Traveling Alone with Toddler

I've traveled alone with my daughter a lot, so I'll share with you a little of what I learned.
1. If she'll walk or ride in a carrier, I would recommend using that. Security makes you take your kid out of the stroller, fold it up, and put it on the x-ray machine. It was really difficult to do that and make sure my daughter didn't run off. Also, you have to find elevators every time you change floors. The stroller ended up being a bigger hassel than a help.
2. The car seat is big and bulky, but you have two choices when you check in. You can ask them to check it for you, or you can see if the flight as any extra seats (assuming you didn't buy her a seat.) If it does, they will usually let the child ride in the car seat in the extra seat on the plane. This was a life saver on late night flights for us.
3. Ditch the diaper bag and put everything in the biggest roller bag you can get on the plane. The goal should be to carry nothing exept the kid and roll the suitcase. That way you have free hands and everything you need in place. This helps a lot for holding onto your daughter and tickets/passport/ID, etc. through security and on the plane. Also, you can balance the car seat on top of it if you're taking it on the plane.

Hope this helps! Happy travels.

They will let you check the stroller at the gate when boarding the plane. It was so nice because I could keep him strapped in though all the check-in stuff. Just check the car seat and keep your daughter in your lap (it'll save you money vs. getting her own seat and she'll probably want to be there anyway). Then all you'll carry on is your laptop and diaper bag. I've done it and always seems like its going to be worse than it actually is! :)

Get there early and don't forget to pack your sense of humor.

I checked my children's (at the time 2 year old, 2 month old) carseats at the door of the airport, my stroller at the gate.. sit near the potty, you'll be among those that preboard - so get there early.

Bring crackers, a couple of bottles (just be ready to take a drink at security, if necessary), and a few quiet toys for your dd.

The pitfalls:
1. The security gate, by far, is the worst. The stroller has to go through the metal detector (so does a baby carrier), and you're expected to go through security separately from your daughter. One time I had to take a drink from each of my son's bottles, but I think that's stopped now. FTR, I'd take the stroller - your back will thank you later.

2. Switching planes can be a bear because you have to wait on your stroller - just keep your smile and sense of humor.

3. One time (at 1 o'clock in the morning) they lost my carseat - I borrowed one of the airline's and they brought me my carseat before 5 pm that evening.

4. I would only carry one bag... can your laptop fit in your diaper bag? With diapers and a change of clothes around the perimeter, it should still be protected from most accidents, and doesn't look near as attractive to someone wanting to take advantage of a harried mom, IMO

Good luck, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds.

S.

Whatever you can check I would. I use to travel back and forth from CA to NY w/out my husband and I was able to handle everything by myself. I am assuming you are able to put some stuff in the stroller. You will be fine, just breathe and take yor time!

Depending on how long the trip is.. you could "check" the car seat and have her sit on your lap (depending on the airlines) call and see...

I just came back a little over a month ago from a trip overseas with my 6 year old and 10 month old. We traveled for about 22 hours each way.. so it was really hectic. If you plan well, it'll be fine :)

1) Check in the car seat. Dont deal with lugging it around.

2) Get a large backpack. Put your laptop, and all the baby stuff in it. I dont think you'll need the baby carrier. Use the stroller in the airport- you will only have to take her out when you go thru the X-ray part, and then you have to hand over the stroller at the door of the plane. They will give it back to you at the same spot when you land.
-If you need a diaper bag at your destination, just pack it flat in your carry-on.
-You will wear the back pack and push the stroller. If you have a rolling bag- its tougher- because you have to push the stroller with one hand and pull the rolling bag with the other.

3) Pack lots of snacks and little toys/books to keep your daughter busy. It helps to have a lot of "new" items- so you can buy a few things, as well as put away some toys that you can pull out when you travel and they will seem new to her. On the flight, give one and take away the other so she can focus on one thing at a time until she's bored with it.

Good luck!

