Taking infant car seat with base???

[WDWLinda]

Hi Everyone,
I have an 8 mo. old who's still required to ride in the car facing backwards, so I don't think I can rent a carseat from the car rental agency. We have the travel system where the baby carrier locks into a base (which is connected by a seat belt in the car), and the carrier also locks into the full size stroller.

We're taking the stroller, but now I'm thinking I have to bring the carrier and base, correct? What other options are there for an 8 mo. old? Its a little hard to connect the base in the car, but I'd be fumbling the same with a rented carseat, which may be too big and sit the wrong way for my little guy anyway. I'd appreciate any info./suggestions you may have!

Thanks!

~Linda

 

[WDWLinda]

Can I gate-check the carrier and base?

Thanks!

~Linda

 

[tjmw2727]

While you can rent a rear facing seat from the rental car company I personally would not recommend it. They are often dirty and most rental agencies won't guarantee you will get one, they can run out especially in Orlando.

You can gate check your stroller, the carseat and the base but your best option is to use the seat for your baby on the aircraft. AAP and FAA recommend that children under 40lbs use an appropriate CRS.
For reference:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/5/1218

For the car rental, can your infant seat be used without the base? Mine could as can my SIL's. She has two bases, one in her car and one in her dh's but when we use my car she just uses the seat without the base. Perhaps a check of your manual will show you if your seat has this option and how to use it safely and correctly.

Have a great trip.
TJ

 

[#1 Pocahontas]

We took our daughter to WDW when she was 8 months old. We took her car seat and base with us to use on the plane. She didn't have a seat reserved so we though we would have to check it at the gate but since the plane wasn't full we got to use it both ways. After that I think I will always buy a seat for my infants. It was so stress free that way.

We used the car seat for the Mears shuttle to and from the parks as well. Other than that it just sat in our room. Our seat also snapped onto the stroller but at 8 months my dd wanted to sit up in the stroller and look around.

maybe it depends on how much luggage you have to tow around but I didn't find it a pain at all to bring on the trip.

Have fun

 

[Aneille]

Hi Everyone,
I have an 8 mo. old who's still required to ride in the car facing backwards, so I don't think I can rent a carseat from the car rental agency. We have the travel system where the baby carrier locks into a base (which is connected by a seat belt in the car), and the carrier also locks into the full size stroller.

We're taking the stroller, but now I'm thinking I have to bring the carrier and base, correct? What other options are there for an 8 mo. old? Its a little hard to connect the base in the car, but I'd be fumbling the same with a rented carseat, which may be too big and sit the wrong way for my little guy anyway. I'd appreciate any info./suggestions you may have!

Thanks!

~Linda

Check your manual. Carseats with bases do not have to be installed using the base. You can install just using the seatbelt. You could practice at home a few times.

I actually got a better fit with my Graco Snugride in my car without the base so I stopped using it and only used the seatbelt.

HTH

 

[waspnest]

Check your manual. Carseats with bases do not have to be installed using the base. You can install just using the seatbelt. You could practice at home a few times.

I actually got a better fit with my Graco Snugride in my car without the base so I stopped using it and only used the seatbelt.

HTH

IF your car seat doesn't have LATCH (but with an 8 month old it probably does, unless you're reusing an old seat), be sure to take a locking clip with you. If the seatbelts in the car you rent don't lock, you'll need to install the clip to get the seat in tight enough. I know that with my van the seatbelts are supposed to lock if you pull them out all the way, but I often can't get them to do that. It doesn't usually matter, as both my kids seats and my car have LATCH, but when I was putting a friend's carset in, I had to use a locking clip for the belt since her seat didn't have LATCH.

We flew with ds when he was 4 months, and just took the carseat and base on the plane with us. Carried the carseat around with the base attached. It just made it a bit heavier, but that was it wasn't a separate piede to keep up with. But if you want to leave the base at home, if your base has LATCH, can you remove the belt and take it to use with the carseat? Surely whatever car you rent will have it.

