USA Today article on lap babies

[pastrygirl]

Not sure if this was posted here yet...

Why you should never fly with a child in your lap (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/mcgee/2008-07-29-lap-children_N.htm)

[801kelle]

I have always bought seat for my DD. Even when she was 8 months old. Always have wanted my child to be safe and be in her carseat when traveling in plane as well as car.

I had recently posted so more info on why it is not safe to fly with babies on lap.

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-ppcarseats&msg=22118.1

This is a letter written by a flight attendent.

Quote below is a exerpt from Link above:

I write this out of sheer frustration with the uneducated - or perhaps lazy - parents. The FAA does not mandate that a child UNDER the age of 2 be in his or her own seat. This is shameful and absurd. We, the flight crew, are required to ensure that all carry-on luggage is safely stowed, yet our most precious cargo, these little human beings, can be on an adult's lap. I applaud parents who pay the extra money and purchase a seat for the child, and extra kudos when they bring along a car seat. If there is an extra seat available, I ALWAYS move other passengers so "lap baby" can have his or her own seat, explaining to parents that it is safer. Guess what? They give me a blank stare and say: "Oh, she won't sit still in her own seat. She'll cry. I'll just hold her"

Let me offer this graphic thought: Parents, if the plane DOES crash and your baby is on your lap, the baby becomes a human air bag for you. Your baby will die instantly. I had a passenger tearfully tell me that this happened to her. She is now crippled, and her only child (who would be 9 now) was killed.


Quote from article:

[citymama]

Thanks SO much for posting that article and link. I circulated to all my mom friends as a PSA for the day. I have always bought my child a seat on the plane (or chosen to travel another way!) but haven't had much success talking friends into it. I've now circulated to various friends and family and hoping they will finally get the message!

[lovin2shop]

Yes, thank you for posting. I always buy a seat and use a car seat. I used to travel frequently for work and I've been in several instances of bad turbulence (more than I can count on one hand). Had I had a baby in my arms, there would be no way to hold on to them. I've seen grown adults bounce up and hit their head on the ceiling. So, call me a safety nut, but I keep myself and my kids buckled up as much as possible on a plane.

[DrSally]

ITA with getting a seat for your infant and bringing your carseat. However, what about the posts from people who have been given a hard time about bringing/installing their carseat on a plane?

[srhs]

So I totally got the message: ALWAYS buy a seat for DC's carseat!
But I do have a couple practical questions...

1. I keep reading you should nurse a baby during takeoff/landing to help with the ears. Obviously, not a good idea... Would giving a bottle do the same?
2. Do you all keep DC in the seat the whole flight or just when 'seatbelt light' is on? I'm just being realistic not a moron. I realize that I never take DC out of seat in a car...but I have the option to pull over...don't have 80 strangers in the car hating the crying...have to burp &/or change diaper some time...etc.

[the2bobs]

Aer Lingus (flights to Ireland) won't allow you to buy a seat for an infant under 6 mos old. Even over 6 mos they won't allow you to install a rear-facing seat.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I used to just lean over the seat and nurse her while she was buckled in. (that only works when she is rear-facing, which she was until the limit of the carseat) I kept her buckled in her seat the whole flight, just like I keep my seatbelt on the whole flight. As for diaper changes, it depends on what occurs and when it occurs. If it's just pee, it can wait. If it's poop, how long until we land? The longest flight we have been on was 6 hours and luckily have never had to change a poopy diaper in an airplane. If I did, I would wait until the seatbelt sign was off.

[M&Mmom]

They let you put the seat in rear-facing?!? I put DS in a seat last time we flew and had put his seat in FFing but reclined so he would be comfortable enough to sleep. They made me change it so that the person in front of him could recline their seat. That, of course, made him upset as I had to take him out of the seat, fix it and put him back in. I hope they enjoyed the 20 minutes of hysterical screaming before he passed out.

