Tag Archives: car seat

Mommy 101

Road Trippin with Tots

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My family recently embarked on a 15 hour road trip (to coincide with our out of state move), with our infant and toddler sons in tow…yup, driving with our 10 month and 22 month old baby boys. I must admit I was pretty anxious leading up to the ride, trying to plan and figure out what would be the best “plan” for making it to our destination with minimal whining, crying, screaming and complaining. Plus, other than a trip I had made with them to Orlando and Tampa (from Miami), we’d never hit the road with them before…

All in all it turned out pretty good and we avoided any major meltdowns and were able to make the 15 hour trip in good time! Our strategy to first drive to Jacksonville (5 hours + an hour stop halfway), during the daytime, with a lunch break and their afternoon naps while finishing the first leg of the drive, then a late afternoon swim/dinner break with a routine “bath” before the nightly bedtime, before finally doing an overnight 10 hour haul to Virginia…worked! Sure, there were small cries and fussy moments during our red eye drive, but doing that stretch while they were tired and asleep for the most part, proved to be for the best. Yes, Mommy and Daddy were beyond exhausted when we arrived at our destination, however the non-stop strategy was best for us. We did keep lots of milk, snacks AND an iPad on deck too!

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I just can’t imagine driving for long periods while they’re awake and wiggling, squirming and struggling to free themselves from the car seats…or the alternative making an excessive amount of stops. Before our trip I also solicited advise from some more experienced “road trippin” families, and I thought I’d share some of their suggestions with you too!

Christy – “iPad with lotsa new cartoons/movies…and headphones for each munchkin.”

Michelle – “Tons of snacks, stop at a park a long the way, wrap small toys and give them “good boy” presents. Drive fast!“

Ayana – “15 hours isn’t so bad. I agree with iPad, toys, and stopping one time to play. If you can’t find a park or it’s not weather conducive, remember that places like McDonalds and Chick-Fil-A have those indoor play areas too if you’re in a pinch.”

Monica – “Early morning or late evening drives worked for us. They slept while we had our time to talk without interruption. An exhausting activity like swimming or playing at a park before driving might help as well.“

Rochelle – “We took our time and didn’t try to go for longer than 6hrs total driving. iPads, toys, songs and a long lunch break made all the trips pleasant for everyone.”

Karla – “Benadryl and the frozen soundtrack!“

Ann – “Say a prayer.”

Robin – “Plan a swimming stop. That always makes kids exhausted.“

Erica – “Stop to pee, otherwise keep going, you’ll be there before you know it.“

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and wished us well on our trip! I’m so thankful we made it without incident…and this completely reinforces my gut to fly when possible..even if it might cost a few more bucks…I have the anxious, “are we there yet” issues…I’m not cut out for long treks on the road! 😉

 

 

 

Mommy 101

Child Seats…on the Plane!

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If you are a frequent air traveler, whether it be for work or pleasure, the (travel) game changes a bit when you grow your family with children. There’s so much more to pack and consider when toting a tot, and while you can bring them along as a lap child until they reach the age of 2, what are the rules when you have to get them their own seat!?! For me, I had pretty much thought I would just stop flying during the “assumed’ period when you have to lug a huge car seat onto the plane in order for them to fly in their own seat…but on my last flight, I started talking to a Mom who was flying with her not quite 3 year old daughter, and I inquired how she was able to NOT use a car seat. She then produced this small pouch with a harness that satisfies the FAA rules! Like whoa, I made a mental note to immediately look into this product.

It’s called the CARES Airplane Safety Harness for Children. It is specifically designed for children over the age of 1, who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. It is the first and ONLY harness to be approved by the FAA in place of a car seat and it weighs just one pound, fitting into a 6″ stuff sack! I found it on Amazon and it’s just about $70…that may sound pricey, but can you put a price on safety AND convenience! I know you’re thinking you may have to bring the big ole car seat along for the trip anyway, but in my opinion…checking it in at the counter is much easier then dragging it through the terminal and gate and finally down a narrow airplane aisle, but that’s just me!

