car seat Archives | Travels With Baby

Easy alternatives to car seats for travel? Three favorites on sale now with FREE shipping!

Shelly Rivoli — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:36:00 +0000

Looking for ways to streamline holiday travel with your child – without compromising safety?

The RideSafer travel vest

Three of my favorite car seat alternatives are on sale now, bundled with the Take-Along Travels with Baby tips guide to help keep your whole brood safe, happy, and healthy – and perhaps even a little better organized – as you set out together this season.

The RideSafer travel vest for use in cars and taxis

The Baby B’Air flight harness for lap-held babies and toddlers

The CARES flight harness for toddlers and preschoolers

Each travel bundle is on sale now with FREE shipping (or you can use your Amazon Prime). Click here to see all bundles on sale.

CARES flight harness

You can also click here to read more about these and other recommended Car Seat Alternatives for travel.

Reminder: CARES giveaway in Progress!

Feeling lucky? Enter to win the CARES flight harness bundle I’ll be giving away to one lucky winner – click here for your chance to win!

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli

Author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Save 20% on Travels with Baby guidebooks and qualify for FREE Super Saver shipping or Amazon Prime

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All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli 2007 – 2011

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Ask Shelly: Car seat advice for Paris airport shuttle with baby?

Shelly Rivoli — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:38:00 +0000

Hello,

I have a 14 month old that we are taking to France in the fall (he was there when we was 4 months old, too!)

I have a copy of the Travels with Baby book and was reading about the car-seat alternatives (Eddie Bauer plus others). We are renting a car with a car seat but I would still need something for the baby when we ride on the shuttle bus and thought the portable /collapsible seat would be ideal due to its size and weight, etc. I was looking at the website but I do not see mention (except for one brief reference to the Eddie Bauer version under the CARES description) of these seats.

Did these portable seats get banned or recalled or are they just not available/popular?

Thanks very much,

Deborah

Dear Deborah (and others facing the same dilemma),

The Eddie Bauer portable car seat, which was classified as a travel vest for use in motor vehicles only, was unfortunately discontinued. For now the RideSafer vest is the closest alternative, though it’s not suitable until around 3 years of age (see more in Car Seat Alternatives and my RideSafer review).

If you are flying into Paris (CDG, Orly, or Beauvais), you might consider using Mondial Shuttle Service, which will arrange to have an appropriate child safety seat for you upon request (one provided per van). You can book them for a shared, lower-cost ride for your family, or pay more and have private door-to-door service. They also provide shuttle service to Disneyland Paris (Eurodisney) for those interested.

Otherwise, for your son at 14 months (who I suspect may have more travel ahead of him in the next few years?), you might consider the Sit N Stroll child safety seat, which can be belted in with the shuttle bus seat belt, assuming there is one (see my detailed review here) . At times when I’ve found no safety belts in airport shuttle vans and taxis abroad, I have appreciated being able to set my Sit N Stroll rear-facing with my child strapped into it at least (wedged against the seat back if possible), still giving some level of protection over riding on my lap alone.

It would mean traveling with a car seat the entire way, though one that will roll through the airport (gate check it, or use it in a spare seat on the aircraft if they have one for you) and then right to the door of the shuttle bus or taxi. You would also have the advantage of knowing what car seat you’ll be using on the other end. As well, a handful of baby gear rental agencies rent the Sit N Stroll. If you’re interested, you can check the agencies near you (see worldwidedirectory of baby gear rentals).

For more help, see these related posts and pages:

Paris: 5 Best with Children Under 5 (best sightseeing, cafes, etc.)

Finding diapers in France

Ask Shelly: Tips for juggling toddler naps while visiting Paris?

Ask Shelly: Which car seat compatible stroller for travel to Paris with a baby?

See more of Travels with Baby’s tips for travel to Europe

Car Seat Alternatives

Best Car Seats for Travel

See mo re Travel Health & Safety Tips on TravelswithBaby.com

Tips and advice for flying with a baby, toddler, or preschooler

Great products and gear for travel with babies and toddlers

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

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PSSST! If you’re kids are getting too old for this, check out Family Travel 411.

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

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What can you do if your child’s car seat doesn’t fit in the airplane seat?

Shelly Rivoli — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:47:00 +0000

As discussed in the post “Will your car seat be allowed on the airplane?”, whenever boarding an airplane you should be ready and able to point to the FAA approval on your car seat (side or bottom label) or in your car seat’s manual in some cases.

(Pssst! Remember there’s ALL kinds of help and advice in How to Travel with a Car Seat (without Losing Your Mind) and in the Flying with a Car Seat section in Flying with a Baby or a Toddler: Welcome to the Best Tips Online. More helpful posts and pages are linked at the bottom of this page.)

