Baby travel with no car seat?

[happyhat]

Feel a bit daft asking about this after the round-the-world question but we're planning on going skiing soon, won't be taking car seat (too heavy and mostly we're on public transport) and will be using friend's car which has no car seat in it when we get there. Only planning on doing short distances, 10 mins at the most, with baby (9 months by then) but am paranoid about the car seats. Would you travel about with him in your arms or insist on finding a baby seat?

Sorry, would never consider going without the car seat, no matter how short a journey.

No way I'd travel without a car seat. If you were hiring a car abroad you can also hire carseats. Can't your friends hire a carseat or borrow one?

You can crash in 10 sec never mind 10 mins - I just wouldn't take the risk - just imagine how you would feel if you did crash - I couldn't take the guilt.

would find a seat definitely - if anything happened you would never forgive yourself!

For a one-off journey on holiday, i.e. a short transfer to a hotel, I sat with dd inbetween my legs with the seatbelt round us both. Not advocating it, but this was a needs-must situation.

Definitely get a car seat - we're heading over to my Mum in Dublin mid May and have arranged car hire while there and the car seat was only 20 euro extra! (We're going for 10 days so thought that was great value) As hotmama already pointed out - I couldn't live with the guilt if anything happened to my gorgeous little son.

Defo take car seat, even for public transport, surely easier to carry baby around in/put down to sleep in too?

If you must go without a car seat, putting the seatbelt around you both is a bad idea. If there is a crash, or just a sudden braking, you will crush your child.

Other options:

• Use a front sling. Strap yourself in, and then strap baby to you. Do not put the seatbelt around the baby.
• Use a baby b'air vest. They're not for car travel, I doubt they're ideal, but they're better than holding baby in your arms (if the car brakes suddenly, you will let go. It's impossible to hold on. They've done studies with dolls.)

At 9 months, though, your child is presumably still in the stage 0 seat, anyway, which isn't much hassle to take?

He's a big boy, NotQuiteCockney, he's been over the weight for the first stage car seats since he was 6 months so we're up to the big ones that aren't built for carrying about or sleeping in, unfortunately. Even if he fit there's no way I could physically lift him plus the seat! I feel suitably guilty for considering it now. I don't think you can hire car seats without hiring a car?

Car seat , sorry - mountain roads are terribly unpredictable as is everyone else's driving on them. Can your friend borrow one for you ? Where are you going , I know in Switzerland there are a couple of companies/baby stores who woudl rent you one short term.

You can rent car seats without renting a car, my parents have done it in Canada.

The Stage 1 car seats are a hassle to carry, I can see why you're not tempted.

A baby b'air vest isn't a bad idea, although I don't think they really are that great. Do you have a sling he still fits in?

we are going to Switzerland, lisz, so if you know where we could hire one that would be fantastic. We've worked out that we will only be being picked up from the station and driven to the chalet now, the rest of the hols we can do on foot, but I still would rather have a seat just in case. I called a hire car place in Geneva who said they didn't do it and suggested I buy one. I still have a babybjorn he can just about squeeze into now so I doubt he'll still be in it by then. Will look into Baby B'air thing too.

anyone know where can i buy a baby b'air, just as an option?

The company I know of is based near Zurich , not sure how far they would deliver on. Contact details here or I have heard of people renting from the Baby Rose chain of baby shops, if there is a local one. Failing that if it is just for a couple of odd trips surely your friend could find someone who has an appropriate seat you could borrow just for then. It is actually illegal to travel for a child of your baby's age to travel by car in Switzerland without one .

hth

How much would a cheap car seat cost to buy while you're out there? Or perhaps your friend could borrow one if its for a short time.

I know when I went to Majorca, the car hire firms charged about £20 a week, but you could buy one at a supermarket for £30!

They are not that cheap in Switzerland - very few basic, lightweight ones !

when we went away last year a friend took her own car seat she put it in a box and wrapped it up really well and they put it in the hold it was marked fragile and was fine. took it out at other end and folded up box ready for return ...really no bother.I agree would never travel without one

good luck

I couldn't find any UK retailer selling Baby B'air vests. The closest I could find was this one, in France. There are some Ebay sellers with them, too, in the US and Canada.

With most airlines you can take a car seat as an addition to your baggage, no extra charge. I have taken mine just in a black bin liner and also (last minute mix up) in no packaging and it survived both times.

I've travelled with a car seat too and had no probs, but that was when it was a smaller car seat (and baby for that matter) and we were in a car at both ends. This time we're taking the tube/ bus/ train to get to the airport, then a train at the other end, so carrying the great big up-to-age-4 car seat isn't really an option. I'll work on finding one for when we get there, or I might just opt to not get in a car with him at all ... thanks for all the tips!

You may find there is a ski bus that would take you pretty close to the chalet anyway.