traveling w/DS??

[jniter]

I don't know if this goes here. Do we have a board for traveling?

OK, going to my cousin's wedding at the end of June. A few questions:

1) I really don't want to drag the pack n play. It's HEAVY. Is it ok to let DS sleep with us in bed for a few nights? He'll be 7 months by then. Will it wreck his already irratic sleep? He likes to roll around in his crib. Should we just suck it up and take it with us?

2) I really don't want to drag a stroller. I've been carrying DS a lot in a ergo-type carrier. Think I can get away with that for a week?

3) He won't be quite old enough for a booster. Do we just hold him in our laps for meals?? I looked at portable boosters, which we would need soon anyway. They all say 9 months or 12 months is the youngest recommended age. What to do??

A really really dumb question: I don't drag a week's worth of diapers with me, do I? I just buy there?

We haven't gone more than 15 miles with our little guy yet. He cannot stand the car. We intentionally are flying Midwest Airlines and shelling out more bucks for tickets to have the larger seats and direct flights for our 3-legged trip. The wedding isn't for more than 2 months and I'm already stressed out just thinking about it.

How can I make traveling with him easier??

[cca]

I think you should do what makes sense to you..... but as far as practical advice goes

1)A couple of days of sleeping with you isn't going to change his already erratic sleep schedule. Though if you're staying at a hotel and really don't want him to sleep with you, some hotels provide cribs (I would check the safety)

2)You might want to take the stroller, it comes in handy when you're walking around the airport and when ds decides he wants to take a nap. Plus its fairly easy with most airlines to gate check your stroller.

3)Another reason for taking the stroller; it comes in handy for placing ds in while eating :) I wouldn't worry about a booster and if the wedding is in a restaurant or hotel they'll be able to provide a high chair.

4)Depending on your situation buy the diapers as you get there. Take enough to hold you over till you can get to a store.

Sometimes the anticipation of flying w/ dc's is worse than the actuality. It might not go smoothly but you'll survive. I just had to fly from LA to Washington DC w/ my 2month old and my 2 year old. Not the best travel experience but we're all still alive:)

[tiapam]

1. I think it's probably fine, but *you* might not sleep as well. So if *he* sleeps well in the PNP, I would use it. Many hotels offer them or cribs. Also, my understanding is that it is not a good idea to cosleep if you will be drinking alcohol before.

2, 3. I would bring a stroller for the same reasons PP mentioned.

I would bring extra diapers in your carryons in case you are stuck in an airport. Diapers might be hard to find or expensive in an airport. When you get to your destination, just buy there.

-Pam

DD - Two years old!

[jniter]

Well, I called the hotel and asked them how old the cribs were and if she knew what kind. The woman said, "They are regular cribs." Uh...that kind of freaks me out. I can't really drink because it zonks me out too quickly and I'm still BFing, but maybe co-sleeping would wake me up all the time.

Mm...maybe we should just drag the PnP. Doesn't make sense to spend $50 on a PeaPod for a few days of travel. :-P

I guess I'll troll around the stroller board to get ideas on how to travel with a stroller. I swear...we are going to take half our house with us!

[heather13]

A travel board would be nice, wouldn't it! I tend to post my travel Q's on the car seat forum. We've traveled a bit with DD so here are my thoughts...

First I'd say call the hotel again and see if you get a different person who actually knows about cribs. The two times I stayed in a hotel with DD though it was a PNP (one was a Marriott, the other was like a Days airport - flight delayed, stuck overnight). If you get there and don't like the crib you can always put him in bed with you. I still do this with DD occasionally (started at 6 months when I was nursing and had to get some sleep) since it seems to settle her when she's distressed.

How are you handling the carseat? If it's an infant seat that works with a stroller, bring it. We were amazed how nice it was to travel through the aiport and carry NOTHING! It all fit in the snap n go, and DD was able to continue sleeping as we carried her off the plane and to the next flight. If it's a convertible seat you may still want the stroller to port it around the airport, or if you plan to drag it in a bag or a luggage carrier the ergo-carrier will work great. If you don't plan to walk a lot (if you'll be with family most of the time rather than on the move) the ergo-carrier will work great.

For meals at that age we did two things - either she sat in her infant seat and we fed her with a spoon, or she sat on our laps and we spoon fed her or she fed herself.

For diapers, depends. Do you know the area, or will someone be really availalbe who can show you where to go? I like to bring our own only because we typically don't fly to visit family, so having to arrive somewhere new and track down a reasonable place to buy diapers (drugstores are too expensive IMO!) is more hassle to me. But then again if you don't have the extra room in your luggage it's something that you could sacrifice. You could also fill a duffel bag with baby food, diapers and wipes and check it with your luggage. Then at the end of the week you'll have one less bag to pack. Big tip - be SURE to bring an extra day's worth of diapers on the plane to and from. If somehow your flight is delayed you do NOT want to be stuck in a hotel at midnight needing to buy diapers.

Don't stress, bring lots of snacks and new toys and you'll have a very easy trip!

[jniter]

Wow, thanks for the duffle bag recommendation. That sounds like a very handy trick. I was thinking of delaying the solids until after the trip just so I would have one less thing to worry about. On the other hand, I don't know if DS will hold out past 7 months. We'll see.

We will have an infant seat. Maybe we can borrow a friend's snap-n-go because we just have the travel system.

Hm...I guess I'll try the hotel again. I didn't really know how to respond when the lady said, "Regular."

[maurenemm]

I too thought that most hotels used pack-n-plays (although they often refer to them as cribs).

We traveled with DS at 6 months old and used our travel system. It was very easy. I don't remember having any trouble getting the stroller into our rental car with all of our luggage.

Also for that trip, I decided to buy diapers at our destination. But of course I packed quite a few extra in the diaper bag - just in case there were any delays. Turned out with what I packed, and then what I bought once I got there, I had a ton of extra diapers at the end of the week. So, I had to pack them on the return trip. Next time I'm just bring all the diapers I need (if we'll be gone for a week or less). That way the diapers are cheaper (can buy in bulk) and i should have room for souveniers on the way home.