We may laugh at the days where we were all in a jumble in the back seat, with nary a seat belt fastened let alone a 5-point harness, but I recently learned some alarming statistics. Three out of every four child car seats in the United States are not used or installed correctly. And almost 50 percent of the children fatally injured in motor vehicle crashes were unrestrained. To address this and encourage greater safety for child passengers everywhere, Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have teamed up to launch a national, online education campaign on Causes.com.

The campaign invites people to take action online:

• Watch a short video with tips to properly install a child car seat
• Share the video with your friends and family

The campaign will build on the success of Toyota’s and Cincinnati Children’s groundbreaking Buckle Up for Life child safety program in communities, and in recognition of everyone who participates in the campaign, Toyota will donate 10,000 child car seats to families in need.

I’m pleased to be hosting a live Twitter chat to help parents learn valuable tips about child passenger safety. The event will start on Tuesday Jan. 22 at 2:00 p.m., ET, with certified child passenger safety technicians from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. The technicians will be available to answer questions, in English and Spanish, about proper car seat installation and other ways to keep child passengers safe. Join me @hvbabywilltrvl and follow @Toyota and @causes and learn some great tips on how you can #BuckleUpforLife.

The post Buckle Up For Life – Car Seat Safety For Travel And At Home appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

And here are five quick tips for traveling with a baby or toddler this Holiday Season…

1. Be Organized! Pack according to a detailed packing list, and don’t leave it to the last minute.

2. Make sure to follow bedtime routines while you’re away (or even flying on a red-eye!) to encourage good rest!

3. Save sugary treats or juice for the end of a flight. No sugar rush at 30,000 feet and lollipops or a sippy of juice during landing do double duty – reward for good behavior during a flight AND sucking helps prevent ear pain.

4. You don’t need to buy all new toys and distractions for the flight. Hide a few favourites before your journey so kids will be happy to see them mid-flight.

5. A stroller is not just a stroller. It is a high chair, a bed, a luggage trolley and a baby jail. Never underestimate the power of a stroller!

Win This UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller!

The best part is that you can win the UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller shown on the show!

We’ve found the UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller to be an excellent choice for an umbrella stroller, and if you’re going to be doing a lot of travel, it may well be worth the investment to buy a stroller specifically for travel. The UPPAbaby G-Luxe is super light, easy to push, easy to fold, and so easy to carry. We were late to the umbrella stroller game, and while we do adore our full-sized UPPAbaby Vista – for gate-checking and other travel circumstances an umbrella stroller is just easier.

This giveaway is for Greater Toronto Area residents only! Follow the instructions in the good ol’ Rafflecopter widget below and start 2013 with some new wheels!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Hello From The Morning Show – Win An UPPAbaby G-Luxe Stroller! appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Have a baby or toddler with the travel bug (or their parents!) on your shopping list? Here are some practical and fun gift ideas that will help them see the world!

Toddler Headphones

Toddler Headphones

These adorable headphones have come with us on every trip, and you can adjust the volume via the cord, as well as at the audio source. These baby and toddler headphones are cute enough for baby to wear, but also functional enough for you to use for the inflight entertainment should your little one nod off mid-flight. I can’t say enough about these toddler headphones, I think they’re great, and they’re not expensive either.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Totseat

Totseat

For babies able to sit unassisted – usually by about eight months, the Totseat is a portable and compact way to ensure baby has a secure place to sit at the table for mealtimes. It will fit most chairs with a back height of between 25 cm and 75 cm, and a width of less than 53 cm. It adapts to fit chairs of varying heights, includes fasteners for rounded, metal-framed chairs, and also comes with a super-secure wide strap to create a back support on open-backed chairs.

