Car Seat for Toddler Question...

Old Nov 15th, 2008, 01:55 PM
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Car Seat for Toddler Question...

We are planning to head down to the Ritz Carlton in St. Thomas for a long weekend in early '09. Haven't booked it yet. We'll be bringing our 2 1/2 year old with us and are concerned about getting to/from the airport to the hotel. Should we bring our own carseat and install it in a taxi? Does anyone know if the Ritz would provide transport to/from the airport with a carseat? I could definitely call them.. but we haven't booked yet. Just wondering what other parents of toddlers have done. Once we are at the resort, we don't plan to leave. Just concerned about getting to/from. Thanks!
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Old Nov 17th, 2008, 10:35 AM
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Jennymary, we have found that when we're in the caribbean,I just hold our daughter on my lap in the taxi. We took her this past summerlast to bermuda and she was 2 1/2 and i just held her. I'm sure you could install your car seat in a taxi, but i'm not sure how feasible that's going to be the entire trip. You can definitely call the Ritz, but i will be shocked if they provide a car with a carseat installed.
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Old Nov 17th, 2008, 12:32 PM
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Thanks so much for your comment. I'm just paranoid about holding her on my lap.. even though I'm sure it would be totally fine. I've heard you need to bring your carseat on the plane if you're traveling with a toddler. I think different airlines have different rules. I still need to do my research. We've never travelled on a plane with her before. If that's the case, we'll just bring it. We'll be spending all of our time at the resort.. and will only be in a taxi to/from the airport.

Does anyone else have any advice?
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Old Nov 17th, 2008, 01:54 PM
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when my DD was first out of the bucket- at about a year b/c we had the graceco safeseat, I bought the Sit n stroll which is a car seat that has the wheels come out of it so you can also use it sort of as a stroller. It was great when we traveled to florida and needed a car seat. we used it as such on the plane and in the car. Then one trip to bermuda we knew we wouldn't use the car seat and it was very bulky and someone on this site recommended the Cares harness. I got that too and i love that- much easier on a plane than a carseat and it's supposed to be just as safe. Also, with the sit n stroll, my DD could kick the seat in front of her but couldn't with the CARES.

this winter we are going to FL again and I'm considerng checking a car seat and using the CARES on the flight. I sort of regret shelling out the $$ for the sit n stroll.
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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 05:24 AM
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If you hold a toddler on your lap in a taxi, everything will be fine...unless the taxi driver has an accident. If he does, no matter how strong you are, there is absolutely zero chance that you will be able to hold onto your child and there is a very good chance that he/she will go through the windshield. Not a chance that I would want to take. I have heard of people holding their child on their lap and putting the seatbelt around both of them. This is also a terrible idea because, in an accident, the force of an adult being pushed forward would crush the kid. My advice is to pack a booster seat in a duffel bag and check it with your luggage. By the way, contrary to popular belief, most islands do have seat belt and car seat laws.
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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 05:37 AM
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Doesn't the Cares Harness prevent the person behind you from using the tray table in a plane??

Also, if I remember correctly, the Cares wraps around the seat, something that you can't do in the backseat of a taxi.

Am I wrong?

I had considered this for my grandson, but it doesn't seem to be the answer.

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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 06:38 AM
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I highly recommend a convertible carseat/stroller like TriplePlay which we used for our daughter from age 2 to 4 and it was absolutely a lifesaver while traveling. It is very well-made and convenient. The handle and wheels come out and retract right into the seat. It fits down the aisle of most planes and fits right onto the seat. Check it out on the internet. It's pretty comfortable. If your child is 2, you can still hold him/her on your lap in the plane (won't have to pay!). I don't know about yours, but mine was all over my lap anyway. We would roll right up to the plane door, the flight attendant will stow it away for you if you don't want to use it on the plane, and then you get it on your way off the plane. In taxis, it is not required to have a seat, but we had the convertible seat which is very quick and easy. Plus, it converts into a stroller so you're not struggling to keep your kid from running off and managing the luggage at the same time. It was so convenient, I used it often when shopping back home. Best $200 investment I ever made in kid equipment. I just gave ours to a friend because it's still in excellent condition despite much mileage.
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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 08:31 AM
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The triple play is like the sit n stroll we got. The problem is, it's not the best stroller. so if you bring it in the cab with you and also bring a stroller, it's alot. Also, installing them, at least for me, isn't quite a snap, so to put it into a cab each time was not really feasible.

