baby bunching Q/A: solo travel with 2 under 2

Question via FB from reader Marilyn.  Cara takes this one, as she has traveled with her Bunch and the Caboose a fair bit, both solo and with extra hands.

Q: Any tips on flying with 2 under 2 without my spouse? This 4 hr flight is going to be the longest flight of my life!

A:The first thing to remember is that your mantra for the flight is "This, too, shall pass."  No matter how bad things get, keep repeating this yourself.  While 4 hours is eternity when you're managing two babies in a confined space on your own, it's a blip in the grand scheme of things.  And be sure to keep your sense of humor.  Because sometimes, you gotta laugh or you'll cry.  Attitude is everything when flying solo!

We did a post awhile back on this topic, so we've linked to that for you.  It pretty much boils down to this:

1) The more tools (i.e. strollers and car seats) you bring to keep babies restrained, the better.  If you're traveling by yourself, you can only have one lap baby even if they are both under 2, so you have to buy one seat - bring a car seat for it.  Double stroller is a must, unless you have an infant carrier or sling of some sort - in which case, umbrella stroller for Big is preferred, with Baby strapped on to you, leaving your hands free to maneuver kids, strollers and car seats.  You may have multiple kids screaming at once, but it's always better if one of them is strapped in as opposed to wiggling (or worse, running) around on a plane or in the airport.

2) Allow PLENTY of extra time for checking baggage, getting through security, boarding, etc.  Like double the time you think you need.  Plan for the desk agents to act like they have never seen a carried-on OR checked car seat before and attempt charge you for it (even though most airlines don't).  Get to the airport early, go straight through security.  Get on the plane first, get off last.  Get There Early and Take a Leisurely Pace is your middle name this trip.

3) Hire help.  If you're on your own to drive there, do Park-N-Ride and take a bus to the terminal.  The nice little bus driver/porter will handle all of your baggage for a small tip.  Curb check the luggage - don't stand in line.  It's well worth the daily parking fee and the extra $2-$5 a bag to have someone else take care of bags.  With two kids, you have enough to take care of.

4) The two worst parts of traveling solo are security and boarding/de-boarding the plane.  TSA and flight attendants are useless.  Fellow passengers may or may not take pity on you, but you don't really want them touching your kids, so that's fine.  Do yourself a favor and check all bags except for the diaper bag so you don't have to hoist anything into the overhead bin while dealing with a car seat, a toddler, and a baby in a Snugli.   Do whatever you can to minimize carry-ons, whether that means paying the checked bag fee or wearing the same outfit all week.

5) Speaking of carry-ons, yours are for your kids and not you.  You need your ID and wallet, and maybe some lipstick.  Leave your romance novels and iPod at home - no time for that. Stuff the carry-ons with snacks, diapers (pack double what you need in case of unexpected flight delays), loveys, extra outfits for everyone and distractions for your Bunch.

6)Put everyone in a diaper or Pull-Up.  It sucks if you are potty-training your toddler, but a 4-hour flight is not the time to put potty training skills to the test.  If your Big has to go, the chances of you fitting in the small airplane bathroom with her (not to mention Baby strapped to your chest) are slim.  So go before you get on the plane, but put on a Pull-Up for backup, just in case.

May The Force be with you.  And remember - this, too, shall pass!

Comments

[Ashleigh]

Whew, I'm exhausted just from reading that! I think I'll have to apply "This too shall pass" to a bunch of other things too :)

[Kim]

I just flew alone with 2 under 2... 3 1/2 hour flight. Boy was I as nervous as you. But it went so smoothly!! I brough plenty of snacks - put the baby in the carseat since she's the one who needs less "snuggle" time. And I brough a few favorite little toys that I slowly brought out as the flight progressed. But my best tip - not mentioned on this post - is get a friend or relative to help you through security. All you need to do is bring them with you to check in - make sure they have ID to show. And ask the ticket aggent for a special assistance pass for that friend. That will allow your friend to help you through security and sit with you as you board. They can even help you board, if you ask. We chose not to have my mom board with me - just so she didn't get stuck being the fish swimming upstream... but a flight attendant helped me get my kids down the walkway and on the plane. They can't carry a kid - but they can hold a hand or carry your stuff. Good luck!!! Here's hoping you luck out like I did - I managed to get 3 seats to ourselves (we paid for 2) - no one wanted to sit by me... surprise surprise... lol And it wasn't a full plane. We also got a flight attendant who was awesome, she often came by to play with my 22 month old, and gave us more snacks than you could imagine. I think I still have some unopened from that flight 4 weeks ago... lol

[Cori]

Snacks, snacks, snacks. I am not usually one to try to quiet a child with snacks, but on an airplane I have happily let my toddlers munch on cookies, crackers, gold fish...in whatever quantities work!!

Also, bring new toys and books for the older child. Novelty goes a long way. The airline magazines also kept my toddler occupied as we played "I spy" for about an hour using the magazine.

If your toddler has a lovey make sure they are prepared in advance that they will have to put it through the security screening. My toddler had a meltdown once when he saw his stuffed monkey being whisked away from him.

I may be in the minority, but I vote that you don't bother carrying on a car seat as long as your older one is old enough to sit relatively still in an airplane seat. That's just one more big bulky thing to lug around.

[MaryBeth @ Four Silly Sisters]

Just after my triplets 3rd birthday I took them on a short (1.5 hour) flight to visit my sister by myself. I didn't have to mess with carseats... sis borrowed 3 from friends for our short weekend visit. I know all the passengers who saw us coming were dreading the flight, but we got very nice compliments from those seated around us once we reached our destination. I fit everything we needed into one big backpack... that way my hands were free. Take lots of snacks and new or different toys to entertain them. Enjoy yourself, and just like others have already said, if the experience isn't good... This too shall pass!

[jean grow]

Also, be prepared to remove the baby from the babybjorn/snugli for takeoff and landing. The first time a flight attendant (one of those really unsympathetic types) sneered at me and told me "you can't use that thing on the plane" I nearly burst into tears from all the pent-up fear. (We were headed to a funeral with 2 year old twins and a newborn, and had two flights totalling 6 hours, followed by one of those MIL's that can't be nice.) Sometimes it is best to 'expect the worst and pray for the best' so imagine a crowded plane and stinky daipers with little napping. Then you can be thrilled for just surviving it.

[Marilyn]

Thanks for all the tips! It'll be a long trip but I think I might actually survive it!