Travelling by plane alone with 6-month-old...how do you do it?

[justlearning]

I will be flying with DS to visit my parents but DH can't go with me. I'm trying to plan the best way for transporting our Marathon. I've read before that the best idea is to take the carseat onto the plane if possible or, if not, to check it at the gate. I see this as impossible, though, because I'll be pushing DS in the stroller and have no idea how I'll carry the Marathon at the same time. (I've considered carrying DS in a sling and pushing the Marathon on top of the stroller but that seems VERY inconvenient, especially when going to the restroom.)

What have you all found to work best when flying without your spouse? Do you check the carseat at the gate and just hold your child on your lap the whole flight? If so, have you had your carseat get damaged?

Are there other tips that you have for me that will make the trip easier?

[Rachels]

If at all possible, buy your baby a seat. It's scary to travel with an unsecured child in your lap. As someone once pointed out, even coffeepots have to be strapped in during takeoff and landing, but babies are somehow exempt. And in turbulence, you'll be spectacularly glad that he can be strapped in safely. Barring buying him a seat, you should definitely take your carseat to the gate, because if there's an empty seat on the flight, they'll let you use it for him. Also, you don't want to check your carseat because if it gets lost in transit, you won't be able to leave the airport. And you'll have no way of knowing if it is dropped or damaged.

It IS possible to carry it with you. I travel alone with Abigail pretty often. Usually what I do is put her carseat on the stroller and then carry her in a sling or hip carrier. Sometimes I put her in the stroller and then wear the carseat like a backpack, which you can do if you lengthen the straps all the way. It's not great fun, but it's short and doable and infinitely safer, so it's worth the temporary discomfort. I also carry only one carry-on bag, and I stash that in the stroller basket or over the handles until we're at the gate.

HTH!

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[MamaKath]

Okay personal opinion here, but if I were not sure I had a seat to put the car seat and baby in, I would not bring the Britax! The luggage handlers are brutal to stuff, the way they handle most car seats and luggage in general has to have more impact then a minor crash, and airlines are very hesitant to reimburse for damaged seats and strollers (IMExperience!). I have gate checked a Britax and had it come back broken (recline mechanism), would never do it again.

Will you be visiting often, often enough to have a car seat there? If so, maybe you would want to have a car seat at your folks- you could either purchase online and have it delivered to them so they would have it when they picked you up at the airport, or have them pick it up for you. You could also do this with a stroller if you want to travelreally light. If not, I would look for a good inexpensive seat (the CPS techs on the car seat board could help with this) to use for this, and as a second seat down the road.

As for traveling tips and how to handle the trip- travel light! Pack as much as you can in your suitcase. Bring 1 carry on diaper bag that can also hold your stuff; backpacks work well. Use a sling for the baby, and dress both of you in comfortable clothes. If you travel with the baby in sling rather than stroller (either because your folks will have a stroller and carseat waiting or because the car seat is in the stroller with you) wear elastic waist pants to make restroom trips easier.

In the carry on you want diapers (a few extras then you think you need, some babies poop alot on planes), a compact change of clothes for each of you, snacks for you and some water bottles if you are breastfeeding, add bottle stuff if not (didn't bottle feed, so don't know how to advise you on that and what to bring), some lightweight toys that will keep babies attention (new ones are always good when flying), lovey for baby, wipes, med cabinet stuff (tylenol, motrin, diaper rash cream, etc), your stuff (prescriptions, wallet, pic id, phone card, tickets, etc), ziploc bags (big enough to hold dirty clothes, or diapers, or your stuff), something to read, etc.

Good luck,

[Jen in Chicago]

My son is around the same age. Can you child still fit into an infant seat? Traveling with the Snap and Go and our snugride is so easy. Know of a set you could borrow for the weekend here or there? I have traveled alone a number of times, with and without a seat for Jude. Fortunately he is in the snugride which makes things easy. It will be a whole new ball game when we have a bigger car seat to deal with.

[justlearning]

Unfortunately, DS will no longer fit in the Snugride at all--the harness is too small for him and won't close. I agree that it would be so much nicer if he could still fit in it. Even though I never flew alone with DS, we did go on a few plane trips with DS in the Snugride and it was so easy!

I am starting to think now about spending money to just buy a carseat to keep at my parents' house. (I hate doing that, though, because we won't be flying out there too often because they usually come here.) It would make it a lot easier, though, if I didn't have to worry about lugging the seat around.

I appreciate the travel tips already posted here--thanks SO much!!

[km]

First, whatever happens in the airport or on the plane, keep in mind there is an end in sight! Traveling can be rough so whatever course you take try to keep a positive outlook and know you will eventually get to your destination.

Other advice has been good
-try to buy a seat for the child if you can, if not look extremely desperate (which is easy in that situation) and emphasize at baggage check in that you wish to be seated so that you have the highest potential of being able to put your child in an empty seat next to you. They know what that means (and you need to be prepared that it may mean they seat you close to the bathrooms, etc)

I traveled with my 2 year old and almost 6 month old. The 2yo had a seat purchased, but not the baby. Thus, i was one mommy with a Roundabout AND a snugride (in hopes that a seat would be open), a stroller, a baby bjorn and diaper bag (along with a rollon bag that needed to be checked). We were actually moving accross country so this was quite an adventure.

Putting the child in the bjorn was useful to get to the gate (2yo in the jumpseat of the stroller, 1 carseat wedged in the stroller, 1 car seat balancing on the handles.)

After landing, i discovered that the snugride could be wedged in the stroller with the baby in it. Not the safest (i walked sort of beside it and held it in place to be sure) but when youve got the time to move slow and you have no other options you can do it.

Mostly, look pitiful and people are kind enough to help you. I cant tell you the number of people that offered to hold the carseat i balanced on the handle, set up my stroller when we deplaned, etc. just dont give up any valuables (your purse, tickets, etc)

So, with just one child, i think you could put the child in the stroller and balance the seat on the handle. Another option, depending on your stroller, would be to put the child in the car seat and the carseat on the stroller (wedge it in or use some strap to stablize). If you go this route, be sure to try it out at home (you should have seen my home attempts of my 2 child scenario)

[mharling]

Here's my best travel tip:

Put 2-3 wipes in a snack-size Ziploc bag. Put this, a diaper and a disposable changing pad in a regular Ziploc bag. Pack a handful of these in your carryon (and some in your suitcase for the return). When ds needs a diaper change, you just need to grab one thing vs. digging through the bag for everything individually when you need it. You can just toss it when you're done. Also makes it easier if he needs a diaper change on the plane since you wouldn't need to take the entire diaper bag with you.

I can't take credit for this idea, but it works great!!! I think I read about it here, but don't know who from.

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
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