Need a very narrow carseat that is forward facing

[PentecostalMom]

for a three-year-old. I have recently begun caring for a little boy and am trying to fit three carseats into my car. I have a Britax Marathon and Britax Frontier 85 for my dd's. I need to try to fit this little guy in the middle of them. I have a Volvo wagon. His mom provided me with a full-back booster which fits, but it also covers the seatbelt buckle. I need a carseat with a harness that will fit so I can buckle/latch it, and still buckle him into the seat.

 

I do know that Sunshine Kids makes a very narrow carseat, but they are difficult to locate used and I don't want to drop a load of cash on a seat that will not be used a lot. Any other suggestions for a narrow seat with a harness?

 

Thanks!

[JoyfulMama]

Sorry, as I was going to recommend the Sunshine Radian.

[Giraffe]

Sorry, as I was going to recommend the Sunshine Radian.

 

Me too. I can't think of any other narrow carseats.

[Gwenhwyfar]

i think it's his mom's responsibility to provide you with a seat that fits if she wants you to be driving him places. - i never expected any sitters to buy car seats for our kids. :)

 

i'd tell her (show her) that the seat doesn't fit and ask if she can bring a different booster or car seat.

[justlittleoldme]

What about the Combi Coccoro? It's 14.65 inches wide, and about $160.

 

http://www.combi-intl.com/Products/Item.aspx?Item=12

[PentecostalMom]

i think it's his mom's responsibility to provide you with a seat that fits if she wants you to be driving him places. - i never expected any sitters to buy car seats for our kids. :)

 

i'd tell her (show her) that the seat doesn't fit and ask if she can bring a different booster or car seat.

 

She is more than willing to get what we need. We agreed (I see my terminology indicated that I am buying) that I would find one to fit the car. During the week I only go out two days, so we both thought it would be better if I can find a seat since it is going in my car, then she would make the purchase or reimburse me. :001_smile:

[Mom2J112903]

The Coccoro is a very narrow seat, but has 15" top harness slots, which means, more than likely, a 3 1/2yr old would not fit into it properly. It is also a convertible seat, which is not needed in the case of a Foward-Facing child.

 

How much does the child weigh?

 

The Evenflo Maestro is narrow, is in-expensive, 18" top harness slots, and a 50lb weight limit.

 

Also, you should never buy a used seat unless you know the exact history of the seat. Unfortunatly not all people are going to tell the truth when it comes to the seat's history. Straps must never be sumberged or cleaned with anything other than water since this degrades the fibers and can cause the harness to weaken over time. Seats that have been involved in accidents should be replaced-most companies state after *any* accident. Britax is one of the few companies that does not state this. It is just not worth a child's life to use a car seat you do not know the history of.

[Mom2J112903]

She has her 3yr old in a booster? :001_huh: If so, this child is not safe-no child should be in a booster under age 4yrs and 40lbs because (a) they are not physically mature enough and (b) they are not mentally mature enough to properly (no moving/slouching/reaching for things, belts across lap (NOT stomach) and centered on shoulder) until this time.

 

Please have her take a look at the Kyle David Miller website and also look up Belle's Gift. These two children were in boosters too early and they both lost their lives. Belle was killed in a low-speed crash, where everyone else literally walked away.

[vonfirmath]

The Coccoro is a very narrow seat, but has 15" top harness slots, which means, more than likely, a 3 1/2yr old would not fit into it properly. It is also a convertible seat, which is not needed in the case of a Foward-Facing child.

 

How much does the child weigh?

 

The Evenflo Maestro is narrow, is in-expensive, 18" top harness slots, and a 50lb weight limit.

 

The Evenflo Maestro would be my second choice. Not as narrow as the Radian, but a lot cheaper new. And a decent choice (I chose it as a FF for my son and have been using it since February/March... there are problems, sure. But it is usable and safe and fit our budget)

 

Used seats are not a good idea.

[Ravin]

Does your middle seat have a shoulder or a lap-only belt? If it's a lap belt, I'd put the four year old in the center in the lap belt and the 3yo in her usual seat on trips when you have all 3 of them. If it's a shoulder belt, I'd see if the booster she gave you will fit without a back, and put the 4yo in the backless booster in the middle and the 3yo in her usual seat.

 

The other option that would be less expensive would be to find a seat belt extender, and use that to make the buckle end long enough to reach up around the backed booster seat.

 

I would second the idea that a secondhand seat is a bad idea; better an inexpensive new seat.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

for a three-year-old. I have recently begun caring for a little boy and am trying to fit three carseats into my car. I have a Britax Marathon and Britax Frontier 85 for my dd's. I need to try to fit this little guy in the middle of them. I have a Volvo wagon. His mom provided me with a full-back booster which fits, but it also covers the seatbelt buckle. I need a carseat with a harness that will fit so I can buckle/latch it, and still buckle him into the seat.

