Babies' first flight tomorrow. Advice and/or tips and/or warnings?

na24

Back when we scheduled the flight, which is at 7 pm, the babies weren't going to bed until midnight.  Of course, now bedtime usually starts at 7:30 pm, so that should be fun....  (And we can't change the flight for a number of reasons.)

I'm already planning to nurse one baby and have my husband give the other one a bottle on takeoff and landing.  Any tips on how to get in a comfortable BFing position in those cramped seats?

We bought one seat for a baby (and will put a car seat in it) and will have the other baby in one of our laps.  So we'll have a row to ourselves.  We're planning to gate-check the DSNG, the other car seat, and both bases.  (We're renting a car and are assuming it will have the LATCH system, thus necessitating the bases.  All newish cars have to have LATCH, right?)  Are they going to let us do all that, or are we trying to gate-check too much stuff?

Any tips for going through security with a relatively low amount of hassle? 

Any must-haves for the plane ride?

I am nervous. 

crazy4u624

It sounds like you have everything in order. Your flight at 7pm might just end up being perfect.....since it's around their bedtime, it's likely they'll just sleep. Even if it isn't naptime/bedtime, my babies still tend to sleep on the plane.

I'm a FF mommy, so I can't help you out with a good position, but since you will have a whole row to yourselves, you'll be able to move around a bit more, without worrying about invading a stranger's space.

I was going to suggest maybe carrying one baby in a carrier, keeping the other in the carseat on the dSNG, and then checking the other carseat and 2 bases at the ticket counter. (baby items are considered exception items, and you don't get charged for them). It just might make things a little less cumbersome when going through security. If you would rather take both seats through security, it won't be a problem gate-checking them. I do recommend getting a car seat bag (we got one that it really large)....it should be able to fit the infant seat and 2 bases that you will gate check. (we have never purchased a seat for our babies, so we would gate check 2 car seat bags and the DSNG every time we flew when they were little).

Going through security....I put all my stuff on the belt, then take one baby out, DH hands me the other.....I walk through with the babies, and it's DH's job to fold up the stroller and make sure everything goes through. They usually don't give any trouble taking through milk and baby food...though the past few times we've flown, they made us open every bottle/sippy so they could test it. When boarding the plane, we do the same thing....I take both babies on, while DH folds up the stroller, packs the carseats, and carries on the bags. (if you have a bjorn or other carrier, it really comes in handy while boarding the plane)

Must-haves for the plane ride: just make sure that you pack a change of clothes for everyone in your carry-on.....I've never needed it, but just in case there's a major blow out or one of the babies gets sick. We also always bring one carry-on bag of just toys to keep them occupied.

It really seems like you have everything covered....I'm sure you're flight will be just fine. You are going to be sooo thankful that you purchased that one seat. My DH is too cheap to do that....and we fly a lot! Sometimes we get lucky and get a row to ourselves, but other times it's a huge PITA trying to keep both babies contained on our laps.

Have a great trip and I'll be keeping my fingers croseed that your babies sleep like angels for the entire flight

MNheidi

PP had great advice.  And I agree, I think the timing might be perfect. 

We flew when the boys were 6mos old @ t-day last year and it went remarkably well.  TSA was very helpful when they saw us coming w/ the double stroller.

tip: dress them alike.  This is the time to play on everyone's fascination w/ twins.  You'll get lots of looks but lots of help too.

Funny, we didn't have extra seats and so dh and I each had a kid.  I had to go to the bathroom mid-flight and I was going to put both on dh's lap when this woman (definitely a grandma) near by said, "let me know if I can help?"  So, she held Max for a bit while I went to the bathroom and changed Luke.  I figured - we're 30,000 feet up, where she going to go?