Flying and Car hire with a 7wk old

[Ellee05]

We have to fly back to Perth tomorrow to see DD Pead and to have my check up. So this is the first time we've flown eeeiik. I've heard that you feed on take off and landing but has anyone got any other tips/tricks.

I'm a bit nervous about travelling. We are there for 3 days and have a hire car as we have a few appointments and things to do all over the place. Budget only have car seats for 6months and up so looks like we have to take our own. Has anyone done this? I'm sure it is done all the time but I worry about how they treat the car seat, how would I know if the structure was damaged? I'm seriously considering cancelling the car hire and taxi everywhere but then DD will only be able to be in the sling. Do you wrap the seat up in something?

With Qantas infant is only allowed one baby product like seat, cot etc. So DH and I will need to take the seat in his baggage allowance. So much for family friendly airlines. It's not so bad this time as we're not going for long but if we go back east We'll have lots of $$ at excess rate of $10 per kg!!

Any tips or tricks would be appreciated!

[FabFiona]

I have nothing to add, but just subscribing as I'll be travelling up to Canberra a bit when husband is up there for work next year.

[sneakysparkle]

honestly the younger they are the easier it is to fly/travel with them
Ive travelled a fair bit with my two.

yep - feed on takeoff/landing for sure, more than likely she'll sleep for you

Id wrap the seat in a garbage bag - you dont want it getting wet. Ive taken seats before and theyve been fine. Much easier having a car than having to taxi everywhere! (Ive done both!)

Thats all I can think of atm. Hope all goes well

[Netix]

We flew to Sydney Feb last year with Steph. She sat on the Man's lap, so can't really help you with that aspect, but the wrapping up in a sling sounds like a good idea.

I'm not sure that I would trust airlines or others like that with a baby seat. We didn't even take the comfy pram for her, just the cheapy stroller, which got bent anyway!

We hired a car through Hertz, with a baby seat, and they were happy for us to check the seat that we were happy with it and how it was fitted.

I can't remember what the allowance was for Steph in terms of baggage, but there was more than enough allowance for all of us even with the stroller. Hope that helps.

[Erin_25]

We used to live remote WA too & flew with DS about 10 times before the poor child was 2!!! The younger they are the easier it is. Some bubs have trouble with ears, some don't it's just one of those things. Best thing to try is the feed on take off & landing or a dummy if you use one....but if they don't want either you just have to deal with it IYKWIM. We flew back with DS when he was 6wks as we went back to SA to have him....he slept the entire trip...didn't hear a peep. Most bubs will sleep whilst travelling.

Using a sling is great at that age for keeping your hands free. At this age you don't need the extras like toys etc but try & get a clean nappy on before leaving....my DS did a no2 just after take off at 6wks & those change tables in the toilets are so very awkward - think it took me half hour LOL.

As for baggage, I don't know if they have changed rules recently or gotten a lot harder but we've never once paid excess for DS...EVER. One trip back to SA (2 Qantas flights) we took his stroller, car seat & porter cot. As for care they take, that's just luck of the draw. Put a bag around it & hope they treat it nice.

[berrme]

Flying with a baby is not hard at all. As the others have said, feed or give them a dummy on take off and landing.
Bub needs to have their own seatbelt on, which attaches to yours so the sling may not work once you are seated. I have always used one getting around the airport though...it is somewhere that you need the use of your hands.

Have you actually called budget to check about the car seat or did you do it all online? In my experience they all have convertible seats so infants are fine in them, you just turn it around when you get the car. Probably worth a check rather than take your own seat for no reason.

I second not taking any valuable baby equipment on the plane if you can avoid it. We have a cheap stroller especially for taking on planes, our good one got broken the first flight we took it on. Qantas are generally nicer than the other airlines as far as letting extra baggage slide so you might get lucky.