Infant car seats for twins and best configuration for four children in a 2005 Odyssey

[jacksmom0902]

I've posted this in the Multiples forum and received some great advice and they also suggested I post here for additional feedback. I basically have two questions. The first is regarding infant car seats for my twins who are due in August and the other is regarding the best car seat configuration for the twins and my two older sons.

First, two moms in my Mothers of Multiples club are selling their gently used (not expired) infant seats and SNG strollers. I definitely want one of the SNG strollers but am torn on which seats to purchase. One mom has two Graco SnugRide seats and the other has two BabyTrend seats. I like the idea of saving the money on these two seats by buying used and from someone I trust (neither has been in an accident) but am also tempted by the nice new seats at BRU. We can afford to buy new seats if necessary but I'm thinking that I'd probably rather put that money on new Marathons or such when they outgrow the infant seats. My singletons were big boys at birth and didn't stay in their infant seat very long (too heavy to carry!) so I guess I'm also wondering how long most folks with twins use the infant car seats and whether I should buy new or one of the used sets.

Second, I have a '05 Honda Odyssey and was originally thinking about putting my older boys in the third row. DS1 (5.5) is in a Regent and DS2 (3) is in a Marathon. DS1 can buckle DS2 in and I could adjust the straps and chest buckle as needed. It was pointed out to me that top-tethering both of these seats in the third row could be a problem and would result in a loss of cargo space. An alternative was suggested which I will definitely consider but wanted to see what others may think. Also, does anyone know if the newer Odyssey vans have a better TT situation in the third row? The whole twin thing was a total surprise to us and my DH is very receptive to making things easier for me as we adjust to all of this so he may be up for a newer van along with everything else.

Thanks,
Karla

[Joolsplus2]

I'd go with the Snugrides...they can have the handles left up when driving (ugh, can you imagine having to get both handles down on the baby trends every time you put the seats in the cars? doesn't sound like fun to me! lol). They should install fine with LATCH... yeah, I know pretty new infant seats are fun, but... Pretty new Marathons are funner :love5: (The Chicco Key Fit is also a fantastic seat...if you can't resist getting new ones, I'd look at those...).

Yeah, tough situation in that 2005...it's the black sheep of the Ody family: the ONLY one where there's not 3 top tether anchors in the third row at least optional. Newer ones have the anchors right on the seatbacks, too...so it won't block off cargo access when you try to heft a ginormous stroller into it.

But we can work out a solution with your current van, too... maybe putting your eldest in a good safe booster would be ok, or you can see if the Regent fits in the middle, Marathon next to it (wouldn't be top tethered, but the shoulderbelt provides protection much like a top tether anchor does)

[westgre]

I'm not familiar with the Odyssey, but how easy is it to get to the third row of seats? If it's easy, you could always put the infant seat(s) in the third row, as they don't need a top tether. However, we put our infant seat in our third row seat in our minivan and it is extremely frustrating getting it back there. I feel a carseat shuffle near in my future...

[bubbaray]

Here's the thread from the Multiples forum, just so its all in one place:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=293148

I dunno how you'll get into the back on a daily basis without taking out one of the 2nd row captains chairs. I loathe going into the 3rd row of my Ody -- its tight and I'm tall, so its really awkward. I wouldn't want to be doing it daily or multiple times a day. I think it would be really hard to get back there even just to tighten harnesses/chest clips. Its a long reach and the baby buckets will be in the way. If we were talking boosters, you could reach over from behind the cargo area and adjust straps that the child buckled in, but you can't really do that with harnessed seats!

Like Julie said, the 2006 and newer Ody's have the TTs for all 3 positions in the 3rd row and they aren't across the cargo hold, they are on the backs of the seats. If you are up for a new van, that might be a big plus -- especially down the road when all the kids are FFg (though probably the older 2 will be closer to being in boosters). Plus, the loss of cargo room from the TT is a PITA, especially if you are trying to fit in a double stroller.