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And — because we should know the official rules for child safety on a plane…visit the FAA site for info. I didn’t see anywhere where it says “required,” but the language is more like, “strongly urge.” However, it seems like a requirement, right? It also has a chart that says once your child hits 40 lbs, regardless of age, an airplane seat belt will suffice. Also, keep in mind that if you do choose to fly with a car seat, NOT all car seats are necessarily FAA approved.

Click here for my post on tips for traveling solo with a baby >> http://www.53-weeks.com/2013/11/10/air-travel-with-baby-by-yourself.html

 

 

 

 

Product & Gear

Orbit Baby G3

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ORBIT BABY, INC. MOLLY SIMS
Orbit Baby celebrated the launch of the new Orbit Baby G3 Stroller and Car Seat System with luxury online retailer, GILT.com. Model and actress Molly Sims, has partnered with the two brands to celebrate the launch in New York City and share her must-have Orbit Baby items on GILT.

The new G3 product line allows parents to customize their child mobility system like never before with innovative infant & toddler car seats, stream-lined stroller seats, bassinets, stroller frames, rockers, storage and color options, as well as the ability to convert from a single stroller to a double.

Orbit Baby is the creator of the world’s first 360 degree rotating stroller, which features an innovative modular design that allows parents to transition with ease from car to stroller and home. With an emphasis on advanced safety and engineering, Orbit Baby is continually recognized for its innovation, ergonomic design, and environmentally friendly focus. Building on the innovative design of the Orbit Baby G2 product line, the new G3 features an even faster fold, easier car seat base installation, and softer, more breathable fabrics, as well as a number of new color options, which include a highly anticipated, all-black single stroller frame.

The Orbit Baby system is a favorite amongst A-list parents including model and actress, Molly Sims who has been using Orbit Baby products since the birth of her son in June 2012 and says, “I love the whole system! My hubby and I have two bases– one in each car, so we can easily transfer the car seat from one to the other.  It’s basically an all-in-one system. We can lift him out, lift him in, and never have to take him out of the car seat. Orbit is a no hassle stroller!”

Rosie Pope also attended the G3 launch festivities….

ORBIT BABY, INC. ROSIE POPE
The Orbit Baby G3 product features include:

  • Unprecedented customization: the mixable G3 product line allows parents to choose from Orbit Baby’s state-of-the-art car seats, stroller seats, bassinets and storage options, as well as a range of colors.
  • Family-flexible: Orbit Baby’s upgradeable system can convert from a single stroller to a double, allows for the addition of Sidekickâ„¢ Stroller Boards for a triple solution, has more easy-to-access storage, and can dock all seat options straight from stroller to rocker base.
  • Back-saving convenience: The only travel system that allows you to dock and rotate both your infant and toddler car seat on the same car seat base and stroller base, with the back-saving convenience of Orbit Baby’s patented SmartHubâ„¢ technology.
  • Parenting made easier: The G3 features a 60-second car seat installation, a one-handed stroller fold, built-in cup holders, easily adjustable handlebars, and Orbit Baby’s ergonomic dock-and-rotate interface.
  • See the world in 360: The first stroller seat with 3DRotationâ„¢, which allows the seat to both rotate and recline in one fluid motion.
  • Clean, green, and BFR-free: Orbit Baby’s car seats use orbitgreenâ„¢ fabrics 100% free of BFRs (Brominated Flame Retardants), and all G3 Orbit Baby seats use fabrics certified clean by Oeko-Tex®, ensuring they are easier on your baby’s skin.*

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Orbit, a company that values innovation and forward thinking as much as we do, on the launch of the G3 stroller system. The Gilt experience is all about complete customization to suit our members’ needs, and the G3 allows us to do that in an incredibly exciting new way,” says Jyothi Rao, EVP GM Women & Kids and EVP Gilt Strategic Alliances.

To learn more about the Orbit Baby G3 stroller and travel system visit: http://www.orbitbaby.com/en/products/

Mommy 101, Product & Gear

Orbit Baby: The Good & The Not So Good

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I am the proud owner of a G2 Orbit Baby Travel System. When I first started stroller shopping I was really overwhelmed and never imagined I’d “invest” that kind of money in a travel system, but after doing some research, figuring out what was important to me and what made sense…I ended up with the Orbit Baby G2. One of my friend’s who I had consulted for advice on how to choose a stroller said to me, “It’s your baby’s wheels,” and so why not give my child the “Lamborghini” of strollers! Some of the factors that went into my decision to go with this system were ease of use, weight, safety, durability and logistics. I needed something adjustable for a tall Daddy, and a couple Dad’s I know said they loved it because of where the seat sits and how the handles extend, plus there’s no bar at the bottom for big feet to kick when at the helm of the stroller. The 360 base is also super impressive and the fact that it’s engineered so well, a product of a Bay Area, CA company (my home) and its “green” factor pretty much solidified the decision.

