Some questions about travelling with the baby...

We are going to Disney in August and there are some things that DH and I are wondering about.

We don't know whether or not we should bring her carseat with us. We haven't decided yet if we'll get her her own seat on the flight. If we do, we'll use the carseat, if not we want to get that vest from onestepahead.com.

Also, can we trust/rely on a carseat being provided by the car rental company? Are their seats up to date, installed properly. How do we know if it's ever been in an accident? Does anyone have experience with this?

I'm also wondering what the sleeping situation will be like in the hotel. I am thinking that we'll have to go to sleep when she does, since she'll be in the same room with us and I can't imagine her sleeping while we're still up talking and being noisy. Yet I don't really want to go to bed at 8:30 every night. My whole family will be there --- in surrounding rooms, mom, dad, sisters, etc. so I guess one of us can leave the room at a time to go and socialize with the others.

Do we bring the pack n play with us, or ask the hotel for a travel crib? I definately don't think she'll sleep in the bed with us since she doesn't even like doing that at home. She likes her own space.


She will be 22 months on the trip --- not sure if this helps with answering any of the questions.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

We just came back from a week long trip. Here's what I learned. The car seats are CRAP! We arrived at what was 3 am our time - THANKFULLY DDs were not crying or cranky. DH and I were installing carseats from about 1985 for 45 minutes (and what felt like an eternity)!!!! They will not and cannot help you - due to liability issues. They did not provide us with a booklet either. This was Thrifty - I've heard some other places may do it.

As for sleeping in the hotel, the hotel provided us with the pack 'n plays - I brought my own sheets. We got a suite so we could fit two. We also had a balcony outside our room - maybe you can bring wine in and sit outside? Or like you said go hang out with your family members (bring a monitor if you can). We were lucky in that DDs slept at the restaurant so we just brought them back to the hotel and they went to sleep immediately. We were up early doing things so it didn't really bother us to go to sleep early.

You're smart to ask these questions now. I didn't think of any of this before we left!!!! Good luck and have fun!

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

And we'll actually be staying in my parents' time shares....I don't know the layout, but we'll have our own "condo" and so I'm sure we'll have a living room...DH and I just thought of that when we were talking about it. So the sleeping situation might not be that bad.

We'll probably rent from Enterprise, since that's where we always rent from....but I've heard horror stories about the car seats from rental car places.

I don't really want to bring the stroller, carseat, and pack n play all on the plane though, you know? I don't even know if she'll sleep in the pack n play. My FIL has had one for over a year and she NEVER ever sleeps in it.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

I know - that's why we didn't even consider bringing the car seats. We brought the stroller - that was enough. At first DDs were like where are we (in the pack 'n plays) but by the second night they were fine! As I always say, if she's tired, she'll sleep!


ETA: If you can somehow bring a car seat I would. I hated the entire car seat installation experience!

Message edited 5/5/2007 9:54:44 PM.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Posted by FireIslandLove

I know - that's why we didn't even consider bringing the car seats. We brought the stroller - that was enough. At first DDs were like where are we (in the pack 'n plays) but by the second night they were fine! As I always say, if she's tired, she'll sleep!


ETA: If you can somehow bring a car seat I would. I hated the entire car seat installation experience!

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

We bought a cheaper monitor to take with us when we travel (we got it at kohls, its a fisher price one, we had a 30% off coupon at the time, so it wound up being like 25 bucks or so...)....we also use it in the house if dd falls asleep in the swing (as an example) - if the room is next door, could you do that....or would you be comfortable with it?

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

we travelled with Aly at 3 1/2 months old and I was not happy with the hotel crib....the mattress was more like a foam pad. Nah-ah.

She slept in the bed between us.

My friend takes thos little fold out couches with her to Sesame Place for her little ones and they love it since it's familiar and comfy.

The other things I have no advice on since we only drove to NY

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Ok- we have travelled a bunch with RJ- so I have some tips for ya'

I dont ever buy RJ a seat- however- I do bring my carseat with me... when I check in- I ask if there is any empty rows in which all 3 seats are empty- if yes I ask them to switch us to that row.. (most times if they see you have an infant on lap, they switch it before you even ask) At that point I either check my carseat or bring it on with me..Either way in the end you have your carseat with you for your rental car!

FOr us- RJ wont sit in his carseat on the plane- I bring plenty of snacks (mostly junk to be bribed with ) crayons, or whatever... Even if you dont bring the carseat on- Emily can still sit there and play while the safety belt sign isnt on!!!

