How do you get everyone safely out the door...

[gatorsmom]

...once they've outgrown their infant carrier carseats? I'm trying to think this through now and am not sure how to do this. How do I get both children into their convertible carseats? How do YOU do it? Do you leave one child in the house unattended while taking one out to the car to strap them in? If so, is there a safespot that you leave them in (like strapped into a highchair, pnp)? Or, do you carry them both out to the car and let one move around unrestrained in the car while strapping in the first one?

I'm estimating that my twins will outgrow their Safeseats at about 18 months. Which means they will be walking but will also be into everything. I can't leave one inthe house unattended while the other is being carried out to the car. I might be able to set up a packnplay near the door to set one child in while taking the other to the car but an 18mo will only stay safely in a packn play until age 24mo, don't ya think? I can't remember at what point they are starting to climb out of the pnp.

What do you moms of multiples do?

[mamaoftwins]

Ok, several ways (and I labor over this as well, b/c really, there isn't an "easy" or "best" way, it seems).

1. We're leaving after a meal or snack, with both kids in highchairs - I have already gone out while they were eating to start the car and put all the stuff in. I put their shoes and hats on while they are seated in the highchairs. Pick up one kid, bring to door, put on coat, out to car, strap in carseat. Back inside, get other boy, coat, and out to car. I can see the car from both the dining room where the highchairs are and the living room while I am getting the other boy's coat on.

2. We're leaving after a nap - Again, I have already started the car, and loaded the stuff. Pick one boy up from crib, change diaper, back in crib. Pick other boy up, change diaper, into living room, shoes, hat, jacket, out to car, and in carseat. Other boy out of crib, shoes, hat, jacket, and out to car.

3. We're leaving without napping or eating. Baby gate goes up to keep them in the living room. Both get shoes, hats, coats. This is my least favorite way to get ready b/c they're all over the place. Now, pick up both of them, and take them out to the car, one boy on the ground while I open the door. The boy I am holding goes into the backseat onto the floor, the boy that's on the ground goes into the carseat and gets strapped in. The boy on the floor of the car is free to roam in the backseat, but really, he can't get anywhere. And I keep my car pretty clean, so it's not like he can get into anything besides a few car toys in the backseat. And you do it quick, so that the boy I put on the ground in order to open the door, gets put in the car quick. After the boy is strapped in, I shut the door, and walk to the other side of the car, open the door and wrangle boy #2 to get him into his carseat and strapped in.

Again, #3 is my least fav way to go. I really try to use the cribs/highchairs as much as possible.

You just have to find the right order of things. For example, the last thing you want is to have one kid in the car already and find that you need to change kid #2s diaper before getting him out to the car. This has happened to me and I have changed the boy on the living room floor, so I can still see the car. So, get everything done with them that you can BEFORE you start the going out to the car process.

Also, if I haven't loaded up prior to putting kids in the car, I can run back into the house and get our stuff after they're both strapped in their seats.

I hope all this makes sense!

I'm interested to see if anyone else has better ideas!

[Melaine]

Whichever way you cut it, it's a stressful experience. When mine were too big for carrying them in the infant seats, yet too little to walk, I would place my diaper bag and anything else I needed on the front porch. Then, pick up both kiddos (in my case, glad they are both light) and walk out the door to the car. I could *usually* open my pre-unlocked van door with them in my arms. Put them in the seats, then go back up to the front porch to grab whatever I set there, and also lock the front door. Then back to the car to leave. There were definitely times when I dashed out with one at a time, but it's not preferable and I'm always concerned what the inside child might be doing.
Now that they are walking, I can *usually* count on them to hold my hands all the way to the car. They are starting to want to walk independently to the car, which I allow sometimes, all the while ready to run in two different directions if need be. I have found that now they are toddlers it helps them head straight to the car, (or back to the house) if I give them a small item to "help" carry for me.
Before you had twins, would you EVER have imagined something so simple being SO complicated?!

[Melaine]

Oh, and the worst part about getting out the door at our house is having our beagle bark continuously from the moment we start getting ready until we are completely out of hearing. Just adds to the stress...

[mamaoftwins]

I have found that now they are toddlers it helps them head straight to the car, (or back to the house) if I give them a small item to "help" carry for me.

Ooh, good idea! I'll keep that in mind for the future.

Before you had twins, would you EVER have imagined something so simple being SO complicated?!

No kidding, right?! And man, it is exhausting to run errands. I'm definitely jealous of the mom-of-singleton's ability to get errands done!

[AngelaS]

When I nannied, the boy I cared for was very close in age to my oldest. I would herd them both to the car simultaneously (or carry one and hold the other's hand) and put them both in the car. Then I'd buckle in one while encouraging the other to be a big kid and climb into their seat on their own.

[gatorsmom]

Before you had twins, would you EVER have imagined something so simple being SO complicated?!

LOL Even the simplest outings require major advance planning. It's just crazy. But man am I proud when I pull it off.

[jacobsmommy]

I struggled with this same issue. I have 8 month old twin boys and a three year old. We had two different infant seats. One was the infant seat we had for our 3 year old. The height and weight limits on the older seat were less than the newer version of the same infant seat. I now use the newer infant seat to set one of the boys in while I take the other two boys to the car. It works well for now. I can strap one of the twins in the infant seat by the front door while I get the other two strapped in in the car. I am not sure what I will do once I can no longer use the infant seat.

Stephanie

[gatorsmom]

I am not sure what I will do once I can no longer use the infant seat.

Stephanie

I think I'm going to take the suggestion of the pp and use a packnplay by the door. I've been thinking about this alot lately since my twins are close to outgrowing their Safeseats (well, they aren't close, but I can't lift them anymore). I'm going to try getting them ready in their coats and leaving one in the packnplay while I take the other ones to the car. The older boys can climb in and get most of their buckles buckled, so I can just take one twin out to be strapped in and leave the other in the packnplay. Unless, they can climb out of the packnplay. Unless I can keep them entertained in it. Ugh, I don't look forward to this stage AT ALL.

[DietCokeLover]

I don't have twins, but I have a 27 mo old and a 16 mo old, .... 11 months apart feels alot like twins.

If I am by myself with DH to help load kids in the car, I will usually leave one DC in the kitchen in the high chair or booster seat. I try to give that DC an extra "treat" (animal cracker or such) for being patient while I am loading the other DC. Then, the DC in the car gets a "treat" for being patient while I go back in and get other DC to load in the car.

I actually find the UNLOADING of the kids to be more difficult than the loading for some reason. I guess I feel like I have the "inside scenario" covered while I am still home, but have more difficulty upon returning.

I agree with Melaine... who knew getting in your car could be so difficult. And don't even get me started on trying to shop or run errands with a double stroller in tow!