A fresh reader question from the Ask Shelly inbox!

I am traveling to the U.K. and France with my 3 year old. For a teeny portion of our 3 weeks trip to Europe (for 3 days only), we will be renting a car to drive from Edinburgh to the Highlands.

I really do not want to lug his car seat on multiple airline and train rides when we only need it for 3 days! We have a CARES harness for the plane – which is much more comfortable for him that being squished in his car seat for a long flight. So, how can I just rent a safe one for the 3 days of car travel??

–Mickeypinc, U.S.

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Thanks for your question!

You might simply be able to rent a suitable car seat for your child’s age & size directly from the car rental agency. However this does not always work out as well as it should.

Not all car rental companies will guarantee a car seat or safety will be there when you arrive. It might also show signs of wear or damage or be filthy (see more tales of car rental car seat woe in Travels with Baby).

Yet if they can guarantee a suitable seat, that may be the simplest way to go. Otherwise, you can find baby gear rentals in Scotland listed in the Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rental Agencies.

As specialists in baby equipment with businesses built on making parents happy, you’re much more likely to have a suitable, safe, and clean car seat for your child for the 3 days.

Another important consideration: When traveling abroad, renting a car seat at your location is also the best way to make sure the car seat will meet whatever local safety testing & standards there are for seats (these can vary by country) and will work with the other child safety features (rigid LATCH, rear-facing tether, etc.) in local cars and required by local laws.

Hope this helps and have a fabulous trip!

You might also like:

The 411 on Edinburgh with Kids

Baby Equipment Hire in Europe

Travel with Car Seats and Road Trip Tips

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks and Hiking with Kids Southern California: 45 Great Hikes for Families

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The post Ask Shelly: Car seat for three days in Scotland? appeared first on Travels With Baby.

Hello, I’m going to be traveling with my 7-month-old by myself to Seattle. She’s not that great at sitting in a regular stroller yet. I normally use my carrier or infant click and go stroller. What do you recommend taking with you? Should I take the infant stroller? I’m already checking the car seat. Thank you!

— Melissa from New Jersey

When traveling solo, there will definitely be times you’re glad to have that trusty stroller at your side (eating, using the restroom…all much better without a baby in your lap!). But whether or not your daughter will be content to spend extra time in her car seat—as when clicked into an infant car seat stroller frame—or would be happier with a different seat and one that possibly reclines or sits up per her mood all depends on her temperament.

If your infant car seat clicks onto a stroller that can also be used independently (without the car seat), you’ll have the best of both worlds—and options. And there are times when, even while wearing your baby, the stroller can prove very useful for carrying what you don’t want to simultaneously (eg. offload the diaper bag and water bottle).

What you will want to avoid is sentencing her to “the slump” that many babies face when riding in an umbrella stroller that doesn’t support their upper bodies and legs or recline enough for her to ride and nap comfortably.

If it helps, you can also rent a stroller in Seattle or see recommended lightweight strollers for travel here. Hope this helps!

Related posts: Seattle’s 5 Best with Kids Under 5

More travel inspiration on tap: Get the 411 on family travel destinations around the world from our sister site: Family Travel 411

Safe journeys,

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

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What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411

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But as you know, traveling with a baby (and/or toddler, preschooler) is more than getting from A to B, especially when you may be visiting and staying with multiple friends or family members during your vacation, as in the case of this mom who wrote in:

Hello,

I’ll be travelling with my daughter when she’ll be about 1-1/2 yrs old. We’re visiting family and will be borrowing people’s cars, so we’ll need to move the car seat around a lot. What (if any) car seats would you recommend that aren’t a complete pain to install (possibly multiple times per day)? We loved the ease of her bucket car seat (just strap it in!), but she’s reaching the weight limit unfortunately. Thanks!