US Shoppers click here
Canadian Shoppers click here

ZOO Rolling Luggage

Zoo Rolling Luggage

As soon as they’re big enough, kids love pulling their own bag. So if the bag is light, easy to pull, and actually useful with well-placed pockets and easily accessible contents, that’s a win win. Skip*Hop’s adorable Zoo collection now includes these adorable little rolling suitcases, and the only difficulty with these is deciding which one to get.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

UPPAbaby G-Luxe

UPPAbaby G-Luxe

I was late to the umbrella stroller game, simply because I didn’t (and still don’t) believe you NEED another stroller for travel. However, depending on the amount of travel you do, and with airlines continually changing their gate-check requirements for strollers, if you can swing it – a lightweight umbrella stroller for travel makes your life pretty easy. We adored the UPPAbaby G-Luxe, and can’t recommend it enough…

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Sony Cyber-Shot

Sony Cyber-Shot Camera

If you’re going to be traveling over the holidays, you’ll want to make sure your camera can capture your memories as well as your brain can. Well, better than your brain, actually, if your brain is as sleep-deprived as mine is! Sony’s Cyber-Shot series are easy-to-use cameras, and the HX-30  wirelessly uploads your shots via Wi-Fi to your compatible smartphone or laptop, so you can start sharing your experiences before they’re even over with family and friends.
US Shoppers click here
Canadian Shoppers click here

THE iPad

The iPad

There are plenty of tablet computers on the market, but really, there’s only one – the iPad. While I liked the Playbook for its smaller, more toddler-friendly size, the dearth of kiddy apps truly made it impossible to compete. On the last three trips we’ve taken we’ve been iPad owners, and with the addition of a few new apps and shows, our children were quiet, busy, and engaged for the entire duration of our flights. There are a plethora of apps available for younger babies and toddlers as well.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Baby Travel Gear Stocking Stuffers…

Tag A Long Handle

Tag A Long Handle

Once a baby becomes a biped, it’s tough sometimes to keep them safely strapped into their baby jail stroller. And strong-willed independent tots like mine also don’t love holding hands. This handle is an easy compromise. That’s THEIR handle, and our deal is they either ride in the stroller or hang on to it. And the nice thing about this handle is it gives them a bit of space so their feet won’t get nicked by the stroller wheels, and it’s easy to remove to pop in the diaper bag when it’s time to gate-check the stroller.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Swipe Wipes Case

Swipe Wipes Case

I am the wipes Queen. Even when I do not have a baby or toddler with me, I have wipes in my purse. I like this Swipe from Skip*Hop because I can simply clip it to my diaper bag and not have to madly dig when I need a wipe in a hurry.  You could also clip one to the stroller for outings where you’re not bringing the diaper bag, or when your kids are FINALLY out of diapers. And I’m delighted to exclaim that that actually happens!
US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Knot It

Knot It

You always need plastic grocery bags with you when you’re traveling with baby. For laundry, for atomic diapers, for pretty much any reason. And lately I’ve been forgetting my stash of bags at home, so I’m incredibly grateful to have this little lifesaver in my purse. (Yes, mine weighs 20lbs. Yours?) You can *create* the size of bag you need without having a whack of them crammed in a pocket you never think to check.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Flash Cards

Flash Cards

I’m not sure where or how this small pack of flash cards came to be in my bag, but now they’re my go-to emergency kid busy-er. For some reason, not knowing what picture is going to pop up next thrills my toddler to no end, and the fact that a pack of cards takes up so little room for such a big payoff means I will likely always have them on standby – even when my kids become *technically* too big for them.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Travel Etch A Sketch

Travel Etch A Sketch

Ok so we’re kicking it a bit old school here with the Travel Etch A Sketch. I bought one of these for one of our trips purely for nostalgia,  and figured I’d be the only one playing with it. Not so – both my kids really enjoyed doodling with it, and found that Bub really seemed to enjoy honing his fine motor skills while turning the little wheels and creating temporary masterpieces, one straight line at a time.

US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Bibagogo

Bibagogo

The Bibagogo is a stain-resistant, wipeable bib with hidden pockets that hold a feeding spoon and two facecloths. it rolls up into a self-contained unit. It’s easy to wipe and wash and dries very quickly.

We traveled with our Bibagogo for years, and it still looks brand new.

