I'm starting to think I won't be able to bring a car seat at all because of our car. It's a Beetle. The rear-facing convertible has to be short enough to fit in the back seat and almost nothing does. Most infant seats wont' even fit. I will look, but I really don't think I will be able to find one that will both RF and fit my 5 yo on the plane. It will be too tall and I wont' be able to sit in the front seat because it won't fold back. I can't put an extra empty car seat in the Beetle. One would fit in the trunk, but that's all that would fit, no suitcase. There is no middle seat in our car. It's sooooo tiny! I'm probably stuck with borrowing a seat for the baby when we get there and renting one for him in OR and putting DD on the plane in either just a lap belt or a CARES harness. :( On the bright side, I won't have to carry a car seat, I guess. Having to rent a car seat for one week won't be that bad, I hope.
For the drive to the airport, put the baby in the car seat you are bringing with you. Uninstall when you get there and take it. It's a pain, but it gives you the space you need. Same with your 5yo, put in the booster/seat you're taking with you on the trip for the trip to the airport in the beetle.
If you do make it to Oregon without a car seat, I can probably loan you one. I'd hate to see you renting a car seat. Yuck.
There's a local discount chain here called BiMart that carries the Cosco Apt for $44. Maybe one of your relatives could pick that up for you. There are BiMart stores all over the place here, and usually they all carry the same stuff so it should be readily accessible. I'm assuming you're flying into Portland since there aren't that many airports in this state, and flying into any of the other ones is usually very expensive. The lightrail goes right to the airport here, so you wouldn't *necessarily* have to use the car seat immediately. In theory, with some careful planning, you could take lightrail to a location where you could pick up a car seat.
If you do make it to Oregon without a car seat, I can probably loan you one. I'd hate to see you renting a car seat. Yuck.
There's a local discount chain here called BiMart that carries the Cosco Apt for $44. Maybe one of your relatives could pick that up for you. There are BiMart stores all over the place here, and usually they all carry the same stuff so it should be readily accessible. I'm assuming you're flying into Portland since there aren't that many airports in this state, and flying into any of the other ones is usually very expensive. The lightrail goes right to the airport here, so you wouldn't *necessarily* have to use the car seat immediately. In theory, with some careful planning, you could take lightrail to a location where you could pick up a car seat.
My grandmother cannot get the car seat for me. She doesn't drive or leave her home, really and she lives alone. She is our only family in OR. I'd be grateful to borrow yours, but it wouldn't be feasible at all. You'd have to meet us at the airport when our flight arrives before we rent our car. It could be the middle of the night for all I know. I think we may have figured it out, though. :)
But I'd need car seats to put the kids in to get them in the car to go to a store to buy car seats.
For the drive to the airport, put the baby in the car seat you are bringing with you. Uninstall when you get there and take it. It's a pain, but it gives you the space you need. Same with your 5yo, put in the booster/seat you're taking with you on the trip for the trip to the airport in the beetle.
That's what I was trying to explain. I don't think I can. Because the baby would have to be rear-facing and I can't rear-face in a Beetle a car seat that is tall enough to fit a 5 y/o. I can't take a car seat in my car that she would fit in on a plane. She's too tall.
Actually, I could probably put her in that car seat in our car FF and then put her in it on the plane and then use it for the baby RF when we get where we are going. Hmm...now I just need to find a car seat that will fit a very tall 5 y/o that will also RF a 1 yo. We could leave the baby's car seat in the car and just pack her booster in carry-on, deflated.
Is there a car seat that will fit a very tall (95th percentile) 5 yo that is lightweight enough to carry and will also RF a 1 yo?
That's what I was trying to explain. I don't think I can. Because the baby would have to be rear-facing and I can't rear-face in a Beetle a car seat that is tall enough to fit a 5 y/o. I can't take a car seat in my car that she would fit in on a plane. She's too tall.
Actually, I could probably put her in that car seat in our car FF and then put her in it on the plane and then use it for the baby RF when we get where we are going. Hmm...now I just need to find a car seat that will fit a very tall 5 y/o that will also RF a 1 yo. We could leave the baby's car seat in the car and just pack her booster in carry-on, deflated.
No, not the same seat for the 5yo. Whatever seat you are using for the baby on the trip and then the booster for the 5yo. I would not worry at all about a 5 yo in a lap belt on the plane, it's safter statistically then being in a harnessed seat in a car.
