Debbi's Question:

Debbi Kilmer

Alice's Answer:

Debbi,

I'm thinking mini-van and nanny!

In all seriousness, when my husband and I learned we were expecting twins, one of the first decisions we made was to buy a mini-van. We had a five-year-old son at home, so we, too, faced the three car seat dilemma as well.

We had an old four-door Volvo, and yes, the three car seats would fit-we tried it. However, it was a tight fit, and difficult for the child in the middle (our son) to get in and out (or, in the case of three infants, to be placed in or out).

We purchased our mini-van a week or two after our girls were born. I think of it as my"command center" and find it hard to imagine life without it.

Check the Car
First, I recommend that you borrow three car seats and try them out in your sedan. See how they fit. Two considerations are paramount:

		Safety. Would your current car offer a safe ride for all three children? Does the middle seat have a shoulder belt, for instance, or simply a lap strap? Also, does your car have the latest features for car seat safety, like a special attachment for the upper tether straps on new car seats? For more details on car safety, go to the American Academy of Pediatric's www.aap.org/family/mncrseat.htm information on LATCH safety system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). Unless you happen to have a brand new vehicle, a new mini-van may offer a safer ride for your babies.
		Comfort. You are bound to get a workout caring for three infants, and those infant car seats are heavy and awkward to lug around. Put a 10-pound bag of sugar in each car seat and test lifting the seats in and out of the car. Are you breaking your back installing that middle seat?

You'll definitely want a mini-van with sliding back doors on both sides, as all or most new models have. You may also want removable middle seats. Our twins ride in the middle seats and our son rides in the back. This is a good arrangement since he can climb in and out himself. You may want to investigate the possibility of placing all your children in the back seat and removing the middle seats, for easier access.

Try to contact other mothers of triplets to see what transportation tricks they have learned.

Best of luck with your pregnancy, Debbi!

Return to Top