We are almost 31 weeks pregnant with GBG triplets and we have a 2 1/2 year old son. We are van shopping - mostly interested in the Honda Odyssey, but are looking at Toyota Sienna and Dodge Caravan. Anyway, I think my son would freak (or I would) if his seat was way in the back, but wanted advice on how you decided to position the carseats and what is the safest? Thanks!

Hi!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! When my BBG triplets were born my daughter was only 22 months old, so we also needed a van that could fit 4 car seats. We ended up with the Honda Odyssey as well. Previously, my daughter was always positioned in the center of whatever car she was in and I was terribly fearful of having her way in the back of the van, but when it came down to it, we ended up having to put the 2 girls in the back row and the boys in the middle row. It was just too difficult to try to fit 3 seats across the middle row. It would have been impossible to get to the back row. The trips just turned 2 and my daughter is turning 4 on Wednesday and we still have the same van with the same configuration and everyone seems happy. Good luck to you!
Nanine

Nanine
Mom to
Michael 5/5/93
Samantha 8/22/08
Aidan 6/21/10
Matthew 6/21/10
Kaitlyn 6/21/10

We had the Odyssey from the time our trio were 9 months until baby #4 turned 1...the trio were 3 1/2. It started feeling too cramped for us. At the time we did not have the radian carseats....which would have helped, since those can get the kids sitting 3 to a row. We had 2 in the 3rd row and 2 in the 2nd...but getting the 3rd row kids in and out was a PITA. I would suggest getting the radian's so you can get 3 to the 3rd row and just one in the 2nd row.

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We have a 3.5 year old daughter and almost 1 year old BBB. We have done two in second row and two in back since the boys were born.

We took out the middle "jump seat" from the 2nd row, and have my daughter behind the passenger seat, and one boy behind the driver. The other two boys are in the back (there are only two LATCH hookups in the 3rd row of the Odyssey, there are three in the 2nd row, but with 4 kids I would advise against 3 in the 2nd row as getting to the back will be super hard). When the boys were smaller, we just took them out in their buckets, and accessed the back row by moving the middle row chair with the infant seat in it forward (once the bucket is out, you can fold and move the seat forward easily) and we were easily able to get the other buckets out from the back through the side door. Once the boys got bigger, we decided to leave the buckets in the car permently (haven't moved to convertible seats yet) and we accessed the back row through the way back of the van. It's awesome. Just open the back, recline the back seats, step into the cargo area and lift the baby out of the car seat, out the back and right into the stroller - or if we're home, just carry one inside and come back for the other. It's been super easy this way!

When we move to convertible seats, I've thought about putting the middle seat back in the 2nd row and doing three across and one in back, but I'm not sure that is really necessary. It seems better to me that a child always has a "buddy" next to them, so two in middle and two in back...

Brooke
Mom to:
Avery 1/17/09
Asa 5 lb 3 oz
Oliver 5 lb 4 oz
Connor 5 lb 5 oz
9/2/11 (37 weeks)

We recently bought the 2012 Honda. We also looked at the Toyota Sienna. Just so you know the honda is the only one that has 5 carseat latches. The Sienna ony has 3.

Prior we had the Suburban which was nice. Our Honda seats one more, is easier to park and better gas mileage.

Good luck with you decision

Lisa T
bbg
5-8-10