But even if you car seat is approved for air travel, you might suddenly find yourself in a situation known to many veteran family travelers – the same car seat that fit in the last airplane you took doesn’t fit this time around. (Board early just in case!)

It’s easy to get frustrated. Especially as you struggle to get the seat into place while shielding your child from other passengers hoisting lead-weight carry-on bags over your heads and flight attendants urge you to either get that car seat in place or gate-check it so everyone can get on their way.

Not long ago, a mom who tried to stand her ground about using her child’s car seat was even told to get off the plane altogether.

I hope you never find yourself in a tough situation like this, but in case you do it will be helpful to know your rights—and a couple of tips ahead of time that may help you avoid having to exercise them.

This post may contain affiliate links that help fund this independent website at no cost to you.

How can you avoid getting stuck with a car seat that doesn’t fit in the airplane seat?

1) Never fly with a car seat over 18” wide. A width of no more than 16” is recommended by the FAA but is practically non-existent among car seats. See recommendations in Best Infant Car Seats for Travel and the Best Toddler Car Seats for Travel. (Also, check out the 14.5″ W WAYB Pico folding car seat for kids 2 yrs+ – see my full review of the WAYB Pico here.)

2) Some infant car seats have bases that exceed this, but most can also be installed safely with the airplane’s lap safety belt without their bases. See your manual for instructions so you’ll be ready and comfortable with the procedure.

3) Raise the airplane seat’s arm rests if possible to make it easier to install the car seat with the lap safety belt. Since car seats usually go in window seats, this only allows for 1 movable arm rest, though bulkhead rows may not have any movable arm rests.

4) Use a car seat with a narrow footprint and raised base to ease installation between arm rests with the safety belt.

5) This one may sound obvious, but in the 11th hours of getting everyone and everything ready and TO the airport and THROUGH the airport, it can be easy to forget. Remove any removable arm rests or cup holders before you bring the car seat aboard.

6) If you want or need to install your child’s car seat rear-facing, reserve bulkhead seats to ensure an adequate degree of recline without running into a forward passenger’s seat—but make certain you follow point one above since arm rests on bulkhead rows typically cannot be raised to allow for extra room.

What if the car seat still doesn’t fit?

If the bottom line is that your child’s car seat simply won’t fit as needed in the original seat you have purchased, don’t panic.

According to an advisory circular from the Federal Aviation Administration issued last September, the airline is obliged to help you find a seat that will work for your FAA-approved car seat—provided it’s in the same class of service (no first-class upgrades for bringing big car seats onboard, sorry).

Here’s the actual text:

f. Operators Prohibiting CRS [child restraint system or car seat] Use. No aircraft operator may prohibit a child from using an approved CRS when the parent/guardian purchases a seat for the child. If an approved CRS, for which a ticket has been purchased, does not fit in a particular seat on the aircraft, the aircraft operator has the responsibility to accommodate the CRS in another seat in the same class of service. The regulations also permit an aircraft operator to use its discretion in identifying the most appropriate forward-facing passenger seat location, considering safe operating practices. For example:

(1) A CRS with a base that is too wide to fit properly in a seat with rigid armrests can be moved to a seat with moveable armrests that can be raised to accommodate the CRS.

(2) An aft-facing CRS that can not be installed properly, because of minimal pitch (distance between seats) between rows, can be moved to a bulkhead seat or a seat in a row with additional pitch.

Of course, if the car seat won’t fit in any seat in coach, you will still be obliged to gate-check it for the flight (see recommended Car Seat Travel Bags and Carriers here). But in case there is another viable option for seating in your class, it’s up to the airline to help you—and possibly other passengers—make the switch

What’s an easier (and less stressful!) alternative?

If your child is 1 year or older and has her own reserved airplane seat, you could use the CARES flight safety restraint instead of a car seat.

You can see my full review of the CARES child aviation restraint and photos of how it works for more information, and read other customer reviews of CARES on Amazon.

For more tips on installing car seats in airplanes (and keeping young kids entertained, diapered, and happy in flight), see the On the Go section in Take-Along Travels with Baby.

Important tips for using child safety seats during travel in Australia

Shelly Rivoli — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:25:00 +0000

Don’t miss Sydney: 5 Best with Kids Under 5

One common misconception among the American parents I hear from is that our car seats and our car seat laws in the U.S. are the toughest anywhere. Not so. In fact, the European branded car seats you may purchase here are manufactured to meet our FMV standards only–not those of Europe or the U.K., which are different and some would argue more rigorous.