 

[Aneille]

IF your car seat doesn't have LATCH (but with an 8 month old it probably does, unless you're reusing an old seat), be sure to take a locking clip with you. If the seatbelts in the car you rent don't lock, you'll need to install the clip to get the seat in tight enough. I know that with my van the seatbelts are supposed to lock if you pull them out all the way, but I often can't get them to do that. It doesn't usually matter, as both my kids seats and my car have LATCH, but when I was putting a friend's carset in, I had to use a locking clip for the belt since her seat didn't have LATCH.

We flew with ds when he was 4 months, and just took the carseat and base on the plane with us. Carried the carseat around with the base attached. It just made it a bit heavier, but that was it wasn't a separate piede to keep up with. But if you want to leave the base at home, if your base has LATCH, can you remove the belt and take it to use with the carseat? Surely whatever car you rent will have it.

Yes you do got to remember that clip. I forgot about that part. You should have got one with your seat when you purchased.

She probably should take one of the locking clips with her though if she went that route. Just in case the car she rents doesn't have latch(it definetly should) or for some reason its broken(which it shouldn't be). But its better to be safe than sorry.

 

[NotUrsula]

ALL carseats that are sold in the US and approved for aircraft use may be used without the base; they are required to be able to securely install with a lap-belt only.

Personally, I'd ditch the base when travelling. My infant seat days are pre-LATCH, but I always found that getting the seat securely clicked into the base was harder than getting a secure fit with just the belt and a locking clip.

FYI, many infant seats cannot be properly installed in an aircraft if you try to strap the base in first and then mount the seat to the base. Remember that the buckle on an aircraft belt is in the middle rather than at the side, and it may prevent the seat from latching in properly.

 

[ptslp]

How big is your baby? Is your son ready for a convertible seat? My dd was in that seat, rear-facing, from about 5 months old. I haven't had a carrier in a while! She outgrew the length- not the weight! She is still not 20 lbs. She rides rear facing in an Evenflo Triumph, which is what we take on the plane with us. You may need one soon anyway and then you wouldn't have to worry about the base etc.

 

[crazywig]

i agree, ditch the infant seat (unless your 8 month old is super tiny).

i have a cosco scenera specifically for travel, lightweight and easy to install. walmart sells them for $40.

 

[waspnest]

i agree, ditch the infant seat (unless your 8 month old is super tiny).

You know, I hadn't thought of that. Most of the infant carriers that I've seen are rated up to 26 inches (I'm sure they do make them for bigger babies, just none that I've seen). Most people forget about that and I've seen too many babies in carriers longer than they should be. At 8 months, he's probably ready to graduate to a convertible anyway.

 

[WDWLinda]

Thanks for all the advice - my carrier is 4 yrs old, so I'd need the clip, and that was a nightmare the last time I tried it (but the car didn't have the Latch thing, I think).

But you gave me a good idea - use a carseat facing backwards. I didn't even think about that. He's a big 8 mo. old, so this should work.

Thanks again for all the advice - now I'll go search for the carseat manual.

~Linda

 

[Aneille]

Thanks for all the advice - my carrier is 4 yrs old, so I'd need the clip, and that was a nightmare the last time I tried it (but the car didn't have the Latch thing, I think).

But you gave me a good idea - use a carseat facing backwards. I didn't even think about that. He's a big 8 mo. old, so this should work.

Thanks again for all the advice - now I'll go search for the carseat manual.

~Linda

I'm not sure about using any carseat rearfacing on the plane. I know when I flew I had to have my then 1 yr old (but still under 20# so she should have been RF) sit forward facing on the plane. The flight attendent told me she had to be forward facing.

I don't really know the guidelines on aircraft as far as FF/RF.

 

[tjmw2727]

I'm not sure about using any carseat rearfacing on the plane. I know when I flew I had to have my then 1 yr old (but still under 20# so she should have been RF) sit forward facing on the plane. The flight attendent told me she had to be forward facing.

I don't really know the guidelines on aircraft as far as FF/RF.

That isn't the case - you are to use your CRS on the aircraft exactly as you would in the car, according to mfgr instructions rear or front facing. Unfortunately the FA was mistaken.

I will post a link if you like from FAA and AAP recommendations.

FWIW - both the FAA and the AAP recommend that children use an approved CRS in the aircraft until the reach 40lbs.

TJ