Air Travel and a Wedding

Re: Air Travel and a Wedding

• ashiscute member

  June 2014

  I have not flown with both babies but I'll give my opinion anyway. 

  
  

  I would take an umbrella stroller and a carrier and wear the baby at the airport.  We took a stroller when we flew with DD at 6 mos and ended up just carrying it around most of the time.  Are you having anyone watch the kids for you during the wedding?  That might be an option.  For weddings when mine were little we'd bring their infant seat and swing them to sleep and then set them down in a corner somewhere and take turns keeping an eye on them if that makes sense.  

  
  

  I checked my car seat (it was a cheap costco one) right when I checked in for the flight.  I didn't have to carry it around.  

  
  

  Good luck.  I know it's incredibly stressful but at least it's family.  

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• mysticl member

  June 2014

  This is from a blog that is run by Child Passenger Safety Technicians.  It has some great information on flying with little ones.

  https://csftl.org/leaving-on-a-jet-plane-the-csftl-guide-to-safe-air-travel-with-children/

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• beccalee721 member

  June 2014

  Ok, I have experience with air travel with a 9 month old, and wedding experience when she was 1 month, so here's what I got: if your 3 month old likes to be worn I'd do that for the wedding / airport. You might have to take him out for security, but hands free will be much easier and at the wedding that's what I did with DD when she was 1 month and she slept / hung out the whole night. If you aren't planning any other big traveling events for the weekend I'd just bring the umbrellla for your 2 year old. You'll be thankful you got the seat for your older one, not only because it's safer but it'll keep him contained and you can entertain him from there without having him climbing on you. DO NOT rent a car seat at your destination! The stories I've heard from people who work at rental places is they aren't inspected, they could have been through a crash and still used, and they might be expired. They make super cheap luggage straps that you can wrap around your infant seat and attach to a rolling carry on and check it that way. Make sure you gate check the infant seat. Checking isn't recommended in any fashion because it might get tossed and damaged, but gate checking is slightly less harsh and it gets loaded onto the plane right away so it "shouldn't" get lost. I hope this helps, good luck!

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• bookworm982 member

  June 2014

  We just got back from a trip with our 2u2. You are going to have it much easier if you bought a seat for your older child because two lap children was nuts. I'm just going to answer your questions as you listed them.
  
  cmt115 said:
  

  - Do we bring a double stroller to make things easier when we are there, or umbrella stroller and carry LO in carrier?  If we go w/ carrier what do we do at the actual wedding and all weekend - carry the kid around like that? Its my brothers wedding and I'd like to have hands free fun for some of the time. Bring the double stroller and gate check it. Put your toddler in one seat and use the other seat to transport the toddler's car seat. Since you bought him a plane seat, you can install the car seat and buckle him in. Believe me, you will love that you can do this because airplane seat belts are too easy to get off. Then, wear your infant since that's the easiest way to get through security and have a young lap child...especially if the baby is used to sleeping in a carrier. At the wedding, you'll have a double stroller so both babies have a place to relax, and you can have some hands free time.
  

  
  

  - Bring 2 car seats (one on plane for the 2 year old and baggage check the infant one) or rent the infant one when we get there? How much are you willing to spend? Car seats were $10 a day from our car rental place, and we were gone long enough that renting would have added up to the cost of a new seat. I'd recommend checking your infant car seat unless it would only be a couple days. I've baggage and gate checked my car seats several times without problems.
  
  

  - How to get car seats through the airport? I covered this in the first question. The other option is to tie the car seats to your carry on bag to get them through the airport. You can find several clever hacks for doing this with a simple google search. I just depends what type of carry on you have.
  
  

  Any other tips to make things easier? Pack lots of novel toys for the plane. I made some pintrest ideas, packed some new decks of go fish cards, stickers, pens (a fun forbidden item), fruit loops and shoe laces, etc. Keep your eye out at dollar stores and such. Also, unique snacks are great. We got a lot of mileage out of treats we don't normally buy. (Remember you can bring liquids for children. You just have to declare them before going through security.) Make sure you know where the play areas in the airport are because you'll want to let your toddler burn off energy before the flight. Finally, when all else fails, just remember it is only a few hours.
  

  You can do this! It's is exhausting to fly with two little ones, but it is completely doable. Enjoy your trip!
  

  Mommy to N (3), J (2), and C (10 months). LO4 is due in mid-September.
  

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• lisamahrt member

  July 2014

  My second one is on the way, but i have flown enough the last year by myself and husband to tell you my suggestions.  

  
  

  - Do we bring a double stroller to make things easier when we are there, or umbrella stroller and carry LO in carrier? 

  Bring the Double Stroller and check it at the gate, bring your carrier still with you so you can have hands free on the plane and won't take up space in luggage.  

  - If we go w/ carrier what do we do at the actual wedding and all weekend - carry the kid around like that? Its my brothers wedding and I'd like to have hands free fun for some of the time. 

  We brought our stroller to my sisters wedding reception.  Ask them if they care, but its great when they get tired they have a place to fall asleep vs the floor. 

  - Bring 2 car seats (one on plane for the 2 year old and baggage check the infant one) or rent the infant one when we get there? 

  - How to get car seats through the airport? 

  Check both Car seats when you check your luggage. Its free, just make sure they are in a bag of some sort.  for the flight for your oldest purchase this seatbelt for the plane.  My friends all love it and so easy and safe!

  https://www.amazon.com/Child-Airplane-Travel-Harness-Restraint/dp/B0012E4FV8/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1404353172&sr=1-1&keywords=airplane+seatbelt
  

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

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