Regardless of whether your child’s car seat comes from the U.S., Canada., the U.K., continental Europe, or any other part of the world, if you’re planning a family vacation to Australia you’d better be prepared. Australia’s child safety seats are in fact tested to the highest standards in the world, and some of their laws concerning the use of car seats and safety boosters may not only be different from what you are accustomed to at home, but you may also be more likely to be fined for not adhering to the laws down under.

Helping us sort through the new, nationwide car seat laws in Australia is Sydney resident and AusMumpreneur Nominee, Danni Guerreiro. Danni owns Rock-a-Bye-Baby Equipment Hire of Sydney, which now includes airport concierge service, and she was kind enough to answer my questions that follow here.

Car Seats for Infants

Q: One of my favorite Australianisms is “the baby capsule.” Can you tell us when and for how long it’s generally used?

A. Baby capsules are recommended for babies from birth to approximately 6 months of age, or 9kgs (20 lbs) in weight, whichever comes first.

Car Seats for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers

Q:Until what age and/or size are children in Australia required to ride rear-facing in their car seats?

A. In Australia, children are required to ride rear-facing in their car seats up until 6 months of age. After 6 months, they can use a forward-facing car seat.

Car Seats and Boosters for Preschoolers & Older Kids

Q: Until what age are children now required to ride in safety boosters?

A. Children must ride in a booster seat until they are 7 years old and may begin using boosters at age 4.

Safety Boosters & Laws for School-Age Kids

Q: At what age are kids allowed to ride in the front seat of cars in Australia?

A: That answer is dependent on how many seats are in the car and how many kids are in the car.

Children under four years of age must not travel in the front row of a vehicle with two or more rows.
Children riding in the front seat of a vehicle who are aged from four to seven years of age must be seated in a forward facing restraint or booster seat, even in the front seat.
Children from four to seven years of age can only sit in the front row of a vehicle with two or more rows when all other seats are occupied by children of a lesser age in an approved child restraint.

Australian Car Seat Laws for Taxis

Q: Are child safety seats or boosters required in taxis in Australia?

A: The rules for travelling in taxis with children differ from state to state here in Australia. I recommend you check with the taxi company when you make your booking and take that opportunity to request a child seat be in your taxi in advance. Customer service or information desks at the Airport will assist you to book a taxi or hire car with child restraints when you arrive if need be.

Australian Standards for Car Seats

Q: I know that car seats sold in Australia must meet different—and it could be argued ‘more stringent’ safety standards than those in the U.S. and European markets. Technically, it’s illegal to use our own U.S. car seats in Australia. Have you ever heard of a tourist getting in trouble for using a U.S. car seat in Australia?

A: No I haven’t. But having said that, since the introduction of the National Child Restraint Laws in 2010, I do know that literally hundreds of penalty fines are issued each year across Australia to drivers who have children inappropriately restrained in their car.

If you are planning to spend time in Sydney, don’t miss the new Sydney: 5 Best with Kids Under 5 recommendations contributed by Danni, which include the best restaurant with kids, wildlife viewing, safest beach and more for your family’s Sydney vacation.

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and the new Take-Along Travels with Baby
https://travelswithbaby.com/ Travels with Baby on Facebook

All content of this blog (c) Shelly Rivoli

The post Important tips for using child safety seats during travel in Australia appeared first on Travels With Baby.

Traveler beware: Car seat laws in Costa Rica are stricter than those in the U.S.

Shelly Rivoli — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 02:16:00 +0000

Many travelers are surprised to learn that Costa Rica, though still categorized as a developing nation and famed for its rugged and largely unpaved roads, has car seat laws.

What may surprise traveling parents even more, however, is to learn that those car seat and safety booster laws are actually stricter than current child passenger safety laws in California—or elsewhere in the United States.

Specifically, where California state law currently requires all children (updated) up to 8 years of age or 4’9″ tall to ride in a car seat or safety booster seat appropriate for their size and age, Costa Rica now requires children to ride in an appropriate car seat until they outgrow it (typically 110 cm or 43 inches) and then to use a safety booster until they are 12 years old and 145 cm (57 inches).

This post contains affiliate links to help support this website.

While every state in the U.S. requires children to ride in appropriate car seats or boosters to 4 years, the laws concerning the upper height, weight and/or age requirement for booster seat use still vary widely by state.

For example, in the state of New York, booster seats must be used until a child is 8 years and 80 lbs, but in Florida children 4 to 5 years may be either in a federally approved child safety restraint… or just a safety belt. At this time not one of our states requires boosters to be used until age 12.

What are your options?

Fortunately, most major airlines still grant passengers free checked or gate-checked car seats and boosters (call your airline if you’re not sure).

