Taking DD on her first flight in 3 weeks... Car seat questions!

Hellooo

DD and I are going for our first out of town adventure. The seat DD uses is the Recaro ProRide. That thing weighs what feels like a good 40 pounds and I am NOT going to lug it through the airport while lugging her 21 pound self and our bags. Any suggestions? She will be sitting on my lap and I have NO idea what they do for seats there for kids who aren't sitting in them.. check it or what? Should I just pick up a Scenera or the cheap evenflow one (titan? i think). I could bust out the SR but we will be riding around once we get there in the rental and she HATES that thing.

I wish car rental places stocked 1ft long pool noodles too because I'm sure I'll have to bring one of those lol!

Any tips or anything would be appreciated! First time ever traveling with a baby but luckily going to visit my sister and my 1 year old niece so she is only a few months older than DD and has all the necessities other than a spare seat.

I would have a seat waiting for you if you aren't going to harness her on the flight. You have seen how baggage handlers throw stuff around, I am sure.

Thanks Judi, I thought of just sending her the $ to pick me up a seat but then I have to bring it home anyway and it would be my "airplane / travel seat"... Maybe I could pad the seat in the carrying bag with some blankets or something so it won't get totally banged up.. :-/ I don't know.

Or I guess leave it there and gift it to my niece lol but then I'll have to buy a new one every time I go somewhere. We are planning to fly to Michigan in november so that would suck to buy another one next month.

I'd buy a Scenera and a ticket. I'd always buy a ticket, as there can be emergencies where it's important that your baby is restrained, it's important to those around you to not be hit by a baby projectile (flight attendants call them lap rockets), and it's important to be able to know your baby will be at your side after an emergency is over, not six rows up in an overhead compartment as the plane fills with smoke. These have slim chances of happening, for sure, but if a $400 ticket could prevent me from indirectly killing someone else via my baby's body, or literally losing my baby in the mess afterward, money well spent.

It's also far more comfortable and easier to travel with a carseat. I have someplace for Laine to sleep where I won't wake her every time I move, I have room for my snacks and drink, I can read and use the rest room with her safely tucked away. I don't have to worry about a wiggly nonverbal baby who doesn't get, "Because the seatbelt light is on," and have to hold her while she screams because she wants to crawl or walk. Imagine sitting on your sofa with your child with only as much room as your elbows and knees have for the duration of your flight. Don't let your child down, get up once every two hours to change diapers/use the rest room/walk around your floor. Have someone hand you a drink in a wide open cup half way through and a little tiny bag of peanuts. Try to eat them and drink it without spilling anything with your toddler on your lap. Besides all of the safety aspects of buying your child their own ticket, it's just SO much more comfortable to do so.

Also, the FAA recommends using a restraint on board until your child is 40 pounds. http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/ "Did you know the safest place for your little one during turbulence or an emergency is in a government-approved child restraint system (CRS) or device, not on your lap?" First paragraph on that page.

So, I would buy something and travel with it, bring it to the gate, and hope to heck there's an empty seat you can use. If not, bring the original box for the seat and gate check it that way. If it's a Scenera and comes in a bag, pad it as best you can and throw it out when you get home, since I'd consider it trashed.

The safest way to travel with a child, as the FAA says, is in a carseat on board the plane. And unlike the car, it's not just her life that's at stake. It's those around you.

Food for thought. Can you buy a ticket?

Wendy

I would make sure she has her own seat on the next flight.

Find out if the flight is full. Be really nice at check-in and ask if possible, if you can get an extra place to use your car seat in.

I'd buy a Scenera and take it to the gate. It's better, though no guarantee, to GATE check your seat. Luggage checking risks loss and damage. The chances of your seat going to the wrong city are better than anything going wrong on the flight itself.

To transport the seat to the gate, you have quite a few options. Some parents get creative with their stroller and a few bungee cords. I used a metal luggage cart which I pulled behind me (ditched the stroller, family would borrow one for me). There are gizmos to carry your car seat on your back (check Amazon). Also attach it to a rolly bag, but I really don't think that's a good idea (rolly bag handles breaking under the extra weight, the fact that rolly bags make BAD carry-on's when traveling with a baby).

A good baby carrier is key to traveling easier with a baby. Front packs like the Baby Bjorn are next to worthless. Get something comfortable that's easy to take on or off. Make sure your baby though is LOOSE in your lap for take-off and landing. Either remove the baby or detach the carrier from you.

Those are non-commercial tips in my siggy below, if you click on the link.