Sorry, another carseat on planes question!

[justhat]

Let me preface this by saying that my daughter has been flying since she was 2 months old and we have always purchased a seat for her and brought her carseat, no matter how short the flight was or where we were going. Okay, now with that info, here's my question.

My daughter will be 2 on 2/26 and we're going to WDW on 3/17, so she'll be just 2 at the time of the trip. We purchased her a seat (of course we have to now anyway) for the trip and planned to bring her carseat again as usual. But now I'm thinking about this and am wondering if we can do without it. I'm flying with her by myself both there and back and I'll be about 17 weeks pregnant at the time. I've flown alone with her many times and I normally wear her carseat on my back, with the diaper bag thrown into the carseat bag, then I pull the stroller in a bag (or sometimes I'll use it to push her then pack it up at the plane) and my daughter walks with me. But I have been very, very sick with this pregnancy, worse than the 1st one, and I was still sick till about 18 weeks that time so I'm thinking I will still be a little sick on this trip too and carrying all that stuff sounds kinda bad.

So I was thinking that if I take ME, then I won't need the carseat the whole trip so do I really need it just for the plane? We usually take a towncar, but since it's just me and her (we're meeting my husband, mom, and friends down there, but they're all arriving later that night and leaving on separate flights on the way home) and we arrive pretty early in the morning I thought maybe I'd just take ME to make things easier. But my problem is that my daughter is tiny, weight wise anyway. She's around 24 pounds right now so maybe will be 25 pounds by the trip. She's on the taller side, around 35 inches, but I know it's really weight that matters more on planes, that they should be in a carseat till 40 lbs. I'm not too worried about keeping her in the seat with the seatbelt on-she has figured out how to undo the buckle, but I think I can keep her distracted enough to stay in the seat for the flight (it's about 2 hours non-stop).

So what would you guys do, just suck it up and take the carseat along, or go without it? I feel badly, like she shouldn't have to be any less safe simply cause I am not feeling great, but at the same time, I don't want to overdo it and then not have tons of patience to keep her entertained either.

 

[all4fun]

That's a tough one. Normally I would say take the car seat, however your health and well-being is important too, especially since you have another little one to think about now (congrats, btw!). I can certainly understand not wanting to lug a car seat through the airport with a toddler in tow, all by yourself. If you had a 2nd pair of hands to help out then that would be different but since you'll be by yourself maybe you should just forgo the car seat this time. I also wanted to add if you have a Britax car seat there is this add-on you can buy to make it into a stroller and it doesn't have to be removed for the flight (but it does in the car). It's called the GoGo Kidz Cart. I just thought I would mention it. Hth and hope you have a great trip with NO morning sickness!

 

[dcgrumpy]

We decided to check dd's carseat on our return trip a couple of months ago. She was 2 1/2 and about 27 pounds. She was fine, she actually slept most of the flight.

 

[mom2alix]

That's a tough one. Normally I would say take the car seat, however your health and well-being is important too, especially since you have another little one to think about now (congrats, btw!). I can certainly understand not wanting to lug a car seat through the airport with a toddler in tow, all by yourself. If you had a 2nd pair of hands to help out then that would be different but since you'll be by yourself maybe you should just forgo the car seat this time. I also wanted to add if you have a Britax car seat there is this add-on you can buy to make it into a stroller and it doesn't have to be removed for the flight (but it does in the car). It's called the GoGo Kidz Cart. I just thought I would mention it. Hth and hope you have a great trip with NO morning sickness!

Thank you so much for this info! I just replaced DS's car seat with a Roundabout and this looks like a great idea to get through the airport!

 

[GatorGal]

I have a Britax Wizard (read large and heavy) carseat for my DD6 and I use the tether strap on the seat to attach it to my carryon suitcase with wheels and wheel them both through the airport with no problem. I strap my purse, coats, and what ever else I have in the car seat and that leaves one hand free to hold onto my DD's hand.

You should note that some airlines count luggage carriers as a carryon and if you're limited to one carryon, that would be it. This may also apply to car seat carriers.

