Late flight with 2 year old... car seat or no?

[Jarmo]

On a flight that starts right around bedtime, is a carseat the way to go? My only concern is if she doesn't want to stay in the seat, it will just sit there taking up valuable real estate.

 

[pooch]

we took my DGS when he was 2 1/2, brought his car seat, nap time, he hopped right in because that was what he was used to. Slept the entire trip. And it also put him level with the window so he could see out during takeoff, loved that! I purchased EBCI (flew SWA) for my DH. He got on and installed the seat. We boarded during family board & it was waiting for us when we got on. Does she not like her car seat? Does she fuss in the car in it?

 

[bumbershoot]

Surely having her in the seat would be more comfortable for you at that hour? Are you hoping to get some sleep yourself? (while HOPING she goes to sleep on the plane, something which I would never feel comfy assuming with my own kid) If you're hoping to sleep, having her ON you will be nearly impossible (and incredibly UNsafe should sudden turbulence happen). Take the seat. She sleeps in it, hopefully. You hopefully sleep.

 

[Jarmo]

Sleeps not a concern for us, we get home before 11. She really only gets fussy in the car if we're at a standstill. Hopefully being able to look out the window will do the trick!

She already has a seat, so the alternative to the car seat is her sitting like a big kid.

 

[pooch]

My advice.....take the car seat

 

[PrincesCJM]

Take the car seat! It is a pain to lug around the airport but it's worth it

 

[bumbershoot]

Sleeps not a concern for us, we get home before 11. She really only gets fussy in the car if we're at a standstill. Hopefully being able to look out the window will do the trick!

She already has a seat, so the alternative to the car seat is her sitting like a big kid.

OK. You mentioned bedtime, so I figured that was a key piece of information.

 

[Jarmo]

OK. You mentioned bedtime, so I figured that was a key piece of information.

Sorry, that wasn't very clear. Sleep is a concern for the baby but not the adults.

Anyway, sounds like the car seat is the way to go

 

[bas71873]

I'll go the opposite way and say no car seat. She can sit like a big kid, in the seatbelt, for take off and then you can raise the armrest between you during the flight and she can lay her head in your lap while still buckled. Just wake her up before landing and have to sit back up. We've done this a lot throughout the years with DD, the first time when she was 18 months old. In fact, she's now 11 and we did this a few weeks ago when we flew. We had a three seat row to ourselves and she laid her head on my lap and slept the whole way home

I have ALWAYS bought her her own seat when we fly. Well worth the extra money IMO.

Plus, I would hate having to drag a carseat through the airport, but that's just me.