Neck issues--flying alone w/5 y.o.-- Best carseat scenario?

I'm not new to traveling with a child as my son is nearly 5 and we've been back and forth to Europe 3 times so far and also have done several domestic flights, all with car seats.

Lugging along our heavy car seat has never been a problem because, well, my husband can lug; he's a good lugger. This summer however I need to travel with my son alone (husband joining us later, so only one leg of trip will be the problem). I have precarious disc issues in my neck and can not only not carry heavy things through an airport, it would also be difficult and inadvisable for me to maneuver a heavy car seat into position even after I manage to figure out how to wheel it through the airport to the plane.

Last overseas trip we bought an extra Nautilus (we have one in our car also) and took it with us on the plane, then used it as our carseat while in Europe. This trip we were thinking we'd buy a padded carseat thingy and just check the seat and hope for the best. Surely a tall nearly 5 year old is old enough to be restrained with a normal lap belt?

However, after reading bunches of posts here about how likely it would be (very) that our carseat would be damaged, I'd prefer not to do this unless I just have to.

So I feel like we have two choices (if we don't check the seat.):

1. Take our very heavy Nautilus
Problem: I have to figure out a way to lug and maneuver this thing. I hope a flight attendant will help me lift and position it. I'm wondering though, people who buy foldable handcarts/pushcarts, etc. to transport their luggage/car seat through the airport--what do you do with it when you get to the plane? Surely they don't let you take the cart onboard?

2. Buy a light car seat
A Scenera? A Maestro? My son is 42 lbs and 44 inches tall. Would either fit him? Which is easiest to install? Which is more comfortable? (People that have used these seats, have their kids complained about them not being as padded, etc. as seats they are used to?)

I would greatly appreciate any advice anyone could give re: how I might manage this without hurting my neck (by not lifting anything heavy) but also making sure that I've got an option that is safest for my son both in the air and on the German Autobahn once we get there.

Thanks!

At nearly 5 and over 40 pounds, I would pack a booster. The high back part can be packed in the main luggage and the low back part can be in your carry on. (So you at least have the low back if your luggage is lost or delayed.) Or buy a Bubble Bum.

Can you check out the Maestro in store? It might be light enough but I'd want to check out how much harness room he'd have.

A booster? So he's old enough for one of those now? I think I'm planning to keep him in a five point harness until he's 25 years old, but it's nice to know what my options are in a pinch.

(If anyone has any recommendations for boosters that are especially easy to take apart and a good size for suitcase-stuffing please feel free to chime in!)

I'm inexperienced with the world of boosters. (I think our Nautilus converts to one, doesn't it? But we were asked if we could take it apart to get it through an xray scanner and we for the life of us couldn't. So I guess I would need to buy another seat? I need to research this...)

I would get a Graco Turbo Booster for travel needs. It comes apart very easily, fits smaller kids well, and is lightweight.

Has anyone actually done this? I mean, would the booster part even fit into a carry-on suitcase? Yes, I can get measurements and try to figure this out, but just wondering if someone has already done this successfully (or not).

What do most of you do when flying with a 5 year old?

Now I'm reading up on the Graco Turbo Booster and am finding some people saying that younger kids don't adjust well to boosters so starting them on one on a trip might not be a good idea. (Arguments were younger kids are wiggly, there isn't support if they fall asleep, etc.)

So any feedback on that from anyone?

I haven't flown with my kids so I can't comment on that. The Maestro has about the same top harness height as the nautilus so if he fits it, he will fit the Maestro. My DS is almost 5. I would be ok with him in a high back booster like the turbo only if there was an adult to watch him besides the driver. He is too squirmy to sit right otherwise or for long drives. Short distances with close supervision, he would do alright. A no back booster would not be ok for my ds.

Thanks, MommyShannon. I'm not sure how my DS would do in the Graco TB. He isn't that wiggly, but also doesn't have much opportunity to be while strapped into a 5 pt harness. I was leaning toward the TBooster but now I don't know what to do.

What I don't like most about the Maestro is I'm still disturbed by that recall they had not too long ago. It seemed to be for a fairly major defect (one you would have expected the company to catch.) So it raises the question for me if EF has high testing standards for its products?

the Maestros also don't have much padding and I worry if it will be comfortable. The two cupholders would be a plus for him, though! The Maestro has two main selling points for me: 1) it is affordable and 2) it is LIGHT.

Here is the back portion of a Turbo in a suitcase: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...01779285.80174.217167041676889&type=3&theater At its shortest it fits easily into a large standard sized suit case. It adjusts upward in height as needed once attached to the bottom.

The seat part fits easily into a bag that can be carried on. It's lightweight. They're pretty inexpensive - any chance you could get one now and try him in it at home before making a decision? Make sure to put the screws in the arm rests if so.

