https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 10:57:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2765595 Mon, 07 Aug 2017 12:01:18 +0000 SteelerGirl 2765595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you all for your responses! </p> <p>My 11 mo daughter did amazingly well with her own seat! We will never be taking a mobile child on a flight again without their own seat. She napped longer (an hour in the car seat instead of only 30 minutes when in my lap), and I got to read and relax during that time!</p> <p>Also, just having a whole row to ourselves was nice because we didn't have to constantly be concerned with the personal space of our neighbor.</p> <p>We only had her actually strapped in leading up to, and during her nap. But she would sit in her car seat (without being buckled) and play, and she did lots of climbing on it like a jungle gym (we have a pic like yours @desertdreams88!). The majority of her awake time was definitely in our laps, or climbing/crawling/walking across the row of seats (with me perched on the tiniest edge of the seat to give her space to stretch her legs).</p> <p>@Dahlia We accidentally followed your tip for giving her something to focus on to fall asleep. I started flipping through a picture book and she just fell asleep! I was nervous about getting her to sleep without nursing but this went way better!</p> <p>Lastly, just FYI, we used our infant car seat, rear-facing, and snapped it into our stroller (which was gate checked) to take it through the airport. I just realized when she outgrows the infant car seat we will have to drag the convertible through the airport. :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2765364 Sat, 05 Aug 2017 10:49:40 +0000 BSB 2765364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We flew the twins across the country round trip twice (4 months &amp; 13 months). We bought cheap and light travel seats (evenflo tribute). We always pay for one seat and the other twin might be a lap infant. Depending upon how full the flight is, we might be able get a free seat for the second twin. (It's happened about 50% of the time) Oh, the flights were 5-6 hours each way. </p> <p>When they were little (4 months), they stayed in their infant seats. Cried a bit but fell asleep. I think one flight was red eye so they just slept for most of it. For the flight at 13 months, they were much more active. Strapped in at take off and landing but played in the seat for a few hours, like standing in the seat so not strapped in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2765359 Sat, 05 Aug 2017 09:01:17 +0000 DesertDreams88 2765359@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>At that age he was buckled in the seat for about 65% of the time, we took breaks because it was with long cross-country flight and we had also some delays on the tarmac. For the other 35% of time, this is what he did: </p> [attach=5393/17/ou7tm5.337x600.2016-12-24-13.09.05.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2765321 Fri, 04 Aug 2017 23:07:46 +0000 Iced Tea 2765321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SteelerGirl: We had a flew flight trips right after my LO turned two. I kept her strapped in her car seat the whole time except a couple of trips to the bathroom and one nursing session. </p> <p>We used the popular Cosco seat mentioned above. The buckle often ends up behind their back, so I placed a tightly folded blanket on either side of the buckle to help even it out for comfort. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764670 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:30:13 +0000 Littlebit7 2764670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll echo the cosco scenera next. We've flown with it, gosh 20 times? We started getting her her own seat around 10 moths for a cross country flight. Everyone was much happier. SO much happier. I've even been able to read a book and drink a glass of wine. She sleeps, she plays, she watches peppa.<br /> I don't take her out unless I HAVE to because then she doesn't want back in and the flight goes downhill<br /> The cosco installs in the most narrow of planes. I'm talking tiny 1-2 configurations. My next fit would not have fit. And it's so light.</p> <p>Oh yes and print the faa rules. Our last flight a junior flight attendant tried to tell us we had to turn her until a senior attendant came up and told her that we were fine and actually commended us for flying safely with our child. Wha-what!?! To her credit the junior FA was nice...she said people rarely bring car seats and she had thought only infant buckets could rear face. And she was happy to be informed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764664 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:07:29 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2764664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS has spent most of his time in the car seat. I have let him out while the seat belt sign was off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764659 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:00:49 +0000 Boopers 2764659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: we have the Cosco Scenera Next which is very easy to install rear facing on the plane which we plan to do tomorrow when we fly. The only issue with the seat is that my son has almost outgrown it rear facing height wise. You can install it forward facing and get more life out of the seat that way. We haven't forward faced our son in our car yet so I don't want him to get a taste of it on the plane and then expect it in the car too!