Flying with 20 Month Old, No Car Seat, and Taking Taxis

I was just at Babies-R-Us the other day and they had something that you could attach to your car seat to turn it into a stroller. It would work just like the one the other mom's suggested but you don't have to buy a whole new seat...just this add on thing. It looked cool. Here is the link...
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2658824

Another thing though...what we did was buy a car seat bag and checked the car seat with our luggage. By law the airlines can not charge you to check a car seat since you need to have them in the car where you are going. It was nice because we were able to shove a bunch more stuff in the car seat bag like toys and stuff and not get charged for them either. I would for sure bring a car seat with though.

Good luck!!!

no he can NOT use seat belt only, he has to be in a booster seat with a back unless he meets the age and weight requirments then he can go to the booster with out a back, if i flew i would bring a carseat for my daughter to make sure she is safe, it might be a pain but id rather he be safe

*edited to add*-I just saw your response. You absolutely could use the car seat stroller thing out and about in the city. It's actually on the small side and not heavy at all. I actually used to pick the whole seat up with my son strapped in to pull the wheels up and put him in the car! I used it as my primary car seat for quite some time since I lost my son's car seat in hurricane Katrina and this one was given to us by friends who bought it for travel and no longer needed it.

I would suggest investing in one of these:

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/travel/gr/sitnstroll.htm

It easily converts from a stroller to a car seat. Just pop the wheels up and strap it in. We had one and it was pretty convenient.

There is absolutely no, no, no way I would get in a car or taxi and hold my child! In the event of an accident the child would be seriously injured or worse. You absolutely can not hold a child tight enough in an accident. It's just not physically possible.

Once when I flew I saw a woman that had a carseat that turned into a stroller. Wheels came out of the carseat bottom so she could push it like a stroller... You might see what you can find out about that online.

I wouldn't trust my child in a car without a proper restraint... especially if a stranger were driving. I know they are SUPPOSED to drive safely but I have seen so many of them drive unsafely... and almost get me into a car accident because they were not paying attention when switching lanes.

Upadated: Here is a link to what I am talking about... http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/travel-outings/allinone-...

When my oldest was an infant, he used to go on modeling auditions in NYC. We NEVER took more than a stroller. Everything is so fast moving there, we just had time to jump in the taxi, I held him on my lap with both arms tight, and off we went. I have seen contraptions you can buy that can turn a car into a car seat, but I've never used one myself to know if it really works or not. You could use something like this if you wanted some "quick, extra protection": Baby B'air Flight Safety Vest. Have it on your child before you get in a taxi since it's just a vest and then quickly snap it onto the lap belt. ;)

Don't do it. Take the car seat with you, even if it bulky to carry. Why even risk your child's safety? Look into getting a stroller with a detachable car seat. That way you can push your son in it when he is tired= and have the car seat when you need it, folding up the legs of the stroller. Most airlines will have this right at the door of the plane, ready for you to snap the seat into it at the end of your flight.

Don't go without a car seat. Your son is too young- and have you seen the way some cab drivers drive?!?

We live in Manhattan and we do not take a car seat in a taxi and it is not illegal to do. It does make me uncomfortable sometimes, however most drivers when they see a baby are extra careful driving. I always seat belt myself in (never put it over her) and hold onto her very tight. It's usually a very quick trip as we do end up walking or taking public transportation 99% of the time. We've been traveling with my daughter since she was a baby and have taken her to other cities, such as Chicago, without a car seat. We only take the car seat if we are renting a car and will need it in our destination. Good luck and have a great trip.

p.s. when we were little our parents threw us in the back seat of the car and away we went and here we are! We take risks every day - that's life. I do believe in safety, but I also think sometimes the situation doesn't lend itself to lugging car seat for a 5 minute tax ride.

I would say that the safety of your child should be your top priority so you should take a car seat. Not sure why you would want to travel without one.

NO NO and No. Don't do it.
Twenty months is too young to use a shoulder belt only.
You child can sustain SEVERE INJURY or DIE in a MINOR accident if he is not properly restrained. We are taking something like a fender bender, which happens all the time!
I know it's a pain lugging the seat around, but I don't think you would ever be able to forgive yourself if you child was injured because carrying his car seat along was an inconvenience for you.
Get an inexpensive high back, harnessed booster. They start around $50 and are lighter and easier to carry around that a convertible car seat. An investment and inconvenience well worth the health of your child.
Good luck.

For your situation I would get the vest harness for airplane and taxi use and I might bring a cheap umbrella stroller (usually can be found for under $20). I have 2 kids, 17 months and 4, and when we travel we drag a car seat and a small backless booster and a stroller. It's a big pain but we need those things when we get to our destination. My older child was able to go to a booster between 2.5 and 3 but it is by size and weight and he is big for his age to get to the 40lb/40 inches point that young. We use a small booster to travel and he has a full size car seat for his weight/size at home. We also usually buy and extra seat and have the toddler fly in her car seat--she is safer and more comfortable and we have to drag the car seat anyway. Do what makes sense for you.

I would agree with Karen A. you do not need a car seat. Most people responding to this are crazy paranoid. If riding in a car without a car seat was deadly every time then none of us would be here today. We have gone on over 20 trips with our now 2.5 yr old since she was 3 months and never brought a car seat. We now have an 8 month old and do the same.
Taxis (in NYC and other cities) will allow you to just hold your child on your lap.

If you are really concerned, you can get him/her a flight vest which basically attaches to your seatbelt while the child is in your lap, you can use it both on a plane and in a car. Something like this one: http://www.babybair.com/product.html
It's small enough you can keep it in your diaper bag or purse.
Good luck to you, and don't be paranoid, enjoy your trip.

We went to NYC when our son was 18 months and had no car seat. Apparently, it isn't illegal to have a child in the back of the cab without a car seat. We did the same in Chicago when he was 10 months old.
It's horribly uncomfortable, but it was the easiest way to travel.

You'd not want to put a shoulder belt across a child that age - it could literally sever their head off if there were an accident and the locking mechanism engaged. If anything, I'd recommend using the lap portion for some safety.

You may want to google it just to be safe as laws likely vary from state to state.