toddler travel items image
*Elli's Ma
I would like to know what you ladies got for your baby showers if you had on?. What was the most useful item? What was the least useful? The best and thorough list gets 10 pts. Thanks a bunch!
Answer
The Best Gifts:
Diapers!!
Baby Care Items: Tear-Free Shampoo, Baby Bath, Washcloths, Wipes, Diaper Cream....
Swing: Battery Operated
Vibrating Bouncy Chair
Lullabye CD (You can find some great contemporary ones....I danced with my girls to soothe them when they were babies at bedtime and we still do this every night at bedtime and they are 3 and 4!). The gift of music is a GREAT gift!
Hooded Towels: These are great for keeping baby warm after bathime and you can keep the hood on them while you get them dressed.
Onesies and Socks: You can never have too many because the onesies will get stained and the socks have a mysterious way of going missing!
Receiving Blankets: You can use them to swaddle, as portable diaper changing stations, as burp cloths, to clean up a mess....VERY VERSATILE!
Diaper Bag: A great diaper bag is a must!
Personalized Items: Not only are these simply very nice things to have....a personalized blanket, diaper bag, tote or cap will never accidentally go home with another child at daycare, moms group or the family function. A big blanket with baby's name will grow with them through toddler-hood, too!
Travel system is nice.....but I think only the one registered for or that mommy and daddy wants is the way to go on this high-ticket item! (Travel system is the car seat and stroller combo!)
Nursery set/Bedding set....once again this is a very nice item to get at the shower if the giver goes with the one the parents chose! The nursery set sets the tone for the ENTIRE nursery and mom and dad should be the ones to pick this one out!
Snugli or Baby Wrap: There is nothing better than being able to grocery shop or go for a walk at the mall with your hands free! Baby simply loves being close to mom and these carriers are the perfect way to lull baby to sleep and still be able to get all your things done!
______________
Gifts that were......not needed
Diaper Genie: Poop smells like poop. Poop in a cool plastic container with scented liners smells like.....Scented Poop? Skip the genie and just take those diapers to the tough kitchen trashcan and throw your trash out a couple of times a day!
Boppy: I never could get the hang of the boppy. It looked cool but I found a big king sized pillow to be much easier and better to manipulate for the PERFECT position when bottle feeding AND breast feeding.
Fancy Outfits: Too many of these will have you wasting days spot treating all those blowout/spitup/food stains. One or two is fine but too many of these and they'll never get worn!!
Diaper Stacker: The new mom has enough to do without having to make the unused diapers look pretty in the stacker.
Heartbeat Sound Gizmos: I tried doing this with my fussy 2nd daughter....it never worked. They want to be close to mommy and the heartbeat sound thing is convincing but, in our case, a no go. Save your dollars!
Pastel Mobiles: Research says babies are much more interested in BRIGHT COLORS....so pastel mobiles with just plush animals hanging down aren't going to be very interesting to the little one!
Mattress Covers: Baby had a leak at 2am.....that mattress cover is going to have to come off as well as the sheet. After getting the NEW one on and then trying to wrestle on the sheet on top of that....mom and dad are going to figure out that the crib mattress is VINYL and that the mattress cover, really, isn't neccesary. Baby is going to be perfectly happy on just the sheet! Just make sure to wipe down the mattress with a baby-friendly cleanser everytime sheets are changed!
______________________-
Hope that helped!
The Best Gifts:
Diapers!!
Baby Care Items: Tear-Free Shampoo, Baby Bath, Washcloths, Wipes, Diaper Cream....
Swing: Battery Operated
Vibrating Bouncy Chair
Lullabye CD (You can find some great contemporary ones....I danced with my girls to soothe them when they were babies at bedtime and we still do this every night at bedtime and they are 3 and 4!). The gift of music is a GREAT gift!
Hooded Towels: These are great for keeping baby warm after bathime and you can keep the hood on them while you get them dressed.
Onesies and Socks: You can never have too many because the onesies will get stained and the socks have a mysterious way of going missing!
Receiving Blankets: You can use them to swaddle, as portable diaper changing stations, as burp cloths, to clean up a mess....VERY VERSATILE!
Diaper Bag: A great diaper bag is a must!
Personalized Items: Not only are these simply very nice things to have....a personalized blanket, diaper bag, tote or cap will never accidentally go home with another child at daycare, moms group or the family function. A big blanket with baby's name will grow with them through toddler-hood, too!
Travel system is nice.....but I think only the one registered for or that mommy and daddy wants is the way to go on this high-ticket item! (Travel system is the car seat and stroller combo!)
Nursery set/Bedding set....once again this is a very nice item to get at the shower if the giver goes with the one the parents chose! The nursery set sets the tone for the ENTIRE nursery and mom and dad should be the ones to pick this one out!
