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Flying Solo Part 1

3/10/2014

In less than two weeks I will embark on my most daring adventure yet. I will be flying with just my toddler. Who, by the way, has been walking for over 2 months now! Matt is staying home because it's busy season for work. I am headed out to visit my dad out in Arlington, Texas. I'm pretty nervous about flying with my son without the help of my husband. I am not known as a light packer, but this time I have to be!

In preparation for this trip I invested in a new travel toy: GoGo Kidz Travelmate. This device attaches to your convertible car seat so you can easily roll your child through the airport. I spent some time today practicing the process of attaching the gadget to the car seat.

Why did I choose this?
I chose to buy this gadget because I purchased an airplane seat for Connor to ride in. Our last plane ride didn't go so well with him as a lap infant, screaming for 3 hours on the way home from Chicago. Plus it is significantly safer for a child to be strapped in to their own car seat on a plane ride. Being in his own seat will make him feel more comfortable and in a familiar place. Knowing that I have to lug his car seat on to the plane I needed something to make this easier on me. I decided that my plan was as follows:
1. Buy the Travelmate for the car seat.
2. Check the umbrella stroller with the suitcase at check in, versus using it in the airport.
3. Check one mid-sized suitcase rather than a large (for various reasons).
4. Bring a giant hiking backpack with my carry-ons and diaper changing accessories for the kid!

So I didn't see any other option for getting the car seat on the plane, as anyone with a baby or toddler knows, convertible seats are not light!

Here it is, without a car seat attached of course! A very simple device with a ratchet clip to ensure the seat is attached tight and secure. Below I will show you the photos of what I did. I tried it with both of our car seats. We have a Britax Marathon G70 and a Graco Size4Me 70. I love my Britax. It's easy to get my son in and out of the car quickly. I hate the Graco. We keep that one in my husband's car. The straps are a pain to tighten, my son seems to whine more in it, and I feel like it is "cheaper." That being said, the Britax is a much harder install in both cars and on the Travelmate. The Graco seat is easy to install quickly in a car and it was a breeze to attach to the Travelmate. So each has it's pros and cons. Yes, the Britax was well over $100 more, but in the long run I think it's worth it.

**Please don't take my car seat advice as an expert opinion. I did consult with a Certified Car Seat Tech when purchasing both of my seats. Every child/car combination is different.

My son, although he is over one year old, is still rear facing. He will continue to be rear facing in his car seat until he outgrows it's maximum limits. He's on the small side, so I am guessing that will be around 4 for him. When a child's car seat is rearfacing, it must be reclined fully based on the seat and it's directions for use. The photo below shows both seats reclined as they would be within our cars.

I had to put both seats in the fully upright position in order to attach the Travelmate. If you click on the photos, you can view the entire seat without parts being cropped off. Here are the seats fully upright.

As I explained before, the Britax is more difficult to work with when installing in both a car and on the Travelmate. It took me a couple of minutes to get the base of the seat to line up with the bottom lip of the Travelmate. I had a hard time getting the Travelmate strap to reach through the back bars of the seat and around to the other side. Once it reached, tightening it was no problem. However, the seat was slightly lopsided once installed. I could probably have avoided that had I worked slower, but I wanted to attempt to do it quickly because I will be attaching and detaching in the middle of an airport. The Graco installed on the Travelmate in less than 30 seconds! I'm not exaggerating. It was quick and painless, but as I said, I hate the actual seat for everyday use! Again, if you click on the individual photos you can view the full install.

Below is a photo of the ratchet clip for tightening and the box. When I return from my trip I will write a follow up to how this device worked in the real world and if I think it's wroth purchasing!

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Flying with a 5 month old!

8/11/2013

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Well, our experience flying was slightly different this time around. Our son was a little older, we took a different airline, and we had vastly different experiences! As you can see from the image to the left, our son wasn't pleased about being strapped in at first!

This time we had a direct flight from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago on Continental first thing in the morning.

We did not purchase a seat for my son. We took the gamble on being able to take an empty seat to place his carseat in. When we checked in we had asked if there were any open seats. They did have some available, but in the last row. So she switched the seats around, putting us in the row with the empty seat. I'm sure the people in the last row didn't mind being moved to seat closer to the front of the cabin!

