Travelling with a toddler..

Ethan and I are going to GA to visit my family a week from Wed. He and I have made this trip three times in his young life, but never when he was this mobile! There is no way in heck he will sit on my lap this time! I'm not sure what to do because he and I are travelling alone, and I really NEED my big bulky carseat. I also have to take my pop-up stroller. I know that the only way he will cooperate is if he knows he is in the carseat and can't get out. We don't have any money to buy anything else...what should I do?

Shirelle

Are you able to purchase a seat to put his carseat in? Another mom has suggested to select less crowded flights and if there is room they will let you bring your carseat. I have flown several times with my daughter. If you have not bought your ticket yet - choose the shortest flight with no layovers even if it is a few dollars more. Pick a seat towards the front of the plane and if possible the very front row. That way there are no seats in front of you for your child to kick. There is also some more floor room. I brought a bag full of toys and let my 2 year old play on the floor on a flight to MD last year. It was great. Suckers for take-off prevent the ears from popping b/c they are too little for gum. If you are nursing, bfing at take-off also helps with that. Get on sites such as kinderart.com to find some project ideas for the flight. Go to $1 store and buy some new cheap toys to bring out as he starts to get restless. People are always going to be annoyed that there is a child on the plane, but that's their problem. Try not to dwell on it. Don't be afraid to ask for help from the flight staff. On a trip to Corpus they had to watch my daughter so I could use the restroom. Make sure to bring change for the carts at the airport to haul the carseat and diaper bags. It's not necessary to purchase a special seat. I don't know who you are flying, but Southwest was very accomodating by taking us in a golf cart to our gate. They also let us take the cart through the metal detactor through a side gate. It will be difficult, but it certainly beats driving. Let me know how it goes.

We are traveling to Flordia in October with our (will then be 16 month old). We booked a late flight in so hopefully she will sleep through the flight. I find that those flights are best. And coming home I would do the same or take a really early flight. That way she may take a nap. I was also worried about the mobile issue, but I think this might work. Good luck.

Also a front carrier like snuggli or baby bjorn is very helpful in the airport. They won't allow you keep him in it during take off or landing on the plane but it is a lifesaver in the airport. We travled to Amsterdam with Ela when she was an infant and came home when she was 15 months old. The snuggli saved us in the airport because we were so packed down with luggage. Also, you can gate check a stroller. You just keep him in it until right before boarding and then give it to the flight attendant. That is very helpful.

Have fun!

Well, the problem is that I need my stroller to carry him in (he is the size of a 2 year old and doesn't fit in the Snuggli), AND I need my carseat. How do I wheel around one of those carts, when I have him in a stroller? It's just me and him travelling so no one will be able to help me.

My family purchased the ticket for me so I had no control over times. It is a non-stop flight, fortunately.

Shirelle

You can check your stroller at the gate before you get on the plane and you can check your car seat with your luggage (they don't count it as a piece of luggage). That is what we do and Alexis sits on our lap in the plane. Try and keep him up for a while before the trip and hopefull he will nap on the plane. My doctor said you can always give them some benedryl 30 minutes before take off and it might help relax them. It didn't help my brother when he traveled with his 2 year old, but it is worth a try.

Do you have a Maya Wrap? My 3 yr old would still fit in that. You should check with the sirline, but I am pretty sure that you can also gate check your car seat. That way you can keep it with you until you are sure that the flight is full and there is no extra space for him to have his own seat.

No, I don't have a maya wrap but I wish I did! I guess there is just no way for me to carry a carseat, diaper bag, and push a stroller...I mean, I can't push a stroller and wheel around a cart with his the diaper bag and carseat on it. I don't need the carseat for when I'm in Georgia (they have one) I need it for the plane. He will not sit on my lap, not even for thirty seconds. He'll just "slither" off and on to the floor and want to walk/crawl everywhere. With the carseat he KNOWS he can't do that. I hate to do the benadryl thing, but I might have to.

Shirelle

I would rent one of those carts for luggage...if I recall some of them have a seat area for a child....but it has been I while since I traveled. I would check the stroller, I don't think you will have a choice with a full size one, anyway....perhaps a small unbrella one might be okay.

This is what I would try. Leave the big stroller at home. Get small umbrella stroller with a "basket" underneath ( less than 20.00 at Burlington).Place Ethan in the seat. Place the diaper bag underneath. Carry the car seat over your shoulder...arm through straps....and off you go. That would be the best I could come up with and I hope it helps. Traveling with children can be a challeng. . . but you will get through it.:)

Are you being dropped off, bc the carts are outside along the curb. sometimes they are also left in the parking garage. If you can get the driver to get you set up before they leave, you'll be okay. Otherwise, throw the carseat in the stroller, strap on your bags and have your toddler hang onto the side of the stroller with the threat of a serious time-out if he lets go. Unfortunately, there isn't a baby seat on the cart. For a few bucks you can have one of those guys who work outside help with your bags, they will help you all the way to check-in. If you can get to the curb, the rest will be smooth sailing.

Thank you ladies, that is very helpful!!

My dh suggested that I see if the airline will have someone take the carseat to the gate for me, assuming there are empty seats. I'm gonna call today. If not, I will probably check the cart thing to see if they have baby seats on them, or if all else fails, I bought a backpack yesterday to use for a diaper bag, I already have a cheap umbrella stroller, and I will just try and manage to get through the airport with it LOL. I'm more worried about once I land in Atlanta, because the baggage claim is WAY away from the gate.

That really helps!

Shirelle

You can always have someone at the gate call for one of those carts that they transport people to and from the gate in...they look kind of like a golf cart. I have flown a zillion times to the Atlanta airport and they always have the carts at the gate to assist people with children and elderly people who can't walk very well.

HTH

"Pick a seat towards the front of the plane and if possible the very front row. That way there are no seats in front of you for your child to kick. There is also some more floor room. "
I took many plane trips with my daughter. They will not let you sit in a front row seat with no other seats in front because that is usually and emergency exit. I had that seat one time and they made me move.
I made sure to take along a couple of toys that were new to my daughter--just go to the $1 store and pick up a couple of things. Also took snacks and lots of drawing stuff for her.
Sometimes they will throw a fit on plane be trying and there is nothing you can do but deal with it. She hated that she had to have the seat belt on during the whole trip and couldn't get up and move around. The airline stewardesses always told me to just let her cry it out, esp. during takeoff and landing because it would make things easier on her ears.