Flying with an infant and a toddler sounded much scarier that it actually was! Our trip to Tucson, AZ turned out to be amazing!
Do you ever approach a situation with worry as your first emotion? That is definitely what I felt at the prospect of flying our family of four to Tucson, AZ for a family members wedding. I love adventure and I love going places... but flying with a 2 year old and a 6 month old sounded far from fun. Now that it's over I can happily tell you that we had a great experience! From getting to our gates on time, to loading and unloading our family from the airplane, it was ALL positive. Since we had such a great experience I thought I would share my tips for flying with little ones with you.
1. Do your research prior to buying a ticket! Know what amenities your airline offers. Check their websites or 1800 numbers for information on flying with children. All airlines have information on their sites on what is allowed on the plane, buying a seat, and luggage allowances. We were pleased to find that our diaper bag didn't count as one of our allowed carry on bags.
2. Borrow! When you can, borrow most of what you will need for travel once you land. Luckily our family members had some wonderful friends that allowed us to use their car seats while we were there. I can not imagine lugging around two car seats in addition to our luggage. If you do not know folks you can borrow items from check these sites:
https://babysaway.com/
https://travelmamas.com/shop/rent-baby-travel-gear/
3. Bring a stroller! This was a LIFESAVER for us. Again check your airlines requirements for stroller rules first. We flew American, and our collapsible stroller that was part of our infant travel system met the guidelines. Basically we loaded up the baby in a baby carrier I was wearing, shoved a bag under the stroller in the basket, wore our backpacks, and pulled our rolling carry on. Our toddler rode in the stroller. We were able to stroll all the way to the entrance of the plane. The attendant had previously tagged our stroller. So we simply folded it and it rode under the plane and was waiting for us right there when we were exiting the plane. From there our toddler walked between us to our seats. Ha! More like squeezed and stumbled to our seats. This was the most challenging part for us.
A stroller like this would have been perfect!
4. Pack your diaper bag or carry on strategically. Planning ahead for your diaper bag or carry on bag is probably one of the most important things you can do. Before our trip I googled what other parents found to be helpful and planned accordingly. I made sure to keep the diapers and wipes near the top so I wasn't digging EVERYTHING out in order to get those. One of the most helpful things I read was to pack a few toys that were new to your children. That way they are not easily bored with the items. Here are the items I highly recommend:
-A magnetic drawing board- like this one
-A pacifier clip for pacifier or teething ring (so you do not have to worry about them falling)
-Child size headphones for movie watching on the plane
- Munch Mit for teething infants
- Flap books
Don't be afraid to try to travel with your family. It really is worth it! Click the underlined text to view the specific products I recommend!
Would you like to add some tips? Drop a comment below!
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