Hi
Rent a "smart cart" at the airport if you feel like you have your hands too full.
I always use a stroller, never a front carrier, at the airport because the kiddo is safely strapped in, even if she cries, she's safe and you can use your arms & chest area for strappy bags or whatever and your brain to concentrate on getting to your gate! Then you have a place to dump jackets, bags or whatever- all on wheels to save your back and keep you mobile. Plus hopefully your stroller has an underbasket, that's where your laptop or diaperbag or both go. Strollers are your savior on trips, and your sherpa. Overload the thing. Oh P.S.> I always find it much easier to check the carseat and not lug it around airports & on and off planes. Kids never want to sit in them on the plane anyway, and you are not required to purchase a seat for them until they are 2 yrs old. My husband generally meets us at baggage claim and then he just carries it to the car. This way, I never have to deal with a huge toddler carseat on the whole trip. Oh and I bring plenty of treats for last-resort bribes to stave off meltdowns. A must, as planes get delayed.
Good luck, you can do it!

I traveled a lot when my daughter was little. Try putting your laptop and a few diapers/wipes/toys in a backpack for the plane ride. The car seat works great for sitting in the airplane as well as the rental car or taxi. As for the airport, I always brought the carrier or one of the toddler harness things (only used in airport, I hate those things) but most of the large airports will provide transportation to and from different gates and to the luggage area for anyone traveling with small children.

Plan really well maybe put a lg diaper bag in your car and carry a smaller version and when you come back to car restock your small bag. Diapers,travel wipes, snacks, (zip locks are great for packing), also try getting a light wieght stroller to make that easier, if Jul' is over 40 lbs you might consider a car seat/booster seat ( its a booster that has a back to it Gracco or Cosco has them for abuot 40 bucks at walmart or ebay) this is so much lighter to travel with, also in and out is easier. As for your lap top get a a nice carry bag that way your hands can be free and anything else you can to do to make your load lighter but be well organized is great...the rest is luck and practice.

Good Luck
V

Hi A.. I went to Costa Rica with my 14 month old. I would recommend taking a light stroller and loading it down with everything you have. You can load everything on the plane (the flight attendants will probably help you especially if you pre-board) and then gate-check the stroller. Is she going to be a lap-child or does she have her own seat? My daughter was a lap child, so I used a b'air vest - got it on ebay for $5. It's a little vest that attaches to your seat belt (I put it on my belt, so we would be together should anything happen, which of course, it wouldn't have). I have a car seat that I got from a garage sale that is airline certified - I got a Britax in the end, but I think this is a decent car seat if you are interested.

I hope that helps!

M.

Hi A.-

I don't envy you! My husband travels all the time. Now that my daughter's 4, it isn't such a hassle to travel with her - just more expensive to buy two tickets! But when she was little, (UGGG!) here are some things I learned...Unless she will have her own seat and you want the car seat on the flight, check the car seat to go through as baggage. It is way too heavy to mess with. I put my daughter in her stroller, her diaper bag on the stroller and, what worked best for me, was a backback. Putting my laptop and personal items in there kept my stuff with me and my hands free. I ended up traveling so much with her that I invested in a backpack with wheels so when I had an extra hand, I could just wheel it along beside us.

When she gets a little older, some lightweight toys she'll enjoy on the plane are by Lauri. My daugher loved the stacking pegs and primer pack. Here's a link to the pegs:
http://www.amazon.com/Tall-Stacker-Pegs-Pegboard-by-Lauri...

I always took lots of snacks, books, etc. to keep her occupied and (hopefully!) stop the crying. Good luck!

J.

I have traveled alone with my daughter several times. The airlines are all very understanding when you are traveling with a baby. If you let them know ahead of time that you will be traveling with an infant, they will note it on your flight information and allow you to check extra baggage. If I were you I would check the car seat with your luggage at the terminal. Then I would use the stroller in the airport. They will allow you to "gate check" the stroller right before you get on the plane. I would take the diaper bag on the plane with you as well, but no liquids in the bottles, some security people might confiscate the bottles with liquids.I hope this helps.