</p> <p>ETA: the Cosco Scenera Next is such a great travel seat because it's so light weight! We bought a car seat backpack on the advice of another poster just so we have an extra set of hands to wrangle our LO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764657 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 20:59:43 +0000 Mrs. Toad 2764657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: We have. Just ask for a belt extender. We have a Chicco NextFit.</p> <p>DH, who does the install, said for our car seat that the install was easier rear facing than forward facing and seemed more secure as well. </p> <p>Make sure you bring the FAA circular that states car seats may be rear facing. The flight attendant on our last flight made us turn it forward facing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764633 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 19:56:17 +0000 maddyz 2764633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also bring a bottle of pumped milk to feed if needed at a moment when I can't nurse while traveling. It's saved me in the rental car line or during a forever long time waiting to take off. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764632 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 19:53:23 +0000 maddyz 2764632@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: there is no way our convertible seat would have fit rear facing on the plane. It's super easy to install it forward facing on t the plane. You just need to remember to twist the seatbelt so you can undo it later. The flap had to face away from the car seat back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764631 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 19:49:50 +0000 maddyz 2764631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My two year old spends the whole flight in his car seat, but now that we are potty trained I'll take him to the bathroom.</p> <p>When I've had a seat when he was younger it was more a place to put him for naps. But so worth it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764626 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 19:14:09 +0000 MrsADS 2764626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dahlia awesome! Good to know. I actually think he might do better in the seat, at least for take off/landing. I am not sure if he'll be ok staying in the whole flight, although I worry if I take him out then try to put him back in the seat he will melt down. I am thinking about getting the cheap Cosco seat for travel since our Graco 4ever is a beast.</p> <p>My main worry/dread of having him in a seat is (1) we have to lug the carseat through the airport (instead of checking it ); and (2) we have to install a carseat on the plane. Ugh!</p> <p>Did anyone install their carseat rear facing on the plane? LO rides RF and I think he would be more comfortable that way. Plus it is safer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764496 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 14:14:05 +0000 Dahlia 2764496@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: We just flew with DD in her own seat for the first time at 2. It went great! The Cosco Scenera was really easy to install on the plane. Strapped her in for whole time (both flights were about 1.5 hours). We talked it up before and she was super excited about having her own seat on the plane. Between snacks and toys (and a nap on the second flight) she was occupied, and her legs were still too short to kick the seat in front of her. Plus I LOVED not having a giant toddler on my lap like when we flew at 23 months!</p> <p>@SteelerGirl: We just did this with DD (age 2) and she fell asleep in her carseat just like in the car. One (probably horrible parenting) thing we do if she won't fall asleep in the carseat, is hold our phone in front of her face and flip through all the pictures of her. Focusing on that calms her down enough that she starts to zone and eventually passes out. As for taking her out, I'd treat it like the seatbelt sign. Seatbelt sign is on, she stays in. Seatbelt sign off, you can get her out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764490 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:59:11 +0000 BadgerMom 2764490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We traveled with a car seat at 12mo and 21mo before he turned 2. We kept him strapped in the whole time with his pacifier, an iphone, and a snack cup (so basically all my rules went out the window for those couple hours). It worked well for us and didn't seem to leave any lasting expectations as far as pacifier/screen time goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764459 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:01:04 +0000 catlady 2764459@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: Was it easy as a lap child? We are in the opposite situation, we always bought a seat for DD, but decided to have DS be a lap child for our next flight. I always liked having an extra seat so I am worried about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764454 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:57:29 +0000 SteelerGirl 2764454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsADS: We're flying tomorrow (and then flying back home four days later). I'll let you know how it goes! </p> <p>@Catlady: She is a paci lover! We restrict it to naps and car seat at home, but she will definitely get one the whole flight so I hope that will help!</p> <p>The three flights she's taken before I relied on nursing her to sleep to get a nap out of her (then she slept for 30 min in my lap.) In a car seat I can't nurse her to sleep, but she has fallen asleep in the car before so it will be the same... right? