Car seats and taxis

This looks like a really good option though for frequent travel. It will be similar to the Nuna one which recently got a good crash test score. Can be belt or isofix fitted, without base. It goes onto those standard Maxi Cosi type Bugaboo adapters.

https://joiebaby.com/uk/sprint-integrated-isofix-baby-car-seat#color=24

Depending on where you are you might be best off getting a car seat locally? Although technically you should use a UK-regulation car seat in the UK, it's not likely to be picked up on for visitors and most car seat regulations across the world are broadly compatible with different sorts of cars, unless you are somewhere like a developing country where it's hard/expensive to get anything at all.

If you are travelling to your home country, wouldn't your relatives be willing to ferry you around a bit? When we visit PILs overseas (in an area with poor public transport) we bought a multi stage car seat which they keep at their house as we visit regularly. Then the car seat stays in their car for the duration of the trip and we only need to worry about bringing the buggy. They don't mind driving us around as they like to spend as much time with the grandkids as they can.

Otherwise we tend to limit ourselves to places with reasonable public transport when travelling with younger kids, with occasional use of a taxi that offers a car seat. Neither of us are keen on driving abroad and it's a headache dealing with car seats and taxis and buggies as well (especially when you get to the next stage of car seats as they don't clip on to a buggy and are big and heavy).

I think to a point you just have to accept that in some places driving is less safe.

You may be able to control things like car seats. But you can never control the state of the driving or the car.

One of the things I have found is that generally where the driving is "less structured" the speeds are generally a lot slower. This means although the probability of an accident is higher, the consequences of one is much less than say in a developed country like the UK where cars can be moving very quickly.

I used to travel a lot and someone once asked me whether I was worried about terrorism. I said taxi drivers and their crap driving and clapped out cars pose far more of a risk to the average business traveller than terrorists. I have been involved in several car crashes and know people who have been hospitalised because of them, but never known anyone involved in a terrorist incident.

There are other risks travelling to less developed countries. Such as food poisoning, building standard and appliance safety and disease. Frankly if I had a very young child I wouldn't be taking them there because a) the risks b) they are very unlikely to benefit from the trip and everything about it, from the risks to the misery of the flights and the change in climate is not something they are likely to easily settle with. For example how do people protect very young children from diseases like malaria ?

edit : I don't know much about car seats. But I know in a lot of taxis I have been in they don't even have seatbelts, let alone fixing points for car seats.

It is advised to have babies in a car seat for no more than 30 mins at a time for the first 4 weeks. After 4 weeks the time expands to 2 hours. No need to stick to a 30 min limite for 12 weeks.

If you are out with a newborn (IME we didn't really leave the house very much for those 4 weeks) for longer than 30 mins you can just take them out of the seat, and give them a bit of a cuddle/feed/play/kick around on a blanket to give them a break. Likewise for an older baby you just take them out after 2 hours, give them a break and then you can put them back in.

There are also lie flat(ter) seats on the market like the Joie i-Level or the Cybex Cloud. They're not actually flat enough to totally ignore the guidance, but you can use your own judgement. And likewise it doesn't make sense that on the 27th day of life and the 28th day of life the baby suddenly gains an extra 90 minutes' ability to cope with being in a car seat - you can use common sense around this.

And please remember the guidance only came in years and years after travel systems were first invented and marketed. It is a real risk to be aware of, but it is a very small one. As long as you're not using a car seat as your baby's bed overnight, or keeping them in it for hours and hours at a time every day, it is unlikely to cause a problem.

The adapters as shown for your pram will take any EU MAxi Cosi/Cybex/Besafe/Avionaut/Britax (2020 models+)/Nuna and most of the Joie car seats. Double check any new seat you buy can be fitted with the car seatbelt and doesn't need a base.

Do you have a carry car seat to use at home? Or just a permanent one fixed in your car? Are you somewhere that uses the EU standard for car seats or another standard, and what about where you're planning to visit?

I would get a lie-flat car seat. They're not perfect but you can safely leave the baby in them for longer. Then clip into your existing buggy.

https://www.bugaboo.com/gb-en/accessories/adapters/bugaboo-fox-lynx-buffalo-adapters-for-maxi-cosi-car-seats-MI000962.html

You can message bugaboo to check, but o don’t think it matters which version of the fox you have

Yes in that case you can just get adapter for bugaboo to car seat. You can email bugaboo to ask which adapter or buy online easy enough as it’s a big brand.

Maxi cosi is probably your best option for its adapter fitting most. you can fit using just seatbelt and no base when travelling.

With the bugaboo you will have to just pack everything into travel bag for flight as carrycot at that age if using as travel bed also. Car seat and adapter in another bag. Both will go for free at luggage check. Then you can mix and match whether to use carrycot or car seat on day out of car seat needed.

I had the bugaboo lynx which I think we bought when the Fox2 was the latest fox model. The Bugaboo Turtle by Nuna infant car seat attached onto the frame.

Ah that’s great then, probably worth checking eBay for the car seat adapters to save a few quid!

@AmiShitsaline - yes if op has another pram already then a car seat on that would also work fine.
I just assumed if the are from overseas and visiting family soon after baby born, then it’s probably going to be a frequent thing over the next few years to see family, hence travel size pram suggestion

If you go somewhere like John Lewis, an assistant can also show you the options

Good answer @Caspianberg , I was wondering which pram OP has as it may be compatible with a car seat such as maxi cost with adaptors

I wouldn’t get a doona. Then you only have the car seat, and it can only be used max around 1 year. The babyzen yoyo can be used travelling for 4+ years. Add any compatible seat is lighter also ie maxi cosi

Getting a small pram plus car seat means you just remove car seat on days you don’t need and have actual pram.

If your going with young baby you can get babyzen yoyo with newborn nest so it still folds into hand luggage size. Plus car seat.

the 30mins/ 2hr thing is just because when car seats exist that fit on prams, SOME people were leaving babies day in day out for hours every day in car seat which isn’t good for breathing or spine. Normal people use car seat as appropriate, swap to sling, pram, take baby out in arms to feed or lay on floor etc throughout the day

Which pram do you have?

I'd use a baby seat that goes on a stroller and just take the baby out of it for a break every now and again.

then google that type of seat/buggy/puchchair

Depending on your baby's age ans finances there are also nachfolger car seats

https://www.nachfolger.com/en/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT16sQXOT9Dw_2IGfJLBTKIcLbsQd0nXZnET0bVlP3SSbqjB5K3v1wRoCv2cQAvD_BwE

obviously not - so read my post

You can get a doona which is a car seat that turns into a pram?