Flying with baby...carseat question

[MommyBryn]

We're taking our carseat since we purchased a seat for our then 11 month old DD (for a nearly 8 hour flight, a lap child isn't a reasonable option). Is there anything specific I need to know about doing this? We'll be asking the airline, but anxious me wants to know. LOL

Also, my big question is, do car seats on planes have the same requirement as in cars? I mean, do they have to be rear facing if the child is under 1 year and 20 lbs?? DD HATES being in her carseat in the car and even a short drive is absolute he**...but I'm anxious for the day when we can at least safely turn her around to TRY FF and see if the situation improves at all. So I'm just curious as to what we can expect on a plane.

Thanks!!!!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

The car seat has to be strapped into the window seat - not the middle or an aisle seat - for safety reasons.

Your child HAS to be strapped in during takeoff and landing and whenever the "fasten seatbelt" sign is lit.

At 11 months your child should be close enough to 20lbs to safely have them seated forward - just make sure the car seat has a 5 point harness system and is approved for airline use.

Have a fun trip! Take LOTS of goodies to keep your little one occupied - snacks, toys, books, even a little DVD player with some Baby Einstein DVDs.

 

[MommyBryn]

Thank you very much. So nursing her during takeoff isn't even an option?? We may be in trouble there.

 

[Colinsmom]

You are supposed to install the seat the same way that you would in a car, so she technically should be RF. And if you RF her, she'll be facing you rather than looking at a boring seatback. Plus, you can even lean over and nurse her for take-off if she is RF. So I'd personally RF her regardless of how she is in a car - most 11mo babes hate being confined, no matter which way they are facing!

 

[MommyBryn]

You are supposed to install the seat the same way that you would in a car, so she technically should be RF. And if you RF her, she'll be facing you rather than looking at a boring seatback. Plus, you can even lean over and nurse her for take-off if she is RF. So I'd personally RF her regardless of how she is in a car - most 11mo babes hate being confined, no matter which way they are facing!

So I can nurse her in the seat, then? But I don't think I'll be able to do that easily strapped in...if it works, I'll do it, though. She won't take a paci or a bottle...a sippy maybe.

Thanks for the help! I dread anything having to do with a carseat (it's a love hate situation, since it's all about safety!) since she's screamed non-stop in it all 9 months of her life.

 

[TinaLala]

The biggest thing I can recommend to you is to bring bungie cords...why?? Well when you try to carry or fit everything into the luggage carts sometimes the carseat gets in the way. Use the cords to bungie the car seat onto your biggest piece of luggage (especially the ones on wheels) and you can easily lug the carseat around with having too much of a problem.

Besure you've thought about this too because you'll have one in a stroller, carry-ons, luggage and carseat

 

[luvwdw]

We always purchase a seat for our little one and bring the car seat. Every time, the gate person checks the seat to make sure it says approved for airline use/FAA approved for use on planes. Our FF carseat says it, but our rear facing seat didn't, so I had to bring the instruction booklet to show them when we travelled with DS who was 5 months.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

We got a set of the wheels that you can strap luggage onto to haul the carseat around the airport and took it off the wheels just as we boarded the plane. Otherwise, carrying that thing around gets crazy!

Go to the dollar store or walmart or somewhere and buy several $1 toys so that you can introduce brand new things often during the flight (doesn't matter that it's junk--just that it's new!).

Allow plenty of time at the security check. Just get there knowing that it will take you a long time and that you are going to hold up the line and don't worry about getting in a hurry. It takes us about 8 minutes to get through the x-ray station once we get to the front of the line (putting all the stuff through that has to go separately, shoving the carseat through, collapsing the stroller, etc., then putting everything back together again at the end. The first time I was stressed because it was taking so long and people behind us were getting mad. The next time, my husband said, this is going to take a while and we are not going to worry about it.

I thought a child under 2 could be held in your lap during take off even if you did buy them a seat.

 

[Jaymie]

When my DS was 5 months old, I nursed him from the time we got on the plane to just before takeoff at which time he had fallen asleep. Lucky me!! He was all straped in before we even took off. Maybe you'll get lucky.

Good luck trying to nurse her while in her car seat, while you're strapped in too, that sounds really hard.

I would recommend that you install the seat however you have it in the car, that way she doesn't get confused or upset when you put her RF the next time she's in the car.

Can you just let her cry for takeoff (I know that's easier said than done) and as soon as you can take her out, nurse her then? You're flying to Orlando, I'm sure that there will be lots of kids & noise anyways on your flight.

 

[MommyBryn]

Thanks so much everyone!! Gosh, I love this place! You're all so helpful!!

 

[Colinsmom]

So I can nurse her in the seat, then? But I don't think I'll be able to do that easily strapped in...if it works, I'll do it, though. She won't take a paci or a bottle...a sippy maybe.

It absolutely can be done while you are both strapped in. I've done it and have known others who have. You may need to loosen your belt a little to reach her.

 

[MommyBryn]

It absolutely can be done while you are both strapped in. I've done it and have known others who have. You may need to loosen your belt a little to reach her.

Okay, I'll keep that in mind. I've nursed her like that in the car plenty of times, but I've never attempted it in the plane and wasn't sure if it'd be the same.

 

[mrsltg]

Your child HAS to be strapped in during takeoff and landing and whenever the "fasten seatbelt" sign is lit.

This has not been my experience. I was able to keep my dd on my lap during landing sitting beside her carseat. If you would like to hold your dd to nurse her at anytime feel free.

 

[all4fun]

At 11 months your child should be close enough to 20lbs to safely have them seated forward - just make sure the car seat has a 5 point harness system and is approved for airline use.

Weight is really not the issue...bone structure is. Bones ossify with age. (You can see pictures of what I'm talking about HERE)

Also, many car seats have a weight and length requirment for Forward facing so make sure you read your instruction manual. Some car seats require at least 1 year & 22lbs to F/F. And the minimum recommendation for f/fing is 1 year and 20lbs, but the AAP actually recommends keeping kids r/fing as long as their convertible seats allow (30/33/35# depending on the car seat).

Once your child is at least 1 year of age and at least 20 pounds, he can ride forward-facing. However, it is best for him to ride rear-facing until he reaches the highest weight or height limit allowed by the car safety seat.

Just curious, is she still in an infant carrier seat or are you using a convertible? If she's still in her carrier you might try putting her in a r/fing convertible and then you can sit the seat as upright as is comfortable for her and this might help. They get to a certain age and they want to see what's going on around them which isn't possible when they're reclined so far back. Only infants that haven't gained good head & neck control need to be at a 45 degree angle.


OK, stepping off of soap box now... sorry if that was a bit of a "lecture" but many people don't realize the benefits of rear-facing...it really is the safest.


Hth.

 

[MommyBryn]

you can sit the seat as upright as is comfortable for her [/I]and this might help. They get to a certain age and they want to see what's going on around them which isn't possible when they're reclined so far back. Only infants that haven't gained good head & neck control need to be at a 45 degree angle.

She's been in the convertible seat for a few months now. We switched for this very reason, but it didn't help.