car seat placement?

We have a Ford Windstar, '97 I think. One sliding door on the passenger
side and two bench seats, the center one shorter (2 passengers) by the
sliding door, then the rear one full width for 3 passengers. Both bench
seats have shoulder belts at either end, with the rear bench having I
think just a lap belt for the center passenger.

We are thinking of putting ds' carseat (will be 4, maybe not quite 40lb
for booster seat yet) behind the driver seat in the middle bench, and
the rear-facing infant seat next to him on the same bench. This will put
ds on the left side of the car by the window and baby in the center of
the car. Because of the lack of shoulder belt in the center of the rear
bench, ds would be on the side of the car anyway, and keeping him in the
middle bench will keep him closer to us for assistance, conversation,
etc. Maybe he'll be able to assist with the baby a bit, as well?

Does this arrangement seem safe? Or are we overlooking something? Also,
we have not kept up with all the new info on carseat installation like
tethers and something about LATCH, and I've seen in a catalogue recently
some kind of little winch thingie to make the car belts tight. What
should we be doing? I'm hoping to make an appointment with some local
agency or other to assist with the actual rearrangement/installation of
the two seats before baby comes, but want to be prepared if we should
have any additional equipment with us at the time.

The other concern we have right now about putting ds in the position
behind the driver's seat in that built into the side of the car where he
will be sitting is an ashtray and cigarette lighter, of all things. One
of those push-in ones like in the front of the car. Does anyone know of
some kind of thing available to plug the hole if we remove the lighter,
or can we get someone to disconnect a fuse, or something? There is a
fold-back cover over the whole unit, which we'd be happy to superglue
shut if we have to. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any advice, websites, etc.

-Karen, mom to Henry 3 1/2 and someone due 4/24/04-

We are thinking of putting ds' carseat (will be 4, maybe not quite 40lb
for booster seat yet) behind the driver seat in the middle bench, and
the rear-facing infant seat next to him on the same bench. This will put
ds on the left side of the car by the window and baby in the center of
the car. Because of the lack of shoulder belt in the center of the rear
bench, ds would be on the side of the car anyway, and keeping him in the
middle bench will keep him closer to us for assistance, conversation,
etc. Maybe he'll be able to assist with the baby a bit, as well?

As well as poke it, throw things at it

We have a Chevy Astro and we arrange our seating the same way except our
middle bench seats 3 so there's a space between the kids on that row. We
always put the baby on the end of that row by the sliding door. The only
thing the child behind me can do is turn the radio volume off in the back of
the van. No cigarette lighter - what a weird thing to put back there. (Not
relevant to your situation but I do have 3 kids for now. #1 and #2 sit in
the back row with a space between them. #3 sits behind the driver and will
get #4 next to him this summer. When I'm only going out with child #3 and
one of the other kids, we move their booster seat up to the middle row by
the sliding door. No one likes to sit "in the trunk" as they call it,
alone.)



Does this arrangement seem safe? Or are we overlooking something? Also,
we have not kept up with all the new info on carseat installation like
tethers and something about LATCH, and I've seen in a catalogue recently
some kind of little winch thingie to make the car belts tight. What
should we be doing? I'm hoping to make an appointment with some local
agency or other to assist with the actual rearrangement/installation of
the two seats before baby comes, but want to be prepared if we should
have any additional equipment with us at the time.

The other concern we have right now about putting ds in the position
behind the driver's seat in that built into the side of the car where he
will be sitting is an ashtray and cigarette lighter, of all things. One
of those push-in ones like in the front of the car. Does anyone know of
some kind of thing available to plug the hole if we remove the lighter,
or can we get someone to disconnect a fuse, or something? There is a
fold-back cover over the whole unit, which we'd be happy to superglue
shut if we have to. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any advice, websites, etc.

