Anyone in L.A. area have a car seat I can borrow?

[DLM4me]

My daughter is flying in from NY and doesn't want to bring the baby's car seat if at all possible.  (The last time, in January, the airline lost their $300 car seat, and she and her husband spent their whole visit trying to get it all resolved. But that's not the point...)  She'll be on her own this time with the baby, and she has to bring his stroller, their luggage, the baby!, and manage it all by herself at the airports and on the planes; a car seat will just about be impossible.  I don't know anyone who has a toddler car seat we could borrow, so I thought I'd ask here.  We'd need it from April 15-25.

I had to stop driving due to the dizziness, so I can't pick it up, but my husband will be here on the 5th and we could do it between then and surgery on the 8th.  Or if anyone's nearby and wants to bring it to my house, that would be great.  Or to the hospital.  I'm in Arcadia.

I'm not sure how I'd get it back to you, as my husband will have left by the time our daughter leaves, but I'd think of something!

[Keeping Up]

I am a bit of a car seat hound - I would strongly encourage her to bring her carseat.  If you can find a carseat from someone you know, it hasn't been 'crashed' (carseats shouldn't ever be used again if ever in a car accident - will admit Cdn rules are more stringent than US rules) and it isn't expired - most car seats expire within five years of manufacture.  Most people aren't familiar with these specifics.

How old is the baby?  If she is buying the baby a seat on the plan, install the car seat on the plane.  It saves the seats getting lost in the process but more importantly inadverently damaged by the pitching/throwing that goes on.

I am a bit of a pack horse - and took three carseats on a direct four hour flight by myself.  The kidlets were 6mnths, 2.5 years and 4 years (or so) - and a stroller.  It really wasn't bad at all.  You just need a really stiff drink when you get to the othe rside.  [Many people on the plame told me how great my kids were on the plane - I have awesome kids if I say so myself.]  I have also flown with 2 kids many times alone

Your daughter will also be more familiar with installing her own seat CORRECTLY then a seat she doesn't recognize.

On that note - I am lending a carseat in Toronto to someone I know this weekend - same scenario - however, I can help install the carseat (and not at the airport parking lot), know how to install the carseat, know it has never been crashed and is only a year old.  [We were in a minor car accident last year - someone hit us - and I got four new carseats as a result.]

Done with my lecture.

I would bring my carseat!

Ann

[DLM4me]

You make some very good points, Ann.  In fact, this is the first time the baby will have his own seat on the plane (he's almost 15 months), and I really don't know if they've even thought about installing the seat on the plane.  Seems like that would be safer for the baby, right?  I'll talk to my daughter and see if she'll reconsider, even though it WILL be a hassle for her to manage everything by herself!

[EJTampa]

I'm on the other coast so couldn't help even if I had a car seat.  Just wanted to point out that many car seats are not approved for use on an airplane, and they will NOT let you use it if it's not.  Things may have changed with car seats since I had to lug one around, but I know 15+ years ago the car seats I owned were not approved for airplane use .
 
Ernie

[saralynn143]

I think most carseats nowaways are approved for airplane use but you should be able to check with the airline ahead of time to be sure. I'm with Ann -- it would be best to bring her own and use it on the plane.

One time I rented a car seat along with a rental car. It worked out quite well, it was a brand new seat and easy to use. But it sounds as if you are not renting a car.

Sara

[heyct]

There is a convertible stroller/carseat called a: Sit n' Stroll.
I don't know how cumbersome it is, but alot of people use it when travelling w/a child. I  was thinking of buying one myself for my 20 month old (maybe off Craigslist), but now that I lost my job I don't have any flying plans now.  I think they usually run $70-ish, used.

Something to think about if she's going to be flying again. I rented a carseat in Mexico (a peice of x@#*$), it cost $10/day, so I should've bought one then.

Carolyn

[lori67]

I know it costs more to put the baby in the car seat on the plane because you have to pay for another seat, but with a 15 month old, I think it would be worth the extra price.  I flew with a 13 month old on my lap once and it was not easy.  There's not much room for one person, never mind 2 people and all the things you need to keep the little one occupied.  And NY to LA is a loooong trip!

I'm pretty sure most car seats today are FAA approved and the flight attendants can help you get the car seat onto the plane - they're not allowed to strap it in, but I've found the hardest part is actually carrying it and the baby and the diaper bag down the narrow aisle of the plane without knocking someone out in the process.

And I've had good luck with renting car seats from a rental car agency also, so if your daughter is planning on renting a car, just have her call the rental car agency in advance and have them reserve a seat for her.

I actually went out and bought an inexpensive car seat to use just for when we fly and also as a spare in case we need a seat in a different car - those LATCH system belts are great, but require a degree in engineering to use - so it's easier to avoid moving our "good" carseat if we can.  And that way, if the airline happens to misplace the carseat, it's not a $300 one and it won't hurt quite so much!

Lori

[DLM4me]

No, my daughter won't be renting a car since my husband will drive out to the airport to pick them up, and she'll Super Shuttle back to the airport the day she leaves.  She really only needs the car seat for the trips from and to the airport, as we're not planning any "let's load everybody up in the car and do some fun things!" stuff this visit.  If she goes out, like to the Ralph's [market] nearby, she'll do that when the baby's sleeping.  It really is just for those two trips from/to the airport, and with all the other stuff she has to manage by herself...well, for as little as the car seat will be used it hardly seems worth the bother to bring it!

[DLM4me]

I know it costs more to put the baby in the car seat on the plane because you have to pay for another seat, but with a 15 month old, I think it would be worth the extra price.

Ah, yes, but I said: "In fact, this is the first time the baby will have his own seat on the plane..."

[Kaybo]

I am a car seat freak myself, but I will say if the child does well in the car - they will be MUCH better on the plane if they are in their seat (usually) because they are used to it.  To them, if they are in their seat, it is just like another car trip AND if they ever fall asleep in the carseat in the car - they PROBABLY will on the plane!

K

[lori67]

I know it costs more to put the baby in the car seat on the plane because you have to pay for another seat, but with a 15 month old, I think it would be worth the extra price.

Ah, yes, but I said: "In fact, this is the first time the baby will have his own seat on the plane..."

Sorry, didn't have my glasses on - guess I didn't see that sentence.