 

I do know that Sunshine Kids makes a very narrow carseat, but they are difficult to locate used and I don't want to drop a load of cash on a seat that will not be used a lot. Any other suggestions for a narrow seat with a harness?

 

Thanks!

 

 

When I was measuring for narrowness, the Cosco carseats were the narrowest I could find. They have a 5-pt harness, full back is convertible to shoulder-belt booster, and are only 17-18 inches wide (depending on where you measure). They cost about $50 new at Target (or Walmart - can't remember which).

[JoyfulMama]

I was googling for something else, and came upon this... thought you might want to take it look at it. I can't recommend it, as I'm not familiar with it.

http://www.travelswithbaby.com/gear/review_ridesafer.htm

[Mom2J112903]

When I was measuring for narrowness, the Cosco carseats were the narrowest I could find. They have a 5-pt harness, full back is convertible to shoulder-belt booster, and are only 17-18 inches wide (depending on where you measure). They cost about $50 new at Target (or Walmart - can't remember which).

 

These have 15" top harness slots and FF to 40lbs. Your average child will outgrow these before age 4. They also make terrible boosters as they position the belt too high on the abdomen and the shoulder belt too far off the shoulder.

 

I was googling for something else, and came upon this... thought you might want to take it look at it. I can't recommend it, as I'm not familiar with it.

http://www.travelswithbaby.com/gear/review_ridesafer.htm

 

The Ride Safe Travel Vest is an *awesome* product!

[PentecostalMom]

Does your middle seat have a shoulder or a lap-only belt? If it's a lap belt, I'd put the four year old in the center in the lap belt and the 3yo in her usual seat on trips when you have all 3 of them. If it's a shoulder belt, I'd see if the booster she gave you will fit without a back, and put the 4yo in the backless booster in the middle and the 3yo in her usual seat.

 

The other option that would be less expensive would be to find a seat belt extender, and use that to make the buckle end long enough to reach up around the backed booster seat.

 

My car has a center lap/shoulder belt, but I don't want to put the 4yo (mine) in the middle in only a belt. My 4yo is tall for her age, and we just spent a chunk of change on the Britax Frontier 85 so we had a 5-point harness that was big enough for her. (We did not feel comfortable with her in a booster). It is the only carseat with a 5-point harness that she can fit into. She outgrew the top slots in her Sunshine Kids Radian80. The 3yo does not really have a "usual seat." His mom provided the backed booster and I just began caring for him this week. It's the seat part of the booster that covers the latch, so using it as suggested will not work. I cannot latch it at all.

 

However, that seatbelt extender idea may work. Now I am concerned about the use of a booster after reading Mom2's post about boosters and I haven't even visited the websites she suggested. I will be doing that, though! Personally, I prefer a 5-point harness as long as they can fit into it. He is a lot smaller than my 4yo, though my dd's bday is March (she is a little over 4.5) and his is July (he is a little over 2). He is also much lighter than she is and I definitely would not feel comfortable with him in only the lap/shoulder combo, even though he may fit.

 

I will be checking out the other carseats posted. I definitely want a carseat as opposed to the harness suggested, though that may come in handy on other occasions.

 

Thanks ladies, you rock!

[jplain]

I have a Graco Nautilus (7yo DD) and a Radian (4yo DD) in the outboard positions of the backseat of my Honda CR-V. When I need to take a third child with me, I move my 7yo to a Ride Safer Travel Vest (see link in Joyful Mama's post) in the center, and I put the other child in the Nautilus, adjusting the straps first if necessary. (I've also had a Frontier in the back of my car instead of the Nautilus, and in that case I put the other child in the Frontier.)

 

The vest is kind of a pain, but I put up with it. It isn't cheap either, but we also use it when we travel, so it was worth the money. On short trips it is DD's only child restraint, and on longer trips we use it from the airport (rental car) to Grandma's house, where we have a high back booster waiting.

[babysparkler]

Me too. I can't think of any other narrow carseats.

 

Sorry, as I was going to recommend the Sunshine Radian.

 

Have you looked for a good deal on a Radian? It's well worth the money. You can get it for $199 on Diapers.com right now on sale. I have a referral coupon code for $10 off using the code THRIFTY if it is your first purchase... I think it works on carseats, but I'm not sure.

 

Oh, and the resale value of Radian's is pretty good.

[jplain]

Just a thought: have you tried the Frontier outboard, Marathon rear-facing center, and booster outboard?

[Mom2J112903]

Just a thought: have you tried the Frontier outboard, Marathon rear-facing center, and booster outboard?

 

This may work but no child under age 4 and 40lbs should be in a booster. She would have to place her eldest child in the booster, which she has stated she does not feel comfortable with.

 

OP-where in AL are you?

[PentecostalMom]

OP-where in AL are you?

 

Near Ft. Benning, GA....on the eastern border of Alabama.