baby backpack for 1 year old image
Amanda R
I am going to be flying non-stop to Colorado from St. Louis in a couple weeks. I will be flying alone with my one year old. I need to take his carseat(checking) and stroller(would like to keep it so I can use it in the airport so I guess it is like a carryon but it will be held at the front of the plane), and a suitcase (will be checking), and a diaperbag that I will be carrying on. My question is how am I going to handle all of this stuff when I pick it up at baggage claim and until I check it through? Will there be people that can help me get my bags or not?
Will they let me check the stroller so I can have it plane side?
Answer
I'm an ex-F/A who flies now alone with my three between Europe and California about every six months since each was about 4 months old. We also take shorter trips a lot.
1. I don't take a purse. I take a small fanny pack or long strapped small bag with my essentials and a backpack. It's a bit bigger than the standard size (I have one just for flying) and fits the onboard limits. With just one child, consider leaving or packing the diaper bag.
2. Attach the carseat to the stroller. Use bungee cords and perhaps try them back-to-back. Another option is to check/leave the stroller and put the carseat on "wheelie" cart. Make sure it's all metal and there is a gadget sold that fits several carseats. http://www.amazon.com/Gogo-Kidz-Travelmate/dp/B000MWZWV8 It's available on other sites too but that's just to show you what it is. I've done fine with an *all metal* cart and extra bungee cords. My old wheelie from my first airline found a second life by carting carseats!
3. Make sure you have a good carrier for your baby. Forget those fiddly Bjorns and use a wrap, sling or pouch. A Mei Tai or something like an Ergo carrier works well too. Carriers should last to at least 2 years. My 3 year old can still go in her sling. Great for calming babies onboard or getting sleeping children off the aircraft. Check out http://www.peppermint.com or http://www.kangarookorner.com for ideas (I don't work for those sites-they actually represent multiple companies).
4. In baggage claim, load the bags, put the carseat on the top along with any hand luggage and the stroller and push it *all* while the baby goes in the carrier. I've managed alone through customs and two other children this way.
For the record, I've never used a skycap. They're not used for international but use one if available. Tip well so that they'll be nice to the next family ;)
What I do with the backpack is that I wrap diapers, extra clothes, etc. and rubber band them to make room. I bring a cloth bag (the kind you buy in grocery stores as an alternative to plastic and paper) and use that onboard for diaper changes, etc. (so I'm not hauling the whole backpack around). I simply put what I need for each trip to the lav.
I have an article on flying with children that I put on a blog to share with other parents. It's totally non-commercial and sort of my own personal Mitvah. Feel free to check out;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com for more details on carseats, packing, booking and other tips.
Otherwise, have a good trip (and be grateful you don't have to face Customs!)
I'm an ex-F/A who flies now alone with my three between Europe and California about every six months since each was about 4 months old. We also take shorter trips a lot.
1. I don't take a purse. I take a small fanny pack or long strapped small bag with my essentials and a backpack. It's a bit bigger than the standard size (I have one just for flying) and fits the onboard limits. With just one child, consider leaving or packing the diaper bag.
2. Attach the carseat to the stroller. Use bungee cords and perhaps try them back-to-back. Another option is to check/leave the stroller and put the carseat on "wheelie" cart. Make sure it's all metal and there is a gadget sold that fits several carseats. http://www.amazon.com/Gogo-Kidz-Travelmate/dp/B000MWZWV8 It's available on other sites too but that's just to show you what it is. I've done fine with an *all metal* cart and extra bungee cords. My old wheelie from my first airline found a second life by carting carseats!
3. Make sure you have a good carrier for your baby. Forget those fiddly Bjorns and use a wrap, sling or pouch. A Mei Tai or something like an Ergo carrier works well too. Carriers should last to at least 2 years. My 3 year old can still go in her sling. Great for calming babies onboard or getting sleeping children off the aircraft. Check out http://www.peppermint.com or http://www.kangarookorner.com for ideas (I don't work for those sites-they actually represent multiple companies).
4. In baggage claim, load the bags, put the carseat on the top along with any hand luggage and the stroller and push it *all* while the baby goes in the carrier. I've managed alone through customs and two other children this way.
For the record, I've never used a skycap. They're not used for international but use one if available. Tip well so that they'll be nice to the next family ;)
What I do with the backpack is that I wrap diapers, extra clothes, etc. and rubber band them to make room. I bring a cloth bag (the kind you buy in grocery stores as an alternative to plastic and paper) and use that onboard for diaper changes, etc. (so I'm not hauling the whole backpack around). I simply put what I need for each trip to the lav.
