Traveling with a one-year-old...

[JenCA]

I just found out that we are going to be traveling with our DD over Labor Day weekend; she will be 12.5 months. We'll be flying and staying at my IL's for a few days. I have NO idea where to begin, so I'll just list my questions:

1.) First and foremost--what do we do with DD on the plane? Do we need to purchase a seat for her? What's the safest way to fly with a baby who outgrew the infant carrier long ago?

2.) How on earth do I even begin packing for her?! Besides clothing (easy), I'm thinking along the lines of diapers, wipes, bottles, bath gear, other baby necessities. Should I just plan to pack a separate (smaller) suitcase for her? And what about toys? How on earth do I transport those?!

3.)We plan to take a cheap-o umbrella stroller with us, but what should we do with DD's carseat? We have both the Britax RA and Marathon; I guess for simplicity's sake, we'd take the RA. Would it be too big to gate check? Would it be better to buy a case for it and check it as a piece of luggage?

4.) My biggest concern--what to do about sleeping arrangements? DD won't sleep in her pnp and we have never co-slept with her, so I think we'd all be uncomfortable doing that. Should I look into renting a crib?

Thanks in advance for any musings/advice. This will be the first time we've ever traveled with DD, and in all honesty, the stress of trying to figure this all out is almost making me not want to go at all! ;)


**Edited to fix typos**

[JElaineB]

I haven't travelled with DS recently, but I will be flying with him in August and Sept/Oct (by myself in August, with DH in Sept/Oct), so some of this is based on what I plan to do. I'm a little stressed about it too, especially the first trip when I'm flying with him myself. Anyway, here is what I can think of to help you out...

1) The *safest* way for her to travel is by purchasing her own seat and bringing a car seat for her to install on the plane. Most airlines will give half price tickets (before taxes) for children under 2. Orbitz is one online site that will allow for infant discounts, most don't. Otherwise you have to call the airline to get the discount. If you don't buy a seat for her you will have to hold her all the time. Besides being much less safe than a car seat, I can't imagine hold a 12.5 month old in my lap for an entire plane flight!

2) Since you are staying at your in-laws is there any chance they will go out ahead of time and buy things for you rather than you bringing everything? My mom already asked me for a list for August. DS is a little older than your DD, so I'm sure some things are different, but mostly what I have written down for her to buy are diapers, wipes, and foods DS likes. When he was younger I had her buy formula, a bottle washer and a bottle rack for the dishwasher. I brought my own bottles. This trip I will bring my own sippy and straw cups. For things like bathtime I am just going to use whatever she has laying around. I would bring a few small toys on the plane and maybe pack a couple too. My mom has plenty of toys from kids she babysits so luckily I don't have to worry about this.

3) If you buy a seat for her on the plane, you will need to bring either the RA or the MA on the plane (I would say the RA since it is smaller). Or you could also purchase a cheapie carseat that is even more lightweight just for the trip, like the 5-point verisons of the Cosco Touriva (Walmart) or Cosco Regal Ride (Target). Both are $38-$39 right now. I will be brining our Cosco Touriva instead of the RA on the plane. If you decide not to purchase DD as seat then I believe you can gate check the car seat. Or you may be able to check it right through with the checked luggage. Either way I would get a decent carry bag if that is the case.

4) I have some concerns about DS sleeping in the Pack N Play as well. My mom has one already, so that is what we are going to use in August. I'm praying he will stay asleep in it! In Sept/Oct we are staying at a hotel and I am going to see if they have cribs, otherwise I will bring my own Pack N Play. If you are really concerned she will not sleep in the PNP then I would say definitely look into renting a crib locally.

HTH,

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[slknight]

I agree with the PP answers on most everything. We went to Disney the week of DS's first birthday. It actually wasn't too stressful at all.

1) Definitely purchase a seat for her on the plane. That is by far the safest. Most airlines will give you a half-price ticket for children under 2. Depending on the airline, this might not be available if you're buying your tickets online. I know for United, you actually have to call to get the price.

2) You probably don't need to take as much stuff as you think. We took enough diapers and a travel thing of wipes to get there (two flights with a long layover). We then bought diapers and wipes while there. I was still nursing DS, so I didn't bother much with bottles or other stuff. I did take a bottle or two so I could give him water if need be. Do you bathe her in the tub? We didn't take any special bath gear. We just bathe DS in the tub and used a regular washcloth. As for toys, you'd be surprised what you can find to entertain with. We only took some small toys that fit in a carry-on (like little people and books).

3) We took the Marathon and used it as a carseat on the plane. Yes, it's huge and a pain to carry. But it's safe - and DS had a familiar, comfortable seat on the plane.

4) Not sure what you should do about that. DS slept in the PNP that the hotel provided as a crib. If you really think that DD won't sleep in one, you might want to rent a crib.