HTH

 

[lovesdumbo]

I think I would leave the car seat at home. I did bring it for my youngest on our last trip when she was 33 months old and because the car seat raises them up it was really difficult to keep her from kicking the back of the seat in front of her and you can't use the tray very well with the carseat. I think since it will be just you and her she'll not be as likely to want to get out of the seat without other family nearby. You'll be able to use the tray to entertain her with stickers and coloring books. She must also be used to the fact that she stays seated during flights.

I wouldn't give up on the towncar idea though. I've always had very good luck with FL Tours and they've always provided at least 1 car seat for us and they have always been very clean.

Another idea since your family is coming that same day and you say that Madison likes to walk would be to let your family bring the stroller for you.

Good luck with the morning sickness. I was much sicker with my DS than first DD but then I was even worse with baby #3-another girl. I've been to Disney twice pregnant-once at 17 weeks and another pregnancy at 26 weeks. Just be sure to drink lots of water and I did need afternoon breaks. I found my morning sickness was better at Disney-more distractions.

 

[stacy6552]

I would ordinarily say bring the seat too. If you decide to bring the seat, put only the seat in the duffle. Stow the diaper bag in the stroller and have your daughter ride. The carseat should sling around your back very easily, if you put it on over your head and one arm (diagonally), and the curve of the seat wrapping your back.

Airline seats are not as deep as car seats making them safer at a younger age for small children. Is she a big 2 year old or a small one? Will she follow your directions? Cause you bring the seat for her safety and the biggest danger to her at this age w/o a carseat would be and emergency or terbulence. Will she sit all the way in her seat for extended periods of time? Will she hold a 'crash" position if you put her in it?

Also, is the stress of worrying about her in/out of her seat causing you more distress than toting the seat?

 

[justhat]

Thanks everyone! I think if I get that stroller adapter and then leave the stroller for my husband to bring down with him I'll be set if we decide to go with the carseat. I hadn't thought about leaving the stroller behind, but that's a great idea cause we'll be going pretty slow the first day anyway and I plan to just go to Ft. Wilderness and the MK and we never even use the stroller at MK cause there's so much in and out that it's just easier for her to walk. I like the carseat cause she generally sleeps in it, which I'm not sure she'd do in a regular seat, so this little attachment thing would be great cause then I wouldn't have to carry the seat around on my back. Stacy, she's on the smaller side, weight wise that is, about 24 lbs., so that's why we always use her seat cause I know it's much safer under 40 lbs.

And I definitely agree it will be easier to keep her from annoying the person in front of us without the carseat. If I take off her shoes she generally can't reach the seat in front of us, but on a flight home from Minnesota 2 weeks ago the tray table was a little broken (stuck out more than it should have) and so she was barely scraping against the seat and the man in front of her went insane! We ended up letting him switch seats with my husband so I had to sit with him the whole flight and listen to him complain that she was talking and laughing too much. Ugh, some people. Luckily for him he got off of the plane before I had to use the 'motion sickness' bag.

I hadn't even thought about the towncar providing a carseat cause the last time that came up Madison was still in an infant seat and I know they said they didn't have them. We used Cartier last time though and I remember seeing a regular carseat in the back of the van so that would be an idea too.

Oh, and the reason I'm going myself is that my husband was unsure if he'd be able to come when I booked my tickets (going with my mom who has a convention at CR) so of course when he decided he can come with us my flight was $400 for him! So we scrapped that idea and he's taking a later flight that same night and then leaving 2 days earlier than us cause he has to get back. So I'll have my mom once we're down there (her flight arrives a couple of hours after mine) but I'll be alone at the airport.

 

[mam 1]

My dh, ds and I are going in March. Ds will be 22 months and we are not bringing our car seat we figure he is big enough to sit in the seat now so we're gonna try it. Live & learn...

 

[mrsltg]

I wouldn't take the seat. Especially not at 5 months along. I do have a question, though. I am assuming ME refers to Magical Express. Just how "Magical" do you think it is that you wouldn't need to restrain her on a bus? It's still going to travel the same roadways you'd be travelling on and insisting on a carseat for if you took any other form of transport. Buses crash, too. I have never unsderstood the mentality of "we'll be using Disney transportation so therefore the little one will be fine." I'm not directing this at you - just a general thought. Pixie Dust isn't going to save your child's life and if you insist on carseats on planes and cars at all costs, stay off of mass transit that won't allow the use of them. Instead rent a car and use your carseat.