A slew of celebs also rock the Orbit Baby stroller, everyone from Jay-Z and Beyonce to Kristen Cavallari…

… Brian Austin Green & Megan Fox, and how could I leave out KimYe’s baby North West!?!? Mind you, while it is “cool” to know celebs share their taste for strollers with me, celebrity was NOT a factor in my decision!

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So, I really loved my stroller as a single, I got the bassinet too, but my baby outgrew that fast. I loved it’s lightweight, smart design, easy to fold and load into the car and my Skip Hop baby bag clipped onto it really easily! The only not so good thing about it was the storage bag underneath. You can’t have anything in the bag if you fold it up, AND while it slides out and can be a shoulder baby bag, you can’t just dump things in there when you’re strolling around. Additionally, there isn’t much storage room, say if you’re at the grocery store and don’t want to carry a separate basket for a few items…you’d need the panniers (which I have too) that attach to the sides and can easily fold down when not in use. And with the panniers, it can also be tricky to fold the base unit if you leave the attached, but overall, those are minor details and the handling, rotating base and paparazzi shade made me a fan. I’ve traveled cross country many a time by myself and I would push the stroller with one hand, while rolling my luggage in the other. Using the infant seat in a rental car was also super easy to strap in without the car seat base.

Well then I found out baby numero dos was on the way…so I pondered for a half second if I needed a new system, only to find out Orbit Baby now had a Double Helix to accommodate 2 bambinos and if you had a single, there was an upgrade kit, so once again, decision made! Here’s the good…it was extremely easy to install the upgrade kit. Orbit has some amazingly easy to follow “how to” videos and the pieces fit perfectly, just excellent engineering. I thought the new handles with a tablet pocket looked cool and it’s very easy to go from single to double and vice versa with the added based that you can switch in and out in seconds. The new storage basket, while no longer removable, was much bigger and easier to put things in and take out. Note, I’m hesitant to use the tablet pocket with the iPad because as my other half pointed out, by putting it on display could be an open invitation for theft…which is sad, but true!

Soon enough it was time to put my upgraded Orbit to use…and while it works great as a double, there are some things that were not so good. First, I couldn’t easily attach my diaper bag, then a “Mommy Hook” I got couldn’t be easily attached either! After a few uses, I started referring to it as my big rig…this thing gets so much attention and while we probably look pretty chic rolling around in it, I feel like we need the back up alarm noise to let people know we are coming through. The handling that I loved and ease of use have been compromised with the additional base, as the rotating wheels on the back tend to “get caught” and start dragging because they catch when making sharp turns. I did complain to customer service and I got a new set of wheels for the back attachment and it has been a lot better, but still has issues here and there. Then, getting to the storage basket underneath can be challenging when you have a stroller seat on the main base facing forward because the foot rest blocks it. Now I love that the seats swivel and can be configured in several different positions, but since I can’t attach my diaper bag, I have to shove it in the storage compartment and when I go to grab something quickly…it’s not too easy!

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Orbit’s customer service is definitely on point, as any issue that has ever come up has been handled quickly and to my satisfaction. They actually have you send in a video or photo to show/demo what is wrong, and that’s usually easier than trying to explain it. Other pluses are the easy to clean fabric and huge sunshades on any of the seat/carriers, the wheels are durable – for big babies like mine, and with the double, an added drink holder with a compartment for a smart phone and the nesting system for storage is great.

If I had to choose again, I probably would do everything the same, but I might shop around a little more for the double. I casually looked at another double stroller, but the Orbit just impresses so much I didn’t consider some of the minor annoyances I just mentioned, and there is no way to KNOW until you start using it. At any rate, I think they’re coming out with the G3 in 2014, hopefully they’ve addressed some of the things I think could be improved upon for the Double Helix version.