HTH. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[jd11365]

I haven't had to purchase a seat for DD because we fly into NYC and the planes have never been full...maybe because there are so many to that destination. When she was little, I would just bring the carseat on the plane because there was always an extra seat anyway, but now DD won't sit in her carseat and screams to get out, so I usually have to hold her or walk with her to keep her busy. This is why I choose not to purchase an extra seat since she refuses to sit in it anyway. I can listen to her scream in the car, but 200 other people don't have to listen to her for 2 hours IYKWIM. Anyway, we fly every couple/few months and while it's not the easiest when going alone, it's not that difficult either. If you have DH with you, you will have no trouble at all having the extra pair of hands.

If you don't purchase the extra seat for the baby, maybe your MIL can borrow or purchase a carseat for your arrival. My mom has a cheapie carseat and stroller for when I come up which makes life a lot easier. She bought the Graco Comfortsport for $50 bucks and a really nice cheapie stroller from BRU for $40 bucks.

As for packing, I pack a travel sized container of wipes...like one for the diaper bag...and about 10 diapers in my diaper bag...along with sample sized baby stuff. Johnson and Johnson make great wipes that have baby wash right in them which eliminates the need for washcloths, babywash and shampoo. I just toss a few of those in or bring sample sizes of items right in the diaper bag. Honestly, less is better. The first time I traveled w/ DD I brought everything...I mean everything. It was ridiculous. You can use adult towels for Julia, so don't pack stuff like that...whatever you find you really need and don't have, a quick trip to Target when you get to your destination will serve the purpose. I get diapers when I get there or have my mom pick them up ahead of time. I also pack a little bag for DD, separate from mine...keeps everything together in one spot. And bring a jacket/sweater for Julia...it never fails that even in the middle of summer, I end up going on a "cool" week.

As for the PnP, DD won't sleep in it at home, but will on vacation. I don't know why, but she just does. I guess when you are tired, you are tired. They get more tired when out and about on vacation. I bring her "blankey" so she has something familiar. And if you're staying in a hotel, don't schlep the PnP, get a crib. Otherwise if you are staying with your inlaws, see if your MIL can borrow a PnP from friends/family. Everyone on Earth seems to have one these days and are always willing to share.

HTH!


Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[Momof3Labs]

In addition to the suggestions you already received, I also like to bring a crib sheet to use in the PNP so that Colin can sleep on something that feels and smells familiar. Don't pack clothes for every day of your trip; plan to do laundry at least once. I packed sippy cups in a ziploc bag this last time, but didn't bring very many. We just washed them out after each use. I wouldn't bother with bath gear except maybe a small travel-size bottle of her usual baby wash/shampoo (vacation isn't the time to experiment with new products). Don't worry about bringing many toys; she'll be plenty entertained by being in a new house.

Do you have a decent stroller at your ILs? If not, I'd bring a decent one rather than a cheapo umbrella. That gives you the option of walks around the neighborhood or trips to the mall when you get a little bit of cabin fever.

[JenCA]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! They've been very helpful. I will definitely purchase a seat for DD on the plane--even if she won't sit in her carseat during the flights (it will take two 1.5 hour flights to get where we're going), I think we'd need the extra seat for my diaper bag, etc. I do like the idea of buying a less expensive carseat for the trip, we might just do that.

I should mention that we are staying at my IL's vacation home, which is in a kind of rural, mountain-y area. I don't think they have a Target anywhere close by, but there is a grocery store. DH suggested that we buy all of the supplies we'll need for DD (diapers, wipes, etc.)and then ship them, along with some smaller toys, ahead of time, because it's very likely that we won't be able to find the brands we use once we get there.

My ILs (it's actually DH's dad and stepmom) have absolutely NO baby gear whatsoever (we have never visited them with DD before), but I think if we made a list of things we wanted, including a pnp and an inexpensive stroller, they would go out and buy all of it. Anything to get us to come visit with their granddaughter! ;)

Thanks again, I am feeling better already! :)

[jd11365]

When you check in, ask to get the bulk head seats so you have extra room...always a plus. Airtran will let you upgrade to business class if for $35 bucks if they have room, but didn't even charge me last time because they were nice to a mom travelling alone with a baby...hey, whatever works. :)

Have fun!

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[McQ]

Sounds like you've gotten some good advice. I'm going to be traveling alone with Declan soon too. DH is going up a few days ahead of me (yep we're going to MILs) and he'll be taking the bluk of our stuff. And buy whatever supplies we'll need when he gets there. I'll just have Declan and a well stocked diaper bag.

Is there anything you could mail to the cabin ahead of time if there's something specific you know you'll want but might not find at the grocery store?

And about the PNP, Declan never slept in his at home but a couple weekends ago we went away and he slept fine in it. I did take his lovey and stuffed kitty that he sleeps with every night. And I got a great Kushies sheet instead of the sratchy one that came with the PNP for comfort.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03
and number 2 EDD 9.14.04

[lrucci]

Hi Jen~

We are flying with Kyleigh next week for the first time and we just returned tonight from a car trip. I was a bit stressed out too, and it is amazing how much "stuff" babies require when you go away.

