First trip abroad with 4.5yr and very nearly 1 yr old! HELP!!

[Gillyan]

Hi

Going away to Menorca in June, 4 hr ish flight and flying at 6am.

My DD2 will be about 20 days off being 1 yr old.

I was thinking of weaning her off formula and bottles a bit early and getting her onto cows milk and cups. She already drinks ( kind of ) from a tippy up cup.

Anyone have any advice for me?? If I still need to be doing bottles and formula how does that work abroad?

I haven't been abroad for 8 years and this is the first time with 2 kids so a little anxious.

Any advice for anything to do with any of it will be greatly appreciated

Also, we are going half board in a 4 star hotel and I have paid extra to have a fridge in our room too as I was thinking of keeping cows milk cold etc and drinks for the older one.

Going June 2nd so hopefully not too too hot!

If you're still using formula, take enough with you (although I didn't when DS was 7 months old and he managed on another brand
Check the bottled water you use, both to drink and to boil to make up bottles, as some bottled water has loads more sodium than others, and I'll swear it even tastes salty (although that's probably my imagination!)

Take something for DD2 to suck on/drink when the plane's taking off, as that might protect her ears against popping, which is horrid. You'll get a seatbelt extension for her when she's on your lap - ask the cabin crew in good time when you board. They warmed a bottle for my DS just before we came into land, so that kept him happy.

Do you have a Trunki for DD1? They're fab! Also, do you have a portable DVD player? Can be invaluable for on the plane, but DD1 can also use it in the hotel (make sure you bring the charger and an adaptor), and to play audiobooks on it at night if you're trying to get her off to sleep in a strange room.

I'll post if anything else occurs to me..

Thanks for that. I have an i phone so can download filmsfor her to watch for at the hotel but obviosly not on the plane, and my friend is lending me her trunki for her. Starting to think that trying to get her off abottle and formula before we go is just pointless, she won't even be 1 till a wk after we get back and I suppose having her bottle will be comfort for her in a strange place, I'll just have to take a full SMA and some cartons for the flight etc.

Thanks

Wanting to be completely upfront and not wanting to appear to be spamming Mumsnet but we have just put an article on our website about flying with children - it's based on our own experience and input from others - it's quite a long article (so we split it into 2 parts) but we think it might be helpful. It has tips about all stages of the journey from before leaving home to arriving at your destination. Hopefully it will be good for people who don't fly too often but hopefully has some value for frequent fliers too.

Here is part 1 of the flying with children article, part 2 is linked from the bottom of part 1 - and we would love feedback

Mods - I really don't want to appear spammy - so if you don't like it I won't be upset if you delete it - I'm just trying to help.

Thanks thats great I'll take a look now

All great info, brilliant. Will definately buy them both anew toy and produce it on theflight, we are flying at 6am so hoping they will nod off form having to get up in the middle of the night.

Good tip about making sure I get a bag tag on the buggy.

Just hope I can have a bottle of milk and a carton in my carry on for the baby and a drink for the older one, or I suppose I can buy a juice for the older one.

We are getting a coach transfer from airport to the hotel, I presumed I would have to have kids on laps but how will I got about checking if they need cars seats or not??

Will my 4 yr old have her own carry on allowance? So she could take a rucksack with her own toys and stuff in??

If you're paying for a seat on the airplane then the 4 yr old will have an allowance. You should also get an allowance for a pushchair and travel cot for DD2 even though she'll be on your lap, at least I always got one when flying Thomson.
I very much doubt you'd get a child seat for the coach transfer, but check with your tour operator - although even if they say there'll be one it might not materialise... I know it's even more money, but have you seen the Boostapack from the Trunki people? It's here : Boostapak In my experience taxis don't have child seats either, so it's a question of just hanging onto DCs, which is obviously far from ideal.. Does DD2 still fit into a baby car seat, like the Rockatot?

Hi, DD1 has her own plane seat and yes my frined said today she will get her own allowance, she's the one lending me the trunki, will have a look at the boostapak thanks. DD2 has just grown out of the first size car seat, so yes like you say it's hanging on to them!

Had a look, I thought the trunki thing my friend was lending me was just a suitcase that they could sit on, does that sound right, these boostapaks look amazing though so will def get her one for taking on the plane, will be brilliant for older one for taxi's etc, thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction!

Yes, the Trunki can be ridden on/scooted about on, especially in relatively empty baggage halls (look for the carousels which aren't running, and wagons roll) - my DS has had one for years, and still loves it. It actually got us our room at a very posh hotel rather quicker than the snotty receptionist was planning - after 15 mins of him scooting around the echoey marble-floored lobby, the receptionist stomped over, and basically asked what she could do to get us to leave her in peace! Sounds a bit unfair but we knew the rooms were ready, it was just a question of pushing a button and allocating a key...

The boostapak's a new thing, and looks great for DD1's age. Are you going to put DD2 on your lap in taxis, or try and squeeze her into her old stage one seat?

Thanks for the kind words about our flying article - as Ravenous... says, there is baggage allowance for 2yrs+ - when it comes to car seats it's really up to you but you can check them in just like any other luggage, the problem comes if it doesn't come out at the other end.

I love the Trunki too but the only problem is that they are relatively big so are a problem on the plane itself - you can put it in the overhead locker but it's a problem if you want to get anything out of it (it's just a little suitcase after all) we find that a little backpack is easier to deal with when your LOs are in their seats/on your lap and can be great for them especially if they've packed it themselves!! They can then also use it while you are away to take stuff to the beach etc.

Anyway - have a good trip

Thanks ladies. DD2 won't fit in the old car seat, so it will be clinging on in taxi's, my partner is going to have a search and see if there is such an invention as a seatbelt extender like they do on the plane, but one we could by for in taxi's etc. Thinking about it where we a re going has it's own private access to the beach ( so not buses or taxis ) and it's only if we plan days out that we'll have to worry. Think I will buy a boostapak, she is 4 n half so she should be able to manage the walk through the airport and my partner can always carry her while I push the buggy, think I'd rather her be able to get stuff out of the back pack easily and also then have a booster seat for her.

Thanks again