Before our big trip to Iowa I did lots of researching and asking of friends and internets about the logistics of traveling solo with W. I went through several phases of panic and denial about how difficult it would be. I mean W is so little- he totally seemed portable and simple to manage. I would just need a little bag for him, a little bag for me and then we would be all fancy and jet set. Fabulous flyers!
And then there was the realization that I suck ass at getting W into the moby baby carrier and I had TWO dreams about him falling out and cracking his beautiful head open. So I began fretfully researching strollers or other baby carrying methods. And this was all mere days before my trip.
But I have to say that once I got everything planned and visualized and in motion things were freakishly simple and smooth. And I imagine I might be lucky in that regard, but in case anyone else ends up doing a midnight google on traveling solo I figured I should post about my experience. It takes a village!
Here are the top things that worked for us:
* I do not know how I functioned this long without one- but days before my flight I became the proud owner of an ergo baby carrier. It was the single smartest accessory to have while traveling. Not only was I able to get it on all by myself, but I never doubted that W was secure and safe and comfortable. And I could talk for days about how comfortable it was for ME. The ergo allowed W to have a safe place to nap and it allowed me to have both hands free.
I have heard that some people have had to remove their baby from their carrier while passing through security however I never did. W was asleep both times and both times I gestured to someone in security, miming the question, “does he need to come out?” only to be smiled at and waved through.
* I used a backpack as my carry-on. I looked quite stunning with my front baby load and back back-pack and sure I got a few startled looks and double takes, but It was such an easy way to move about.
* I checked a bag. Can you believe that I originally didn’t even plan to check a bag? Ha! So in case anyone else out there thinks they can manage without checking it…well YOU probably can. But I so enjoyed the freedom of not having extra luggage to lug.
* I never changed a diaper on the plane. Again- totally lucky here. But having flights under 2 hours made me hopeful that we could manage to NOT have diaper changing moments. I did follow the suggestion of several friends and had a large zip lock bag that I removed from my back-pack before it was stowed above my seat. Inside this zip lock was two disposable diapers, a smaller baggie of wipes, and two plastic bags for disposal. That was handy just to have on my travels in general. When I was out with friends and W needed changing I was able to leave my back-pack/diaper bag at my chair in a restaurant and just head to the bathroom with the zip lock.
* Family bathroom! This is something no one told me about and I feel like more people should be talking about it. The family bathrooms at airports fucking ROCK! The first time I changed W was as soon as we got to the airport for our first flight. I knew we had about an hour or so before boarding and I planned on changing him immediately before preboard. So that first change was in the regular women’s room. It had a changing table but it was so loud and crowded and I felt so caged in.
I happened to notice walking out of the women’s room a bathroom between the men and women signs. It had a friendly looking logo so I gingerly opened the door and gasped at the holy grail of travel bathrooms! A GIANT bathroom with one toilet, one sink, a changing table and a chair. I could lock the door behind me, toss my backpack on the chair, and change W without all of the hubbub of a regular bathroom.
Every subsequent airport bathroom stop I sought out and found the family bathroom. It was such a little thing but it helped so much. Just look for the sign:
* When I arrived at the gate for the flight (all four times) I checked in and “double checked” that no one was sitting next to me. Each time I phrased this inquiry the following way, “I plan on nursing my son on the flight and I wanted to let you know so that it wouldn’t bother anyone sitting next to me.” I know some people don’t want to travel next to a baby much less to a baby attached to a giant boob so I phrased it this way in the hopes that the gate attendant would be thinking of OTHER travelers as well as me. People love to complain and if I could remove variables for complaints…For every flight (all four of them!) I had entire rows to myself. I was incredibly lucky- especially since I was traveling over labor day weekend!
* When I originally had my flight booked I asked to be seated in the aisle. I ALWAYS ask to sit here as it is the easiest place to have long legs. But when I was with W I actually preferred to be by the window. When he was awake he enjoyed looking out (either at the clouds or his own reflection) and when he was nursing it gave me an extra semblance of privacy as well as a “wall” to rest my weary head.
* I embraced chivalry every opportunity I encountered it. Of course my first reaction to a stranger offering to help me put my bag in the overhead bin was, “I can do it MYSELF!” but now my world includes a tiny redhead boy with an adorable noggin that I am quite fond of and now my brain goes to these awful places like imagining my dropping my bag as I try to lift it over his head. So when someone offers to help- ACCEPT. And if no one offers- ASK.
