flying with 8wk old and 16 month old

Lisamarie913

DH and I will be flying in a few months with an 8wk old and 16month old for a wedding and then to visit IL.  Just thinking about the amount of "stuff" needed is making my head spin.  Mainly single vs double stroller.  We will be gone for about a week and a half.  Would you bring the double for both kids or just a single for DD1 and just wear DD2?  If you recommend the double, did you check it with your baggage or at the gate? TIA!!

marielovestimothy03

We flew when DD1 was 17 months and DD2 was 3 weeks (and then back at 17.5 months and 6 weeks).

We took our double stroller BUT didn't take the 2nd seat. We have a Phil & Teds so it converts from single to double easily. I wore my DD2 exclusively at that point so if you plan on wearing her (and I highly suggest that with traveling!) then you won't need the double. We checked ours at the counter, we had too much to deal with getting through security to worry about collapsing the stroller. We also checked both their car seats at the counter too. Since they were both under two, we flew with them both as lap infants.

DH was in charge of keeping an eye on DD1 (she walked quite a bit on her own or he carried her) and I wore DD2. We both had a carry-on bag with diaper bag necessities in it (you cant have two lap infants in a row on a plane, so we both needed to have diapers, wipes, etc on us) and I also had my camera gear in a backpack. It was super easy. Definitely our easiest trip with the two of them. DD2 slept the entire time and I wore her in the Moby. I had to take her out and take off the Moby at security, and also had to take her out of the Moby during take off but that was it.

Lisamarie913

Thank you so much for this info! So much I didn't think about!  I'll definitely take your advice and only bring the single.  We have the City elite and its just huge. 

I didn't realize you couldn't have two lap children in a row.  Were you completely separate?  

As for wearing DD2, did you have to take her out to get through security? 

Thanks! this really helps a lot! 

marielovestimothy03

We were separate but we also flew standby so we didn't have a whole lot of control over where they put us. I think DH ending up being 5-6 rows behind me which was fine by me, I had the sleeping 3 week old and he had the active 17 month old ;-)

Yes you have to take them out of whatever wrap or carrier you're wearing in security and put the wrap/carrier through the belt like you would a coat or shoes or bag and carry baby through in your arms. It's a LOT easier than dealing with a stroller though. 

Also, depending on the airline policy, you may have to pull baby out of the wrap or carrier during take-off and landing. We flew Alaska and I was asked to take her out of the Moby twice (and we had 3 take offs and 3 landings that trip, so I think it just depends on the flight attendant and who is paying attention, haha)

rosesandpeonies

I did a 3 month old and a 21 month old.

I use the go go babyz travelmate for my older daughter's carseat, and the snap n go for my younger daughter's carseat.

I brought one diaper bag and one diaper bag full of toys and snacks and extras.

I brought extra clothes for all of us.

They both had their own seats in their carseats and they were happy as clams because they are used to them.

Toddler became fussy but the 3 month old slept most of the time.  

I checked a umbrella stroller for my older daughter.

so basically I had the umbrella stroller and the snap n go with carseat for my youngest.  I also brought my ergo for wearing her. 

shopgirl78

Just FYI, American doesn't allow doubles to be gate checked.  Don't know who you are flying with.  I generally take my double but with a NB, I wore it more. It's only now with my oldest being 4 & 6, I don't take my double.    

I flew when mine were 2 and 8 weeks by myself--totally doable.   DD had her own seat which was a PITA because I had to make sure she stayed in it and couldn't lug the carseat around.   The 8 wk old was cake; 2 year old was something else but I brought her DVD player and that helped keep her entertained.   She's always been a TV junkie; these times I don't limit!!  Heck, I even let mine play with ice now if it keeps them quiet!  

My mother always has just about everything we need at our destination.  So, I don't have to lug tons of stuff.  I almost alays fly alone even with 3:1.   Perhaps MIL will have some of the stuff you need or you have friends that you can barrow (or rent from a company) while you are there such as the PNP, highchair/booster, carseats (if you really trust them!), etc.  You can always shop while you are there for diapers, special snacks/foods, formula (if needed), etc.  

