My daughters-in-law are going to kill me!

[soccer mom]

We have been planning our trip for over a year and thought I had everything under control, but no, not everything. I booked a van online today to have them pick us up/return us to MCO with two rear facing car seats because my two 10 month old granddaughters are coming with us. Well, I got an email back saying they do not have rear facing car seats. Called another and got the same answer! We couldn't afford to fly when my kids were little, so have history with this. Does anyone know of a town car company that has vans and rear facing car seats? I need to find a solution before I talk to my DIL's!!

 

[goofy4tink]

How are they traveling in flight? 10 months seems old to be in a rear facing car seat. I know it's based on size, so perhaps the girls are very tiny.

 

[sam_gordon]

I know this isn't answering what you've asked, but is DME an option?

If not, do your GDD have the kind of carriers that snap into a base that's already in a vehicle? IIRC, those can be used as "stand alone" car seats by themselves. Maybe your DIL can bring those carriers?

 

[goofy4tink]

Wow, after looking this up, I'm amazed at how long kids are left in these seats. No way would my child have been able to sit in one for close to the requirements now.

 

[laughinplace199]

How are they traveling in flight? 10 months seems old to be in a rear facing car seat. I know it's based on size, so perhaps the girls are very tiny.

Babies now rear face in car seats for at least 2 years. My youngest was rear facing until he was 3.5, but my oldest two were only rear facing until they were 12 months. The older kids are 5 & 7 year older than the youngest but it's interesting how much things changed in those 5 years.

 

[laughinplace199]

OP, how are the babies sitting on the plane? If they have tickets, you could purchase inexpensive convertible seats (Cosco Scenera runs about $50) to use on the plane and then in the car.

If they are flying as lap babies, ME might be your best bet for travel to and from the airport.

 

[Michblue]

Are they bringing car seats on the airplane? When we flew with out first at 18 months, we brought a car seat on the airplane, it helped keep him still, just like he was in a car. Then we just used our seat in the rental car?

But 10 month olds, they are probably lap babies, right? So no car seats. She could check the bucket seats/car seats as luggage and use them in the van. She can secure them rear facing herself. It might be nice to have the bucket seat at hotel for naps or just a baby seat.

 

[bumbershoot]

Why don't they bring their own seats? You wouldn't want to trust a rental carseat anyway; who knows what has happened to them.

Wow, after looking this up, I'm amazed at how long kids are left in these seats. No way would my child have been able to sit in one for close to the requirements now.

I'm sure your child would have been fine in one. DS was/is crazy-tall and he just bent at the knees crisscross style, easy peasy. Much better than once we turned him around and his legs dangled for the next several years. His dangling legs were always falling asleep!

It's better for safety. European countries have had much safer requirements for a long time now, and we're finally waking up to the reality of the dangers of forward-facing seats and bitty kids.

 

[2009CAN]

Have them bring their car seats on the flight with them.

 

[elaine amj]

Dont they have those baby carrier car seats? Your DILs can just bring them. They can gate check them if they are lap babies. Or your DILs can cope with them being forward facing for 2 car rides. I was a pretty anal carseat nut but relaxed when we visited my mom.

 

[goofy4tink]

Why don't they bring their own seats? You wouldn't want to trust a rental carseat anyway; who knows what has happened to them.



I'm sure your child would have been fine in one. DS was/is crazy-tall and he just bent at the knees crisscross style, easy peasy. Much better than once we turned him around and his legs dangled for the next several years. His dangling legs were always falling asleep!

It's better for safety. European countries have had much safer requirements for a long time now, and we're finally waking up to the reality of the dangers of forward-facing seats and bitty kids.