Anna in NYC

For any parent choosing a car seat for travel with a 1.5-year-old that has outgrown her infant car seat, I recommend finding a “convertible” car seat that can still use rear-facing until at least 2 years old, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

That said, there are THREE key things to keep in mind when choosing the best car seat for travel when your child is in this age range:

1. Ease of installation in that rear-facing mode–as you are especially and rightfully concerned about–since many convertible car seats are a struggle to get installed rearward once, let alone multiple times–possibly in one day!
2. Fit of the convertible car seat in rear-facing mode in a variety of vehicles. This is where the wise traveler resists the urge to buy any car seat that claims to be “all-in-one” or used essentially from birth through college(!). In many sedans and especially in more compact rental cars and airplane seats, there just won’t be enough room for that very tall car seat to be installed rearward at a comfortable or appropriate angle for the child. Look for a car seat rated up to 40 lbs. rather than one of 55 lbs. or 65 lbs. or more, and avoid those with a very high base that might add to the overall length of the seat in reclined mode.
3. If you’ll be flying, consider how easily the car seat will–or will not–be installed using a lap belt rather than L.A.T.C.H., which will not be an option.

Here are three car seats I’d suggest you consider for travel between different cars, at time of writing (see latest updates on our page here):

1. The Cosco Scenera or Scenera NEXT

The Cosco Scenera and Scenera NEXT are lightweight at only 10 lbs. each and are therefore easy to schlep between vehicles or through the airport.

But when it comes to rear-facing installation, the more spacious belt path (just lift the cover at the bottom to reveal) makes it one of your easiest options for installing rear-facing whether with a seat belt OR the LATCH strap that routes through the same path. NOTE: Some convertible car seats have easy LATCH anchors, but routing the seat belt through the seat for a rear-facing installation is torturous.)

Also, both Cosco Scenera and the Cosco Scenera NEXT are among the narrowest convertible car seats you’ll find, at just over 17″ and 17.5″ at their widest points respectively. Your odds of fitting them with other car seats and boosters across a back seat (three across) or into an airplane seat are very good. Since the Scenera NEXT is even more compact that is, shorter, it’s a better bet for rear-facing installation in compact cars as well.

The main drawback of these seats is they have very little cushioning, though for infants and younger babies that can be remedied by adding extra cushioning like a Snuzzler.  If your child will spend extended periods in the car seat, such as on long road trips or lengthy flights, you might prefer the next suggestion. Read more about the Cosco Scenera in Best Car Seats for Travel. >>>

2. Graco ComfortSport

Weighing in at just 2 more pounds than the Cosco Scenera, the Graco ComfortSport offers just what its name implies: comfort. That translates to not just more cushioning throughout the seat but also a slightly deeper seat which gives children more of a “leg rest” for extended rear-facing use. At 17″ W it is also a great candidate for air travel–it’s just a little bit trickier to feed a lap belt through the seat in rear-facing mode (using the LATCH strap does not require this), and that deeper seat means you may not be able to recline to a full 45 degrees as needed for infants in compact cars–or airplane seat rows. Read more about the Graco ComfortSport in Best Car Seats for Travel. >>>

3. Sit N Stroll Combination Car Seat + Stroller

The price point jumps for this one, but for travel–especially travel with a young toddler-–the Sit N Stroll offers travel-friendly features you may find make it well worth the investment, particularly if you’ll be doing a lot of travel during the baby-to-toddler years.

The obvious: It converts from car seat to light-duty stroller to get you through the airport with ease, not to mention museums, malls, and so on. Less obvious: It sits flat on chairs and makes a great on-the-go booster seat for dining in restaurants and at grandparents’ homes. And when it does, there is a 5-point safety harness to keep kids from toppling over typical restaurant high chairs and less secure options.

But as a convertible car seat, it lets you buckle in and unbuckle with ease. Either use the LATCH straps or route the seat belt over the front of the car seat using the forward- or rear-facing paths (easiest option for quick use in taxis and between borrowed cars!). There’s no need to fish a safety belt through awkward slots in the car seat on this.

You can also add an optional sun canopy to the Sit N Stroll which is not only helpful when strollering around outdoors–it can help keep reading lights and vents from disturbing a snoozing tot in flight, and may also help keep headlights from disrupting your child’s slumber during nighttime drives.

