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Original poster

Do you take a car seat when going abroad with a baby / toddler

22 replies

JGU0204 · 25/08/2009 20:29

Hello,

The title says it all really.

We're hoping to go to Turkey, but I want to take the car seat and OH doesn't want to lug it around (which means not going rather than compromising DSs safety).

We won't be hiring a car when there and I'm assuming the coach transfer is by coach so I don't know what to do.

I don't know if the coach would even have suitable seatbelts to fix to. Also if we got to Turkey & the transfer was by taxi we'd be stuck wouldn't we.

I can't remember seeing other people lugging car seats around when we've been away before pre DS but don't know if it's just that I didn't notice.

Any advice welcome.

OP posts:

MLmum · 25/08/2009 23:38

Hi there, my husband and I just took our 2 month-old abroad and we really found the car seat necessary, mainly for safety reasons obviously (also, I don't know what the law says in Turkey re car seats but I wouldn't want to risk it) but also because it was handy for our daughter to sit in even when we weren't travelling so that we wouldn't have to hold her/keep her lying down in the pram all the time. Hope you have a lovely holiday!

giantkatestacks · 25/08/2009 23:41

Yes if its in a stage 1/below 9 months thing. No if its stage 2 - because its too much just for the transfers.

If you're going on a fly drive then yes obviously you would do and check it in or take a chance with the car hire firms one (and pay for the privilege).

LadyMuck · 25/08/2009 23:44

If you are only on a coach then you may find that it is not going to be an issue as you can't properly fit a carseat. You can phone your agent and find out how the transfer will be done can't you?

We take car seats but also hire cars. On our last trip with Europcar we would have had to hire a carseat at 5 euros per day.

Original poster

JGU0204 · 26/08/2009 13:51

Thanks, it's a stage 2 car seat, a Britax.

I think as you say Ladymuck, I will ring and find out about the transfer. There isn't any way that I would travel in a car without one but did think a coach may not accommodate it anyway.

Do you know if you can hire them at the otherside even if you don't hire a car? I'm just thinking if we didn't take it and then found the transfer had changed and we had to go by car.

OP posts:

vinblanc · 26/08/2009 18:10

I would only take a car seat if I knew I needed it while we were away.

giantkatestacks · 26/08/2009 21:26

No I dont think so - where would you hire then from without the car?

We recently had to do transfers without a car seat after the taxi firm (who said they had them) only had booster seats and that wasnt quite doing the job for my 13 month old .

It was in a big minivan and so my dd just remained in her buggy with the brakes on - much as she would here in a black cab - not safe in a crash but not outside the law either. The other alternative was keeping her in her sling with the seatbelt round her and my dh - again not safe but other countries just arent as safety conscious. And actually minicab firms here dont have stage 2 seats anyway routinely.

Through the week we used the hotels minibus to and from the main town on our laps - after all we do that here in buses.

But if you're not prepared to do that then you'll have to rethink your holiday I suppose and go somewhere that you can drive to from here.

div22c · 30/09/2009 12:46

I have a similar query. Am travelling to the States next month with my 19 month old. I will definitely need a car seat there. The Stage 2 car seat I have is really bulky and I I dont fancy carrying it with me. Any suggestions what I could buy that is more portable? Something suitable for a tall, thin and really light toddler!

Nefret · 02/10/2009 11:55

We go to Turkey a lot, I had a car seat with me over there when I lived there but we don't take on now we just go for holidays.

There are no legal requirements to have your child in a car seat so I just put the little on on my lap if we go in a taxi and put my 5 year old with a seatbelt.

The coaches in Turkey don't have seatbelts as far as I know so you would just have your little on on your lap, there would not be any way to secure a car seat.

If you aren't going to be going in a car at any point I wouldn't bother taking the seat.

zazas · 09/10/2009 22:18

bumping this as I too are travelling to the US with toddler soon and a stage 2 carseat and wondering if it is OK to take on the flights etc?? Anyone with experience?

oldraver · 11/10/2009 23:21

I'm taking a stage 1-2-3 to the States and its faily light compared to DS's stage 1 Tobi. We could hire one but after having the experience of hiring a rubbish one in Spain I dont want to risk it, even though I think the US would be better at this (I had to choose from three crap seats one of which had sewing through the webbing.