US and Canadian Shoppers click here

Boon Spoon

Boon Squirt Spoon

This ingenious creation eliminates the need for packing a bowl, so if you’re on the go with baby and know you’ll have a mealtime in there, just fill your spoon – or spoons – and go. The Boon Spoon is also a great invention for when baby starts to self feed as well.
US shoppers click here
Canadian shoppers click here

Check out all the 2012 Baby Travel Gear Guides for Eating, Sleeping, Playing and Getting Around when you’re traveling with a baby or toddler!

**If you purchase something after clicking a link, Have Baby Will Travel may receive a small commission…

The post Gift Ideas For Travel With Babies & Toddlers appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Bub On A Bed: Cayo Coco, Cuba – 2010

Sleeping and maintaining good sleep routines is a major concern for traveling parents, and rightfully so! Good sleep begets good sleep, and we spend so much time and energy in helping our babies to nap and sleep through the night – who on earth wants to mess with that? I’ve talked before about travel messing with baby’s sleep, and the worry that “travel hangovers” can cause, but ultimately, with some preparation, (teething, major time changes and illness aside) we can keep sleep issues while traveling with little ones to a minimum.

Regardless of where you’re staying – be it a fancy hotel or Grandma’s house, your baby or toddler needs a safe place to sleep.

Co-Sleeping…

If you co-sleep at home, consider that hotels and family’s guest rooms may not have the safe set-up or infant-friendly bedding and linens that you have at home. I have heard of some families pulling the mattress onto the floor or else actually making up a bed on the floor. This option would not be ok with me, but for safety while co-sleeping in a hotel room, it might have to do.

Travel Cots and Beds…

Phil & Teds Traveler

Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light

GoCrib Travel Cot

Next step up is bringing your baby or toddler’s travel bed with you.  If you have the luggage allotment or find the piece of mind is worth the baggage charge (or equivalent to what renting a crib or playpen would be), there are a number of travel cribs and cots, as well as toddler sleep solutions available on the market today. The most popular, of course, are those marketed as “Travel Cots” The Phil & Teds Traveler is a popular choice, and is truly a lightweight and portable travel bed that is good for infancy through to toddlerhood. I’ve demoed this item a few times and it gets easier to assemble and dissemble the more frequently you do it. It is a bit pricey at just under $200, but it’s actually the least expensive of the good ones out there. I’ve seen first-hand how great the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib Light is – it does not fold down as compactly as the Phil & Teds, but it is SO EASY to assemble and take down. When it’s folded it’s the size of  a small suitcase, but flat, but if you’re checking it as baggage anyway, that’s not such a big deal. The Baby Bjorn is more expensive at just over $200. The newest travel crib I’ve seen, and would love to check out first-hand, is the GoCrib Portable Baby Travel Crib and Play Yard. Again, this is pricier at over $200, but it folds down into a backpack, weighs just 11 lbs, has optional accessories like a mosquito net and sunshade, and the online reviews on Amazon simply rave about it. I would love to check this one out, personally.

The Shrunks Travel Bed

The Shrunks Travel Bed Rail

Now once your babies become toddlers, and they can’t or won’t sleep in any of these things, you still have options. I’ve tried out a few duds that I won’t bother writing about, but I will say that I wish I had known about The Shrunks products. The Inflatable Toddler Bed is under 8 lbs, uses standard crib sheets, and fits into a travel bag that can be purchased separately that holds the bed, as well as the pump and sheets and blankets. The Shrunks also makes an inflatable bed rail for travel – a great idea if you have a busy sleeper and aren’t sure if the place you’re staying offers bed rails or if you could push the bed against the wall.  In a pinch you can always channel your inner McGyver and jam extra pillows or rolled up towels or blankets under the sheet at the side of the bed – this has worked for us.

