Airplane Travel Must-Haves
I LOVE going on vacation. But then again - who doesn't? Since Arianna's been born, we have taken her on 4 trips. Two driving trips and two flying trips. I have learned A LOT about traveling with an infant/toddler and thought I'd share some of my must-have tips with all of you. (I'll do destination must-haves in a separate post)
1. An umbrella stroller. Airports are huge and carrying all your stuff is a pain in the butt even when you're traveling solo. But when you have a little one with you, it becomes nearly impossible to carry all of your stuff AND your child. Strollers do not count as baggage and can be gate-checked for free. Do it!! Even if your little one wants to walk, you can place all your carry-ons on the stroller. Plus regardless of where your destination is, you'll more then likely need a stroller when you get there. And renting one can get very expensive.
2. Your child's own seat. Okay yes, it will be more expensive, but it's worth it. Not only will your child feel more comfortable but so will you. Plus each seat is allowed one carry on and one personal item. So for us - that translated into a diaper bag and a lunch box full of snacks. Even if your child sits on your lap during the flight, you can still place your stuff on the extra seat. An added bonus - if your little one needs a diaper change in-flight, you can lay her across her seat and yours to change her diaper. Much better than battling with the tiny airplane bathroom!
3. The CARES system. The CARES system is the only child-restraint system allowed on airplanes. As long as your child is sitting upright, you can use it. It works with the existing airplane seatbelt and provides a 3-point harness system for your child. It's super easy to take on and off. Although airlines say they allow carseats, since the seats are soooo small the chances that yours will fit is extremely slim. And if it doesn't fit, you can't use it. It's fits children between 22-44 pounds so you can use it for a few years. Or for your next child. Plus you can lend it to your mommy-friends when they travel.
4. Snacks. Bottles, juice boxes, lollipops, fresh fruit, granola bars, and goldfish crackers are some of the snacks I have traveled with. Just keep in mind, that if you bring a water bottle through the security checkpoint, they test it. Buying liquids once you get through the gate is just easier. But a word of warning - if you leave the country, they may not have milk. For example, when we went to the Bahamas they only had Parmalat available in the hotel and only half and half in the airport.
5. Things for your little one to do. The general rule is that you bring one new toy that your child has never seen before for each hour of the flight. Colorforms, a coloring book and crayons, travel magnadoodle, and a new book are some options. Our most effective thing on flight, has been a travel DVD player with child-sized headphones. We brought four DVD choices with us in a travel-sized CD case. The other great thing was Arianna's Leappad2. If your child has a Leappad2, you know what a "hit" it is. I didn't allow Arianna to play with it for about a week leading up to our trip, so that she was really excited to play with it at the airport and on the plane. We only brought one cartridge though, so we wouldn't lose any, but I downloaded a few Game Apps to it before we left to ensure she would have a wide variety to choose from.
6. An overnight diaper or training pants and a change of clothes for you and your child. The first time we traveled with Arianna her diaper leaked all over Marc. And even though Arianna had been doing really well with potty-training before our Disney vacation, I put a Pull-Up on her for the plane ride. I'd rather have a barrier against an accident than make her sit in a wet airplane seat.
7. A travel sized blanket and pillow. Those airplanes can get really cold! And although Arianna didn't want to use the pillow, it was great to slide under her head when she fell asleep - it was obvious the pillow helped her be much more comfortable.
8. A portable potty chair cover. This is obviously for potty-trained little ones. Let's face it - public restrooms are revolting. And little kids aren't tall enough for the squat. (In the bag with my portable potty I placed Clorox-wipes so I could clean it off after each use.)
9. Patience and Understanding. Traveling is stressful. And it will be a big event for your little one. There's a great possibility that at some point, your child is going to lose it. Try to see it from her point of view and do your best to understand why she's feeling the way she is. Be patient and loving. And remember that your child is your priority - not the other passengers on the plane. If your child is crying, don't worry about how it's bothering the other passengers. Most of them have ear-buds in anyway and can't even hear your child freaking out.
10. Something for yourself to do. I love reading on the plane. It's the perfect time to get into a good book because there is, literally, nothing else to do. Plus seeing you reading makes you appear calm to your child, which is very reassuring for any anxiety she might be feeling. You're also modeling that being on the airplane is a time for quiet activities, so she may be more willing to watch her movie or color for a long period of time.