Snugli or Baby Wrap: There is nothing better than being able to grocery shop or go for a walk at the mall with your hands free! Baby simply loves being close to mom and these carriers are the perfect way to lull baby to sleep and still be able to get all your things done!
______________
Gifts that were......not needed
Diaper Genie: Poop smells like poop. Poop in a cool plastic container with scented liners smells like.....Scented Poop? Skip the genie and just take those diapers to the tough kitchen trashcan and throw your trash out a couple of times a day!
Boppy: I never could get the hang of the boppy. It looked cool but I found a big king sized pillow to be much easier and better to manipulate for the PERFECT position when bottle feeding AND breast feeding.
Fancy Outfits: Too many of these will have you wasting days spot treating all those blowout/spitup/food stains. One or two is fine but too many of these and they'll never get worn!!
Diaper Stacker: The new mom has enough to do without having to make the unused diapers look pretty in the stacker.
Heartbeat Sound Gizmos: I tried doing this with my fussy 2nd daughter....it never worked. They want to be close to mommy and the heartbeat sound thing is convincing but, in our case, a no go. Save your dollars!
Pastel Mobiles: Research says babies are much more interested in BRIGHT COLORS....so pastel mobiles with just plush animals hanging down aren't going to be very interesting to the little one!
Mattress Covers: Baby had a leak at 2am.....that mattress cover is going to have to come off as well as the sheet. After getting the NEW one on and then trying to wrestle on the sheet on top of that....mom and dad are going to figure out that the crib mattress is VINYL and that the mattress cover, really, isn't neccesary. Baby is going to be perfectly happy on just the sheet! Just make sure to wipe down the mattress with a baby-friendly cleanser everytime sheets are changed!
______________________-
Hope that helped!
Is there an alternative to using children car seats on airplanes ?
Agnes
I am travelling with my toddler soon who is 24 months old. I cannot bear the hassle of bringing his car seat with me on that plane, as it is very bulky and i heard you can be prevented from using it in the aircraft. Does anyone know of any alternative to provide seat safety/comfort for a toddler on an airplane ? Thanks.
Answer
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I now fly a lot with my own kids.
Yes there is an alternative to a car seat. It's called a CARES harness;
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Here it is on the FAA's website;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
It's easy to carry and safer than using an adult seat belt alone, which don't fit toddlers very well. People who have used it, really liked it. So far, I've never heard anyone complain...
The other plus is that it is now approved by a number of different national air authorities. This is still an issue with car seats.
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/in-flight-documents.php
One niggly complaint is that the child's legs stick out when using this. Other parents have countered that their children were very comfortable and simply sat cross-legged on the seat (I suggest bringing slippers anyway). Yes, children can sleep comfortably in it.
The biggest minus is the price. It's $75 for something that can ONLY be used for the flight. It's not approved for use in a car. Meanwhile, there are very light, easy to carry car seats for as little as $40-50, good seats that car seat techs like. It's a myth that seats have to big, bulky and expensive to be safe (although Britax does make some nice seats...)
If you search with "CARES harness Ebay" or "Craigslist", you'll see that some people have started renting these gizmos out. I can't tell you much more. I would actually suggest buying one and then selling it on once it's outgrown by your last child.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you need a car seat at your destination, it's really risky to check them. They are considered "delicate items" and the airlines wont take responsiblity for any loss or damage.
I'm making this point because on my last long-haul flight, three of our four bags didn't make it. I saw at least two car seats while I was looking for my bags but I had no worries. We had our car seat with us and my daughter was safe for the 2 hour drive home. The bags were brought to us two days later.
A CARES harness seems a good deal if you are leaving somewhere that you don't need a car seat, like visiting a big city where you'll be taking mostly public transportation. Or, many grandparents keep car seats for their visiting children and grandchildren. Never rent a car seat with a rental car company. They are infamous for being old, dirty, expired and you don't know the seat's "history" (like if it's been in an accident). I had a bad experience and I'm not alone. Don't risk your childs' safety this way!
Just to clear up some of what you mentioned, if you are in the U.S. and you have a seat for your child and bring a FAA approved car seat for that child, IT CANNOT BE REFUSED. Your right to use that seat is protected by LAW. This is not the case elsewhere in the world. I have had my American car seat removed by Lufthansa (German), Iberia (Spain) and Ryan Air (Irish but doesn't allow any car seats in any form anyway).
If you are flying a non-U.S. company, search with the name of the airline followed by "children" to get to the page with information on what they require in car seats. Sometimes too, I have "gotten away" with my American car seat on Lufthansa and once on Air France.
Since your child is 2 years old, they cannot sit in your lap. Almost all airlines have this rule, although some are flexible with round trip tickets. The FAA is strict about it. Someone mentioned double seat belts. Some foreign airlines still use these but they are dangerous and banned by the FAA in the U.S.