Of course, you don’t have to bring your travel beds or cribs with you. Cribs or playpens may be offered at the hotel or rental you’re staying at. They may be totally clean and safe – or they may not be. Our first experience was not a good one, so we always brought our playpen with us – with all subsequent hotel cribs being fine, of course

Renting or Borrowing…

Another option, and an especially good one if staying at a kidless family member or friend’s house is to rent a crib or playpen for sleeping. We have a fairly extensive baby equipment rentals page, but are always looking to add more listings! Don’t forget utilizing social media. Renting gear can be expensive, so you can try Facebook to see if you have friends or acquaintances in the area you’ll be visiting who can lend some gear.

Warning…

In a previous gear guide (and the television appearance I made to support it) I recommended the Peapod Travel Bed. After reading a heartbreaking account of a baby’s suffocation on Amazon, I pulled it from my gear guide. On October 15, 2012, Health Canada issued a warning to not use these travel bed for babies under 12 months. Frankly, I wouldn’t use it at all.

***EDITED TO ADD*** As of November 16, 2012 KidCo has officially recalled the over 220,000 PeaPods sold since 2005. They are offering kits to address the suffocation danger of infants slipping between the mattress and the side of the tent. The kits include supports that strengthen the sides of the tent and a thinner air mattress. Together they are meant to prevent the pocket that creates the suffocation hazard from forming.

**If you purchase something after clicking on a link, Have Baby Will Travel may receive a small commission.**

The post Travel Cribs, Cots, and Safe Sleeping appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Win me!

I am of the mind that you always need to bring your stroller with you when traveling with a baby. But having seen this (relatively new) baby carrier from Osprey, I’m tempted to temper that sentiment. Depending on your destination, and the type of traveling you’ll be doing, the heavy-duty Poco Plus baby and toddler carrier just might really leave your hands free and without the need for wheels.

The carrier itself weighs under 7lbs, and can carry a maximum load of of 22 kg/48 lbs – which is child, gear and pack combined.  But you must not use the Poco until baby can sit upright unassisted and weighs at least 16lbs (7.3kg). The harness is easily adjustable for when baby grows, and there are stirrups for older and taller passengers, to help with dangly (and kicky) feet syndrome.

Some nifty features of the Poco Plus include:

• A built-in sunshade
• A size adjustable hipbelt with zippered mesh pockets
• A large zippered lower compartment for diapers, jackets, and bulky items
• An inner mesh security pocket
• Two stretch mesh side pockets
• A stretch mesh pocket on upper front panel that offers quick convenient storage
• A zippered stash pocket on the upper front panel
• Cell phone pocket on shoulder strap
• Cord loops allow the quick attachment of the optional Daylite daypack

I adore Osprey’s Vector Series luggage – so much so that I included it in my 2012 Gear Guide – and am super-bummed that they are discontinuing it. However, the Poco series of baby carrier backpacks is quite new, and so well-received that I’m sure they’ll be around for some time.

I’m delighted that Osprey has offered to give away a Poco Plus to a Have Baby Will Travel reader! I’m giving Rafflecopter a try for this giveaway. Let me know if you hate it and I’ll go back to the old fashioned way. In the meantime, this giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the US (sorry, Quebec and Puerto Rico) and all the details are in the nifty Rafflecopter widget. You have until October 30, 2012 to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This looks like an amazing infant carrier backpack, and it’s valued at over $250.00. Good luck – and please tell us where you take it on your travels!

The post Win An Osprey Poco Plus Baby Carrier! appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Rocking The Beetle At The Volkswagen Freedriving Tour

I have never owned a Volkswagen, but the brand identity is fully ingrained in my psyche. When I was a toddler and fell and split my head open, I was driven to the hospital in my Uncle Joe’s yellow Volkswagen Beetle. When I was a teenager, the ULTIMATE sweet sixteen car was a convertible white Volkswagen Cabriolet – c’mon, you’d still drive one if you could. And the VW emblem is repeatedly ripped off my poor mother-in-law’s 1992 Golf (thanks a lot, Mike D). I was delighted to drive a new Beetle on the test track at the Volkswagen Freedriving Tour, and also delighted when they offered us the use of a Tiguan for a Car review for a week.