The cares was fine on the plane- we didn't have an issue with the person using their tray. Maybe on some planes, but on most, you install it under the tray table and the person can open and shut it as they wish.
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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 09:55 AM
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Thanks everyone! I think we may just bring our carseat and install it on the plane... we're planning to purchase her a seat anyway. DH can then install it into a taxi at the airport. We already have a very expensive stroller.. and since we rarely travel with her, I'd hate to invest in another stroller just for this trip. We probably won't get on a plane again for awhile.
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Old Nov 18th, 2008, 10:03 AM
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Also, just an FYI, children may fly free UP to 2. But once they turn 2 you must purchase them a ticket. I'm sure you knew that, but i wanted to clarify an earlier post.

have a wonderful trip!
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Old Nov 19th, 2008, 06:21 AM
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Back in September, we took our grandkids to Disney. Your own car seat is allowed on the plane but IT MUST BE FAA APPROVED and they check the tag to see that it is. Simply take the taxi seat belt around the seat, the seat has it's own harness.
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Old Nov 19th, 2008, 10:06 AM
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Thanks... I'm thinking it must be FAA approved.. the carseat is the Britax Marathon.. but I'll double-check.
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Old Nov 19th, 2008, 10:30 AM
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we have the britax marathon and it is FAA approved.
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 08:56 AM
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emcash: Thanks!
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Old Mar 20th, 2009, 03:18 AM
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icoobaby- this site does not allow advertising. Also, the link you posted is to a stroller which isn't what the originaly poster was looking for.

For those still looking for alternatives for car seats when travelling, i recently ordered the following, but haven't tried it out yet. I don't worry so much when travelling in the Carribean, but we're goign to FLA soon and will be using a car service from PBI to Boca and i wanted something for my dd to have that was like a carseat. It is called a Ride Safer travel vest. here's the link:

http://www.safetrafficsystem.com/

The small fits children from about 3 (35 pounds) on. again, i havent tried it yet, but look forward to doing so in May.
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Old Jun 1st, 2009, 10:00 PM
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Not all taxis will have the facility to accommodate you child's car seat. So you need to take necessary precautions while going on a trips for long drives. Britax car seats are good and can be easily installed in your car but its a bit costlier while comparing to other car seats.
http://hubpages.com/hub/carseats
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Old Jun 2nd, 2009, 09:58 PM
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Carrying a stroller inside a cab or taxi is not very easy. We need to install them properly. There should be enough space to accommodate a safety 1st car seat into a taxi. Front facing car seats will be good.
http://www.zimbio.com/Car+Seats/arti...+Seat?add=True
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Old Jun 4th, 2009, 05:03 AM
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The Britax car seats are reliable and approved car seats.They are feasible for travel in the plane. So better have a brtiax car seat. There are many models available in Britax. you need to choose the car seats according to the requirements.
http://carseats.wetpaint.com/
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Old Jun 9th, 2009, 02:59 PM
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Boosters are actually NOT for those under 3. Car seats are recommended for children under a certain height and age limit. Boosters are for bigger kids who still need some support.
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Old Jun 12th, 2009, 03:04 AM
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You should absolutely use a car seat every single time you step into the car with your child. The very best and safest car seats are as good as the installation of them. Parents should take the time to make sure the number one fact to remember is the installation of your baby car seats. By doing so you are making sure your child will travel in a safe manor while being as comfortable as they can be in the car seat.
http://www.dependable-car-seats.com/...t-reviews.html
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