* The number one thing I read about baby traveling was that I must nurse or provide a bottle or pacifier to W upon take off and landing or his head would explode. And like I said, I love his head, so imagine my panic when the kid would not wake up to nurse or accept a pacifier at that first take off. I was certain that he would pop his eyes open and start screaming in pain. Guess what- he didn’t. He only ever nursed at one of the eight take off/landing moments. During the 7 other times he was either fast asleep or extremely invested in figuring out how to lower the tray table.
I am probably jinxing all future baby travel by sharing this, but on three flights I had flight attendants and surrounding passengers tell me that they didn’t even know I had W with me. I attribute this to good flight timing and a gap in our teething hell (& W’s current natural lovely disposition). I also think not having to share a row with another passenger greatly reduced my anxiety so I wasn’t exuding stress pheromones.
Most likely the next travel opportunity will provide me with fodder for a post titled something snappy like, “I’m sorry my baby got explosive shit on your WSJ and screamed nonstop while you tried to edit your spreadsheet“.
Spill your travel tips and secrets for future googling travel people.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with the Ergo carrier – I still carry my almost 3 year old in it at least 2-4 times a week. Also when baby gets bigger – umbrella strollers are your friends. Don’t check car seats, bring lots of toys (1 new toy per 30-45 min) and always bring your own water/food/snacks. And everywhere should have family bathrooms – LOVE THEM! Absolutely ask for help along the way when you travel. It’s a must! Absolutely have the ability to have a ziploc bag with diaper/wipes/change of clothes that you can pull out of another bag if need be. And always expect the worst when traveling – if it all works out and everything goes well you get to be excited and happy!
Sounds like you hit a total sweet spot.
You’re also very lucky they took your space to nurse request into consideration, they didn’t give a crap when I asked. And since Sam was on my lap, I had to sit on the right hand side (more O2 masks than seats, you see) and since he only nurses on the left, I was nursing into perfect strangers elbows or the aisle the whole time. But perhaps that’s Delta…
Family bathrooms are the greatest.
Things get harder as they get older though. Be warned when your kids reach about a year, they will have to remove their shoes and walk through the X-Ray alone.
And try to remember to collapse your stroller to send it through the hand luggage scanner before your shoes have headed down the conveyor belt. Quite painful barefoot…
All I have to say about the Ergo is GETTINIT. No, seriously, it’s the first thing I’m adding to our registry with a high priority thingie. I want to carry my children as much as possible, rather than have them in a stroller.
Family bathrooms rock. We went to one in the mall when we had our youngest niece and it was a dream, even if we had to change her on the sink top because another mother was using the in-stall changing table. It was still more peaceful and CLEAN compared to the women’s room.
I think any form of travel with a child is worthy of praise. I felt so much success when we made an hours drive to the local zoo (seriously, ONE HOUR, how nuts?!) and survived to tell the tale. Even if I did end up changing Baby B’s butt on the cold sink top… again.
You already hit on my best travel tips. Except- take chocolate for the flight attendants.
Yay! I was hoping it would go smoothly and thought it would. Traveling with an infant that age is really much easier than you would think, since they just sleep. You have a lot of good tips here that I wish I would have known about. Accepting help is really key. Amen on that!
I’m so glad it went smoothly for you!
I full on second the love for the family bathroom, even now that Wil is almost 8, I seek them out. Public men’s rooms freak me the fuck out and he HATES to go into the women’s (“I am not a girl, mom” says he). Of course there are times when I have to bite the bullet and let him go into the men’s room by himself, but I stand guard outside and obsess until he is safely out. With the family restroom it doesn’t matter if I’m am the only one with him, I know that he is safe in there, because he is the only one in there. Kudos to W. and especially to you for your fabulous traveling prowess! I am impressed! Love you!!!!
W sounds like a great little traveler! Glad it all went so smoothly.
I ALREADY ask for and accept help much more than I ever did or imagined doing before. haha. I’ve finally gotten over being indignant about it. I NEED it!
Good tips. I know being a bigger girl I love it when the seat next to mine is empty and I’m not trying to squeeze into an extra small space. The breast feeding thing is a great idea for flying.
this post may have single-handledly changed my mind about being a SMC or not… we shall see…
i am glad things went so well
I’m so happy that all went so smoothly with your travelling. Must have been all your obsessing and planning
although I guess luck on the day has a bit to do with it huh? I have found that travelling with a non-mobile child much easier than one itching to crawl or toddle. I’m soon to travel interstate with my 5yo, he doesn’t know the meaning of sitting for more than 30 minutes, so it will be interesting!
the first time we flew with Malka, she was a HOT MESS. We ended up buying alcohol for the people sitting near us, and constantly apologizing profusely. But then again, it WAS a cross country flight.