I don't know if you are BF or not but its nice to BF on the plan, you don't have to worry about finding/making bottles.   

celiabwatson

Lisamarie913:

Thank you so much for this info! So much I didn't think about!  I'll definitely take your advice and only bring the single.  We have the City elite and its just huge. 

I didn't realize you couldn't have two lap children in a row.  Were you completely separate?  

As for wearing DD2, did you have to take her out to get through security? 

Thanks! this really helps a lot! 

I have different answers for these questions.

You can't have 2 lap children in a row because only certain rows have extra oxygen masks (4 instead of 3) and 4 oxygen masks isn't enough for 3 adults and 2 babies (if the plane is full). On Southwest all the rows have 4 masks because they don't do assigned seating. Anyway, if the plane isn't full you can sit together and have the 3rd seat be empty. That's the ideal scenario but you won't know until the day of the trip. You basically just ask people to trade with you. If the plane is full then you can't sit together and will either be across the aisle from each other or behind one another depending on the type of plane. Call ahead and make sure they know you have 2 infants and that you are assigned the appropriate seats, and then ask upon check in if the flight is full and you can be moved.

We just flew to and from Alaska (we live in NC) and out of the 4 legs we were able to sit together for 2 of them and on one of the others we had an empty seat but there were only 2 seats per row so we didn't sit together.

Also, at security we did not have to take the infant out of the Moby. This is new though, all the times I flew when my son was little I did have to take him out. Now the just swab your hands and that's it. It was easier in that I didn't have to take her on and off, but annoying to wait for someone to swab you while you have a toddler running around. I won't promise that this is true at every airport but they gave me the impression that it was the new procedure. I basically do everything else first and then ask if they want me to unwrap or not.  

marielovestimothy03

celiabwatson:

Lisamarie913:

Thank you so much for this info! So much I didn't think about!  I'll definitely take your advice and only bring the single.  We have the City elite and its just huge. 

I didn't realize you couldn't have two lap children in a row.  Were you completely separate?  

As for wearing DD2, did you have to take her out to get through security? 

Thanks! this really helps a lot! 

I have different answers for these questions.

You can't have 2 lap children in a row because only certain rows have extra oxygen masks (4 instead of 3) and 4 oxygen masks isn't enough for 3 adults and 2 babies (if the plane is full). On Southwest all the rows have 4 masks because they don't do assigned seating. Anyway, if the plane isn't full you can sit together and have the 3rd seat be empty. That's the ideal scenario but you won't know until the day of the trip. You basically just ask people to trade with you. If the plane is full then you can't sit together and will either be across the aisle from each other or behind one another depending on the type of plane. Call ahead and make sure they know you have 2 infants and that you are assigned the appropriate seats, and then ask upon check in if the flight is full and you can be moved.

We just flew to and from Alaska (we live in NC) and out of the 4 legs we were able to sit together for 2 of them and on one of the others we had an empty seat but there were only 2 seats per row so we didn't sit together.

Also, at security we did not have to take the infant out of the Moby. This is new though, all the times I flew when my son was little I did have to take him out. Now the just swab your hands and that's it. It was easier in that I didn't have to take her on and off, but annoying to wait for someone to swab you while you have a toddler running around. I won't promise that this is true at every airport but they gave me the impression that it was the new procedure. I basically do everything else first and then ask if they want me to unwrap or not.  

On Alaska Air they won't even let you be across the row. They only have 7 oxygen masks per row. So it really depends on the airline. I was just giving her a heads up because I had no idea such policy existed until a friend of mine and I tried to sit next to each other with our girls on our laps and we had to switch and sit a row apart (not across the aisle).

And the wrap/carrier thing must be a VERY new policy because we just flew round trip Alaska to Seattle and at both the Anchorage airport and Seattle airport  I had to take DD2 out of the Ergo at security. Or maybe dependent on what wrap or carrier you use.

OP just be prepared for any situation. Every airline and every airport will have different policies. I agree to call ahead and ask first. I've flown close to 30 times with my kids since becoming a mom and I've never run into major issues. They have always been so willing to work with us.