Let’s turn it over to Mr. HBWT for his thoughts on the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan…

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Review and Test Drive:

Yay:
-styling
-driver comfort

Nay
-cargo capacity
-price

Das Auto Ist Nice To Look At

My experience with “the people’s car” is actually quite varied: my father is a big VW fan, my main mode of transport in university was an ’80 Rabbit diesel, and recently I got a chance to put some new Volkswagens through their paces at a closed track. So I was happy to get my hands on a brand new Tiguan for a week to see how these experiences would translate into my liking of the automaker’s latest SUV offering.

I didn’t know much about the Tiguan going in – other than that it is the smaller sibling to the Touareg (a nice set of wheels but well outside of what I would, or could, spend on an automobile). I loved my Rabbit and, though painfully slow under any circumstances, it was ultra reliable and cost almost nothing to run – about as perfect a student car as there is. I actually sold it for 200 bucks more than I bought it for 5 years earlier. A light year leap ahead, of course, is the 2012 Tiguan and stands as VW’s entry into the rather crowded compact SUV market.

Nice lean profile means less junk in the trunk…

The Tiguan comes in 3 flavors in Canada from the base FWD Trendline with standard transmission, to the mid range Comfortline with an assortment of upgrades, to the fully loaded Highline with AWD and a turbocharged engine. The MSPR of these 3 styles ranges from 27K to 40K +. Our model was the Highline and it was NICE – with all of the bells and whistles and leather one could wish for. The interior is really well laid out and aesthetically pleasing, and there was plenty of room for me (at 6’7″) in the drivers seat without clipping too much of the room in the second row. It was a very comfortable car to drive with five. With that said, what was immediately noticeable was the reduction in cargo capacity compared to most of the other compact SUVs we tested. The rakish styling of the Tiguan definitely lends itself to this issue (much as it did to the CX5) and our stroller (folded up) barely fit in the back which was a pretty significant departure from others like the Rav 4 and CRV. The odd thing to me is that the Tiguan isn’t much physically smaller (5″ than the CRV) so clearly cargo capacity was a feature that wasn’t that important to the engineers.

As for the driving experience, the Tiguan was comfortable but I was a bit surprised by its performance. While no slouch, I didn’t find it particularly peppy nor did I find the handling particularly tight – perhaps I was expecting more is all. As for fuel economy it fell easily within the range of its main competitors at around 11.5L/100km – so no gas guzzler but also not a major breakthrough in fuel economy either. Where the Tiguan really seemed to excel, like the Kia Sorento, was on the highway at cruising speed.

Das Auto Ist Good!

The styling is good, and I appreciate that it is a cut above the standard styling in this class though not particularly innovative or daring.

After spending a week with the Tiguan for this Volkswagen Tiguan review, do I know more now? Of course… But I am still a bit confused by it and where it fits in to the aforementioned highly competitive compact SUV market. It is neither the fastest, the roomiest, or the most fuel efficient – and while feeling quite luxurious was not enough of a standout in that category from other fully loaded competitors. It scores very well in reliability but the CRV and Rav4 do as well. To add to this mystery is the price tag – it is at the top of the price range for this class.

I guess the one thing that the Tiguan has that no others do is the VW logo on the grill, and for some that is well worth the – and to me there is no other way to put it – compromises that you have to make with this vehicle. Maybe the term “compromise” isn’t fair. Maybe I just got used to all of the various SUVs we tested in this class as being “outstanding” in one or two aspects and I just never really felt that about the Tiguan. It is a great car overall, but seems fairly standard in all of its features. But, it IS a Volkswagen and if you are a fan (as many are for good reasons) and want a compact SUV then you can have just that in the Tiguan. And sorry ’80 Rabbit I used to own (that is no doubt still running) – this is WAAAAAY nicer.

**********************************************************************************************************

I did think the Tiguan was super nice, and I felt pretty fancy driving it. I have to agree that the cargo capacity was much lower than expected, but it certainly managed our day to day needs – even if it was sometimes a bit of a squeeze. I kind of “get” the Volkswagen thing, though. And chances are, one day I will own one – even if it’s a sweet sixteen present for our daughter of a white convertible Beetle – as THAT model is WAY WAY sweet.