Strictly speaking a UK car seat isnt passed for use in the US and vice versa but I would ratehr take my KNOWN seat than trust a hire one

oldraver · 11/10/2009 23:26

DIV22C

I have bought this as a spare it is the one I will take to the US

[http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Babies-R-Us/Travel-and-Pushchairs/Car-Seats-and-Boosters/Highback-Bo oster-Seats/Beline-SP-Luxe-Car-Seat-in-Shadow(0071906) beeline]]

oldraver · 11/10/2009 23:28

oh dear

beeline

div22c · 12/10/2009 13:19

Family in the States have managed to organise a car seat, so that's one less item to carry. But if I did need to buy one, that looks just the thing, oldraver, thanks very very much!!

oldraver · 13/10/2009 00:10

I was quite shocked that Floridas car seat laws are the most slack for the US. Car seats are compulsory till three then its ok to use an adult belt

Knickers0nMaHead · 13/10/2009 00:35

I would say it isn't worth the hassle of taking it. We didn't take one when we went away when dd was 8months. TBH, having the pushchair and suitcases is a nightmare as it is, without having to carry a carseat round too.

SCARYspicemonster · 13/10/2009 03:16

I didn't - the hotel collected us by minibus and they borrowed a carseat from a friend for the journey. Could you do a minibus rather than a coach transfer if you're really worried? Otherwise I think you'd just have to do the lap thing.

I know it goes against the grain but I think you have to think about the probabilities - if you've got 2 45 mins transfers either end where your DS is going to sit on your lap, what's the likelihood the vehicle you're in is going to have an accident? And is it worth cancelling your holiday for?

I was very nervous about the unfamiliar carseat but in the end told myself that the chances of us having an accident on two transfers was so slim that it was either risk it or be stuck at Geneva airport for a week!

nimsy · 14/10/2009 11:28

I am having the same dilema. Am going to Cyprus next week with my 3 month old. We have hired a car with a car seat so that is fine but getting to the airport in a cab I am going to either have to hold him in the back of a minicab or take a black cab and have him in the pushchair.
Then we are going to India next month and godness knows what we are going to do. I don't think they have carseats there, although my family are looking into it for us.

inscotland · 17/10/2009 13:28

There is an approved car seat come stroller. I'll try and google it - I saw it in Dubai a couple of months ago and thought it was a great idea.

div22c · 20/10/2009 15:28

hi nimsy, you can definitely buy car seats in the bigger cities in india, not sure about hire. while it isn't a legal requirement, for people not used to that kind of traffic i would strongly recommend using one for the kids.

facebookaddict · 20/10/2009 15:40

we took a stage2 Maxicosi seat with us for 2yr old (just to France for short trip) and actually was v easy as was checked in like baggage so was just one more thing to put on baggage trolley at each end then straight into the hire car- really no hassle.

Suzypoo · 28/10/2009 12:39

We took a stage 2 car seat to Sicily (with Air Malta), unfortunately the car seat (and the buggy) were not taken off the plane at Catania and carried on their journey to Malta, then back to London, before being reunited with us 3 days later!

This year we went to Florida and though we would hire one, (a booster seat, now that she is older) however the car hire company wanted $10 per day - so we went to Walmart and bought one for $20 (a nice Graco one with cupholders and a Dora Explorer cover), which we brought home as hand luggage.

thenameiwantedwastaken · 15/04/2011 21:26

I found this - both pricey and not sure if suitable in cars outside the States. But it looks nice, I kinda want one! www.lillygold.com/products/sit-n-stroll.html

Also this for taking your fwd gacing seat round airport: www.amazon.co.uk/Go-Go-Babyz-QRKIDZ-Kidz-Travelmate/dp/B000JJK9EY

I am off to India in a few months and need to decide on an alternative so will watch thread...

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