Advice for Military wife/Mom traveling with newborn and 2 year old

[bambipetals]

Hi all,

Around early April (yes, I'm worrying about this already), my baby (who will be 2 months) and my 2 year old and I will be traveling from the East coast to Korea (with a layover somewhere on the West Coast).

I don't have an extra person since my husband will already be deployed in Korea.

I have a Peg P3 stroller, a Primo Viaggio, a Britax Marathon and Graco Comfort Sport...to work with.

I'm thinking the Primo is a definite must for the baby but what do I use (and how do I carry that along with the baby and carryons)for my 2 year old?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Stephanie

[Momof3Labs]

Any way of throwing a double stroller into that mix? With a two year old and a newborn, you'll want one anyways (unless you buy it when you get there). With a double, I can imagine how it would be doable (baby in carrier in stroller, Marathon in other stroller seat, toddler on a baby leash, in carrier on your back, or even sitting in Marathon). But with only a single stroller, you almost have to carry one car seat AND one child. I assume that you are using two car seats on the airplane?

[bambipetals]

Hi,

Yes two airplane seats for the kids. Oh, I didn't realize I could hook the Marathon on to a stroller. How do you do that? Bungee cords? Do all twin strollers take the Viaggio?

Thanks for the help!

[Zansu]

Stephanie

I've done flights with 2 kids and no help. Here's my method.

I have a MBUD. MA or RA goes into one seat. PV rests inside MA/RA. PV base sits on top of carseats, wedged into the MBUD handle. Bungee cord goes from handle to underside of MBUD seat to secure tower of carseats.

Toddler goes into stroller. Baby goes into sling. Carryon is slung over my back (backpack or messenger bag).

At security checkpoint, ask TSA drone to handcheck the stroller with carseats attached. TSA will most likely refuse, but you should ask. Offload carseats onto belt. Put diaperbag/carryon on belt. Remove baby from sling and put sling onto belt. Stroller will have to be hand inspected, similar to a wheelchair.

Keep everyone's shoes on. One of you is going to set off the metal detector, guaranteed. Or toddler will refuse to go through without you.

TSA will have to collect all of your stuff for you (if you set of the metal detector, you can't touch your own stuff til they clear you). Follow TSA to secondary screening area. You and both kids will get patted down. Big drag, but par for the course (don't dress your kids in overalls or anything will lots of metal).

Once TSA farce is completed, put toddler in stroller (TSA will wheel it over to you). Resling baby. Restack and fasten carseats. Resling diaperbag.

At gate, tell the gate agent you are going to need extra time to get settled. You will either get to load first, or wait and load last.

Wheel stroller to door of plane. Remove toddler, remove bungee, and grab one carseat. Carry carseat to seat and leave it there. Walk back to front of plane. Fold stroller, using bungee to secure it closed. On the MB, I weave the bungee from one wheel around and through the axle to the other wheel. Pick up second carseat and take it to your seat. BTW, you are wearing baby and leading toddler during this entire exercise. Take kids and second carseat back to your seats.

Put baby into PV and place PV in aisle seat. Have toddler stand in front of aisle seat, out of the aisle. Install MA in window seat. Recline the seat back and flip the buckle on the seatbelt so you can remove it later. Bring seatback upright. Put toddler into seat.

Install base of PV into center seat. Connect PV to base. Collapse into your seat and listen for the applause. ;)

All of this assumes that you will have absolutely no help whatsoever. If you have a friend or another military wife who will help, she can get a gate pass to help you through security and to the gate. Airline staff may help you get onto the plane and settled in. Or they may ignore you. Other passengers may help you. Or say nasty things about you under their breath.

And you'll have to repeat this for the layover. Just take your time. It *can* be done!

HTH