To ask how to manage a baby and a toddler on flight?

[MumsKnitters]

Sorry to ask on AIBU! I did ask on travel section first. My daughter is going to fly over from the States with a just turned 2 year old and a 3 month old. What is the best way to manage this with one pair of hands?We can't afford three seats, which would have helped a lot. It will be a 2 leg journey, so navigating an airport without another adult to help is also a factor. Should she have a car seat for the baby? A sling? A straitjacket for the toddler? Both are breastfed so will need access to her lap at some point in the flights She can't be the first to attempt this! Any tips?

Ask for assistance at the airport. You don’t need to be disabled to request it. It’s for anyone who needs help. You have to request it before the flights. She should then get help between planes. At Schiphol they take you across the airport in a golf cart and you get fast tracked through security and passports.

Great ideas above. My 9mo was ill with a temperature on all flights to and from Australia from UK and massively relieved i brought thermometer and ibuprofen. Worse flight ever. Sling helped and check where you receive buggies. Either side of plane or baggage collection.

I have flew long haul several times with my DC; one of which is 7 and the other just turned 2. My younger DC has travelled long haul since they were 5 months old and now at 2 will be flying again in December.

All I will say is. NIGHT FLIGHT!

Once the lights are off, both my Dc fall a sleep. So aside from the a few hours at the start and end of the flight I had some rest bite.

Things I do: I pack plenty of snacks/milk, pipe cleaners, stickers and pens will keep the two year old occupied. Also, consider downloading their favourite TV shows or films to watch.

Personally, it’s the collecting of luggage that’s tough and also collecting bags from the hold (unfortunately, not all flight attendance are very helpful.....the other passengers that saw me struggle were on the other hand).

I’ve literally just got back from travelling to Hong Kong and Shanghai with a toddler and a 4 month old today!

Things I found helpful we’re pre-reserving the sky cot/bassinet phone up the airline and request one and they’ll make one of the bulkhead seats hers as that where they attach the bassinet. It has to be stowed for take off and landing though so for this my carrier came in SO useful it meant I had two hands free to wrangle the toddler that was trying to claw her ears off and slide out of her seat for all of the take off/landing.

Check the buggy and use it until you get to the plane gate, you will have to make it beyond clear about a million times that you need it at each gate especially if there is connections if not it’s usually fairly easier, a lot of airports have buggies you can use for around £1 or free failing that when the biggie went missing after our first flight to Shanghai I just pushed the toddler around in a small luggage trolley 🤣

LOTS of snacks/juice/milk for the toddler mine wouldn’t touch plane food nor would she entertain their juice she just wanted milk which I got plenty of in the airport.

One thing I found the absolute best travel item was one of those inflatable footstool/toddler bed type things. It’s like a big square that you blow up and put in front of the plane seat so it turns into a little bed for them. There’s loads on amazon prime cost me around £10 I think. My daughter slept all but two hours of an 12 hour flight because of this!!

Utilise other people! Whenever one of them cried staff couldn’t do enough to help me, ensuring I ate and drank enough and other passengers were very kind and understanding of crying, the man I was sat next too fanned the baby for an hour straight because he was too hot and grizzly. Lots of people helped me carry things, or on and off the plane and bus safely. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Calpol too, I took a bottle in my hand luggage to try and prevent hurting ears. Gave a dose about 30 mins before the flights and landing which seemed to help slightly.

Hope that helps!

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This one.

Oh and spare clothes, my DD2years went through at least three outfits on and the baby two and three vests. Also lots of spare change and some small notes to tip the people that drive the golf buggies around, they take you where you need to go so you don’t have to walk with both the kids but it’s expected in most places to tip.

I did a similar journey with my then 2.5 year old and 9 week old baby.

I didn't rely on the pushchair - I put it in the hold. Wore the baby in the sling, made the toddler walk in our departure airport, when we got to our destination I double baby wore, so had the baby on the front in a sling and the toddler on my back in a buckle carrier. The plane was great, we had bulkhead and they both slept at some point! I even watched a film!

This summer I went with a 6, 4 and 6 month old. Granted they're older and can be plugged in. Still top tips are pack light, pack some snacks, don't go mental with toys, lollipops are a winner if she gives them, and repeat it's only a short time in your head!!!

Check with your airline about the inflatable thing in the footwell. Some airlines have banned them.

Only a few airlines have banned them, although if you ask they may likely allow them to be used in window or middle seats which was the case for me. Chances are you’ll be good to go with it 👍🏻

Thank you so much everyone! Lots of good advice! It really doesn't seem as daunting now.

I'd go sling for the baby rather than pushchair. Trying to fild a pushchair while holding a baby and trying to stop the toddler wandering off, isn't easy. On some airlines they make you carry pushchairs down the stairs on to the plane as well (I would imagine on an international flight or a decent airline they would be boarding via a tunnel so not a feature but could be if there is an internal flight with a cheap airline).
Dont take coats they will get lost. Take a change of clothes for both (maybe a onesie for each to save space). Repack a nappy bag into a bigger rucksack so you can put more food etc in it as one big bag is more manageable than lots of small ones. Lots of airports have child play areas that arent signposted, she should ask if there are any.

Also you said she travelled before with a vomiting bug, if this situation ever arises again then she should stay at home - it's not fair on other passengers and if staff spot her they can turn her away.

Just realised while typing she will probably need a buggy for the toddler, most 2 year olds cant walk the long distances in a large airport or if they can they are running off etc. If she has a buggy board she could always see about taking that and putting the baby in the buggy anyway