Need Help with Finding Car Seat

We have not tried it, but have heard about the Sunshine Kids radian65 and radian80. Supposedly they provide enough space, and they are convertible and can be used from 5 to 65 or 80 puonds. Reviews are decent as well.
Also, they are on sale at a few different websites right now. Another thing I like is that older children can be in a five point harness up to 65 or 80 pounds. One thing one review said is that the height is not increades with the weight... so the strap height is the same on both, only the weight is increased. Good luck!

I saw someone recently who had the same problem. Rather than look for smaller car seats, she actually found a website that sells an extra actual seat that can be installed in the cargo hold of many SUV type vehicles. Below is the web site. She said she spent about $500 total, but it was designed that her husband was able to install it himself (it is designed to fit with the pre-existing bolts, etc. of the cargo hold). Below is the web site. I have to say, it looked very nice in the back of her SUV and her older son really liked being back there and having his own space. She said it was totally worth spending that extra money to make it easier, rather than trying to squeeze the three car seats in.

http://www.littlepassengerseats.com/index.html

Also, if you don't want to go that route, I'd suggest looking at second hand car seats. I have a Saturn SL2 (which is the small sedan - not even an SUV), and I've got three car seats in the back seat - if I can fit them in my little Saturn, I'm sure you can find three to fit in the back of your jeep. One is the low booster by Graco - the child is actually buckling in with the car's seat belt (your six year old should be big enough for one of those), one is a five point harness by Graco -my four year old is in this one, but it could take a younger child - she was three when we started using it - it is very plain, the seat is flat - no side arm rests/cup holders, so it fits well next to the baby seat - the infant carrier I used when my son was under a year was by Century, and the car seat I use for him now is by Century - again, this one has sides, but no fancy cup holders, etc. I don't know if they still make those models - I got one from my sister-in-law and another from my sister. I just started collecting hand-me down car seats until I found three that worked. It is a bit of work to reach in-between the car seats to buckle the six year old into her booster, but it works. I just didn't have the money to buy another car when we were expecting our third child and was determined to find three seats that worked together.

Good luck.

I am a working mom of three (6, 4, and 16 months). T

Congrats, the only think I know you can do is to place a child who is in a forward-facing, 5-point harness strapped into the front seat. If the carseat is strapped in very tight, and the harness is secure on the child, your child should be safe from the airbag. But this is not a great choice since if one of these fails, your child is in danger. You can't place the infant seat there because rear-facing should never be there, and the child in the booster seat using just the seatbelt can move around too much and is in danger of being too close to the airbag.
One year in preschool, I thought I could put 3 belt-positioning boosters across the back of my mini-van. No one could place 3 of those across a seat, so good luck. Best advice, go to a store and try several. Also, Automotive Safety for Children, 1-800-kidncar may be able to help. They are carseat specialists in Indiana.
Good luck, and congrats on the addition to your family.

I would suggest (if your 6 year old meets the weight recommendation) that you use a simple high back booster, these are much more compact that a convertible car seat, they are also affordable. Cosco makes a very streamlined booster with 5 point harness the harness is good for children 20-50lbs, then the harness comes out and it becomes a high back booster.
this should free you up enough room for an infant car seat, but remember convertible car seats generally take up more room and to save space you should try to remove or avoid extras like side cup holders.
i checked google and couldn't find one still on sale but I had a great carrier for my son (he's almost 10 now) and it had a strap rather than a handle and it went front to back rather than left to right, making the car seat very slim.

Hi C., I'm not sure of one offhand, but there are a few places I would check to get that info: go to Babys'r'us and ask a store clerk there. Otherwise, there are a lot of people who are trained on installation of car seats and they would know which car seats are the most slim, for example, many nurses know - you could contact the hospital ob dept. or the city, sometimes public health nurses have that knowledge. From my experience, Chicco is the slimmest, but I was a car seat tech in the past and there were very few cars that could comfortably seat three car seats. Thought of getting a new car soon?

Good luck!

A. V.

Hi C.,

We're in the same position. We have a 3 year old and a six month old with number 3 due in January. My oldest isn't old enough for a booster yet, and 3 car seats in a row just doesn't work. Hopefully, someone will be able to respond to your question with a solution! The only one we've come up with is to buy a new car - a very expensive solution. Good Luck!

The six year old is still in a car seat?

We have 3 car seats in the back of a Toyota Carolla! Right now we have 3 Graco high back boosters. (but had two and an infant seat before that). My 2 year old is using the 5 pt harness and the other two (4 & 6) are using the belt positioning with the regular belt. We did have to request seat belt extenders from Toyota (they were really relunctant to give them to us though) to use so they could get their hands in there and buckle up. Good luck finding something. You may have to go to Babies R Us and have someone carry some out for you to try.

Babytrend makes a narrow infant seat

I have heard people rave about Sunshine Kids car seats. They are expensive, but they are slim and they are highly rated for safety. I agree, the oldest is probably ready for either a high-back booster or the booster seat without a back that you use with the regular seat belt. From what I've read, there aren't any high-back boosters that are rated well for safety when used with the car's seat belt so you should stick to the 5-pt harness high-backs or go with the seats that don't have a back.
I don't know what Ohio's car seat laws are, so make sure you are in compliance with them before you buy any seat.

why do you need 3 carseats? just one for newborn and your 2 yr old.

Unfortunately, I don't have any advice for you. We cannot fit 3 boosters accross our mini-van and my parents can't with the Buick Enclave either...The only vehicle that we can fit three wide is a GMC Pick-up and Toyota Sequoia.

Sorry, I wasn't much help- good luck! I hope there are compact safe seats out there...I don't know!

We have been thrilled with our Sunshine Kids Radian carseat! We only need one car seat right now, but this model is very narrow. We have a Subaru Forester and it allows for 2 adults to ride comfortably in the back seat along with the car seat in the center position. It's kind of expensive but will likely be the last car seat we ever need to buy (goes up to 65 lbs). Love it and my son loves it also. He actually scrambles to get into his car seat. Good luck!

Hi C.,

I have a Radian 80 carseat and love it. We have an Eddie Bauer which is used in a different vehicle but we ran into a problem with both our pick up trucks. One (dodge ram) is bench seat and the other (Ford 150) is an extended cab jump seat. While we could get the seat (Eddie Bauer) in both vehicles it was tight quarters for childs legs and occupants (Dodge truck)or front seats (Ford).

The Radian is narrow but seems to still be comfortable. We have had ours since our daughter went to a forward facing seat and she is now 3 1/2 and is tall and weighs 34lbs. There is still plenty of grow room for her and it leaves plenty of needed space.

The web site is: http://sunshinekidsbaby.com

I purchased ours from Target online and was able to get free shipping. If it doesn't work out for you the seat is returnable instore.

Good luck.
Cyndi

My I ask what you do to support your family? I am unable to work due to health reasons. I tried babysitting the youngest Grandson but pissed Mom off some how and haven't had him in my care since winter started. I tried Longaberger Baskets but as I expected no one is spending money on anything but food. I targeted people who I knew who collect the baskets. I was told people aren't buying Avon except for deordernts.