I hope that you all found my tips helpful! Here are the Amazon links to the products that I love and use most on my trips.
MUST-HAVES FOR AIRPLANE TRAVEL:
1. An umbrella stroller. Airports are huge and carrying all your stuff is a pain in the butt even when you're traveling solo. But when you have a little one with you, it becomes nearly impossible to carry all of your stuff AND your child. Strollers do not count as baggage and can be gate-checked for free. Do it!! Even if your little one wants to walk, you can place all your carry-ons on the stroller. Plus regardless of where your destination is, you'll more then likely need a stroller when you get there. And renting one can get very expensive.
2. Your child's own seat. Okay yes, it will be more expensive, but it's worth it. Not only will your child feel more comfortable but so will you. Plus each seat is allowed one carry on and one personal item. So for us - that translated into a diaper bag and a lunch box full of snacks. Even if your child sits on your lap during the flight, you can still place your stuff on the extra seat. An added bonus - if your little one needs a diaper change in-flight, you can lay her across her seat and yours to change her diaper. Much better than battling with the tiny airplane bathroom!
3. The CARES system. The CARES system is the only child-restraint system allowed on airplanes. As long as your child is sitting upright, you can use it. It works with the existing airplane seatbelt and provides a 3-point harness system for your child. It's super easy to take on and off. Although airlines say they allow carseats, since the seats are soooo small the chances that yours will fit is extremely slim. And if it doesn't fit, you can't use it. It's fits children between 22-44 pounds so you can use it for a few years. Or for your next child. Plus you can lend it to your mommy-friends when they travel.
4. Snacks. Bottles, juice boxes, lollipops, fresh fruit, granola bars, and goldfish crackers are some of the snacks I have traveled with. Just keep in mind, that if you bring a water bottle through the security checkpoint, they test it. Buying liquids once you get through the gate is just easier. But a word of warning - if you leave the country, they may not have milk. For example, when we went to the Bahamas they only had Parmalat available in the hotel and only half and half in the airport.
5. Things for your little one to do. The general rule is that you bring one new toy that your child has never seen before for each hour of the flight. Colorforms, a coloring book and crayons, travel magnadoodle, and a new book are some options. Our most effective thing on flight, has been a travel DVD player with child-sized headphones. We brought four DVD choices with us in a travel-sized CD case. The other great thing was Arianna's Leappad2. If your child has a Leappad2, you know what a "hit" it is. I didn't allow Arianna to play with it for about a week leading up to our trip, so that she was really excited to play with it at the airport and on the plane. We only brought one cartridge though, so we wouldn't lose any, but I downloaded a few Game Apps to it before we left to ensure she would have a wide variety to choose from.
6. An overnight diaper or training pants and a change of clothes for you and your child. The first time we traveled with Arianna her diaper leaked all over Marc. And even though Arianna had been doing really well with potty-training before our Disney vacation, I put a Pull-Up on her for the plane ride. I'd rather have a barrier against an accident than make her sit in a wet airplane seat.
7. A travel sized blanket and pillow. Those airplanes can get really cold! And although Arianna didn't want to use the pillow, it was great to slide under her head when she fell asleep - it was obvious the pillow helped her be much more comfortable.
8. A portable potty chair cover. This is obviously for potty-trained little ones. Let's face it - public restrooms are revolting. And little kids aren't tall enough for the squat. (In the bag with my portable potty I placed Clorox-wipes so I could clean it off after each use.)
9. Patience and Understanding. Traveling is stressful. And it will be a big event for your little one. There's a great possibility that at some point, your child is going to lose it. Try to see it from her point of view and do your best to understand why she's feeling the way she is. Be patient and loving. And remember that your child is your priority - not the other passengers on the plane. If your child is crying, don't worry about how it's bothering the other passengers. Most of them have ear-buds in anyway and can't even hear your child freaking out.
10. Something for yourself to do. I love reading on the plane. It's the perfect time to get into a good book because there is, literally, nothing else to do. Plus seeing you reading makes you appear calm to your child, which is very reassuring for any anxiety she might be feeling. You're also modeling that being on the airplane is a time for quiet activities, so she may be more willing to watch her movie or color for a long period of time.
I hope that you all found my tips helpful! Here are the Amazon links to the products that I love and use most on my trips.
I would love to hear your comments, questions, or suggestions!
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