NEED RVing ADVISE!

[DISNEYBOUND406]

What is the best place to put the carseat for a 9 months old in a class c motorhome??? Can we put him sideways on the couch (belted it ofcourse) and let him face in??? I know rearfacing is probably safest...but if it is still safe, I think he would be happier on the couch facing everyone!! Please advise, but don't lecture!!

 

[christinou]

Do you have a dinette with seatbelts, we do in our class C, that is where I would put him, he would be facing forward.

 

[Gillian]

Call it a lecture if you want, but I'm sure you want the baby to be safe, and so do I. A child should be rear facing until at least 1 year and 20 pounds because their neck muscles are not strong enough to withstand the forward head motion caused by certain crashes.

I don't know if sideways is an option that is safe.

 

[Gillian]

Can you put the infant seat rear facing in the front facing dinette seat?

 

[DISNEYBOUND406]

Our options are rear facing on the dinette, which he would be looking at the kitchen area (away from the TV). Or on the couch, facing inwards, which would be facing his brothers and sister and the TV...he would also be able to see me in the drivers seat! As you can see, the couch would be better in terms of him being happy...I just don't know if it is as safe. He will be 9 months old when we go and he is already over 20 pounds and can stand up by himself at a table! Hope this additional info helps!

And Gillian, I just put the "don't lecture" b/c in the past people have ripped me apart for asking a similar question like I didn't have my childrens best interest in mind...if that was the case, I wouldn't be asking!!! I wouldhave just done what is easier on the family!!

 

[Mac and Us]

We too have a motorhome and a child (4 yr old) in a car seat. I agree with everyone that the dinette is the safest place. I would not put my child in a sideways position. He may be happier but not safest.

Just so you know......your next battle will be when your child graduates to a booster seat like ours just did. The only shoulder belts in a motorhome are in the front seats. We did find a place that makes a special harness for vehicles that only have lap belts (ie: older cars, buses, etc).

My husband attached the harness to the bolts that hold the lap belts on the floor under the dinette. The harness comes up through the back of the dinette cushion and attaches to the lap belt that goes across her lap. The harness is rated for up to 100 pounds. We also bought the booster seat that goes with the harness......it's worthless. The seat is 2 pieces -- the booster seat and a back that attaches to it. The top section moves sideways and she ends up falling over......not safe. We use her 1 piece booster seat instead.

This same company also sells a harness for children who have a cast on and cannot sit up in a car seat. It's made so the child can be belted in while laying down. We use this harness while we are driving at night. She sleeps better and we know that she's safe.

If anyone wants information about these harness's let me know and I'll send the url to you.

Sorry to go off topic but I just wanted to share what we found.

 

[campingcorgi]

Oh, yeah, I've done all the agonizing and complaining about this issue, too.

On the couch won't work if the carseat will be sideways. All carseat manuals that I've ever seen state that carseats cannot be installed sideways. Even if your 9 month old is over 20 lbs rearfacing is needed. I've read what happens to them in a wreck if they are forward facing before the neck bones/cartilege are ready....you don't want to know.

We did rear-facing on the dinette seat that was forward facing. I don't know if facing out in the rear-facing dinette seat would work. That's a thought but you may have to ask a child seat expert.

The solution we are using now for our 6 year old is a Britax Husky. It has a 5 point harness for up to 80 lbs and she can ride on the dinette.

I have written letters to rv manufacturers and rv magazines. My complaint? They are advertising the rv lifestyle to families without making enough safe seating for families. Even the very few class c rv's that have actual seats in the passenger compartment (not the couch or dinette) have the seats that will lock in a forward facing position. We are lucky because we just have one kid that is still of carseat age, but if someone had several 8 and unders I just don't know what they would do. Have a TT until they were large enough to ride on the couch, I guess.

Sorry to vent--can you tell this has been a pet peeve for oh, about 6 years now?

 

[Gillian]

Could you possibly put in a mirror somewhere that would allow the baby to see others when rear facing? I have to agree that sideways or forward facing just isn't a good idea, no matter how big he is. Next trip can be front facing.

I was wondering about the booster seat thing with no shoulder belts. All other car seats can be done with just a lap belt. You know, adults shouldn't be strapped in with just a lap belt either!!!

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

We rented a motorhome last two times. First time DS was 9 months. We put him at the dinette facing the back in his carseat. Last time we let him sit forward facing at the dinette. I, personally, would not let him sit on the couch facing sideways, plus I'm not even sure there was seatbelts there for his seat.
He didnt mind being at the table either time.

 

[Gillian]

I don't know anything about this, but you have to put the table down, right?

 

[letsgoagainsoon]

I don't know anything about this, but you have to put the table down, right?

Both DS's and DN's carseats both fit without having to put the table down. We did have to remove the seat cushions from DS's side (which was fine by me, because it felt much more stable that way anyway). It was nice to be able to have the table up, but I guess it would depend on how big or what style the carseat is. We have an Evenflo Triumph, which is a big seat, though.