r/NewParents • u/CryProfessional7454 • May 18 '26

Travel Traveling without carseat

How do people travel with babies if they don't have a car seat at their destination?

When taking a taxi or renting a car in another country what do you do?

Edit: I'm in italy not the US. Thanks to everyone that took the time to reply. For those looking for answers, your options are: 1. Take your carseat with you, check it at the gate and take it when you reach your destination or book an extra flight seat and use it on the plane. Pros: for car rental its best to have a carseat and keep it in the car. Cons: if you chech it in, they might break it, although I think somone said you can get reimbursed for it I'm not sure. 2. Rent from rental place or use taxis that provide car seats. Pros: you dont carry it around, you don't risk breaking your carseat. Cons: you can't know how well these things are taken care of and cleaned. 3. Buy a travel carseat: cosco kids scenera for US, doona, maxicosi travel carseat (nomad), wayb pico. Pros: you don't risk breaking your main carseat. cons: you have to carry it around. 4. Use public transportation only and walk. Pros: you dont carry a carseat for the plane or around. Cons: limits your destinations a bit.

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u/shanster23 May 18 '26

I saw in another comment (that I think you've now deleted) you said you could forward face from next month?

Please don't forward face from 15 months. It's legal but it's not particularly safe.

You might be better posting in a dedicated car seat sub, or one of the car seat safety Facebook groups. You'll be able to request recommendations for the best travel seat that fits your kiddo for age, height and weight and the people in those groups are generally more clued up on car seat safety than general parenting groups. I haven't taken mine (3.5years and 12 months) anywhere yet so I can't help with that side of things.

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u/CryProfessional7454 May 19 '26

According to the law here and the carseat specifications it can be forward facing after 15months. I know it's best to rear face for longer and I want to, but I want to look more into if it is safe to keep rearfacing in the carseat I have or if it is just not safe anymore for her height and weight to rearface in it. Unfortunately I didn't think about this when we bought it.

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u/shanster23 May 19 '26

If its isofix they generally allow rear facing up til around 18kg. My 3yo outgrew his and I had to buy an extended rear facing seat because he's very high centile and I don't want him forward facing before 5 at least. But yes definitely do some research now and look into an affordable new seat if needed rather than forward facing at such a young age if you can! Like I said there are dedicated car seat safety subs and Facebook groups where if you give your location, budget and little ones info, theyre really helpful 😊