travel advice plz

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-26-2006
travel advice plz
10
Wed, 09-06-2006 - 6:27pm

hey all hope you're all doing okay...I was wondering if any of you have any travel advice. This is my (please help me ) first time traveling with my kids to another state. We have a six month old, Lily and twenty-two month old, Kassie. My husband and I are planning to head to Chicago,IL. We haven't been on a plane in years. I have so many questions. One how do I keep two infants happy on a four hour flight? Also, how do I entertain them at other peoples home that have no kids? Does the car rental place provide car seats if you ask for them or do you have to bring yours and how do you go about that with so many new flight rules? I don't even have a clue what to take on the plane! Whats allowed? Lastly, I don't know where to take them out there? Are there any great things to do for kids in Chicage in October? Any advice would be welcome. I am truly nervous. We hardly travel so this is all very new to me.

Deb
mother to two sweeties

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 09-07-2006 - 9:58am
When I traveled with my DD when she was a baby, there wasn't room for a car seat so they put it below. But when we bought a seat for my son, he sat in his car seat the whole time. I suggest you travel early in the morning and bring lots of snacks and such. I don't think car rentals provide car seats. YOu will have to bring your own.
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readers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2005
Thu, 09-07-2006 - 10:08am

We just flew with Ryland this past April when he was 18 months old and we had him sit on our laps.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 09-07-2006 - 10:16am
Sorry I was so wrong in my post. It has been a few years since we have flown. Thanks Jessie for setting my wrongs right. LOL
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readers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-17-2005
Thu, 09-07-2006 - 10:52am
lol....hey I wouldn't have known either until we flew and didn't want to take Ryland's $300 car seat and risk it getting ruined by the airline. :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2006
Thu, 09-07-2006 - 1:30pm

We'll be flying with a 4 month old in November. I've done some research on our airport's website on traveling with small children, and it's very helpful with tips on going through security and what is/isn't allowed. It changes constantly, so I'll re-print the government's list right before we go. Infant formula is still allowed on board, along with prescription medications. Any other liquids and gels are banned in carry-on luggage, which includes everything from a water bottle to deoderant. Baby food would also be banned, I think, so try to fill them up before going to the airport.

I plan to bring our carseat clipped into the stroller to be gate-checked. Little to no damage occurs with gate checking since it's put into cargo separate from the luggage and given right back to you instead of going through the conveyors which is where most damage happens. Plus that way I'll have the stroller for going between gates during our layover.

As to things to do in Chicago with kids, it depends what part of Chicago you're in. The aquarium on the lakefront is pretty cool, so are the botanical gardens. A great website to check is Trip Advisor. Do a search on Chicago with kids, and it should come up with things, including directions and sometimes prices and hours.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2006
Thu, 09-21-2006 - 11:16pm

I traveled a couple times without my husband with two kids before and it was kind of scary. I have found that if you can afford to buy seats for the kids, DO IT. They will then have their own space in their carseats. If you let your kids watch a show or two, bring a portable DVD player if you have one (it really helps). As for carseats, the car places only rent forward facing ones and I wouldn't trust them because you don't know if they've been involved in a car accident. Anyway if I were you I'd just bring your own because you know how it works and each seat is different and you don't really want to waste time learning a new one.

I used to live in Grand Rapids, MI before moving to Phoenix, AZ but I never traveled to Chicago before we had kids(well, I can't really say that because we took a flight to O'Hare and then drove up to GR with the kids). As for entertaining kids, bring a few of their favorite toys with you so they can play with them. You can also see if those friends know people with kids around your kids ages and wouldn't mind parting with a few toys for a few days.

I will tell you that you will totally be stressed and want to rip your hair out but remember that the flight will eventually land.

You can bring anything on a plane except for drinks (excludes bottles for infants). I would bring pacifiers and an empty sippy cup (to fill with water once on the plane) so the kids can suck on those during take-offs and landings to help with the popping of the ears. I would also bring a stroller with you because it will make your life a lot easier. I hope it goes well for you, please email me after you get back.

I hope it goes well for you.

Lisa
lisa@mommiestomommies.com
www.mommiestomommies.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2006
Fri, 09-22-2006 - 2:42pm

Just so you know I read some of the other replies, you don't have to check your carseats where you check your luggage, you can check the carseats at the gate as well. Sometimes the flights aren't sold out and they will let you bring your carseat on board if you didn't buy a ticket for your child. We always bring both seats with us because I never know if my daughter (16 months) will be able to have her own seat.

You won't know until you get to the gate and ALWAYS TRY TO PREBOARD!!!! Some airlines are jerks and won't let you but if you're nice then they will.

Lisa
lisa@mommiestomommies.com
www.mommiestomommies.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-26-2006
Fri, 09-22-2006 - 5:18pm

Thanks for the information...Hopefully my flight will be great...Were also going out of state by car in the next few months so Im quite nervous...I do appreciate all the travel advice! At least I know people have survived the travel adventures :)

Deb

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2006
Fri, 09-22-2006 - 5:52pm

You will be fine. Just try to be prepared when things go wrong and the kids decide to pitch a fit. Just remember that eventually the whole trip will be over and everyone will be in one peace.

Please let me know how it works out for you. Just so you know when traveling by car you may need to stop a lot so they can stretch their legs out. I know some moms are against portable DVD players (I am when it's permanently installed in the car)but it really is a life saver if your kids like to watch tv. I have one that does like TV and one that doesn't so it's an interesting car ride with both.

Talk to you soon.

Lisa
lisa@mommiestomommies.com
www.mommiestomommies.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-24-2006
Sun, 09-24-2006 - 10:52am

We have flown twice with our daughter, once at 4mos and then at 8mos. 5 hour flight the first time and she slept most of the way, but fussed the last hour. So at 8mos we got a layover half way. This was great because we had an hour or more the stretch, eat and find a quite place to let her crawl around, and she was much better. I agree to go early in the morning too, and on a full tummy, and preboard. The first time we took her carseat on the plane, but it could not be secured in the plane seat, plus she liked laying down on the seat better, so the flight attendant took the carseat up to the front of the plane out of the way. So I just checked it in the next time. It depends on the type of seat you have. Do take the stroller though, it is so much easier to keep track of everything. We have not flown since the new restrictions, I am a little concerned/confused on what to take. The worst thing that happened was she got a dirty diaper right after the seatbelt sign came on, and so our whole section of the plane had to smell it until we landed and got off the plane!!

We will be going again when she is 13-14 months, hopefully it will not be worse when she is wanting to walk around? I don't know, but might try the portable DVD suggestion. Don't worry, I was stressed out about it for months before we went, and everything works out, or at least the flight is eventually over!

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