Portable car seat for travel/taxis?

U

Unregistered

Guest
I'm about to take a 4-day trip to NYC with my 22 lb. 15 month old. If it was just me, I would hire airport shuttle w/ a car seat and then just walk everywhere with her in the carrier. But, my mother will watch her some days while I'm at a conference. I don't think grandmom has the stamina to get her around walking only. Which leaves taxis, subways or buses. At home, I have the Sunshine Kids Radian, which folds well. But, I don't think grandmom has stamina to lug its weight, baby, stroller and diaper bag, install it in a cab, etc. I don't think subways/busses have the legal requirement, but traveling unrestrained just seems terrifying.

Any ideas? I need something very lightweight, portable and incredibly easy to install. A harness would be my ideal if my baby was a bit older/heavier. ALso, not sure this will come up again so I don't want to spend too much if I can help it -- although safety clearly outweighs budget.

Help!
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I'd look into an infant seat. A Safety 1st onBoard 35, Snugride 35. That way your mom can just install it baseless in taxis and whatnot, and snap it into a stroller when walking about. Does a friend have one you could borrow for the trip?

Wendy
 

jasminegrl

New member
subways dont have seatbelts and im not sure if buses do but i doubt it, you also probably wont have enough time to install a carseat depending on how far you are going nor are you guarenteed a seat you may have to stand.
I like the idea of a infant seat that snaps into a stroller, just remember that alot of subway entrances are stairs no elevators and a stroller will probably need to be collapsed on a bus. I personally would go with a good back carry with a nice structured carrier and an over the shoulder diaper bag or a nice umbrella stroller with a carry strap when folded.
 

gigi

New member
I've been in NYC for over 10 years. If you can get an infant seat your child will fit into still, bring it but don't expect to use it much. What you'll need it for is the flight and the rides to and from airport.

My advice is bring really warm jackets and comfortable shoes for everyone and walk as much as possible. Bring a very light very compact stroller like an umbrella stroller bc you'll be pushing, folding, and carrying it a lot.

It probably won't be worth the trouble to take taxis ( you will be stopping traffic and have lots of dirty looks and honking while installing and un-installing, so keep a thick skin). Busses will be difficult too as you need to completely fold a stroller and carry baby and stroller on separately. There is no way to attach a car seat on a subway or bus.

If you decide to take the subway, get a detailed subway map ( in the most recent version the parks are brown) and know where the elevators are. There aren't very many subway elevators and they are generally extremely gross and reek of urine and filth. If there is no elevator, you'll be carrying your baby, bags, and stroller up and down 2-4 flights of stairs at each station.

In case you are wondering how NYers have babies in the city, they often take them in taxis without restraints. I never did and never would but that is the norm. Most of my friends stick where they live and walk where they need to go. I am lucky to live on a stop with a subway elevator and I've always taken my son all over the place. I am also strong enough to carry my kid, his stroller, and my bags up and down the stairs myself. Life is soooooooo much easier once you ditch the stroller and kid is able to walk everywhere. But you are probably 18 months away from that.
 

aeormsby

New member
If you are going to take a carseat to use while you are there (especially if you are borrowing one) are you able to use it on the plane? Sounds like you probably didn't buy a seat for the baby. I would NOT check a seat on the plane. I would just do public transportation/have your mom stay within walking distance if she doesn't want to attempt public transportation with the stroller.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks for the tips.

I like the idea of the onBoard 35, Snugride 35 and I think they’re more workable than the ideas I was coming up with. The only thing is I don’t have one or have anyplace to borrow one and the price is a bit steep for such limited use. I looked at rental places and didn’t see any like that. I do have the snap and go frame which I used with the regular snugride (which has been passed along to a friend due next week.)

I also have and was planning to bring an umbrella stroller and front/back carrier. I just don’t think my mom has the stamina to carry the baby for a long walk. I can when I’m with them. She may just have to stick to the stroller and go only as far as she can manage.

