't small, so there must be a way! I LOVE our Sienna, but I want to take the prius as well!


Can you post the configuration of the belts and LATCH and tethers? Are there lap/shoulder belts in all three positions? Are there TTs in all three positions?

I might try the baby and FFg harnessed seats outboard and the booster in the middle if the type of belts allow.

The Radian is very narrow and can be used RFg and FFg. We have two and like it. Its not as easy to use or install as a Britax MA, but a pretty close second.

BTW, the Ridesafe or SafeRider vest (I can't keep the name straight!) might be a good option.

Also, try installing all the seats with belts, not LATCH (but use the TTs where you can). LATCH installs usually eat up more space in a 3-across situation....

Good luck!

[jesseandgrace]

Thanks for the tip about using the belts! All three seats have shoulder belts, and only the two side seats have latch, not the middle. The seats are a little deep, with the sides poofing up a little. I'm considering going with the Radian, a maxi-cosi priori or another Radian for the baby in rear facing, and maybe the fisher price safe voyage booster for my 7yo, all the way cinched in (he is really skinny). That's my latest thought, but I'm still not sure. I wish it were a little easier.

[August Mom]

I would try the infant seat in the passenger outboard position and see if that works. Then, you'd buckle the center position toward the driver's side, away from the infant seat, so that should help, I think. Of course if you need the booster on the passenger side for drop-off purposes, that won't work. I think you are probably will need to physically try some seats in different combos. It's amazing how much difference there is when they are actually installed. The other option might be to scrap the infant seat in the Prius and just do a RFing convertible. You might try installing the Radian RFing (remember the boot you attach to the front for RFing) and see how it goes. It doesn't curve out near the seat like the infant seat, so that might make it easier to buckle next to it.

Good luck.

[KBecks]

I am totally impressed that you can do this. Here I was thinking our next car would need to be bigger to fit 3 across in the back, and you're working on it for a Prius! I want to see pictures!

We have a 2001 Acura TL as our 2nd vehicle (the other is an Odyssey). We are using 2 enormous Marathons in the Ody but I wonder if we could fit 3 in the back of the sedan with smaller seats, down the road. It's good to know we might be able to!

[melonkelli]

I have my three in a Prius:

Driver Side: DS#1, 4yo, FF, Radian65
Center: DD, 4mo, RF, Graco bucket
Passenger Side: DS#2, 2yo, FF, Britax Roundabout

All using seatbelts -- the LATCH was just taking up too much space. The next step is to move the 4mo to the Roundabout when she outgrows the Graco, still RF. And get a Radian for the 2yo. The three seats should mesh nicely for quite a while.

It is much easier to get an idea of how things work by actually assembling the puzzle -- it's not always clear how exactly things will mesh together by height, or how much something will flare out by just looking at the measurements or pictures.

Someone else was able to do it with different seats:
http://tinyurl.com/5c94lt
scroll down the page to see the photo.

[jesseandgrace]

I couldn't get the link to work, but I'm glad to hear you made it happen with that combination! I am definitely going to take everyones suggestions and try a bunch of things. I think moving the baby out of the center seat will help the most, but then the fighting gets much worse between the 7 yo and 5 yo :). I'll post pics when I get it right!