I travel with a folding luggage cart and I certainly do roll right onto the plane. Once I'm at my seat, I fold it up and stow it in the overhead bins, or under the seat in front of me. It's small when folded.

Thanks, Jen. I like your idea about trying it out ahead of time. That's one way to find out! (And if it doesn't work we can either return it or hold onto it as an emergency seat for when he gets a bit older.)

This option (Graco TB) sounds ideal IF my son likes this seat and if it fits him well. It gives me the best of all worlds. (Well, not the best since he won't have his car seat on the plane but other than that.)

Whatever extra car seat I take over there I'm going to LEAVE it this time since we go every year. I don't know why we didn't leave the Nautilus there last year.

I also appreciate your feedback on the luggage cart/hand truck thingy, that you DO take it on board the plane. That is an item that might be very helpful for me no matter what car seat option I choose! (Which particular brand or type do you use?)

The luggage cart I have was about $18 at Walmart - it's lasted well through many trips, although mine is not sturdy enough to double as a stroller once the car seat is attached. I just use it for stuff. It is so handy for traveling that I think it would be great for you to use if you end up taking a harnessed seat. If you do take the Nautilus I'm not sure it's narrow enough to actually fit down the aisle while on the cart - but I have always been offered help when I have car seats, I just usually decline it.

I realize my link above likely doesn't work, so here's the pic.

If you will only use it there, is there someone who could get you a seat there and meet you at the airport with it?

That would be a great idea were it not for me leaving in a week. (Originally we were all traveling together, husband too, so the car seat wasn't an issue. Last minute work-related travel change for my husband.) Meeting us on the other end is an elderly grandma and I hate to ask her to go car seat hunting. There is a sister in law I could ask, but she wasn't going to be meeting us at the airport so would have to buy it and arrange to pass it to grandma. Also, I looked online at German car seats and am a bit disoriented as to which to pick plus they all seem really expensive, even the boostery looking ones.

So it's a great idea, but there are obstacles.

Hmmm...that TBooster back fits in the suitcase but there isn't much room for much else is there?

There would be room on top of and underneath it.

A Maestro on a luggage cart is also a decent choice.

So is a Ride Safer Travel Vest.

We got a Bubble Bum for travel with our 4 year old and it worked surprisingly well, though it was just for 2 taxi rides. This was the first time she'd used a booster of any sort, so we did a "dry run" in our neighborhood.

This would certainly be your lightest weight option. If you're doing extended touring on the autobahn you might be more comfortable with a HBB

ResearchMama said:

Has anyone actually done this? I mean, would the booster part even fit into a carry-on suitcase? Yes, I can get measurements and try to figure this out, but just wondering if someone has already done this successfully (or not).

What do most of you do when flying with a 5 year old?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if anyone answered this question yet. I don't think the highback portion of the booster will fit in the carry-on suitcase. It definitely fits in our larger suitcases, but it took up too much space in the bag. I was only checking two bags for a 3wk trip for 4 people so I needed space for our clothes - and we were traveling with two booster seats for our twins.

With the no back portion of the booster seat, we had the children carry it on as their personal item. I didn't find a bag that worked well for carry the nbb. Once we were on the plane, we put the nbb either under the seat in front of the kids or in the overhead bin.

I think the RSTV would be a good option for you too... [ame="http://www.amazon.com/RideSafer-Car-Seat-Travel-Vest/dp/B000KCV61U"]Amazon.com: RideSafer Car Seat Travel Vest - Size Small 30 - 60 lb and 34 - 52 Inches - Blue: Baby[/ame]

@Pixelated, The graco booster that fits in a checked suitcase is not the turbo booster right, just the high-back booster? (Target doesn't carry the regular high back booster in stock so the only one I can see in person and buy quickly is the TB.)

The RSTV I think would frustrate my son because he wouldn't be sitting high enough to look out the window.

I'm so glad to be made aware of the BubbleBum--what a great product. Might not be the fix-all for this situation but I"m going to order one to have on hand!

The high backed booster that Graco makes is the Turbo Booster.

When we went to Target today there were two seats called "Graco Turbobooster". One was "Graco Highback Turbobooster" and the other was "Graco Highback Turbobooster featuring Safety Surround". They are quite different. Height is the same but the "safety surround" version has large wing-like projections on the side, not just around the head. My son did NOT like this one (the safety surround one) so it's good we went to try it out. Unfortunately the other, which looks like it is being phased out, was still on display but not in stock.

What I'm assuming is the older model also looks like it would fit more easily into a suitcase.

The Safety Surround is currently a Target exclusive. Everywhere else still has the non-SS model. I just bought one at Costco for $33.