-Karen, mom to Henry 3 1/2 and someone due 4/24/04-

In article ,
"Sophie" wrote:

We are thinking of putting ds' carseat (will be 4, maybe not quite 40lb
for booster seat yet) behind the driver seat in the middle bench, and
the rear-facing infant seat next to him on the same bench. This will put
ds on the left side of the car by the window and baby in the center of
the car. Because of the lack of shoulder belt in the center of the rear
bench, ds would be on the side of the car anyway, and keeping him in the
middle bench will keep him closer to us for assistance, conversation,
etc. Maybe he'll be able to assist with the baby a bit, as well?

As well as poke it, throw things at it

We have a Chevy Astro and we arrange our seating the same way except our
middle bench seats 3 so there's a space between the kids on that row. We
always put the baby on the end of that row by the sliding door. The only
thing the child behind me can do is turn the radio volume off in the back of
the van. No cigarette lighter - what a weird thing to put back there.

Many cars are adding those all over the car. It isn't because people
want cigarette lighters so much, but because they want the outlet; more
and more consumer products are being sold that can run by plugging in to
the car's cigarette lighter.

Would there be any problem with just throwing the "lighter" portion
away? I've never tried it -- will it heat up or create other problems
if the hole is just left empty? I'm just thinking that there might be a
time in the future when you want to be able to plug in a portable DVD
player or something, so you might want to avoid permanently disabling it.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

Karen wrote:

We have a Ford Windstar, '97 I think. One sliding door on the passenger
side and two bench seats, the center one shorter (2 passengers) by the
sliding door, then the rear one full width for 3 passengers. Both bench
seats have shoulder belts at either end, with the rear bench having I
think just a lap belt for the center passenger.

We are thinking of putting ds' carseat (will be 4, maybe not quite 40lb
for booster seat yet) behind the driver seat in the middle bench, and
the rear-facing infant seat next to him on the same bench. This will put
ds on the left side of the car by the window and baby in the center of
the car. Because of the lack of shoulder belt in the center of the rear
bench, ds would be on the side of the car anyway, and keeping him in the
middle bench will keep him closer to us for assistance, conversation,
etc. Maybe he'll be able to assist with the baby a bit, as well?

Does this arrangement seem safe?


It certainly seems reasonable to me. My only concern
would be if the 4yo got a bit aggressive with the baby, which
can sometimes happen even with the most darling of 4yos ;-)
Of course, lots and lots of people have a baby and a preschooler
sitting next to each other because they have no other option.
I'd just keep an eye on that. You can always move him if need
be.

Or are we overlooking something? Also,
we have not kept up with all the new info on carseat installation like
tethers and something about LATCH,


I'd guess you don't have LATCH anchor points, so
a LATCH equipped carseat probably won't be of any use to
you. You may or may not have tether anchor points. If
not, you can probably get the dealer to install them for
you if you'd like the added security of using the tether.

and I've seen in a catalogue recently
some kind of little winch thingie to make the car belts tight.


Those can be handy. I'd hold off on buying one,
though, until you have your carseat and know whether you
have trouble getting the straps tight enough.

What
should we be doing? I'm hoping to make an appointment with some local
agency or other to assist with the actual rearrangement/installation of
the two seats before baby comes, but want to be prepared if we should
have any additional equipment with us at the time.


I think the main thing is that you want to test
the carseat in your car before buying it. Some seats
just don't fit well in some cars. Even if you can't
get it installed completely properly, you should be
able to get it in there well enough to see if the
seat is compatible with your car. You shouldn't need
anything extra if you take it to someone to have it
fit. They sometimes use pool noodles or the non-stick
shelf liner grippy stuff to keep the carseat in place,
but most places I know will simply supply that for you.



The other concern we have right now about putting ds in the position
behind the driver's seat in that built into the side of the car where he
will be sitting is an ashtray and cigarette lighter, of all things. One
of those push-in ones like in the front of the car. Does anyone know of
some kind of thing available to plug the hole if we remove the lighter,
or can we get someone to disconnect a fuse, or something? There is a
fold-back cover over the whole unit, which we'd be happy to superglue
shut if we have to. Any suggestions?


