Safety while travelling

[Photomutts]

Hi, we will be travelling to China at the end of the year to adopt our daughter who will be somewhere between 8 & 18 months old and probably small for her age. We will also be bringing our son who was born in February and will be about the same age and size. We are not bringing carseats, because most of the vehicles we will be riding in will be taxis and many are not even equipped with seatbelts. Is there a safe alternative, a lightweight vest or restraint we can use on the LONG flights and also in the vehicles that do have belts or does anyone have any ideas???? We'll be in China about a month and I thought about trying to buy lightweight seats there but I've never seen one sold in the areas we are travelling, I've never even seen one used, most of the babies are in laps or hanging off the front or back of little motorcycles. Please help!!!
-Michele

[spokaneCPST]

First of all, congratulations on both of your children!!

Unfortunately, I hate the answer to this question, but here it is:

We travelled to China to adopt our daughter in February 2006. We did not see a seatbelt on any bus or taxi in the cities we travelled. You do not have much say in the transportation either, as you will need to be certain places at certain times and can't wait around looking for a different taxi, etc. that might have seatbelts. The busses are arranged through the agency and probably won't have belts either. We sometimes had our daughter in a hip carrier on the bus and sometimes just held her. It was freaky for our older kids also - no seatbelts, no booster seats, etc. The whole experience is so out of the norm. I hated not having the kids restrained, but there really was not another option.

Renee spokaneCPST

	Booster Seat A booster seat raises your child up so that the car's lap and shoulder belts fit correctly. The lap belt should fall across the upper thighs. The shoulder belt should go across the middle of the shoulder and chest. A booster seat is used for older children up to about 80 pounds. Some states have passed laws requiring booster seats for children up to age 8 or 80 pounds. Check your state's law.

[Papooses]

I was unsure how to address this situation, so I sought answers from other techs & advocates -- thanks so much for sharing your (scarey) experience Renee!

In past discussions with other techs + parents traveling Asia, South America, etc. I remember the concesus was to secure baby with a metal ringed sling (like www.myaywrap.com) & keep bigger kids crouched down on the floor behind the front seatbacks It's not ideal, but apparently this may be the only option in road vehicles For the airplane I so urge you to buckle your current child into an approved carseat as well as bring an extra for your newest addition.... CARES is the only approved vest for flying, but kids must be at least 1 year old AND 22 pounds. Another option is the Gogo Kidz, which you can attach to an approved carseat to tote kids or carryons through the airport.

• National Geographic lap baby segment on the Sioux...

  (these babies could have survived in safety seats)
• FAA policy on child passenger safety
• FAA pamphlet on child passenger safety

Child passenger safety advocate (http://www.carseatponcho.com) also suggested this adoption board > http://forums.ovusoft.com/tt.asp?appid=27

[Papooses]

P.S. the Graco SafeSeat Step1 fits about 90% of average sized American 12 month olds so it may also fit your new addition.

	Graco - Click for more info Graco is one of the world's best known and most trusted juvenile products companies. They started the entire juvenile products industry with an invention called the Graco Swyngomatic. Since then they have invented products that have changed the way that parents travel with their children such as the travel system, which has made it so parents can lock an infant car seat into a stroller easily, without waking their sleeping baby. Their Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat is pretty much synonymous with the term “infant car seat” because of its safety and design features coupled with its affordability. Today Graco continues designing and developing top-quality products that inspire parents and keeps children safe. Check out the new Infant Safe Seat Step 1 and Toddler Safe Seat Step 2 for proof of Graco’s continued commitment to child safety.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

[Photomutts]

Thank you everyone. Our little guy is in the Safeseat now and I have been going through the recommendations on this site to find the right convertible carseats for the two of them because I don't think he'll fit in it much longer (in length not weight). I think I'll hang on to it though I case we can use it during travel. My concern with using carseats on the plane is; what will we do with them while in China? We will not be able to haul them around to different provinces with us. I think that most of the families that use our adoption agency just purchase a lap ticket and use the Baby B'air vest for the baby. We were planning on buying an extra seat for them to share and also hold them, but I'd like to have them secure in case of turbulence. Thanks for the help! -Michele

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

	Graco Safe Seat Step 1 - Click for more info The Graco Safe Seat (Step 1)—if you couldn't gather from the name— is intended to be the first of a three-seat process. The Step 1 is for infants in a rear-facing position; the Step 2 is for bigger, older kids in the forward-position; the Step 3 is a belt-positioning booster seat without the safety harness of the previous two.

[Papooses]

The Baby B'Air is not FAA approved & flight attendants could tell you it's not allowed.... If I were you I'd bring the SS1 just in case -- it can be installed on the plane without the base, so it doesn't seem like a huge hassle to me to bring considering that I'd rather have baby in a carseat even if there aren't any seatbelts rather than simply held against my chest for my body weight to possibly squish baby in a crash I'd also have a Maya wrap sling + a CARES for your son if he fits or maybe still a lightweight convertible with Gogokidz (because then it's like a stroller)

	Convertible Car Seats Convertible seats are for infants and toddlers. The seat can be used as a rear-facing seats for younger children, and switched to a forward-facing seat on the child's first birthday if the child weighs at least 20 pounds. However, experts recommend keeping the child in a rear-facing position until he or she outgrows the weight or height allowed by the safety seat.

[Photomutts]

Thank you for the information. I think I need to wait to find out what sizes they will be when we travel to decide what they will fit in. Thanks, Michele

[Papooses]

All the best to you! I hope it all works out well!