Traveling with 4 m.o/car seat question

[Anonymous]

I plan to take my 4 m.o on a business trip to Boston next month. Thanks to another post on DCUM, I am not too worried about the flying part. I am concerned though about the whole car seat thing: I can get dropped to the airport in our own car with the base and car seat attached. But what happens when I get to Boston? Do I carry the car seat and base with me for cabs/cars in Boston? The thought of getting those two things (and the stroller, mind you) on and off the 'plane, and then trying to strap the car seat base into an unfamiliar car, which may or may not have the requisite paraphernalia to do the strapping....is really giving me nightmares. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

Do you actually need to haul the base? I know our seat could be used with or without the base.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Truth be told, I don't know. It's the Chicco Keyfit infant seat that clicks into the base. Can one ask for a cab with a base already in it?

[Anonymous]

I have Chicco Keyfit too. You're supposed to be able to use the car seat belt to buckle the seat in without the base. This is what DH and I plan to do later this summer when we travel with our son. Haven't tried it yet, but take a look at your instructions, which hopefully you kept. Should tell you how.

[Anonymous]

Instructions are also at http://www.chiccousa.com.

I'd practice installing and taking out the seat several times before you go. Bring a copy of the instructions if you're worried!

[Anonymous]

We have traveled many times with just carseat, no base. You typically strap the seatbelt across the seat and into notches on the top of the carseat. Just make sure to strap it in tight. It is usually best to put the carseat in the middle seat. My carseat just goes into the stroller, so it is no problem. I try to pack light and travel with a bag that I can carry over my shoulder or in the basket underneath the stroller.

[Anonymous]

Great question! I too will be flying to Boston with a 4 mo. old, but not for another 2 months. A friend of mine showed me yesterday how to use the car seat w/o the base. You just strap the seatbelt across the top. There should be instructions in the manual.

[Anonymous]

If you use an over-the-shoulder seatbelt (which most cars have now), there are a few steps to make sure it's tight.


Pull the seatbelt all the way out. You should hear little clicks. Then securethe carseat and slooowly feed the seat belt back in. YOu should not hear any more clicks. Test it - if you pull fast, the seatbelt should not have any slack to pull on.

Otherwise, the belt will loosen if the carseat moves, just like your does for you as you move about the car.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Sooo, it looks like I will have to carry the car seat, though, without the base? I'll start practicing strapping it in without the base...Also, to the PP who's also going to Boston (I'm not going till mid-June), apparently, Boston cabs are not legally required to have car seats, so one could easily ride in a cab there without a car seat. I grew up abroad *without* car seats, so I am fairly ok having my son in a cab without one; but my husband would have a cow if that happened!!!

[Anonymous]

Can one gate-check the car seat AND the stroller?

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can gate check the car seat and the stroller (I'm assuming the stroller is of the snap-n-go variety). I just travelled with a 4 mo old using the car seat without the base and a snap-n-go and it wasn't too bad.

[Anonymous]

You can travel with almost any reasonably sized stroller. I have a lightweight single stroller (but bigger than an umbrella stroller). We have friends who just gate-checked a BoB, which I was surprised about.

[Anonymous]

OP here: I have the Chicco Cortina stroller and the Chicco Key Fit car seat that snaps into the stroller.