If there are no empty rows- well then its a little uncomfy-(not so uncomfy that its worth paying the extra $200+ for the seat though) At that point sit on the end and just play with her (No matter what I would try and book flights that are around her nap time, bed time or whatever)

RJ wont sleep in a pack-n-play... I ask for the hotel crib but bring my own sheets... Since we co-sleep he never really ends up using it for anything other than naps... As far as going to bed thing... well I dont get to sleep when he does- BUT I do get in my jammies and lay down in bed and watch TV ... Im usually exhauted by his bedtime anyway...

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

We traveled with DD at all different ages.. wehn she was under a year we went to Fl . We have an Apt there so DD sleeps in the Dining room in a pack an dplay.. If you take a comforter or a really mushy blanket and place it unfer the mat before you put the sheet on it is more Comfortable for kids. When she was 23 months we drove to Fl and she stayed in hotel cribs and one place had a pack and play. we just put her on the bed untill she passed out and then moved her to a crib.

Also.. we bought her a seat from 1.5 years on.. it is just more comfortable.. You have to anyway once they are 2. Also bring your mown car seat.. We have a cheaper version then bringing my Britax, we used the Graco from Dh car and it worked out fine. The first two times we checked it and the other we put it right in the place.

ETA
Bring something familar from home DD does not have a "favorite" stuffed anomal so i trvel with an entouage.. she must have 9 "friends " that i have to take with me even when we go and say at other peoples houses...

Message edited 5/6/2007 12:07:41 AM.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

You can rent baby equipment from A Baby's Best Friend if you don't want to lug yours there. They are a rental company in Orlando.

http://www.abbf.com/


That vest isn't approved to be used for take off or landing (the most dangerous times during a flight), so I wouldn't waste your money.

As for the carseat. I personally would bring my own. Those carseats are used by thousands of kids which I think is kind of icky. I've heard it's hit or miss. You can get a really cruddy one, or a good one. You can just gate check it or check it with your luggage.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Bring the carseat for the rental car. I've learned to putting Jack in the carseat on the plane is a disaster...too restircting. He does much better just sitting in the seat or standing on the floor and using the seat to color, eat snacks, etc.

If you are worried about your nice Britax seat getting broken, I would pick up a less expensive car seat to take with you. We travel often and have found this to be great. That way it is much lighter than lugging our huge seat, it meets saftey standards and there is no worry about it getting distroyed. I recently bought this one at Target since it was cheaper than the $50 car seat bag I was going to buy. Best decision ever.

Car Seat

For us, this car seat works rear facing for Molly or front facing for Jack so it is wonderful!

Message edited 5/6/2007 9:03:46 AM.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Definitely bring the carseat. What's safer than her own seat on the plane? Her her own seat in the rental car? This would not be up for discussion for me. I traveled with my DD last summer when she was around the same age and I was so glad I had her seat. I had peace of mind for the entire trip (although hauling that Marathon and an almost 2 year old through the airport was no fun, people dont really care and push past you anyway) and the plane ride was so easy. I wouldn't trust the car rental seats. You really have no idea how often they are replaced, cleaned, who sat in them, etc. The PnP would be less of an issue IMO. Since she's not a tiny baby, she could easily sleep with you if the hotel crib was unacceptable.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

We are bringing our own carseats next month. There is no way I would trust my DC's life with a rental car seat. We also always buy a seat for both DC, even when they don't have to legally have one (DD will be just over 1). I've heard too many stories of babies getting hurt when surprise turbulence hits, and the baby falls. Not worth the $200 savings, IMO. Plus, you can't always guarantee that there will be an empty seat. I've been on quite a few booked flights. For our trip, we are shipping a lot of our stuff beforehand, so we won't have too much stuff. We are bringing our own pack and play this time. We were contemplating just buying one when we get to our destination, since at $10/night, it would be cheaper to buy one, then donate it, rather than rent one.
We try to get a suite, so one or both of the DC can be in a different room than us. We also bring a monitor so we can leave the room. Our monitor has an "out of range" alarm, so if we go too far, it lets us know. If you are able to get to the lobby and still be in range, that would be ideal. Sometimes, the elevator area has some seats you could hang out in.

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Re: Some questions about travelling with the baby...

Posted by Summerrluvv

We try to get a suite, so one or both of the DC can be in a different room than us. We also bring a monitor so we can leave the room. Our monitor has an "out of range" alarm, so if we go too far, it lets us know. If you are able to get to the lobby and still be in range, that would be ideal. Sometimes, the elevator area has some seats you could hang out in.

Not trying to judge or offend, but you really leave the kids in the room alone and go to the lobby to hang out? Yikes. A fire can break out in an INSTANT, amongst other bad things. I definately would rethink that. Especially coming from someone that seems to be so in tune with carseat/airline safety.