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764443 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:49:46 +0000 MrsADS 2764443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following. My son is about to turn 2 and has flown several times, but all as a lap child. Now that we have to buy him a seat, I'm not sure how this is going to go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764442 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:49:42 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2764442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SteelerGirl: we hadn't done car trips.. but also there are other people on planes to think about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764434 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:34:53 +0000 catlady 2764434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SteelerGirl: Yes, although not at that age because DD used to get carsick whenever we'd go more than 20 min, and she was too young for dramamine until age 2. She did fine on the plane though. But as I mentioned, she slept through at least half of it. Does yours use a pacifier? Mine was happy at that age as long as she had her binky, so that helped too (plus snacks).</p> <p>We're doing the same flight with our 8 month old in a few weeks and I'm more worried about him because we don't have a seat for him so I think he will have a harder time napping, plus he doesn't take a pacifier and doesn't snack. Lol we are screwed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764433 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:31:48 +0000 SteelerGirl 2764433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@catlady: Had you ever done a long car trip before? We've never had our daughter strapped into a car seat for longer than 45 minutes, but the flight is 4 hours. I keep telling myself to treat it like a car trip so we have no choice but to leave her strapped in, but if she starts wailing like she does on car trips, I might be tempted to let her out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764430 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:30:31 +0000 looch 2764430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Generally, when my son was small and he had his own seat, he spent the majority of time strapped into the car seat. We did flights that were about 6 hours, so he was in for takeoff and landing and I would take him out every so often for diaper changing and what not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764427 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:24:39 +0000 JLC53 2764427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We fly often to visit family (normally 2-3 times a year). Flight is just under 3 hours. When my son was 8 months (first flight with LO) we got him a seat. He did play a little and sleep a little in his car seat. Probably spent 50/50 time in the car seat and out. We flew again when my son was 15 months and I didn't get him a seat that time and it was perfectly fine. Fine enough that I didn't get a seat for him again at 21 months. Figured I might as well save the money while I can. Next time we will fly I will be forced to get him a seat because he will be 2. If it was a longer flight, I would say it was nice to have a place to put baby down, but on our 3 hour flight it was fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764426 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:24:16 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2764426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was rough when we did this with dd because it made it easier for her to kick the seat in front of her. And she had a rough time sitting still in it. Plus we had a huge car seat. The flight was 5+ hours though. Never again for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764424 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:23:32 +0000 catlady 2764424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We flew with DD when she was 16 months and we kept her in her seat the whole way each time (about 3 hrs). We changed her before we got on board. We had specifically timed the flight for nap time so she slept at least half the flight both ways and had snacks and books for the rest of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764422 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:19:48 +0000 Boopers 2764422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We flew last year when my son was 13 months. I think the flight was an hour and 40 minutes. We changed his diaper right before boarding and kept him in the car seat the entire flight. We had an early flight and he was able to sleep during part of the flight which was great.</p> <p>We are going on a 3 1/2 hour flight tomorrow with our now 28 month old and I'm sure that'll be a different experience. We are bringing a car seat on this flight too because he will be a mess to handle if he's free to sit in the airline seat without a car seat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-1yo-gets-their-own-seat-on-the-plane#post-2764405 Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:02:05 +0000 SteelerGirl 2764405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you bought an airplane seat and brought a car seat on the plane for your under 2 year old, how much time did they spend in the car seat vs. out of it? </p> <p>Did you literally strap them in it from take-off until landing? Did you take them out to change a diaper? Take them out to stretch their legs? Were they only strapped in when it was "nap time"? How about if you were still nursing? </p>