Yes, she will be a lap baby on the plane. I have heard that the airlines will let you use an approved carseat if they have empty eats (although the last dozen or so flights I’ve been on have all been packed.) I know this is probably really frowned upon here – but for various reasons the plane really does not worry me like a car.

Unless we come up with ta better idea for the airport transport, I was planning to get a car service with a car seat. I’ve done a little searching and come up with a few possibilities.
 

gigi

New member
What airport are you flying into? Where are you staying?

From Laguardia you take a long bus ride into manhattan and then transfer busses once or twice to get to your hotel.

From Kennedy you take a train shuttle to the subway stop then wait for the A train. Depending where your hotel is you might have to transfer in manhattan (pack light bc you'll likely have a lot of stairs).

From Newark, there is a train that goes directly to Penn Station. This is the easiest one. Penn Station has subway elevators, but your destination may not.

I ask bc most of the airports have very difficult public transportation to and from. Your best bet is to arrange that a car service transports you as you can book one with a car seat (there is always a risk of using an unknown seat, of course, but the service I use - Legends - seems to always have new clean seats...you just hope they haven't been in an accident). I always bring my own seats when traveling but if I really had to I'd take the chance on the legends seats.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I'm flying into JFK and staying in Times Square, so it looks like I could take A to Port Authority.

Legends was the top one I found and was considering.

I will pack "light" but its alhard with all the gear. I can wear the same pants for 4 days, but by the time you pack the carrier, stroller, diapers, snacks, warm clothes etc. it seems like it gets bulky no matter what.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
if she can stick to subways and buses, it won't be an issue... no seatbelts.

If, however, there will be the need for a taxi, I'd recommend an infant seat or the combi coccoro.
 

gigi

New member
There is a drug store on every corner in nyc and a TRU with baby section in times square, so don't pack diapers and snacks...you can just buy them here!

You can in fact take the A from close to jfk to close to times square. I'm not sure if there are elevators going up to the platform from the airport shuttle train, but I do know that platform is cold and outside so bundle up! There are elevators in the A stop near times square (42nd street & 8th ave), so you should be good there.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I agree, pack light and buy or rent what you need. Maybe it's cheaper to buy a $13 umbrella stroller at the TRU in Times Square than lug yours. Buy diapers there. Or if you use cloth, bring half of what you normally do and do laundry more often. I can travel with me and both girls for a week, with carseats/boosters with just my carry on and diaper bag, and my older daughter has a small bag.

As for the lap baby, yes, it's frowned upon. It's unsafe to check carseats, and it's unsafe for ME if you have a 20 pound projectile sitting behind me (20 pounds in a 150 mph runway crash is 3,000 pounds coming and hitting me. When I'm then unconscious or dead (2,000 pounds to the head is fatal, 4,000 to the chest is fatal) I cannot get my kids off the plane).

http://www.car-seat.org/showpost.php?p=1554717&postcount=8

Wendy
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
Thanks, again. Good tip on the BRU. I actually lived in NYC in the '90s but that was a whole different life, pre-baby. Times Square was much different then, too, for that matter.

Point taken on flight safety, too. Think I'll call tomm. and see if its possible to add a seat and how much $. But, if not, any value on the Baby B'Air Flight Vest? And/or the Child Aviation Safety Restrain if I do get a seat?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
The Baby B'air is not approved for taxi, take off, or landing. Otherwise, it means your child should at least be relatively near you. So no, not much.

The CARES is better than nothing, but I'd rather a rear facing infant seat for a 15 month old. The CARES will create a four point harness, but it still cannot tighten the lapbelt to the point where it fits a 22 pound child (it usually fits about 35-40 pounds, depending on shape), it won't prevent submarining, it won't give a child somewhere to rest their head and sleep. Also, it tends to pull the lapbelt up right onto the abdomen, where there are no bones to withstand the forces and it's very easy for a child to get internal injuries.

Glad you're looking into another seat. Hopefully there will be something available. Make sure you tell them it's for an infant. Most likely it won't matter, but sometimes you may get surprised with an infant rate.

Wendy
 

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