I have an article on flying with children that I put on a blog to share with other parents. It's totally non-commercial and sort of my own personal Mitvah. Feel free to check out;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com for more details on carseats, packing, booking and other tips.
Otherwise, have a good trip (and be grateful you don't have to face Customs!)
What kind of double stroller is better?
mamaof2
i have a 3 year old and a 1 year old. i've been looking at double strollers, but i don't know what to get. i really like the sit and stand strollers, but i don"t know if it would be better to have a side by side stroller so that my kids can see each other. any advice?
Answer
Go to a store and try them out. Look at weights and weight-limits. Consider the ages of your kids. My son was 18 months before I decided I needed a double-stroller... until then he rode in an Ergo on me, and then my daughter wanted to ride on my back so he would ride in the stroller and she would walk until tired, then I'd put her in the Ergo on the backpack position. Tiring for me, but she liked it and would jabber nonstop in my ear since I was so close I could hear every little word from her.
When my son turned 2 and I found out I was pregnant that was it. Need a double-stroller. I tried them out and found that I liked the Baby Trend "Navigator" double stroller, but the cost ($200+) was a lot. Oddly enough I found one at a secondhand store a few months later, $100. What I didn't check was the weight of the stroller... I really didn't think this one through enough. I love the cushioning in it for them, love the design, but it doesn't go through doorways, weighs 40+lbs (note, the light-weight double-strollers weigh only 10lbs less...) on it's own (add in my daughter at 31lbs and my son at 28lbs and you're pushing 100lbs!), and because of the weight it's holding the bar in the middle looks like it will eventually sag and give way. :( The problem with side-by-sides (I'm learning by experience here) is that the instructions say that the kids need to be of close to equal weight too, or else you'll have problems. Not an issue with my small daughter and average son, they're pretty close in weight even though there's a 2 year difference, but your kids may have a greater difference. Once they're seated, they're not going to be looking at one another anyway.
Honestly if I was to do it again I'd look at something more like this. It runs $400-500 though, but you can put a seat in the lower-position as well as a running-board (so you can have it be a stand-alone for your toddler as she gets older, or she can climb into a lower seat.) But to me it looks far more maneuverable as far as what your options are and when your 3 year old is ready to walk all the time you can leave the second seat at home. I'm not sure what I'll have to do with Monstro when I'm down to one rider.
Go to a store and try them out. Look at weights and weight-limits. Consider the ages of your kids. My son was 18 months before I decided I needed a double-stroller... until then he rode in an Ergo on me, and then my daughter wanted to ride on my back so he would ride in the stroller and she would walk until tired, then I'd put her in the Ergo on the backpack position. Tiring for me, but she liked it and would jabber nonstop in my ear since I was so close I could hear every little word from her.
When my son turned 2 and I found out I was pregnant that was it. Need a double-stroller. I tried them out and found that I liked the Baby Trend "Navigator" double stroller, but the cost ($200+) was a lot. Oddly enough I found one at a secondhand store a few months later, $100. What I didn't check was the weight of the stroller... I really didn't think this one through enough. I love the cushioning in it for them, love the design, but it doesn't go through doorways, weighs 40+lbs (note, the light-weight double-strollers weigh only 10lbs less...) on it's own (add in my daughter at 31lbs and my son at 28lbs and you're pushing 100lbs!), and because of the weight it's holding the bar in the middle looks like it will eventually sag and give way. :( The problem with side-by-sides (I'm learning by experience here) is that the instructions say that the kids need to be of close to equal weight too, or else you'll have problems. Not an issue with my small daughter and average son, they're pretty close in weight even though there's a 2 year difference, but your kids may have a greater difference. Once they're seated, they're not going to be looking at one another anyway.
Honestly if I was to do it again I'd look at something more like this. It runs $400-500 though, but you can put a seat in the lower-position as well as a running-board (so you can have it be a stand-alone for your toddler as she gets older, or she can climb into a lower seat.) But to me it looks far more maneuverable as far as what your options are and when your 3 year old is ready to walk all the time you can leave the second seat at home. I'm not sure what I'll have to do with Monstro when I'm down to one rider.
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Title Post: How do I handle all the baggage and my child when flying alone?
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Rating: 96% based on 987 ratings. 4,7 user reviews.
Author: Unknown
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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