Hope this helps! For more tips on travel with car seats see the index for Advice for Travel with Car Seats and Road Trips with Young Children and for more recommendations of Great Products and Gear for Travel, click here.

You  might also like:

Car seats, taxis, and what you need to know

Seven easy ways to get your car seat through the airport

Review of the WAYB Pico Folding Car Seat for Travel

Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals

The latest from our sister site: The 411 on South Tahoe with Kids – Winter Edition

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby 

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WHAT?! Your kids aren’t “babies” anymore??? Check out Family Travel 411

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This just in! If you’re wondering how to book a safe, trustworthy hotel babysitter on Oahu or just about anywhere, this post is for you!

Thank you for any advice here!

We will be in Hawaii for two weeks and it would be nice for us parents to have a bit of a getaway night or two, knowing our child is safe in the hands of a trustworthy child care provider in Oahu…any suggestions?

Thank you very much for your five top beach postings for Oahu. Was very helpful!

Cheers,

Irish Beth

I’m glad you found the “Oahu’s 5 Best Beaches for Kids Under 5” post so helpful! Two other pages you might find very helpful in planning your trip are, to answer your question first:

1. The Directory of Hotel Babysitter and Vacation Nanny Agencies – It lists services with pre-screened, reference-checked caregivers at destinations around the world, including hotel babysitters on Oahu and other Hawaiian islands.
2. The Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rental Agencies – If you need to rent baby gear on Oahu, from car seat to stroller to pack ‘n play or travel crib and so on, you’ll find agencies ready to help you there.

Have a fabulous time on Oahu!

Related posts and pages:

Pack This! The Pop-up Sun Tent for Family Vacations in Hawaii, Thailand, Mexico, Santa Cruz…

Ask Shelly: How to Help a Baby Adjust to a 9-Hour Time Change?

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.

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Hello Ma’am,

I’m currently stationed in Kodiak, Alaska with the Coast Guard and will be trying to fly home to Michigan with my husband and now 15 month old twins. By the time we go home for Christmas, they will be just shy of 2. One loves to climb and the other loves to figure out how things work like doors, locks, zippers, etc. We are trying to find an item that is twin friendly (or wallet friendly, if we have to buy two) that we can fly with to save on having to buy a pack and play or two while we are in Michigan for 1.5-2 weeks. We will already be traveling with both of their car seats, luggage, and a stroller. We fear for them sleeping on a bed as they are still exploring the quick exit off of tall furniture. I thank you very much in advance and am looking forward to hearing from you and any advice that you might have.

Sincerely,

Felicia

I think there is one very simple solution that I hope fits with your plans, Felicia–rent the travel beds/pack ‘n plays you want for your twins at your destination because:

1) You’ll have two less things to haul on your journey (and airlines typically charge for checking travel cribs/beds, but not for car seats or strollers),

2) You should be able to get a low weekly rental rate–and possibly a special package rate for twins (you might get some other helpful things thrown in), and

3) You’ll have the secure sleeping arrangements for them that will help *YOU* get the rest you need as well (I know what it’s like to spend the night reaching out to make sure pillows and chairs are still where you left them beside someone’s bed!).

I see I currently have listings for Michigan Baby Gear Rentals in the Detroit/Ann Arbor area as well as Traverse City/Northern Michigan, and the West Michigan/Lakeshore area–and I believe at least one of these companies will even MEET YOU AT THE AIRPORT in case the service areas are not a good fit. (Note: We’re in the middle of a HUGE overhaul on the website–I’ll keep an eye out if there are additions to that part of the directory.)

For anyone else needing an inexpensive travel bed for twin toddlers solution, a couple of lighter weight/lighter budget options that might help are:

Inflatable bed rails:

When another bed is available (as it sounds like it might be for you, Felicia), these bed rails inflate quickly and tuck under the fitted sheet. They work especially well when you can push the bed against a wall on one side, but here they come as a $-saving 2-pack, so you’ll be hotel-ready wherever you roam. We tested an earlier version and found them helpful.