Can you believe that we actually did end up buying a car?! We’ll fill you in soon on our process, the car we ALMOST bought (and why we didn’t buy it) and the one that’s currently in our driveway that we are very happy with.

The post Car Reviews – 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Test Drive appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

CARES Harness In Action

Flying with a car seat is not fun. And since the car seats that come with rental cars are usually filthy or unsafe (or both!) your best bet truly is to rent one from a baby travel equipment company that will greet you at the airport with a shiny, clean, and safe seat. But you still have to keep your little one safe on the plane…

Enter the CARES Child Aviation Restraint System. It attaches to the seat and existing aircraft seat belt to create a 5-point harness to keep your 22-44lb child safe and secure in their own airplane seat. The CARES harness is the only device of its kind that is approved for use by the FAA. You might want to print that info out when you fly with it, though. I’ve heard of situations where flight attendants tried to restrict its use.

The lovely folks at Kids Fly Safe have provided a CARES Harness to give away to a Have Baby Will Travel reader!

I’ll draw for the prize on Wednesday September 5, 2012 – and notify the winner on Friday September 7, 2012.

To enter, simply subscribe to the Have Baby Will Travel newsletter HERE and tell me you did so in the comments below. For an additional entry, sign up for the Have Baby Will Travel RSS feed HERE and tell me that in the comments below too! If you already subscribe (thanks!) just write that in the comments (in both cases) and you’re automatically entered.

Winners
All entries must be received by Wednesday September 5, 2012 at 11:59PM EST. Winners will be drawn at random and will be announced here by Friday August 10, 2012. Don’t forget to share with your friends by clicking the “Like” button!

WE HAVE A WINNER!
True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:54 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Rules

The post Win A CARES Airplane Safety Harness appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Bub in his Oobr

We always travel with car seats. Always.  And for our road trip across Alberta, I was pretty happy to road test the Clek Oobr booster seat, as Bub had just outgrown his trusty Scenera.

So I felt pretty good about our trip and the Oobr was great to travel with in spite of its size and weight, so then I wrote about it and the nice folks at Clek posted my review on their Facebook page.

And then I learned that I was doing it wrong. Quite wrong.

Although Bub was at the required weight for the Oobr, new regulations just passed meant, at three, he was too young to be in that seat – he needed to be four. So I wiped the egg off my face, and stopped to pick up Bub a new seat on the way home – an Evenflo Chase that reminded me of our Scenera in profile and weight.

BUT…

I also learned that when flying with car seats that a checked seat is considered a crashed seat. That makes sense, I guess,  considering the rough treatment our bags get. Have you ever seen this video?

So this means you shouldn’t check your car seat as luggage. According to to a document prepared by the CPSTs and CRSTs in the Car Seats For The Littles Facebook Page:

If you must check a carseat, put it in its original packaging with padding in the box. Or maybe another box with padding. And then gate check it (it’s far more convenient to use the seat on board than to drag a big box to the gate). All too often I see parents check their carseats at the ticket counter, wrapped in nothing but a plastic bag to keep the cover clean. The cover being clean at the other end is the least of the concerns. The worst thing that can happen is that a carseat arrives at the other end with damage that cannot be seen. The only way to find out that there’s damage is during or after a crash when the seat has failed.

I don’t think I know anyone who still has their car seat box. Or who is willing to drag a giant box through the airport in addition to their children, stroller, carry-on bags, etc.

Bub, Almost 11 Weeks…

So if you’ve purchased your baby or toddler a seat or they are over two, a lightweight seat like the Scenera or our new Chase can be bungee corded to one of your wheely carry-on bags and they are not too bulky or heavy to manoeuvre. Belt-positioning booster seats may not be used on planes, but if you don’t want to gate check they easily fit in the overhead bins of most aircraft.

