Where do you have your car seat?

catrionanic

Due a wee baby in January and just been wrestling the car seat into place in the back seat, behind the drivers seat. Husband not happy as he lies to drive with his seat in a practically reclined position! And seat has to be too upright for his liking. However I would have thought that it's best to have it behind the drivers seat so that when I am driving on my own with the baby, I can position a mirror so that I can look back and see what the baby is up to.

What do you guys find is best?

pablo128

catrionanic wrote: »

Due a wee baby in January and just been wrestling the car seat into place in the back seat, behind the drivers seat. Husband not happy as he lies to drive with his seat in a practically reclined position! And seat has to be too upright for his liking. However I would have thought that it's best to have it behind the drivers seat so that when I am driving on my own with the baby, I can position a mirror so that I can look back and see what the baby is up to.

What do you guys find is best?

Behind the passenger seat. You don't want to be standing in the road when you park somewhere, to take your child out of the car.

You can position a mirror to see the child on the passenger side too.

scarepanda

We have it on the passenger side as well. We don't have a mirror though.

bp

Passenger side is where the RSA recommend followed by middle.

appledrop

As the others have said behind the passenger side is best. You can still see them in the special mirror you can get. I'd recommend the large one in Mothercare it's really good. Also by having them on this side when they are bigger it is actually easier to see them when you turn around if you are stopped in traffic etc.

endacl

In the boot, in case they start wailing right in the middle if your favourite song, surely?

PhoenixParker

appledrop wrote: »

As the others have said behind the passenger side is best. You can still see them in the special mirror you can get. I'd recommend the large one in Mothercare it's really good. Also by having them on this side when they are bigger it is actually easier to see them when you turn around if you are stopped in traffic etc.

This is where we have him with that mirror. Works well.

spottybananas

Front passenger seat, airbag off.

Moonbeam

Where ever suits you best is possibly the best answer and the type of car .
When I had a low car (Primera) I had the seat behind the driver's side in one of the 2 isofix points ,It was where was recommended at the time .
If I had the high car and experience and had an iso fix point I think I would put it in the middle as I could reach her and see her in my mirrors no problem .

sundodger5

A long time ago when i was getting child seat fitting training (don't ask) we were told in the case of a single seat being fitted that the middle was best.
Why? Furthest point from any impact.

rainbow kirby

Rear passenger side. My husband is too tall to comfortably have an ERF seat behind him.

borderlinemeath

Behind the passenger seat is the safest. If you stop on a road or pull over to the hard shoulder it is the furthest point away from moving vehicles. The mirror can be adjusted to wherever it needs to be.

spottybananas wrote: »

Front passenger seat, airbag off.

Not the safest place for an infant carrier unless it's the only available option (some sports coupes and 2 seater cars cannot safely fit a rearward facing car seat) Plus it's a distraction, you've far more chance of taking your eyes off the road to check on your baby.

Also worth noting that some insurance companies may refuse to indemnify your policy if you turn off safety features such as airbags. It's worth phoning your insurance company and asking them. It may even be in the small print of your policy wording.

spottybananas

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Behind the passenger seat is the safest. If you stop on a road or pull over to the hard shoulder it is the furthest point away from moving vehicles. The mirror can be adjusted to wherever it needs to be.



Not the safest place for an infant carrier unless it's the only available option (some sports coupes and 2 seater cars cannot safely fit a rearward facing car seat) Plus it's a distraction, you've far more chance of taking your eyes off the road to check on your baby.

Also worth noting that some insurance companies may refuse to indemnify your policy if you turn off safety features such as airbags. It's worth phoning your insurance company and asking them. It may even be in the small print of your policy wording.

Insurance are fine with it. It's a lot less distracting than a hysterical screaming baby in the back, I don't even have to look at him in the front because he's happy out near me, if he's in the back I'd be pulling over constantly and upset myself listening to him.

We have a very securely tethered extended rear facing seat, checked by RSA and approved.

_Kaiser_

Rear driver's side. It seemed the most logical when he was smaller in that his mother could see/reach him more easily if needed from her seat. Now he's older it'd probably just confuse him/me if we changed

Lucuma

pablo128 wrote: »

Behind the passenger seat. You don't want to be standing in the road when you park somewhere, to take your child out of the car..

Never thought of that! Good call

Penny Dreadful

I have my baby in his seat behind the front passenger and moved my toddler in her seat to behind the driver. Her seat takes up less space than the baby seat and so doesn't interfere with my husband when he is driving and has the seat pushed back. He is a lot taller than me and it doesn't bother me at all.
I have a mirror to look at the baby but didn't have with my first baby.

DCD162

We have ours behind the passenger seat and also have a mirror on the middle head rest pointing at the baby which you can see in your rear view mirror, has been perfect so far.

We didnt really have a choice though because when we bought the isofix, they installed it behind the passenger seat as if that was the only option.

sword1

Behind the drivers seat so that the driver is not tempted to look back while driving

Lucuma

DCD162 wrote: »

We have ours behind the passenger seat and also have a mirror on the middle head rest pointing at the baby which you can see in your rear view mirror, has been perfect so far.

We didnt really have a choice though because when we bought the isofix, they installed it behind the passenger seat as if that was the only option.

Do you know how easy it is to take an isofix base out? Or do you mean that you had isofix connectors retro-fitted to your car and they're only on one side?
I take my isofix base out of the car all the time as we're living between 3 different cities and multiple cars etc

DCD162

Lucuma wrote: »

Do you know how easy it is to take an isofix base out? Or do you mean that you had isofix connectors retro-fitted to your car and they're only on one side?
I take my isofix base out of the car all the time as we're living between 3 different cities and multiple cars etc

No I havent tried to take out the isofix base yet, its working very well as it is so I dont want to tempt fate by moving it! We've just designated the car with the seat as 'babies' car and work around that but its good to know it can be so easily moved if needed.

Mc Love

sword1 wrote: »

Behind the drivers seat so that the driver is not tempted to look back while driving

That is why you get the special mirror!

paddydone1

Passenger rear, with a rear facing seat for newborn. And a mirror

http://www.bellababy.ie/car-seat-accessories-c-2_168.html