Is there a car seat that will fit a very tall (95th percentile) 5 yo that is lightweight enough to carry and will also RF a 1 yo?
Safety First Complete Air may work. It fit my very long torsoed ds at 6yo, barely. Has a tall shell, but you can install it more upright which may help it fit in your beetle.
No, family will be picking us up in TX and my SIL can loan me one of her extra seats. She has 5 kids and 2 cars, so lots of extras.
No, not the same seat for the 5yo. Whatever seat you are using for the baby on the trip and then the booster for the 5yo. I would not worry at all about a 5 yo in a lap belt on the plane, it's safter statistically then being in a harnessed seat in a car.
I can't take it if the 5 yo won't be sitting in it on the plane because I won't gate check the seat and won't have a seat on the plane for the baby.
Is there a car seat that will fit a very tall (95th percentile) 5 yo that is lightweight enough to carry and will also RF a 1 yo?
What is your 5 year old's torso height? (Sit the 5 year old the floor against a wall, and measure the distance from the floor to the top of the child's shoulder).
I can't take it if the 5 yo won't be sitting in it on the plane because I won't gate check the seat and won't have a seat on the plane for the baby.
You can't use a booster on a plane.
You can't use a booster on a plane.
No, the booster would be packed, not used on the plane. We are talking about using the car seat on the plane. The booster is just for the car.
What is your 5 year old's torso height? (Sit the 5 year old the floor against a wall, and measure the distance from the floor to the top of the child's shoulder).
I'm not sure how tall she will be then. It will be in March or June, so I'll have to measure then. I was just wondering if there were any for tall children.
That depends on how tall is tall.
If you measure her now, it could at least rule out a lot of car seats. Of course you'd need to measure again as you get closer.
The Evenflo SureRide might be more widely available by then. It's hard to find right now because it's super new. It has a RF height limit of only 37" which is relatively short, but it is the second-tallest forward facing car seat on the market. I'd be really shocked to find a 5 year old who wouldn't fit in it. It will accommodate a torso height of up to 19". It is supposed to retail for around $90-$100.
What are you planning on using for your baby at home when she outgrows the infant seat? You'll need to find *some* rear-facing car seat to fit in the Beatle.
And what I am saying is bring 1 car seat for the baby, and whatever car seat the will be in you can use in the car on the way to the airport and uninstall to take it with you and bring 1 booster for the 5yo that you put in the overhead bin while your 5yo just sits in the plane lapbelt.
And what I am saying is bring 1 car seat for the baby, and whatever car seat the will be in you can use in the car on the way to the airport and uninstall to take it with you and bring 1 booster for the 5yo that you put in the overhead bin while your 5yo just sits in the plane lapbelt.
The baby will, very unfortunately, not have a seat of his own. :(
Just a thought but how important it it for the seat to fit the 5 year old correctly if it's being used on a plane?
I mean obviously they have to be comfortable in in but my kids were still comfortable their car seats when they were a bit too tall (i.e. harness was below their shoulders). I would not have want to use a seat that didn't fit in the car but I would personally be tempted to use a too small seat on a plane rather than have the kids climbing around.
The baby will, very unfortunately, not have a seat of his own. :(
Ah, gotcha. Then the best method to get the baby's seat to your destination if the 5yo can't use it safely is to check it in the original box it was shipped in (or bought in from the store) as luggage rather than gate checking it unprotected.
Just a thought but how important it it for the seat to fit the 5 year old correctly if it's being used on a plane?
I mean obviously they have to be comfortable in in but my kids were still comfortable their car seats when they were a bit too tall (i.e. harness was below their shoulders). I would not have want to use a seat that didn't fit in the car but I would personally be tempted to use a too small seat on a plane rather than have the kids climbing around.
I agree with this. The forces aren't going to be the same on an airplane, and the seat isn't going to provide the same sort of protection it does in the car, whether it fits or not. So I think it's less about if it "fits properly" for the 5 year old and more about how to get both kid and seat there safest. If it's comfortable enough to sit in, I wouldn't worry about height etc. on an airplane.
That is a really good question! My main concern would be the strength of the seat. If the 5 y/o is too tall for it, that might not be a huge deal, but what if she's too heavy? If the buckles, straps or plastic back of the seat are only strong enough up to 35 lbs and she weighs, say 50 (just making that up, I have no idea how much she weighs), then the seat might break in a crash whereas the lap belt would hold.
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