Most CPSTs and CRSTs do not condone lap babies AT ALL. So they won’t give you any advice on gate checking car seats since they believe there is no reason to. However, both my children frequently flew as lap infants when there was no spare seat on the plane. The reason the FAA won’t ban lap infants is because they fear the cost will inspire many families to drive to their destinations instead, which in spite of a properly installed car seat, is statistically less safe.

However, i’m now sufficiently paranoid enough to recommend these Gate Check Bags for gate checking when flying with car seats. They are sturdier than just the covers you can get, so will offer the seat some protection. Plus they either are on wheels or with backpack straps, to help ease your load as a traveling pack mule.

I’m not going to sugar coat it and say it’s super easy to install a car seat on a plane. It’s not. And probably the easiest, peasiest option is to rent a car seat at your destination from one of those places that will meet you with it at the airport. Or else plan exclusively to take public transit (babies and toddlers LOVE that!). But then you should still make sure your baby is safe on a plane.

One option is the CARES Harness - the only FAA-approved flight harness for infants weighing 22-44 pounds in their own seat on a plane. It weighs a pound at most, and easily fits in your purse or carry-on. Stick around, because we’ll be giving one away soon!

If you make a purchase after clicking a link, Have Baby Will Travel may receive a small commission.

The post Flying With Car Seats and Booster Seats appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

**EDITED TO ADD** It has been brought to my attention that Bub is actually not old enough to be in this car seat. We’ll be shopping for an appropriate seat for him ASAP and will move our daughter into this one, as I still think it’s a great booster. Thanks for all the feedback.

We have always traveled with our car seat. And our convertible car seat of choice for travel was the Cosco Scenera – less than 10lbs and super easy to install and cart around. But it is only good for forward facing toddlers until 40lbs, and Bub hit that weight just before our road trip across Alberta. In a pinch, we thought about using our daughter’s spare booster, but even though he was technically big enough, I didn’t feel he was mentally ready. So I was delighted when the nice folks at Clek offered to send us one of their Oobr highback booster seats to try out.

The Oobr is big. And it is heavy. And I really wasn’t sure I wanted to lug it with us. But since we would be spending so much time in the car, I figured it was worth a shot. And I’m so glad we did!

Bub in his Oobr

Because the Oobr reclines, Bub snoozed pretty consistently during our driving legs, and he did so without the painful-looking head droop my daughter sometimes seems to experience in her booster. In order for it to properly (and safely) recline, it must be attached via the LATCH clips at the back, but that wasn’t a problem. During Bub’s road trip naps I was confident that he was comfy and safe – since the seat belt stayed where it should.

And the lugging of the Oobr really wasn’t that big of a deal. When we unloaded our car at the airport, we simply threw it on top of our suitcases on the luggage cart. Air Canada supplied us with the heavy-duty plastic bag, and we sealed it up with my daughter’s seat and sent it on its way via the oversize checked luggage. It has nary a scratch from either leg of our journey, but I am relieved that the airline had the bag – for future trips I might consider purchasing a car seat travel bag for checking it.

I’m delighted with the quality of the Oobr. It’s logged a lot of miles in the short time we’ve had it (and some vomit, sadly, during our post-road trip plague) and it cleans up nicely. It is not an inexpensive car seat, but it is probably the most solid highback booster I’ve seen. Considering how long your kid is in a booster seat these days, you definitely get your money’s worth.

As a company, I like what I’ve learned about Clek. I look forward to seeing what new products they’ll come out with in the future, and I would love to consult with them about designing a line of car seats and boosters that are not only safe but easy and convenient to travel with as well.

If you purchase something after clicking on a link, Have Baby Will Travel may receive a small commission.

The post Baby Travel Gear: The Clek Oobr Booster Seat appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.

Varadero Beach, Cuba

Enjoy Your Wave Baby…  7 Beach Tips For Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers…

Truthfully, my first instinct when it came to my daughter was to keep her in a bubble, safe from dirt, germs, bugs, and anything else that I couldn’t control. But here’s the thing: we love the outdoors, the beach being a particular favourite, so I had to come to terms with the fact that my baby would get dirty, put things in her mouth, and taste a handful or two of sand.

