Flying

My hubby & I are planning a trip half way across the country in May Any tips/suggestions/experiences/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

QUOTE(rkirkeby @ Jan 29 2009, 06:18 PM) [snapback]1168271[/snapback]
My hubby & I are planning a trip half way across the country in May Any tips/suggestions/experiences/advice would be greatly appreciated.


with the babies? how old will they be? we did it when they were around 5 months.. wasn't too bad, just come prepared with diapers, change if clothes, toys they like ect.

 

How old will the babies be? We took our first flight with the girls when they were 5 1/2 months and it was by far the easiest trip of all. At 9 months it was pretty painful, but doable, at 14 month it was really REALLY rough because they wanted to run around, but at 20 months it was ok again because they had longer attention spans and actually watched a dvd for most of the flights.

At 5 1/2 months they mostly slept and smiled at other passengers.

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Jan 29 2009, 07:40 PM) [snapback]1168297[/snapback]
How old will the babies be? We took our first flight with the girls when they were 5 1/2 months and it was by far the easiest trip of all. At 9 months it was pretty painful, but doable, at 14 month it was really REALLY rough because they wanted to run around, but at 20 months it was ok again because they had longer attention spans and actually watched a dvd for most of the flights.

At 5 1/2 months they mostly slept and smiled at other passengers.


They will be 8 months...7 months if their adjusted age counts

 

I could write a novel on this one! We live in Alaska so anywhere we want to go takes us forever!

We flew when they were 3 months, 9 months, 11 months.
3 months - they slept the whole time
9 months - they were active crawlers & pulling up
11 months - same as 9 months for the most part

If you can afford it I HIGHLY recommend buying 3 seats. One for you, one for your partner, one for a baby, and have only 1 lap baby. That way you can all sit together.
The FAA only allows 1 lap baby per 6 seats across. If you purchase that 3rd seat then you only have 1 lap baby. Holding mobile babies is exhausting. Being able to put one down so that one of you can have a break or go to the bathroom is essential. We did a flight at 9 months with 2 seats and had to sit separately each with a lap baby the whole time. We couldnt help each other, we got no breaks and it was miserable. We did an 8 hour trip to Hawaii with the 3rd seat and it was an amazing difference.

If you have to sit apart pack 2 diaper bags with everything each baby needs. If you sit together still pack 2 diaper bags. One for all your diapers/wipes/pacifiers/food/bottles etc. the other for toys/dvds/books, things to keep em entertained. Buy a few new toys for the plane.

Gate check your stroller and car seats. It will be easier.

You might check wiith your doctor about giving a dose of tylenol to help with the ear pressure etc. Make sure they are sucking something during takeoff/landing (bottle, cup, breast, paci)

We sat in the back of the plane. Your close to the bathrooms, the flight attendants are right there to help, and if you want to let your little ones cruise the plane aisle they can start from the back and go foward. We didnt bother nearly as many ppl in the nosey back of the plane.

Keep your patience about you and expect that the day WILL BE rough. If it ends up rough then you were prepared, if it goes smoother than your worse case scenario you will be happy

HTH

 

I forgot to mention one thing our doctor recommended - to give a bottle or pacifier during take off and landing.

 

Here is a thread with some great tips on traveling with twins!

 

I was worried about this before I flew with my then 7 month old twins and I have to say people here were right when they said "it isnt as bad as you think!".

I made sure they both had their dummies in their mouths for take off and landing and we didnt have any problems. Take water for each baby, as they can get dehydrated, plus bottles/food (dont forget the bibs!). Go with plenty of nappies and a change or 2 of clothing. Also have familiar toys - their favourite if pos - as it keeps them distracted. Mine slept on the 2 flights we did but not all the time. We also have them in our arms (we did 1 plane journey lasting 2 hours then an hour one after). I also dressed them in loose, comfortable clothing that could be easily removed plus I took blankets for when we got off the plane (change in temp). We travelled in winter so it may not be an issue for you.

That´s really it! I would say that the ideal situation would be to have 3 people when travelling with twins but 2 is do-able!

GL!

 

Thanks! You all have been very helpful

 

QUOTE(E&Msmom @ Jan 30 2009, 12:08 AM) [snapback]1168615[/snapback]
The FAA only allows 1 lap baby per 6 seats across.


Actually its 1 lap baby for each set of seats in a row. DH and I always sit across the aisle from each other with the girls on our laps (there is an extra o2 mask for each group of seats so this works).

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Jan 30 2009, 02:21 PM) [snapback]1169339[/snapback]
Actually its 1 lap baby for each set of seats in a row. DH and I always sit across the aisle from each other with the girls on our laps (there is an extra o2 mask for each group of seats so this works).


That is the best news I have heard all day

 

Question for those of you who have done it - is it worth it to get a single extra seat for a 2 hour flight? I bought one ticket for our girls' first flight home, but now I"m debating on if we should just save the $$ ($180) for such a short flight?