[o_mom]

I actually find it not super difficult to get to the third row to buckle. We currently have two rear-facing seats in the second row and one FF seat in the third row. I have a SafeSeat driver's side second row. RF Radian center second row (captain's chair to the center) and a FF Decathlon in the third row. I can reach to buckle the third row from either side of the van - I just stand on the running board/doorsill area and lean over. It is actually easier to reach with the RF seats because they don't block the backs of the captain's chairs.

I did have the SafeSeat in the third row for one day. DS1 wanted the baby next to him. I will never do that again ;) It was way too much to heft that thing up and over the folded chair and into the back.

I have had a RF convertible back there, and that wasn't bad for an older child who could climb in the seat themselves. I could easily buckle and tighten from the front - again standing in the doorway and reaching over.

ETA: I agree that a newer Odyssey may be a good idea when you can swing it.

ETA2: You may look into a Radian, Frontier or Nautilus as a narrower option for the center back if the Regent won't fit next to the MA. You can sell the Regent or hang on to it until you get a van with TT anchors outboard in the 3rd row.

[bubbaray]

OK, well I guess others either have different Odys than me or are better contortionists. I can't reach the 3rd row in my '05 Ody without actually climbing into the van.

There is about 6-8" of room to squeeze into the 3rd row, but ONLY from the passenger side and only if you remove the center seat or console and have the 2nd row passenger seat "center". If you leave the driver's side 2nd row seat installed, it d/n move and you definitely can't reach into the 3rd row from the driver's side 2nd row.

I can't reach from the cargo area into the seat of the 3rd row to do up buckles either -- the cargo area isn't flat, its a hole. So, you'd have to climb into the cargo hole and reach over. I'm 5'9" and I coudn't reach to do up a buckle in the 3rd row. Maybe others could, but I can't.

Friends of ours had 2 prior Odys (2003 and 2004) and then got a 2005. It seemed easier to me for them to get into the 3rd row in the older ones. I think, but am not sure, that the older Odys d/n have the hole in the cargo area for the 3rd row seats to tumble into. Not positive about that.

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, the older ones have the hole, too...
I tried putting my friends RF baby in mine in the third row, it was no bowl of cherries even for one trip, with an empty cargo area to step into...

If there were any way to get the older kids outboard in the third row, and plunk the baby in the middle and then take out the center captain's chair so you can climb into the van....? But then the older kids wouldn't have a top tether for either of them...

[whome?]

Yeah, the older ones have the hole, too...
I tried putting my friends RF baby in mine in the third row, it was no bowl of cherries even for one trip, with an empty cargo area to step into...

If there were any way to get the older kids outboard in the third row, and plunk the baby in the middle and then take out the center captain's chair so you can climb into the van....? But then the older kids wouldn't have a top tether for either of them...


Don't forget, Jools, she has two babies to fit in there (poor thing!):wink2:

[Joolsplus2]

Yeah, I know, she can put the other baby in the captain's chair behind the driver :loveeyes:

[o_mom]

OK, well I guess others either have different Odys than me or are better contortionists. I can't reach the 3rd row in my '05 Ody without actually climbing into the van.

There is about 6-8" of room to squeeze into the 3rd row, but ONLY from the passenger side and only if you remove the center seat or console and have the 2nd row passenger seat "center". If you leave the driver's side 2nd row seat installed, it d/n move and you definitely can't reach into the 3rd row from the driver's side 2nd row.

...
Friends of ours had 2 prior Odys (2003 and 2004) and then got a 2005. It seemed easier to me for them to get into the 3rd row in the older ones. I think, but am not sure, that the older Odys d/n have the hole in the cargo area for the 3rd row seats to tumble into. Not positive about that.

Just a thought - as I was buckling in today - do you have the headrests on your captain's chairs? I have mine off, which gives significantly more room to reach back there. If they are on, or I have a large britax seat there, it is much harder to reach the back without climbing in.

Also, having the passenger 2nd row slid center and forward increase the room to get in on the passenger side as does folding the captain's chair if it isn't occupied. I have a 2002, but I don't recall it being much different in my friend's 2005.