I’ve loosened up enough to let my children loose on the beach, but of course I’m still concerned about their safety.  With a whack of beach vacations under our belts with tots in tow, I’m happy to share my tips about keeping babies, toddlers and little kids safe and happy beside the surf.

Coolibar Travel Umbrella

Get Made In the Shade: Your days of lazing in the blazing sun are over.  Be sure to set up shop under a beach umbrella or palapa, and adjust your arrangements as the sun moves. Shade is especially crucial for the littlest babies, as those under 6-months-old are too young for sunscreen.  Coolibar makes a shade travel umbrella, and with a bit of rigging you can finagle a shady spot ideal for immobile babies.
Canadian and American shoppers click here

Green Beaver Sunscreen

We All Scream For Sunscreen: It’s no longer an option, sunscreen is a necessity for every member of your family over 6mos.  The higher the SPF factor, the better, but choose children’s formulations for the younger set, and avoid putting it on baby’ hands (you know where those hands always go).  SPF swimwear is also a great way to keep kids’ skin safe from the sun. Green Beaver‘s organic sunscreen formulations are effective, and the available pump spray makes them easy to apply. Coolibar’s SPF swimwear for infants and toddlers is adorable, as well as safe.
                    For Green Beaver, Canadian shoppers click here and US shoppers click here
                   For Coolibar swimwear, Canadian and US shoppers click here

Lunchie

Drink At The Big Drink: Have lots of fresh water and other fluids on hand – playing at the beach is thirsty fun and it’s important to keep everyone hydrated.  Extra water comes in handy for the inevitable mouthful or eyeful of sand. If nursing, offer extra feedings and make sure to drink enough yourself! If you’ve got bottles of milk to keep cool, you’ll need an isulated bag. It may as well be cute, so that’s why we love the Lunchie!
                     Canadian shoppers click here
                     American shoppers click here

Luvali Sun Hats

Avoid Hat Tricks: Protect little scalps and tender eyes by making sure sunhats stay on.  Look for ones with good, strong Velcro but sometimes you need to go the route of the string. Make sure you have extras on hand – hats do have a mysterious way of disappearing when you’re not looking. Luvali Convertibles are so cute, though, that you’ll notice if it’s not on Junior’s head!
                    Canadian Shoppers click here
                   American shoppers click here

Zoocchini Towels

Shake And Break:  No matter the fun you’re all having, it’s important to shake off the sand and take a break.  The suns’ rays are strongest between the hours of 10am and 4pm, ideal times for a snack in the shade, and then lunch and a nap indoors.  You’ll head back to the beach refreshed and ready to play. Zoocchinni Hooded Towels are the absolute cutest way to dry off after a dip.
                     Canadian shoppers click here
                    American shoppers click here

Bogg Bags

Keep It Simple, Silly: The more intricate and elaborate the beach toys you bring, the more you’ll have to carry and keep track of. A few buckets, shovels and a beachball are really all that’s needed, and when your beach babies are old enough, have them pitch in to help carry the load. In the meantime, Bogg Bags are an awesome alternative to a pack mule – sturdy, big, and you can hose ‘em off!
                    Canadian and American shoppers click here

Salus Marine Infant Life Jackets

Arm & Eye Co-ordination:  With kids, things can happen in the blink of an eye, and you don’t want that blink to happen at the beach. A watchful eye is essential at all times, not just at the water’s edge, but to avoid ingesting seashells, stepping on something sharp and/or prickly, and the like.  Tots with a tendency to bolt should be relegated to full-time life jackets. PFDs, water wings and other floaties are not a substitute for supervision, and even strong swimmers should be within arm’s reach while in the water. Salus Marine‘s line of life jackets and PFDs are excellent options to keep your little one safe by the sea.
                     Canadian shoppers click here & Americans click here

The post Beach and Sun Safety for Babies and Toddlers on Canada AM appeared first on Have Baby Will Travel.