Being that he was a couple months older at this point, he was slightly more aware of his surroundings. When I first strapped him in to the seat he was upset. I gave him a bottle on take-off and he fell asleep from then on. The flight out to Chicago was without event.

We brought along the 8-ounce Ready to Feed bottles for the flights this time because he was drinking about 6-ounce servings around this time.

The Flight Home
This flight was very-eventful! When we checked in at the airport we were informed that the flight was full and that he would have to ride as a lap baby. I was okay with this because it was the risk we took by not purchasing a seat for him.

Now, the first problem we had was our bags. We had the car seat, stroller, diaper bag, plus some things that my husband had to bring back form the convention that were very heavy. Because we were informed that the flight was full once we passed security we did not have the opportunity to check the car seat. We had asked if we could bring the car seat and stroller down to the end of the jet-way in order to free up some arm space to carry the belongings on to the plane. The Continental employee was not very helpful. She said we could not bring them down ahead of time and that their employees would not help us because they were busy doing other things.

Now, my first thought was for a parent traveling alone with their child. How in the world could one person manage to handle all those things going down to the plane on their own? There was really no one to assist? That I cannot believe!

Another passenger overheard us asking the Continental employee and the conversation that ensued. The other passenger had no carry-ons and offered to help us get down the jetway. In the end we managed to struggle down on our own. The lesson learned from that experience was that you cannot rely on airline employees helping out when you have a little one.

The rest of the flight was horrendous. Not anyone's fault but our own. My son screamed all 3-hours home. He cried and wailed the entire flight. We were THOSE parents! I was mortified. My husband, his mom, and I took turns walking him up and down the aisle when we could. However, based on this experience we plan to purchase a seat for him next year when we fly again. We will bring the carseat and strap him in, that way he can rest in his own space comfortably. We plan on going to California next year, which is a long flight.

Chicago O'Hare Airport
I was impressed with the set-up and facilities for this airport. The restrooms in particular were very baby friendly. The photo to the left shows my son on the changing station. Everything in one place! I loved the contoured shape to help prevent rolling, although you still need to keep an eye on your little one.
I also greatly appreciated that there was a sink and soap at the station. I was able to wash up without having to handle things in between steps!

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Traveling With a Baby- Airplanes

6/12/2013

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Before I became a mom I always wondered how difficult it was to travel with young children in tow. My husband and I learned that it isn't that bad if you plan ahead and make the right choices!

I do all the planning for our trips because I am a travel agent, that's just what I do! I chose Southwest for our flights for multiple reasons. I had heard they are very family friendly, they allow two bags per passenger before fees kick in, the open seating concept works great for families, and they had a good selection of flights for our destination.

On the way to Dallas (Love Field) we had a layover in Houston (Hobby). Why did I put those two words in parenthesis? Because Southwest uses smaller, alternate, airports in those two cities. I wanted people to understand that we did not fly in to IAH- Geogre Bush International or DFW- Dallas-Fort Worth. Was this a problem? No, in fact it was a lot nicer because it wasn't over crowded, security lines were a breeze, and we did not have to race across terminals to get on the connecting flight.

We had an hour delay on our flight out of Fort Lauderdale because they are currently operating on one runway during construction, so we sat in a long line for takeoff. We still managed to get to Houston with an hour between connections.

Gate Check vs. Curb Check for baby items.
Before the trip I purchased "Gate Check" bags for our stroller and potentially the car seat. They can be purchased at any major baby store like Buy Buy Baby or Babies R Us. They came in handy to identify our belongings, but also protect the items. The bags came back with black marks and a few pulls, glad it happened to the bags and not the stroller or car seat. :)

Stroller Gate Check bag.

Gate Check bag on the conveyor belt.

I recommend Gate Checking baby items like car seats and strollers. The baggage handlers are FAR kinder to these items when they are checked right at the end of the jetway vs when you check them in with your regular baggage. I watched the baggage handlers when they loaded and unloaded the strollers and car seats and they did not toss, throw, chuck, or mishandle any of the items. I cannot say that this happens 100% of the time, there are video on the internet showing baggage handlers tossing these items. The nice thing about gate check is that the stroller is waiting for you the moment you step off the plane on to the jetway at your destination. On the way to Dallas we had them bring it up for our connection in Houston, then we re-checked it from Houston to Dallas. All major airlines allow you to check one stroller and car seat per child or lap infant at no charge. So do not feel as though this will cost you additional money.