1. We did end up buying her a seat for the plane. We are bringing the car seat from my mom's car, since it's not as bulky as our Marathon.

2. I packed a separate suitcase for her for this past trip and I will do the same next week. Of course in the car we had a lot more room, so I brought a lot of her toys and babygear. Next week, I am packing the big diaper bag with some diapers, wipes, some clothes, and some food. We are going to buy the rest of her things (food, diapers, wipes) when we get there. I'll probably also end up bringing a small bag of toys so she has something to entertain herself with, both on the plane and in our hotel room.

3. We also bought a cheapo umbrella stroller. I was afraid that our stroller would get scratched up on the plane. We are bringing the car seat on the plane, hopefully she will sleep in it. We have 2 2-hour flights, with a 1 1/2 layover.

4. I was concerned about the sleeping issue too. She has never slept in her pnp. We brought it with us last week and thankfully, she had no problem going to sleep in it. She slept just as well during the night as she does in her crib. We are not bringing the pnp with us on the plane because we just don't have that many hands to carry it all. We will borrow one from friends of friends. If your inlaws could buy one for you that would be great! The less gear you have to travel with the better.

Good luck and don't stress, you'll get it all figured out. On the bright side, you still have some time before you leave :)

Lisa
Mom to Kyleigh 7/19/03

[drsweetie]

Hi Jen -- You've already received great advice, but as someone who just took two long trips with a 12-13-month-old (a 12-hour car trip plus an airplane ride from GA to WI), and someone who was really stressed out before the trip, I'll add my two cents.

1) Buy a seat for DD on the plane. You will need a carseat when you get there, it's safer for her to ride in the seat, and it might be difficult keeping her on your lap for the flights. Check when you buy your tickets to see if you can get a discount fare for an infant.

2) I was stressed out about toys too, but what we found was that our DD was much more entertained by snacks than by toys, at least during the travel. On the flight home from WI, she played with the Skymall catalogue and her shoes more than her toys. You may also not need many toys when you're at your ILs' house -- I'm sure they'll buy her at least one toy, and when we were visiting my parents our DD spent most of her time playing with some old Tupperware my mom had set aside for her. Bring lots of snacks for the trip, plus maybe one or two new toys. I second the suggestion of bringing only enough diapers, wipes, etc. for your journey and then buying the rest while you're there. And maybe travel sizes of bath stuff.

3) At least on Northwest, if you buy a ticket for DD and she sits in her carseat, the carseat doesn't count as luggage, plus you don't have to figure out where to store it. :) We brought a cheapo umbrella stroller for shlepping through the airport when we went on our plane trip, and that worked out really well.

4) I know you said your ILs don't have any baby gear, but do they know people you can borrow stuff from? When we visited my parents, they borrowed a highchair, crib, and stroller from friends and that worked out really well. Other than that, I don't have any good advice regarding sleeping -- every baby is so individual on that front that it's hard for me to predict how your DD will react.

Good luck!

[mom2binsd]

Here are my 2 cents!

All the above advice is great, I'd just add, bring your own sheet for a PNP or a crib if you can rent one, I think it helps the little ones to smell the familiar detergent scent while sleeping.

I have sat in the bulkhead and regular seats and found that the bulkhead didn't work as well as you have to stow your carryon for take off and landing and that was always when I needed stuff and ran out of places to stash bottles etc.

The airlines will let you gate check the carseat if you don't use it-I'd be afraid to send it through the luggage dungeon! I've travelled on 3 hour flights with baby in arms by myself (flight attendants were always helpful) but by far the best idea is to buy the seat (I didn't know they were 1/2 price and DH's work booked my flights and never even considered buying DD a seat), now I book all our flights!

My 13 month old was very amused by the flight magazines and safety brochures and loved trying to get the cookie out of the plastic wrapper- wear dark clothes for the trip as the tight confines of a plane create messy meals!

Good luck and enjoy your trip! (and I'm envious of your short flights, I have to travel on two 3 hour flights to get home to see family!)

Beth mom to Maddie 13 months

[houseof3boys]

You already got fantastic advice but just wanted to add on about the toys for the plane. I had stressed about buying some cool new toys for the plane and when I pulled them out for Ryan about 30 minutes into the trip, he had no interest. He wanted to play with the magazines and stare at the man that was watching the movie/show and laughing out loud. He also kept throwing one of the toys and it would land and roll about 5 rows back so that didn't really work out well!!!! On the flight back, the shiny package that the pretzels came in entertained him for 15 minutes and I asked for another one.

I brought Ryan's little animals and blanket he sleeps with and 3 of his favorite books from home to make nap and bedtime more consistent with home.

I brought 2 sippies from home and just used tupperware that my parents had to put his food in. Ryan also got to play with tupperware and the lids for entertainment. In a new environment, there are lots of "toys" that they aren't used to at home so don't bring a bunch of his usual favorite toys!

Have fun!