Getting around town with a baby or toddler in tow can be a challenge under normal circumstances. However, when you’re in need of a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, traveling with a baby can take on new dimensions of difficulty.
Taking an Uber with a baby doesn’t have to be a significant challenge. Depending on where you live and what services are available in your area, you may be able to utilize one of the many child-friendly rideshare services currently available. Still, having a lightweight car seat on hand might be a good idea.
Keep reading to discover some of the most helpful tips and tricks to help you Uber with baby in ease!
Spring For the Special Services
Uber is one of the most adaptive rideshare companies, and it shows in their range of services. They now offer Uber Car Seat and Uber Family, two options that allow parents to request a ride without needing to bring a car seat along.
When you select either Uber Car Seat or Uber Family, your driver will arrive with a forward-facing car seat already equipped and ready for use. Of course, there is an additional cost attached for this feature, and children under the age of two aren’t permitted to safely use Uber Car Seat or Uber Family.
Still, it is an option that can help lighten the load. You just may want to make sure that your child meets Uber’s safety requirements before booking your ride with them. Lyft is currently working out the kinks to a similar system, which is only available in New York City.
If your little one doesn’t meet the requirements imposed by Uber, or there aren’t any applicable child-friendly rideshare services available in your area, you may want to invest in a lightweight car seat.
Bring a Lightweight Car Seat
When all else fails, it’s almost always a good idea to bring an easy-to-tote car seat. Finding one that easily attaches to a stroller may be the best option for parents on-the-go. That way, you’ll end up carrying your car seat around as little as possible while still providing your baby or toddler with the best protection possible.
Many lightweight car seat options weigh less than 10 lbs, so there are plenty of liftable seat options to choose from. Still, there are a few crucial features and factors to keep in mind while searching for the perfect about-town Uber-friendly car seat. For example, you may want to consider:
- Affordability
- Compatibility
- Safety Features
- Weight
The ideal lightweight car seat should be within budget, compatible with most vehicles and strollers, chock-full of safety features, and easy enough to carry around for several minutes without feeling tired. It’s also vital to choose a car seat that is easy to use and install. Because after all, while a baby in the driver’s seat is adorable, they don’t always know the rules of the road!
After all, you’re going to be installing this thing into multiple cars over time. If you’re not comfortable hooking the latches and buckling it into place, you may need to choose a different car seat. And once you have found the right option, you’ll want to consider letting your driver know about it.
Alert Your Driver Before Pick-Up
Letting your driver know what to expect before they arrive can be tremendously helpful. Not only will they know who and what to look for when picking you up, but they’ll also be better prepared to exercise patience with you as you install your car seat and get comfortable.
Some drivers may even have experience installing car seats, and they may be able to lend you a hand. Still, letting your driver know that you have a small child and a car seat with you can result in a smoother, less frantic ride. It’s also essential to note that some drivers may not want to transport an infant or toddler in their vehicle.
Alerting your driver ahead of time can ensure that you end up with the right driver for you and your little one. No one enjoys uncomfortable comments, glances, or sighs as they try to make it to their destination. By always being transparent with your driver, you can save a lot of time and frustration for everyone.
The same can be said of scheduling your ride ahead of time. If you know you’ll need to be somewhere at a specific time, on a specific day, you can always utilize this feature to keep stress levels low.
Schedule Your Ride
You can schedule an Uber ride up to thirty days in advance, allowing you plenty of time to plan and organize around any event. When you have a child or baby to care for, plans can change very quickly. Fortunately, scheduling ahead doesn’t mean that you have to fully commit to a time or date.
Here’s a short tutorial that walks you through exactly how to schedule a ride:
If your plans happen to change before you need to take that ride, you can always cancel or change your rideshare reservation. This is an exceptionally helpful feature that allows parents to make plans ahead of time and also cancel those plans at nearly the last minute, without penalty.
Scheduling a ride ahead of time can also result in just one less thing you need to do before heading out the door.
Keep Baby Occupied
Once you’ve secured the car seat and your own seat belt, you might want to take a moment to relax and interact with your tiny tot. Life can be exhausting, and it’s often the smallest moments that catch us off-guard and fill our hearts with wordless joy. It can be too easy to let these tiny, precious moments flow past us without acknowledging them.
When you’re not the one behind the wheel, you have an opportunity to practice a little mindfulness. Babies often get fussy in the car, especially when they’re hungry or overtired. While you sit and travel to your destination, you could share a snack with your toddler or tickle their toes.
Keeping your baby occupied during the trip is a fantastic way of reducing frustrations for yourself, your little one, and the driver. It’s also an excellent moment to appreciate your hard work. After all, caring for an infant is no easy task. Getting to sit back inside of a car and just be for a few moments is a delicious treat. Allow yourself to enjoy it.
Most importantly, try to enjoy the ride with your baby. Though they may be fussy, sleepy, or generally aloof, they won’t stay small forever. It’s crucial to take in all the little moments that you can, even if they are just minutes spent together in an Uber or a Lyft.
Enjoy Your Ride
Taking an Uber with a baby can be a rewarding experience that allows you to connect with your little one without having to watch out for traffic. Utilizing child-friendly services can help you get around town without lugging around a car seat. However, if your baby is too young or there are no such services available in your area, a lightweight car seat can do the trick.
It may also be helpful to alert your driver before pick-up, and scheduling your ride ahead of time puts less stress on you, the driver, and your little one. Once you’re in the car, it’s time to sit back, relax, and keep your child occupied while you comfortably travel to your destination.
Shoot, a baby has been born in an Uber, so you should be just fine pulling off a trip with your little one 🙂
