Advice needed; taking a moses basket on a package holiday, and what about car seats for transfers?

[feelingratheroverwhelmed]

Fingers crossed going abroad on a package deal at the end of the month. So my issues are....

1 - The moses basket - DS2 will be just three months. At the moment he's not too keen on sleeping alone, so I'm trying to get him into his basket for as long as I can, and he's in with me the rest of the time. The hotel will provide a cot, but I'm sure he won't sleep in that (I think he likes the cosiness and security, he's swaddled too). I dont want a whole week of co-sleeping as I find it really really uncomfy and hard to sleep inbetween the waking to feed him. Plus I worry that a whole week of this would really set back my attempts to get him to use the basket. So, could I take it? I have a pram with a carrycot but it's not suitable for overnight sleeping according to the manufacturer.

2 - we'll go by coach trasfer from airport to hotel. How do children get carried? (a 2 year old and the 3 month old)? Taking two car seats seems crazy but what else do we do???

Bump

Where are you going to, OP? In some countries it would be assumed that you will just hold your DCs on your lap, whether you are on a coach, in a car or even (shockingly) on a moped.

Lanzarote. Not too exotic. I have seen entire families on mopeds before in Vietnam!

The moses basket - I wouldn't worry about taking it. Could you get him used to sleeping on a particular sheet or blanket, then just take that?

Transfer. Can you find out if the coach will have seat belts? The safest option would be to arrange a private transfer and take your own car seats. They will travel fine in the hold of the plane.

We've already paid for the transfer and can't afford anymore so we'll be on a coach. I suppose I just need to hope there are seatbelts.

Instead of taking a Moses basket when DS was tiny we traveled with a pop up cot a bit like this www.babysecurity.co.uk/products/2238/Samsonite-Pop-Up-Travel-Cot-%252D-Small-Deluxe-Cot-Pink-or-Blue.html
It was easy to carry ( comes in a bag) incredibly lightweight and was suitable until they can roll and less of a faff than lugging a Moses basket about.
If you google them there are loads of various ones and prices but we would recommend it.
Car seats - I would personally leave them and strap the kids in as best you can. It sounds like you are going to have enough stuff to carry as it is.
Hope you enjoy your trip

Well, find out if there are going to be seatbelts on the coach. If so, then you know that you can use the car seats - although check that seats will be available for them to be placed upon.

I do think it is absolutely essential that you at least take your rear-facing infant carrier for your 3 month old baby. Post on the car seats forum for a bit more advice.

I don't want to spell it out, but obviously children are universally safer if they are in an age-appropriate car seat.

The three month old won't be allocated his own seat. I know we took the last room so the coach could well be full and I'll have to have him on my knee. Wow how complicated is this getting!

We took DD2 on holiday at 10weeks and she slept in the carrycot part of her pram. That gave her the full pram to relax in during the day as she was still tiny and a secure environment for night. I just took lots of sheets and blankets!
Check with your pram manufacturer though as not all are suitable.

We also hired a car and car seats (though it was far from a cheap option for one baby seat and one booster seat).

Our carry cot isn't suitable for night sleeping or that would be the perfect solution. DH told me last night it specifies on the website (firstchoice) that infants must be carried. It's now all paid for and we can't afford to hire a car so that's that I suppose.

Oh dear.
Travel wise this is the best I can come up with for 2yr old.
These are good for sleeping in good for longer use or this is ideal for this age
And if you call 0871 200 7799 they can advise you on the availability of carseats for the coach transfer.

Good luck.

Get a pop up travel cot. Taking the moses basket wont be practical, you would have to put it in the hold and it is likely to get squashed, you would also have to pay I expect.

You will have to carry your baby on your lap on the coach.

Offering another point of view re the Samsonite Pop Up travel 'cot' - I found it to be laughably bad & flimsey. DD at about 2 months just grabbed it and shook it. "Mattress" was so thin - a folded towel would be better. We never used it. Waste of money.

In Thailand it was impossible to source a car seat. I put 5 month old into Baby Bjorn front pack and sat in the back (seat belt goes around adult but not around baby obviously - it goes between you both.) Not idea at all, but the best solution at the time.

If you do the BabyBjorn thing, have the baby facing inwards - looking towards your chest.

If there are seatbelts on the coach your 2 year old may be ok without, or you could take a booster seat or seatbelt adjusters.

www.gltc.co.uk/fcp/product/-/-/seat-belt-adjuster/10000001636

I don't know why travel companies expect parents to be comfortable with this kind of thing - babies carried on laps etc. Yes the laws are different, but it isn't about the law is it....

If there are seatbelts on the coach your 2 year old may be ok without, or you could take a booster seat or seatbelt adjusters.

Sorry, misleading sentence. I meant, he might be OK without a booster seat/adjusters, or you could decide to take them.

I know. Dh said "well it's not a legal requirement, is it?". As I said, it's not the legal side that bothers me!

I'd just go with the cot option &, having placed him feet to foot, put rolled towels on either side of him to make it narrower and snugger for him. Alternatively, if it is the mattress of the pram which makes it unsuitable for overnight sleeping in, you could get a new mattress which is suitable for overnight sleeping.

We've done two package holidays since we had DD and have always found the transfer thing ridiculous. Each time, we've hired a car but that's not a perfect solution as then you have to put your child in a filthy, ancient car seat which you're supposed to fit yourself despite having no fitting instructions. I find both the tour operators & hire car companies attitude extraordinary and it p*es me off each time. As for your older DS, can you buy or borrow one of those Trunki booster seats which also works as a back pack?

Enjoy your hol!