Inflatable toddler travel beds:

I’ll say up front I don’t recommend trying to fly with a pair of these domestically on a regular basis, but since I found these available as a “twin set” (price break) on Amazon, and thought you could ship them directly to your destination ahead of time, that would at least save you on flying with them one way. If your destination–or that of anyone reading this–happens to be a relative’s home you will return to over the next couple of years, they could be waiting for a second or even third use!

Hope this helps! Best of luck, and if you get a chance, let us know what you decide! Here are a couple of other pages that might be of interest:

Flying with twins on separate rows (and why you might want to)

Best travel strollers for twins

Previous post: Checklist for getting an airplane bassinet

Recent work elsewhere: When are kids old enough for kayak adventures? and Take Two: A review of Columbia Silver Ridge III convertible pants for kids

Safe journeys,

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

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The post Ask Shelly: Advice on travel beds for twins? appeared first on Travels With Baby.

Here is one of those “million dollar” questions I know many of us face at one time or another, recently posted to the Travels with Baby wall on Facebook:

Hey there – We are flying to Brazil in May. The flight will be from 8pm to 10:30am. Prime sleep time. I’m trying to figure out if our son will get better in sleep in his car seat or lying down with his head in my lap. I think the prior will be more comfortable for me. What’s your experience with this? Trying to survey some seasoned travelers. ;P

In my experience flying redeyes with 3 different kids at different young ages and stages I can say without blushing that, unless you have a crystal ball, there is really no easy answer to this. Sure, your child will be safest flying in his car seat, and you’ll inevitably rest better knowing he’s buckled in and not about to roll off of your lap onto the floor. And I’ve been on flights where it was such a blessing that my child was used to traveling in the car seat and did not think twice about the need to be buckled in during the flight. But I’ve also been on flights where they could settle in to no avail without sprawling over me.

There are, however, some important points to keep in mind that may help you make your “best bet” decision about flying with the car seat for overnight flights—or reserving that precious space for more luxuriant snoozing (at least for your child, but probably not for you as the parent pillow).

Consider your history.

Have you used the car seat in previous flights, and will your child remember and have that expectation of being safely buckled into his seat as you will be to yours? Or has it been long enough in his young life that he won’t remember that detail—or rather, might he remember flying without the expectation of being in a car seat?

Consider the car seat.

Some car seats are simply easier for children to sleep in than others—especially when it comes to forward-facing car seats for toddlers. Does it have a slight recline option when installed facing forward (such as some Britax models, as an example—see other recommended car seats for travel here)? If it doesn’t, might you be able to install the car seat rear-facing for your flight, to allow a little more recline than the upright airplane seat will allow (see “Turn Around Testy Flights with Your Toddler” for more on this concept)? You can also add extra cushioning or a head cradling pillow pre-spritzed with lavender essential oil (see Recommended Car Seat Travel Accessories for more ideas).

Consider your bedtime routine.

One of the easiest ways to get young toddlers to (finally) go to sleep on overnight flights is to mimic the bedtime routine of home as much as possible. Reading books together and snuggling a beloved blanket or lovey translates easily to overnight air travel. For some breastfeeding moms of babies and toddlers, however, the maternal nightcap may be the final sendoff—which may make a much more abrupt transition from lap to car seat and straps, depending on the child’s sensitivity to his surroundings.

The good news is that, whatever your current bedtime routine at home, you have some time to evolve it to one that is more travel-friendly before your May takeoff. Heck, you can even experiment with the car seat during bedtime drives and see how it works out!

Don’t forget the “At the Airport and On the Plane” tips in Travels with  Baby and keep your Take-Along Travels with Baby handy for the “Tips for Helping Babies and Toddlers Sleep on the Airplane” in case you need some ideas to try in flight–and best of luck to you all! [Click here for more posts related to sleep.]

Safe journeys,

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

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PSSST! Have you seen my new blog yet? Visit FamilyTravel411.com!

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

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