But what if you have already discarded your booster once used by your 11-year-old and have no immediate plans of travel to the U.K. or anywhere else he might still need one?

Or you want to travel as light as possible to Costa Rica, you can opt to rent a car seat or booster along with your rental car, with rates ranging from $5 per day per car seat or booster from Thrifty SJO to Avis’s unknown rate TBD at time of rental (no thanks!).

As for me, traveling to Costa Rica with three children in this age bracket and a total of six passengers, I was happy to discover Vamos 4×4 (www.vamos4x4.com).

This Costa Rican car rental agency not only quoted less for the 7-seater SUV we require than other agencies I tried (even with a corporate discount), but that also includes one child safety seat or booster free with your rental—along with some other complimentary items I know will come in handy.

Plus, we adults can take turns driving for no extra fee.

PSSST! Don’t miss all of our other tips for visiting Costa Rica with kids

For my bigger kids, I was planning to bring along their RideSafer travel vests, which for those who are unfamiliar replace booster seats and fit nicely in the side pocket of the suitcase—though on second thought I don’t expect Costa Rican traffic police are very familiar with these. They are, however, probably quite familiar with the enormous, easily identifiable 7-seater SUVs mostly rented by tourists with, ahem, children.

Rather than risk a spirited debate on the subject in a language I never formally studied – and a potential car seat fine x 2, I may make other arrangements, including bringing along our GoHybrid travel car seat/booster , which has the advantage of working for any of our 3 children at this time and folds into its own travel bag (in which I can always manage to fit a few extra things) for a free ride with our airlines.

The BubbleBum inflatable and portable safety booster.

NOTE: Sadly the GoHybrid has been discontinued, but you might consider the folding Diono Radian folding car seat (with available backpack carrier) or the BubbleBum Inflatable Booster instead.

Fresh Costa Rica tips for travel with young children!

If you are planning travel to Costa Rica with young children – especially to the Santa Teresa area with babies, toddlers, or preschoolers – don’t miss the “Nicoya Peninsula’s 5 Best with Children Under 5: Costa Rica” and other tips and suggestions at www.TravelswithBaby.com.

Flying American Airlines with a baby or toddler

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli
Author of Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby

P.S. I should mention that I found Vamos 4×4 on my own and they did not sponsor this post, nor are they giving me a free set of wheels in Costa Rica.

The post Traveler beware: Car seat laws in Costa Rica are stricter than those in the U.S. appeared first on Travels With Baby.

Win a “Go Hybrid” portable travel car seat from Safety 1st! ($199 value)

Shelly Rivoli — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 22:17:00 +0000

I just finished up my review of the Safety 1st Go Hybrid travel car seat at TravelswithBaby.com, and now it’s your turn to weigh in on how you think this car seat might help a traveling family such as yours with a chance to win your own (a $199 value)!

To enter to win, just read the review then add a comment below this post completing this phrase:

“The Go Hybrid Portable Car Seat would make travel for my family oh-so-much easier when we… [your answer].”

Contest rules:
Travels with Baby subscribers only (use the subscribe box above if you’re new), and U.S. residents only, please. Leave your comment below before 11:59 p.m. PST on Wednesday 8/11/10. The winner will be announced the following day, with 3 days to claim the prize, so make sure you check back! (Anonymous entries will not be considered, so make sure your nickname or OpenID is on your comment.)

You can also get up to 2 extra entries per subscriber:

1) Facebook: Post your comment to the Travels with Baby fan page, then add a second comment below this post telling me you did so.

2) Twitter: Tweet “I want to win a portable car seat from @travelswithbaby,” then add a third comment below this post telling me you did so.

Thanks to our sponsors, Safety 1st and Dorel Juvenile Group, for this great giveaway!

Safe journey,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning guide Travels with Baby
travelswithbaby.com facebook twitter

The post Win a “Go Hybrid” portable travel car seat from Safety 1st! ($199 value) appeared first on Travels With Baby.

car seat Archives | Travels With Baby

Easy alternatives to car seats for travel? Three favorites on sale now with FREE shipping!

Ask Shelly: Car seat advice for Paris airport shuttle with baby?

What can you do if your child’s car seat doesn’t fit in the airplane seat?

How can you avoid getting stuck with a car seat that doesn’t fit in the airplane seat?

What if the car seat still doesn’t fit?

What’s an easier (and less stressful!) alternative?

More helpful posts and pages:

Related travel tips and advice:

Travel Gear Recommendations:

Airline-Specific Advice:

Important tips for using child safety seats during travel in Australia

Traveler beware: Car seat laws in Costa Rica are stricter than those in the U.S.

What are your options?

Win a “Go Hybrid” portable travel car seat from Safety 1st! ($199 value)