Erin

 

[justhat]

I am not of the mindset that because it is Disney transportation that we'll be fine, just that you cannot use carseats on buses so if we took the bus I wouldn't need the carseat. I in no way think it's safer than having her in a carseat in a car, and that's actually why we've never done ME. Of course, we take a towncar, not rent a car, so we use Disney buses once we're at the parks, so she's unrestrained then too. But I live in a city and take the subway all the time too and she's unrestained then. I always thought buses and things like that were built to protect passengers without seatbelts, like the higher back seats, seating styles, etc.

If I felt confident in anyway about renting a car and driving around by myself, I would do it, but I don't and I feel that being an 'out of town' driver is kinda risky too. We take the risk with the Disney transportation cause they're mostly short distance, and we walk, take the boats, or monorails whenever possible (cause cause we prefer them to the buses) to avoid buses. But we've never done it to/from the airport (or the cruise terminal, we got a towncar for that too) cause the drive is on major highways so we think it's riskier. The only reason I'm considering it now is that I am not sure about carrying that carseat around, but if I buy that attachment that all4fun posted then I'll have the carseat and we'll take a towncar. Or I'll see about renting a carseat from the towncar company, cause we really do prefer the towncar cause the grocery stop to pick up some water is always helpful.

So not sure about others, but that's our feeling on Disney transportation (or even our local DC public transportation). We don't think it's safer than being in a car, cause clearly it's not, but just that they must be somewhat safe otherwise they wouldn't be allowed to operate as is. What I mean is that buses would be required to have seatbelts if the current structure were truly unsafe.

 

[loveysbydesign]

This is a great post, I love reading all the replies as everyone has good points. We have a similiar issue, except that we've never flown before and my dd will be 3 3/4 y.o. when we fly to WDW in May. She's 36 lbs and almost 38 inches right now and "solid" as my MIL puts it-LOL. I'm assuming we probably shouldn't use a carseat on the plane for her as she isn't real small. Maybe by May she'll be even closer to 40 lbs. We're renting a car and will be packing my ds's no-back booster in a carryon bag, perhaps we should buy her one also? The Evenflo one my ds has says it's for children 30-60 lbs. She really likes her brothers and has sat in it once in awhile for short rides (4 blocks) to pick my ds up from school, then she switches to her own seat when we ride home from school. Any advice?

 

[beattyfamily]

This is a great post, I love reading all the replies as everyone has good points. We have a similiar issue, except that we've never flown before and my dd will be 3 3/4 y.o. when we fly to WDW in May. She's 36 lbs and almost 38 inches right now and "solid" as my MIL puts it-LOL. I'm assuming we probably shouldn't use a carseat on the plane for her as she isn't real small. Maybe by May she'll be even closer to 40 lbs. We're renting a car and will be packing my ds's no-back booster in a carryon bag, perhaps we should buy her one also? The Evenflo one my ds has says it's for children 30-60 lbs. She really likes her brothers and has sat in it once in awhile for short rides (4 blocks) to pick my ds up from school, then she switches to her own seat when we ride home from school. Any advice?

In your case, I'd get her the backless booster seat and put both of them in one of those carseat bags that they sell at Babies R Us, and then it becomes luggage and you can check it with the rest of your luggage and not have to carry it around.

That is what I do for my 2 DDs since we don't need them on the plane but we rent a car.

 

[loveysbydesign]

In your case, I'd get her the backless booster seat and put both of them in one of those carseat bags that they sell at Babies R Us, and then it becomes luggage and you can check it with the rest of your luggage and not have to carry it around.

That's a good idea. We're flying Allegiant and I'm unsure exactly how many pieces of luggage we can check per person, plus I'm afraid they might get lost!!!!

