To be worried about travelling with baby

[Zoomania]

First time starting a thread so please be gentle! I am going away on a package holiday to Europe soon and it includes coach transfers. To sort out our own car hire and car seat package would add nearly 500 pounds to the holiday and is not something we could easily afford.

Everyone I have spoken to, including the holiday company says our 1 yr old will sit on our lap for the 2.5hr coach transfer. Coaches do not have three point harnesses to attach a car seat to and baby would not be allocated a seat.

Aibu to be anxious about a toddler not strapped in on a coach potentially travelling 70mph? DH also uneasy but generally more relaxed about things and has come up with idea of strapping himself in and putting baby in baby Bjorn carrier on his front so strapped to him. (Can't imagine wriggly toddler happy with that for 2.5hrs but fingers crossed for sleep!) in laws think I am worrying needlessly!

What would you do?

Thanks

[Justforlaughs]

It's not something I would be comfortable with myself, but I know lots of people will feel otherwise. When we took our toddlers on a coach I insisted that they had their own seats and we had car seats that fitted in with lapbelts but I know that isn't an option in your case.

[RichardSimmonsTankTop]

I'm not sure you have much option other than to go with it, although maybe someone will come up with a better suggestion!

We travel a lot and took DD backpacking at 13 months, we just put her in her sling on coach trips and although she's a wriggly one she didn't seem to mind and would usually fall asleep.

[ramblingmum]

Have you asked if they can have their own seat on the coach for a supplement?

[Zoomania]

Thanks everyone, helpful to know about the sling working for you tanktop and others' opinions.

We could try asking again about booking another seat but from experience these transfer buses are usually totally full.

I keep telling myself that an experienced coach driver is likely to be safer than us trying to drive up mountainous roads in an unfamiliar car but I am glad I am not the only one who would worry. My inlaws think I am mad for worrying about safety all the time and I start to wonder if IABU!

[RichardSimmonsTankTop]

Having just seen you might be travelling on winding roads, I also recommend taking a load of plastic bags and wet wipes. Even though DD is a good traveller on every other mode of transport she gets sick on buses. Which we discovered to our detriment on our first bus trip in a hot country ... not nice for poor vomit-covered DH or for the other passengers who had to endure our stench for four hours.

[Rosa]

Could you not ask for a private transfer - costing less but it will just be for you. many private comps do also have car seats. Where are you going to?

[SteIIaBeIIa]

I wouldn't want to be on a coach myself without a seat belt so personally wouldn't even consider allowing a child in my care to be exposed to that potential danger. Maybe that's just me though.

[space21]

Accidentally borrow the lap belt from the plane and use that. Then return it when you get you flight home. My BIL put one in my bag by mistake and the airline were not bothered when I returned it on my homeward flight.

I'm not advocating stealing btw

[space21]

Accidentally borrow the lap belt from the plane and use that. Then return it when you get you flight home. My BIL put one in my bag by mistake and the airline were not bothered when I returned it on my homeward flight.

I'm not advocating stealing btw

[Zoomania]

Unfortunately lap belts are more dangerous in a little one as they put pressure across the abdomen otherwise coach lap belt would do!

[13Iggis]

I don't have any advice but wanted to say I share your concerns - one of the reasons we haven't flown abroad yet!
Interesting about lap-belts - presumably the airlines feel they are safer than being belt-less, since they insist you use them for take off/landing with kids.

[SolomanDaisy]

I would book a private transfer, way cheaper than car hire etc.. There is no way I would want to do that coach journey with a 1 year-old. Though actually, I have done similar on a train.

[Zoomania]

I only know lap belts aren't safe in cars. I think planes are different ?as it is more likely to be turbulence than sudden braking.

Will make enquiries re private transfer costs with child seat. Thanks.

[specialsubject]

I think strapping the baby to an adult is actually MORE dangerous - if there is a crash the adult can crush the baby.

coach crashes are very rare and most modern foreign coaches have lap seat belts - although in my experience as a rep many people don't use them. As you note, these belts won't hold a car seat. Abroad is different from the UK.

the private transfer will be in a taxi and if you are thinking safety, from my experience - take the coach. That is the big, solid vehicle driven by a qualified driver who is on controlled hours.

[specialsubject]

ps also note the interesting post about how crash forces are considered in coach design.

[poocatcherchampion]

Yep. I can't get past this either. Not sure how we would manage a package holiday. Annoying.

But I do know that others do.

[Fairylea]

I wouldn't be happy at all. I think I'd have to book a private transfer and either take a car seat or ensure they had one, even if it cost me money I didn't have!

If something happened I'd be kicking myself I didn't book something else.

[DragonMamma]

I can't say it's ever really crossed my mind and we go abroad most years. Obviously when they are past 2 they get their own seat but I did a 1.5hr transfer with a 13mo last year and I just strapped him under my belt and he fell asleep.

[badguider]

I'd be a bit worried but the sling idea is a good one.

I have been in a coach accident and I can vouch that even if the driver does and emergency stop the feeling isn't like that in a car, the coach takes so long to actually stop that it's a slower, more forceful pushing motion which I was able to control bracing my forearms against the seat in front. The only people injured in my crash were elderly (and we went through a wall and down a banking). I'd be worried about an unstrapped baby if the coach rolled but probably feel ok about the sling/bjorn idea.

[Jenny70]

We bought an aeroplane extender belt off ebay - basically same as airline belt.

You absolutely shouldn't put one belt around you both, as adult's weight will crush baby in a crash.

The airline belt will stop them flying out of your arms (even with forewarning an adult cannot hold a baby in a crash), even if coach has great crumple zone flying baby, flying luggage and sudden stop will be more serious injury than belt injury (in my view).

All assuming the coach has belts of course.

I think the risk of crash far less on coach than driving yourself, but the injury in coach could be catestrophic to baby (more protected in car).

Are there no other holidays that appeal, maybe this one won't work with the baby? In a year or 2 ok, but unbelted and probably upset at being restrained - not fun.

[ballstoit]

I don't think you're being unreasonable to worry, but I think it's important to balance potential risk v.potential benefit.

If we always prioritise safety over the benefits of an experience, we limit our family lives and children IMO. I think it's sad that some posters are suggesting that you cancel the holiday, rather than take a short, relatively low risk coach trip with your baby.

I think the lap belt/baby bjorn plan is a good idea, and would definitely feel more comfortable on a coach with either of these, than in the hands of a taxi driver. I've been in taxis abroad with DC (most noteably in Tunisia, where the front passenger door opened as we were driving along!), and also been in coaches, and definitely felt safer on the coaches.

[MrsKeithRichards]

Where are you going? Resort taxis are sometimes cheaper than holiday company arranged.

[Zoomania]

Mrskeith it is a ski package with transfers included so unfortunately not quite resort taxi situation.

It is interesting to see the wide range of ideas and opinions so clearly a grey area with no right or wrong solution which is slightly reassuring.

I think ballstoit you have summed up how I am now feeling about it. (although i still will worry, as always! )

Thanks all!

[edwinbear]

We took ds ski-ing when he was 18 months which involved a 2.5 hr coach transfer. I wasn't wild about the concept, but we went, ds sat on our laps and it was OK. There were actually quite a lot of unrestrained children on the coach so people obviously do it. It comes down to your perception of risk in the end.