I'm really not trying to be difficult here, but how is it okay to have my child's legs go to sleep in the car an okay thing? In the name of safety. When you say 'bitty' kids, what age/size are you talking about? I remember just sitting in the back seat of my parents cars, nothing holding me down...as do a lot of us here. I'm not saying that we should be okay with not being safely secured in the car, but seriously....I am starting to think that there is a special interest group involved here. One that is making money on the sale of car seats. Here's the thing. When my dd was about 10, she was the size of many shorter adults I know. And those that were of this particular stature were supposed to ride in the back seat, never the front seat. Well, tell that to my friend's that were that short and were driving the car. They sure weren't driving from the back seat! My dd got to the point where she would command me, from the back seat....'Drive on Jeeves. I wish to go to......'. It was actually kind of funny.

Just making an editorial comment about the ever changing car seat recommendations. No need to agree...I know most of you won't. I'm just an old fuddy duddy.

Oh, and OP? Thank you so much for using 'daughters-in-law' correctly. It really bugs me (as if anyone cares) when someone says daughter-in-laws as the plural form.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

...........

Oh, and OP? Thank you so much for using 'daughters-in-law' correctly. It really bugs me (as if anyone cares) when someone says daughter-in-laws as the plural form.

 

[NotUrsula]

Ask the car company for the Make and model of the carseats that they have. I can almost guarantee you that if they are seats rated for a child under 1 year old (with a 5-pt harness and not a belt-positioning booster seat), then they are seats that would be perfectly OK rear-facing -- the issue most likely is that none of the drivers have been trained to install them that way. You can turn them yourselves if that is the case.

HOWEVER; I would advise against relying upon rental-car or livery service carseats. IME they often have been baking so long in the heat that the straps are nearly impossible to adjust; I've had to take a badly-fitting seat in the past because there just was no alternative available. Also, if you read the fine print on car rental agreements you will see that the company will not guarantee that the seats you requested, or ANY carseats for that matter, will be available when you show up to claim your car. If they run out before you arrive, they don't have to run to Toys R' Us and buy one for you.

For best results, your grandchildren's own carseats should be brought along. for the trip. Not only do you know that they fit properly, but you also know how best to install them. (If you don't have "Grandma" seats for your own car, I'd advise you to buy them. Just get two Cosco Sceneras from WalMart or Target; they are lightweight and fine for short-term travel use (at $40/ea, they even come with their own travel bags), and then your children will not have to remove their own seats from their vehicles.

 

[wishes114]

You don't want their car seats...they are usually the cheapest one and dirty. Have them gate check the babies car seats if they don't want to bring them on the plane. You have no idea if the town car seats were in a car accident or not or if they are expired.

 

[DopeyDame]

My bet is that the carseats the company does have is a cheap convertible seat. Which means it can definitely be turned around to be rear facing. Your Daughters in Law wave2 will probably have to do the turning and reinstalling, but that should work.

But as many others have said, they'll be much better off bringing their own seats. And even far better/safer by buying the babies seats on the airplane and using the carseats on the plane.

 

[MinnieGi]

As others have stated, bring their own! That is what we always did when our kiddos were babies. The babies are used to sitting in them so they will be more comfortable than anything you would rent. The car seats can be checked in luggage if they are not using them on the plane.

 

[helenk]

In PA the recommendation is that children from birth to 12 months sit in rear facing car seats or until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer.
My grandson is 2 and 1/2 and has been sitting in a front facing car seat for well over a year.

 

[Gracie09]

In PA the recommendation is that children from birth to 12 months sit in rear facing car seats or until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer. My grandson is 2 and 1/2 and has been sitting in a front facing car seat for well over a year.

The American pediatrics association recently changed the recommendation from one to two years rearfacing. Many state laws haven't caught up.

 

[alipink3]

We are gate checking our carseats for both our DDs. After comparing cost of using one and just the idea of safety. We decided using our own was the best idea.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I just did a trip with my 22 month granddaughter. I paid for her seat on the airplane and she used her car seat from home (most seats are FAA approved and they do check for the sticker). It is familiar, clean and safer for flying than lap sitting. After buckling her in she settled in and fell asleep on take-off both flights. I personally would not trust the cleanliness of the rentals.