Pulling the fuse, if it doesn't affect anything else,
is probably the easiest thing to do. Check your car's
manual and see if you can do that.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"dragonlady" wrote in message
...

Many cars are adding those all over the car. It isn't because people
want cigarette lighters so much, but because they want the outlet; more
and more consumer products are being sold that can run by plugging in to
the car's cigarette lighter.

But in the newer cars they are actual outlets and not cigarette lighters,
afaik We have an '03 Odyssey and there are outlets everywhere, but I don't
think there is a cigarette lighter. I wonder if the OP is *positive* this
is a cigarette lighter and not just an outlet.

Would there be any problem with just throwing the "lighter" portion
away? I've never tried it -- will it heat up or create other problems
if the hole is just left empty?

In the older cars, if you take the lighter portion out the inside stays hot.
I'd be very, very surprised if this is what is in Karen's '97 car. Good
question.

--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

Many cars are adding those all over the car. It isn't because people
want cigarette lighters so much, but because they want the outlet; more
and more consumer products are being sold that can run by plugging in to
the car's cigarette lighter.

Oohh never thought of that. Thanks.


Would there be any problem with just throwing the "lighter" portion
away? I've never tried it -- will it heat up or create other problems
if the hole is just left empty? I'm just thinking that there might be a
time in the future when you want to be able to plug in a portable DVD
player or something, so you might want to avoid permanently disabling it.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

It's right next to a compartment that is unmistakable an ashtray,
although we've never actually tried it as a lighter, we're reasonalbly
certain it is a lighter, but I guess we ought to check and be absolutely
certain. We just assumed!

-K-

I think the main thing is that you want to test
the carseat in your car before buying it. Some seats
just don't fit well in some cars.

We bought the van used a few months after ds was born. We will be
reusing the infant seat he was using at the time we got the van, as he
outgrew the weight at 6 months! We pretty much always left the seat in
the vehicle, never really used it as a bucket, so the thing is in
practically new condition. So the infant seat in question has been used
in the van before. I seem to remember using something rolled up in the
seat crack with it, can't recall if that was in the old hatchback or in
the van though. I guess if we can get some professional assistance,
they'll get us sorted.

Are there guidlines beyond just weight for moving ds into a booster?
He's in the Cosco Alpha Omega, which he's been in since 6 mos/20 pounds.
We bought it because it supposedly will cover all bases until 80 pounds,
and could be used rear-facing over 20 pounds until he was a year.
Anyway, it supposedly separates into a booster seat, which I think is at
40 pounds. That is the recomended guideline/law isn't it? (We're in CA.)
Should he also be of a certain height befor doing so?

Thanks again for info, everyone. Hadn't thought about the hooking up of
electronics re the suspected lighter.

-Karen-

x-no-archive:yes

Karen wrote:

It's right next to a compartment that is unmistakable an ashtray,
although we've never actually tried it as a lighter, we're reasonalbly
certain it is a lighter, but I guess we ought to check and be absolutely
certain. We just assumed!

I rented a car last month where the thing that I assumed was an
ashtray was actually lined with felt, and was NOT. And there was no
cigarette lighter either, so I couldn't plug in my cell phone.


grandma Rosalie

Karen wrote:


Are there guidlines beyond just weight for moving ds into a booster?
He's in the Cosco Alpha Omega, which he's been in since 6 mos/20 pounds.
We bought it because it supposedly will cover all bases until 80 pounds,
and could be used rear-facing over 20 pounds until he was a year.
Anyway, it supposedly separates into a booster seat, which I think is at
40 pounds. That is the recomended guideline/law isn't it? (We're in CA.)
Should he also be of a certain height befor doing so?


In general, the longer he's in the five-point harness,
the better. Check the manual for the seat for how long the
five-point harness is good for (weight and height). When
he exceeds those, you'll have to use it as a booster, but
you'll be safest keeping him in the harness until then.

Best wishes,
Ericka