As far as getting a car seat through the airport, I manage it flying alone with three children since each was 4 months old. There are contraptions like this to get car seats through airports;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
Some complain that it's hard to get on and off the cart. I saw one on my last flight and it does roll nicely and the child can ride in it.
Another product makes the car seat into a backpack and some parents get creative with bungee cording their seat to the stroller.
I simply use a small metal luggage cart and an extra bungee cord to secure it. My 3 year old could actually ride in this and it saved me major money and I check the stroller (she hardly needs it anyway anymore unless she's tired).
Honestly, it doesn't have to be too horrible taking the car seat with you but weigh up the facts and make an informed decision based on your specific circumstances, budget and needs.
About eight years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for a local newsletter. I kept it on line, adding to it over the years and then put it on a blog to help other parents (and my flying partners). It's based on both my professional and practical experience as flying with my children. People have written in from all over the world and contributed. It's totally non-commercial, my little personal mitvah so feel free to visit;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
My contact information is at the end.
Do what works for you and have a good flight!
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I now fly a lot with my own kids.
Yes there is an alternative to a car seat. It's called a CARES harness;
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/
Here it is on the FAA's website;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
It's easy to carry and safer than using an adult seat belt alone, which don't fit toddlers very well. People who have used it, really liked it. So far, I've never heard anyone complain...
The other plus is that it is now approved by a number of different national air authorities. This is still an issue with car seats.
http://www.kidsflysafe.com/in-flight-documents.php
One niggly complaint is that the child's legs stick out when using this. Other parents have countered that their children were very comfortable and simply sat cross-legged on the seat (I suggest bringing slippers anyway). Yes, children can sleep comfortably in it.
The biggest minus is the price. It's $75 for something that can ONLY be used for the flight. It's not approved for use in a car. Meanwhile, there are very light, easy to carry car seats for as little as $40-50, good seats that car seat techs like. It's a myth that seats have to big, bulky and expensive to be safe (although Britax does make some nice seats...)
If you search with "CARES harness Ebay" or "Craigslist", you'll see that some people have started renting these gizmos out. I can't tell you much more. I would actually suggest buying one and then selling it on once it's outgrown by your last child.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but if you need a car seat at your destination, it's really risky to check them. They are considered "delicate items" and the airlines wont take responsiblity for any loss or damage.
I'm making this point because on my last long-haul flight, three of our four bags didn't make it. I saw at least two car seats while I was looking for my bags but I had no worries. We had our car seat with us and my daughter was safe for the 2 hour drive home. The bags were brought to us two days later.
A CARES harness seems a good deal if you are leaving somewhere that you don't need a car seat, like visiting a big city where you'll be taking mostly public transportation. Or, many grandparents keep car seats for their visiting children and grandchildren. Never rent a car seat with a rental car company. They are infamous for being old, dirty, expired and you don't know the seat's "history" (like if it's been in an accident). I had a bad experience and I'm not alone. Don't risk your childs' safety this way!
Just to clear up some of what you mentioned, if you are in the U.S. and you have a seat for your child and bring a FAA approved car seat for that child, IT CANNOT BE REFUSED. Your right to use that seat is protected by LAW. This is not the case elsewhere in the world. I have had my American car seat removed by Lufthansa (German), Iberia (Spain) and Ryan Air (Irish but doesn't allow any car seats in any form anyway).
If you are flying a non-U.S. company, search with the name of the airline followed by "children" to get to the page with information on what they require in car seats. Sometimes too, I have "gotten away" with my American car seat on Lufthansa and once on Air France.
Since your child is 2 years old, they cannot sit in your lap. Almost all airlines have this rule, although some are flexible with round trip tickets. The FAA is strict about it. Someone mentioned double seat belts. Some foreign airlines still use these but they are dangerous and banned by the FAA in the U.S.
As far as getting a car seat through the airport, I manage it flying alone with three children since each was 4 months old. There are contraptions like this to get car seats through airports;
http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
Some complain that it's hard to get on and off the cart. I saw one on my last flight and it does roll nicely and the child can ride in it.
Another product makes the car seat into a backpack and some parents get creative with bungee cording their seat to the stroller.
I simply use a small metal luggage cart and an extra bungee cord to secure it. My 3 year old could actually ride in this and it saved me major money and I check the stroller (she hardly needs it anyway anymore unless she's tired).
Honestly, it doesn't have to be too horrible taking the car seat with you but weigh up the facts and make an informed decision based on your specific circumstances, budget and needs.
About eight years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for a local newsletter. I kept it on line, adding to it over the years and then put it on a blog to help other parents (and my flying partners). It's based on both my professional and practical experience as flying with my children. People have written in from all over the world and contributed. It's totally non-commercial, my little personal mitvah so feel free to visit;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
My contact information is at the end.
Do what works for you and have a good flight!
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