 

[beattyfamily]

That's a good idea. We're flying Allegiant and I'm unsure exactly how many pieces of luggage we can check per person, plus I'm afraid they might get lost!!!!

I tried to find the answer on their website with no luck but most airlines allow 2 pieces of luggage per person including the kids.

In all my trips with the carseats checked as luggage in the carseat bag, they've never been lost or damaged and it's been at least 5 trips now.

Good luck and enjoy your planning!!

 

[justhat]

You could always bring the boosters up to the plane and gate check them if you don't mind carrying them (usually helps with things not getting lost, though they did forget our stroller once when we gate checked it, but they put it on another airline and it arrived in Orlando right before we did). Actually, the backless boosters probably even fit under the seat if you wanted to carry them on.

 

[Minnesota!]

Ok - I am in the very early planning stages of a WDW trip this summer.

Worried about flying the most. Talk me through it. My son - who will be 23 months at the time - is huge. Currently - at 19 months - he is over 34 inches and 33 pounds.

1) So....what do I need to take on the plane? We are taking our stroller...so I can wheel him right to our gate, correct, and then they check it when we are boarding and it will be available for us when we get off? He's a tank - I can't really carry him at all and I would be DEVASTATED if we lost our stroller..

2) What do I need on the plane - as far as a carseat goes. He is currently in this:http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...4?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000A3YIOG at home. Do I need to lug this with me? Is there something smaller, but just as safe? We are going to do the ME, and then rely on Disney transport for the week. We tossed around the idea of renting a car for a day for sightseeing - will car rental companies have seats to fit my son?

I am stressing already!!!! Thanks!!!!!

 

[Minnesota!]

Duplicate..

 

[jodifla]

I wouldn't take the seat. Especially not at 5 months along. I do have a question, though. I am assuming ME refers to Magical Express. Just how "Magical" do you think it is that you wouldn't need to restrain her on a bus? It's still going to travel the same roadways you'd be travelling on and insisting on a carseat for if you took any other form of transport. Buses crash, too. I have never unsderstood the mentality of "we'll be using Disney transportation so therefore the little one will be fine." I'm not directing this at you - just a general thought. Pixie Dust isn't going to save your child's life and if you insist on carseats on planes and cars at all costs, stay off of mass transit that won't allow the use of them. Instead rent a car and use your carseat.

Erin

So, you don't think kids should use public transportation? Tell that to everyone in Europe, or NYC for that matter....

Guess the parents of all those kids who ride school buses don't care about them either.

 

[justhat]

Wow, Minnesota, I think your situation is tougher to decide than mine, the reason being, for me, that your son is a lot larger than Madison. I mean, I'm sure his growth will slow a bit so he may not be too much bigger than he is now by the time of your trip. But he's not too far off from the 40 pounds that they safe is safe for no carseat on the plane so I don't think I'd buy another carseat just for the trip. Here's my thinking. He's getting close to 40 pounds, so I would guess that a smaller/lighter carseat than the one you own now wouldn't be of much use to you after the trip cause he'll outgrow it soon enough (assuming it has a 40 lbs. limit).

I'm all for carseats on planes, obviously or I wouldn't have posted this thread, but in your case, if you think your son will sit in his seat with his belt on, and you aren't going to use the carseat off of the plane (going with using ME and then renting a car and carseat if you go off property for a day) then I might try it without the carseat. Of course, if yours fits on the plane and is FAA approved, then I'd probably go ahead and take it cause it will keep your son contained (though at his height, cause that's how tall Madison is now, his feet might be able to get very close to the seat in front of him so you'll have to deal with possible kicking) for the flight and he'll be safer. But if it means you have to buy a new one, then I'd probably try to go without it.

One thing though, I've never rented a carseat from a rental car company so I can't say anything about their quality/cleanliness, etc. You might want to check on that with others. LovesDumbo said she got a good carseat from a towncar company, but not sure if the same thought applies to rental car companies, since in that case the carseats are loaned out and who knows what could happen. In the towncars, they're used just for short trips and odds are the kids aren't eating and drinking and spilling things all over.

I know I probably didn't help much since I was pretty inconclusive, but I agree that it's a tough call!