*Please note that the American Academy of Pediatrics and the IIHS both recommend that all infants and young children travel in a car seat on an airplane and that you should never check a car seat because it could be mishandled and damaged.

Lap Infant vs Purchasing a Seat
We elected to have our son ride as a lap infant. When I called for the child's fare, it was nearly $200 more than the adult fare for our trip. We made the decision based on finances and reasonable risk. We felt that in the event of a plane crash, most people do not survive anyway. I know that is a very blunt thing to say, but that's what it came down to for us. The beauty of Southwest is that they have open seating, there are no assigned seats. We figured that if any of the flights were not full we would be able to carry the car seat on, instead of gate checking it, and strap him in next to us.

Our first flight was only about 1/2 full, so we were able to bring the car seat on the plane. It was a tight fit. We have a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio infant carrier. In order to install it I did have to shove the seat in front of his forward a bit. I had to use a seat belt extender to properly strap the seat in for my son. It took a lot of finagling. I actually worked up a sweat by the time the seat was properly installed. If you plan to purchase a seat for your child's car seat or cross your fingers that your flight is not full, please remember that a car seat must be installed next to the window. Simple reason: if you install it in the middle or aisle seat, no one from your row is getting out!

Our connecting flight, from Houston to Dallas was overbooked and so we had to gate check the car seat. I kept an eye on it and not once did they mishandle it.

On our flight(s) back to Florida we had to gate check the car seat as well, but again they were kind as can be to our belongings.

Please review American Academy of Pediatrics statement on lap infants here.

Strapped in with his car seat. Fort Lauderdale to Houston.

As a "lap infant" from Houston to Dallas.

As a "lap infant" from Dallas to Fort Lauderdale with a quick touchdown in New Orleans.

It is recommended that you either nurse, feed, or provide a pacifier to infants on flights. They are not as savvy at equalizing the pressure in their ears when changing altitudes. The sucking action helps keep those ears nice and clear :)

Formula and Breast milk going through security.

We had no trouble bringing ample formula for our son. Parents traveling with young children are allowed an exemption to the 3oz rule when it comes to milk, formula, or other vital liquids for babies.

If you are breastfeeding, you have it easy. You are a portable bottle!

If you are bringing breast milk or formula in bottles, just declare it when you go through the security line, they will do a simple test on it to ensure it isn't explosive. Most airports have a designated family and disabled line to make it easier to get all your belongings through. The TSA recommends that you only bring enough for the trip. I, on the other hand, know all to well about delays with the airlines these days, please evaluate how much your child may need and bring extra. The last thing you want is to be stuck in an airport with no access to formula or pumped milk.

My son has acid reflux and a nice list of allergies, so he is on a very expensive hypoallergenic formula called Alimentum. He has to take the liquid form because there is corn in the powder version. With that being said we wanted to find something convenient and manageable for our trip. I generally buy large 32 oz jugs of his formula when at home, but once it is opened it must be refrigerated. That doesn't exactly work on airplanes! I purchased the small 2oz nursers that hospitals give and can be purchased in many stores or online. This was convenient. As they are individually sealed and do not need refrigeration! My son drinks about 4 oz at a time, so during the one flight segment that he was awake we simply fed him two of these small bottles (see photo above). I highly recommend this method if you happen to fall in to the same predicament as us.

You can bring cooler packs through security as well. We felt that it would be one more bag, extra weight, and unnecessary worry for us during our trip. The small bottles with the screw on nipples worked best in our case.

If your child takes powder formula, I would recommend the Munchkin formula dispenser. You can pre-measure the powder amount and store it in this nifty container with 3 sections. You can find them on Amazon for about $3 as an add on item! Then just purchase some bottled water once you're through the gate and you're set!

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Flying Solo Part 1

Flying with a 5 month old!

Traveling With a Baby- Airplanes

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