Parents: This is a call for help!
As some of my regular readers and social media stalkers know, my wife and I had our first kids recently. Yes, kids. Plural. Two healthy, albeit 7 weeks early, girls entered our lives and, among so many other things, have changed how we travel. And I really mean just HOW we travel and hopefully not too much of when and where we travel, as we hope to raise them with the joys and life experiences of seeing all parts of the world and the diverse people and cultures in it as they grow.
But for now, we stand at the starting line of “travel with children” as so many have before us. We are on the precipice of something great (right?) and those many trips to come start, for us, with four domestic flights in the upcoming weeks with our three-month-old twins on our laps.
We are flying one round-trip journey on Southwest Airlines (why settle for just one Companion Pass when it can become Buy One Get THREE Free! Ha!) with early bird seating (so guessing A20-25 in the cattle call) and the other round-trip journey on United in First Class (oh, the looks to come on those business travelers’ faces).
For Southwest Airlines, we will get our Boarding Verification Document (BVD) on the day of travel at the ticket counter using copies of their birth certificates. More info on Southwest Baby on Board.
For United Airlines, we have added them to the reservation for no charge (again, domestic) lap seat riders under the age of two. (Should I get them MileagePlus Accounts now?) More info on United Airlines Traveling with Infants.
Some planning we have thought of so far includes:
– Gate check the carriers and stroller (frame style that carriers drop into) using thick, clear plastic bags marked with our name and cell number and “GATE CHECK” instead of buying expensive gate check bags for them.
– Use our chest baby carriers to assist with the lap seating for the flights.
– Use pre-mixed bottles for feeding during take-off and landing, if timing works out appropriately. Print out a copy of the TSA formula travel guide should reference be needed to “educate” any TSA staff, but I don’t expect any problem if we declare the formula BEFORE passing through TSA security via our PreCheck line.
– Arrange transportation to minimize juggling baggage, waiting in taxi lines, etc. (worth every penny for convenience sake).
What are some other travel tips that may help us out on our inaugural journeys with our two little ones?
Thanks!
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First of all, congratulations! To address your points… – Gate check the carriers…I fold the stroller, then wrap it in its own rain cover and hold in place with 2 small bungee cords. The rain cover keeps the stroller dry, and the bungee cords could have many other uses during the trip. – Use our chest baby carriers…sure, but as Michelle S said, be prepared to take the babies out during takeoff and landing. – Use pre-mixed bottles…no experience with formula myself, but I think your plan sounds good. – Arrange transportation…yes, for sure, and also consider shipping some things… Read more »
I second Scott on the pacifiers – big help! Also, you and your wife should leave the middle seat between you. Unless it is a full SW flight, I am guessing that middle seat is the one that would go out empty! Enjoy the looks as people come down the aisles – half of them are “how cute” and the other half try to pretend they didn’t just see you. 🙂
Sounds like you have everything thought of – enjoy the trips!
A priority-have pacifiers and formula bottles handy during the flight-and encourage your kids to be using them during ascent and descent. This will help immensely with ear pain from the pressure changes. I would try the bottle first, as the swallowing works better than just sucking on the pacifier. You probably have a travel diaper bag, but make sure you have a rollup or folding changing pad for use in the airport or airplane lavatory. If you have a chance, scout the airplane lav to see what their changing table is like. We found some airplanes have a little table… Read more »
If you haven’t already make sure the babies are on the ticket even if you’re holding them to avoid any last minute seating issues (some planes only have extra oxygen masks on one side). I always ask the gate agent if there are any empty seats on board and if they’ll let you bring their car seats onboard. We lapchilded Kelly this week and she got her own seat for one of the flights (the other was oversold). I almost always prefer getting our kids their own seats because it is a lot easier (and they get miles), but sometimes… Read more »