[801kelle]

I would give my DD and pacifier or bottle for take off and landing only if she started crying indicating that she was in discomfort. When she was rearfacing I always installed the seat rearfacing. I did and always do have my DD stay in her carseat as much as possible. I try to reinforce that the rule is she has to stay in her carseat on airplane just like she has to in the car. Yes, when she was a baby if she was fussing and I couldn't comfort her I would take her out and hold her and now I will let her get out occasionally because she is 5yo and let her stretch her legs and we walk around a bit or when she has to go to the bathroom.

[o_mom]

They let you put the seat in rear-facing?!? I put DS in a seat last time we flew and had put his seat in FFing but reclined so he would be comfortable enough to sleep. They made me change it so that the person in front of him could recline their seat. That, of course, made him upset as I had to take him out of the seat, fix it and put him back in. I hope they enjoyed the 20 minutes of hysterical screaming before he passed out.

Actually, according to the FAA regulations they are not allowed to make you turn it FF. As long as you are using the seat according to manufacturer's instructions, the parent is responsible for installing it FF or RF. The person is front of you just has to deal with not reclining, same as if they were in an exit row or the last row, neither of which recline.

[sivan]

very interesting! we were forced a couple of times, and now i know they can't force me. i did feel bad for the people in front of the kiddos though. my other question though, is that the main reason for RFing is b/c most car crashes are from rear ending, if i remember correctly. there might not be this benefit for rfing on airplans, although in a crash landing when we'd all jerk forward, i guess that's the benefit of the rfing...

okay, i answered myself :)

the only really though time we've had is toddlers in convertibles have their feet SO close the the seats ahead, SO hard to keep those legs from kicking the seat in front of them. UGH!

[all together ooky]

my other question though, is that the main reason for RFing is b/c most car crashes are from rear ending, if i remember correctly. there might not be this benefit for rfing on airplans, although in a crash landing when we'd all jerk forward, i guess that's the benefit of the rfing...



The most serious accidents (most crash force) are frontal and side-impacts. When a car crashes the occupants continue to go in the direction of the crash. So rear-facing is safer in frontal crashes (the body is cradled). When cars are rear-ended the force of the crash isn't as bad since both cars are going in the same direction.

It would be safest for everyone if the seats in airplanes were all facing rearward. But, for now only the flight attendants get that luxury.

[kbud]

The most serious accidents (most crash force) are frontal and side-impacts. When a car crashes the occupants continue to go in the direction of the crash. So rear-facing is safer in frontal crashes (the body is cradled). When cars are rear-ended the force of the crash isn't as bad since both cars are going in the same direction.

It would be safest for everyone if the seats in airplanes were all facing rearward. But, for now only the flight attendants get that luxury.

While this is true the crash forces in a plane crash are entirely different then in a car. So rf in a plane is not nearly as important as in a car. The biggest risk is turbulence and facing rear or fwd won't matter as long as you/child is restrained.

Also the flight attendants are seated so as to best view the cabin. So the flight attendants in the front (the ones you see) are rear facing. Those in the back of the plane are forward facing. It has nothing to do w/facing rear for safety. They are positioned to see the cabin.

Kim

[Joolsplus2]

very interesting! we were forced a couple of times, and now i know they can't force me. i did feel bad for the people in front of the kiddos though. my other question though, is that the main reason for RFing is b/c most car crashes are from rear ending, if i remember correctly. there might not be this benefit for rfing on airplans, although in a crash landing when we'd all jerk forward, i guess that's the benefit of the rfing...

okay, i answered myself :)

the only really though time we've had is toddlers in convertibles have their feet SO close the the seats ahead, SO hard to keep those legs from kicking the seat in front of them. UGH!
Rearenders are way less common and way less severe in cars than front enders, and rearfacing is safer in ALL directions of car crash :)

Moving on... there are risks and benefits to RF or FF on a plane (will the seatback collapse onto an RF kid's face when the passenger behind crashes into it? Will there be any room for head excursion such that the child's head doesn't slam into the seatback in front because there is no top tether?), but the injury data are so astronomically LOW, that there's really nothing to go on... mainly you just don't want your kid to fly 20 rows forward and you can't find them in a smoky cabin, or fly up and hit the ceiling in clear air turbulence.