I've traveled several times with my kids, and I've had to learn the best way to do it! I would definitely take a stroller, you can take one that has a basket on the bottom that will hold all your stuff as you go through the airport. If your child is a lap child, then you can check the carseat, even if you're not checking any other luggage, and then get it when you land. Take a small carry-on that can hold your laptop, or try to fit your laptop in the diaper bag, and then put that in the basket. It makes everything so much easier with a stroller, trust me. I've tried it without and by the time I got on the plane I was crying! Hope it helps!

first off forget the carrier idea. you will exhaust your energy doing that. remember if your flying souhtwest they don't preboard families anymore. check the airline website that your flying with and see how they can accomadate you. becareful about the size stroller you take, if it's too big it may have to be checked. but again check with the airline. one option you might think about is the combination carseat/stroller made by sit n' stroll. it is kinda pricey but if you think you might be doing anymore traveling with your child it will come in handy. a girlfriend of mine purchased one for the sake of traveling and it worked out for her. also so for as your belonging, i would find a good sturdy back-pack. as long as all that stuff is up out of your hands you'll be free to use them. don't over pack though because you need to remember the restrictions they have at the gate, so take only what you absolutely need. i know kids need all sorts of stuff, but you will be amazed at what you can really go without.

We just went on a long trip and I would bring the umbrella stroller and the baby carrier/snugglie. I kept my daughter straped to me while in the plane with the snugglie and I am soooo glad I did! One of the flights we had some major turbulance and I am almost positive I would have dropped her if she wasn't strapped to me. That is one thing to think of. As for the car seat, you can check that when you get there. We found a travel bag for our car seat with a carring strap, so with that on one shoulder and the laptop on the other, the kid in an umbralla stroller and the diaper bag slug on the handles of the stroller, it worked out well. Plus you will be surprised at how nice strangers will be and they will help you! Just be sure to pack movies to play for her on the plane! Good luck!

We traveled alot with our first child and we always bought him a seat and brought his car seat to use in the airplane seat. This was safer and also let us have our hands free. Both my babies were about 8 lbs when born, and they gained weight very quickly so the snugglies were out for me.
When our son got older we would take the car seat but check it. We used a car seat cover that protects it while going through all the baggage and conveyor handling.
I did use a seat belt tether for our daughter when she was a toddler a few times (I forget what it is called but it hooks to your seat belt and harnesses around the child)in case of turbulence.
Be sure to confirm to the counter person (as some are more aware than others) that you would like to board first and this will help all you have to carry and then you stop before you get into the plane to break down your stroller and leave for the crew to put under the plane. They will have it for you as you deboard the plane. If you can, wait til the plane is almost empty before deboarding so you don't feel rushed.
If you meet a person to the side or in front or behind, and they are interacting with your child, you can ask them to please watch/entertain her while you go to the bathroom. It is weird to ask a stranger, but it's not like they are going anywhere with your child, even if they wanted to. Or you can ask a flight attendent. Those bathrooms are so tiny, it's hard to take a child with you.
They make weights you can use on the front of the stroller so you can hang a diaper bag, etc. from the handles...or at least they used to. (it's been several years) so your stroller doesn't tip backwards.

Anna Anna... At the beginning of August I took my first plane trip with my daughter by myself. I took her car seat and stroller, diaper bag, back pack and I'm sure there was something else. Anyhow, I bought a car seat bag that has wheels on it and it was a lifesaver. But, one trick that I did learn on this trip was that my child all but refused to sit in the car seat on the plane, so if you bought a seat for your daughter consider not dragging the car seat on the plane at all, check that puppy. The stroller can be checked at the gate and picked right up as you get off the plane. My daughter was so fascinated with everything else on the plane that she didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the toys that I packed, but bring those anyways. I hope that's a little help for you. Good Luck!
W.