She has done MUCH better on subsequent flights.
I have flown with her solo – NYC to Chicago a few times, and I’ve gone with her solo on the train to DC, and having her car seat (the sit and stroll, a solo traveler’s BEST FRIEND), it was “teh awesome.” And she was happy to sleep in a comfortable thing for her.
I have NO idea how on EARTH we will travel with BOTH children. We might as well rent out the entire farking plane for all of the CRAP we’ll have to bring along.
PS – Ergo love? YOU BET! I can carry NM on the front, or Malka on my back. And she’s 42+ pounds, and just as tall! LOVE LOVE LOVE ergo. Indeed, best 90 bucks we ever spent.
The family bathroom sounds awesome. I’d never heard of those. I have had to venture into the men’s bathroom a couple of times to help out Brian (my quadriplegic boss) and I have to say that as old as I am, I still feel like a teenager when I’m in the boys bathroom. I expect to be called out as a pervert any second!
I’m so glad you had a good travel experience, even having to come home early! We, too, love the family bathrooms, especially when I’m flying with both kids by myself.
I’m glad you didn’t have the asshat TSA agent I had one time, who when he was watching me struggle with a 3 month old, a nearly five year old, backpack, shoes, stroller, etc., and I asked him if he could give me a hand, stood there and clapped. CLAPPED HIS HANDS!!!! I was so furious but to avoid the “extra-special screening” I held my tongue.
@maresi oh. gee. whiz.
Glad you had a good experience (especially the BF’ing part — wow, on the treatment/support you got.).
Not a fan of the Ergo here — too bulky for me. I prefer a simple sling, peanut shell or slingling style. My son is older, though, so that may make the difference. I tried the Ergo for a trip @ 18 months and ended up never using it … too much trouble … and just came back from a trip with my 2.5 y.o. and the sling and we loved, loved, loved it. And I can stash it in my purse.
Like you, we’ve had no ear-popping problems. That’s in 3 trips, 1 cross-U.S. and 2 transAtlantic, between 8 months and 2.5 years.
YAY for successful travel! That’s a lot of flights!
Hmmm, re carriers, a friend is sending me her Ergo (which I’d had my eye on (her daughter wouldn’t put up with it past 6 mos)), but I’ve also had my eye on the Moby wrap. It just looks so soft and comfy. Was going to put it on my registry. Should I not bother?
Earl is a seasoned traveler!
For the times when the plane is full it still works out as Earl won’t actually sit in that seat I paid too much money for. He wants to cuddle in my lap and fall asleep right before takeoff.
San Antonio @3mo, Orlando @13mo, Houston @14mo, So Cal @9,22,27,32mo, and No Cal @28mo.
Each time I have learned to take less and worry less.
I started out taking his car seat on the plane and buying him a seat(before he was 2), I packed his stroller in it’s own handy rolling case (stupid, a stroller already rolls) All the diapers I could need and then a weeks more.
As I learned more with each trip I lightened up literally and mentally.
Now I still take his stroller but I check it at the gate so I can use it throughout the airport and it’s right there again when I step off the plane. I check a bag or 2 if I need to. I take a backpack on and I try to borrow or rent a carseat if I can. For the times I can’t I bought a great gadget that attaches to the carseat and turns it into a stroller so I can wheel it to the checkin counter.
I hardly ever take my ergo anymore as he really is too big for it now at 2 1/2 and 30lbs.
Now that he’s over 2 and I have to buy him a seat I choose the aisle and the middle seat. Usually anyone with the window seat will try to find somewhere else to sit
After his nap he can be coaxed into the middle seat with a snack and a coloring or sticker book.
I always pack my own snacks and drinks and he is usually very happy on our flights.
We are going to Hawaii for Christmas and we have to change planes in Denver, so it is 12 hours travel time and I am a little worried about keeping him occupied that long, but I will have my spouse and 2 of the big kids to help out. We’ll see.
LMAO at “I’m sorry my baby got explosive shit on your WSJ and screamed nonstop while you tried to edit your spreadsheet“.
That will probably be what happens to us when we travel with Mac. So far, we’ve only travelled by car, but he will be travelling with me (and my husband, thank goodness) to a business meeting in Atlanta next week. This is a 4 hour drive for us, so we’ll see how it goes.
Sounds like you timed your travels just right. I love it when a plan comes together