Traveling With 2 Under 2
We made our first quick family trip as a family of 4 this week! I had to go to Las Vegas to shop at market (they only have it a few times a year) for Talulah so we decided to make a family trip out of it! We traveled several times with Easton as a baby, but this was Noah’s first flight and our first trip with 2 under 2- so many unknowns I was nervous about but ended up being pleasantly surprised!
My mom helps me buy for Talulah and David and my brother are the buyers for TAL (our men’s line) so we ALL went together with my dad (the infamous PAPA) and David’s mom! It was so special being able to spend so much quality time together… and David and I kept on looking at each other like- is this what life with a nanny is like!? So many extra hands!!
So, now for the travel tips. It’s a lot of info, but I hope it helps make your next travel experience a little smoother!
FLYING WITH BABIES:
To buy an extra seat or not: In all of our flights with baby, we have never purchased an additional seat. Somehow, my parents’ row ended up having an empty seat on our first flight so Bubs was able to sit comfortably with them. We found out that 2 lap children cannot sit on the same row because there aren’t enough oxygen masks. Noted for next flight- if we travel alone, we will have to get an extra seat with 2 under 2!
What to check vs gate check: We always try to check as much luggage as possible so we can have extra hands in the airport. Things we check are: pack-n-plays, suitcases, carseat (we have never traveled with one but if we did, we would check at the check-in! We always push our stroller all the way down to our gate and gate-check it. The Zoe was SO EASY to fold up even wit both babies and all of our junk. It is literally a one-click fold. Game-changer! You are only allowed to gate-check one item per ticket (I believe). We have never used a stroller travel bag and our strollers have been totally fine. But I have heard horror stories about nice strollers being damaged. So, if you have a fancy stroller that you don’t want scuffed- definitely get a bag!
What to carry-on for baby?: I like to carry-on my Large or XL Camo Tote with my smaller diaper bag in it. This way, I can keep all of the in-flight necessities in my diaper bag under the seat and put all of the additional stuff in the camo tote overhead. Read on to see what I pack in my carry-on!
How do I keep my baby calm in the flight?: This is a tough one because it totally depends on the day! For the most part, all of our flights have been pretty smooth with babies. I always nurse/bottle feed for takeoff. If your baby isn’t hungry, try to let them suck on a paci. This helps with their ear pressure! If you can, try your best to get your baby to sleep during take off. Noah slept most of the flights. When she got fussy, David and I took turns passing her back and forth or walking her down the aisles.
How do I keep my toddler entertained on the flight?: Ah, the million dollar question!! We packed the iPad, headphones, a coloring book, crayons, stickers, a couple of toy cars, and about 10 different snacks. Each activity lasted about 15-30 minutes so we were able to get through both flights without a meltdown! Now that E is older and more particular about where he naps, we like to book our flights with time for him to have a solid nap before so he isn’t cranky. Be kind to the people around you and the flight attendants when you get on the plane… let your kids talk and smile with them! They’ll be a lot more likely to help you out if you need it later on!!
WHAT’S IN MY CARRY-ON:
Portable changing pad/diaper holder. This is a MUST! You will be changing your baby in airport bathrooms, on-the-go, and in tiny airplane bathrooms… you must have this changing pad/diaper holder so you can quickly grab it from your carry-on and bring it all to the bathroom in one. Plus, this gives you a comfortable and clean place to change baby no matter where you are. I keep this in my diaper bag while traveling and fill it with a few diapers and wipes for both babies. I stash a ziplock full of diapers in the bottom of my carry-on for refills (you can never have too many diapers).
Toddler Activities. Depending on your screen-time rules! We pack David’s iPad with movies and Paw Patrol dowloaded and Bubs’ Amazon Fire tablet with his favorite games (Monkey Preschool Lunchbox, letter games, etc). Toddler headphones. One small coloring book, a pack of twist crayons, and stickers (both in a ziplock bag so I can quickly grab from carry-on and keep in the seat pocket!). He had a lot of fun sticking these stickers to the seat (they were easy to remove!). I also packed a couple of toy cars and Little People but he didn’t play with them much.
SNACKS! And more snacks. Pirate’s booty, goldfish, cheerio’s, some fruit, whatever your toddler likes! I also packed a sippy cup to fill up with water/juice on the plane.
An extra outfit for both babies. Because there’s always going to be a blowout or a spill. I keep these simple- a onesie or a pair of zip pajamas.
Bottles! I packed several bottles with formula for Noah and a travel container full of extra formula. I also carried on a Swell bottle full of hot water. You can carry-on water for formula, you just have to let them know that’s what it’s for and they will test it at TSA. You can also google your airline’s rules for breastmilk/frozen breastmilk!
Swaddle/nursing cover. To save space, use the swaddle as a nursing cover! This is the swaddle brand we brought- they’re my favorite and roll up small. We swaddled Noah for her naps on both flights.
Burp cloths! I packed 2-3 per flight. These muslin squares are my favorite because they’re so big and hold a lot of spit up!
Wipes/hand sanitizer. Because airplanes are gross.
Portable Charger. This one is my favorite because it comes with the phone cords already attached!! You can also charge your phone and the charger at the same time!
Baby carrier. I packed our Sakura Bloom Scout Carrier for this trip because it rolls up the smallest and is super comfortable for long stretches of baby-wearing. I wore Noah when we were getting off of the flight until we got in the car at the airport so she could get a good nap in!
Portable sound machine. I put this in the stroller and in my lap during travel naps!
Blankets. Bubby has to sleep with his “ni-ni” so we carried that on to comfort him.
Baby Tylenol (in case of emergency!)
TRAVEL TIPS FOR PARENTS:
Travel with ZERO EXPECTATIONS for your little ones! Remember that this is an entirely new experience for them, so give them some grace and try your best to laugh it off when they don’t sleep…. at all. We like to remember “these are the days”…. and one day we will miss them. If you all end up sleeping in the bed together, snuggle them and remember it’s only for a few days. Noah and E both woke up several times during the night while we were away but we tried not to stress about it too much!
Be flexible and willing to break your routine, BUT when you can- try your best to keep their normal schedules! Plan activities around their naps but be prepared to change plans and GO WITH THE FLOW!! There was so much more we wanted to do in Vegas but it just didn’t workout with naps, so we hung out in the rooms and made the most of it!
BE A TEAM. Whoever you are traveling with, husband, nanny, SO… try your hardest to be a team player and not get annoyed by the little things. Lend a helping hand whenever you can. David and I work so much better together when we’re on the same team and not bickering about stupid things. You both need each other, 2 is stronger than 1 with these crazy kids. Try to let the small stuff brush off your shoulders, and if you find yourselves getting annoyed- regroup, apologize, and ask for forgiveness! Trips are so much easier when the parents are happy. Babies know when you’re stressed, so try your hardest to stay calm!
Always call your hotel beforehand to see what they provide for baby. Many hotels provide a crib or pack-n-play, baby toiletries, etc. Our hotel provided all of this as well as a sound machine which was a nice surprise!
Whenever we travel with baby, we use a car service that provides car seats! When we traveled to Jamaica, we rented a vehicle with a carseat. In Disney, our hotel provided a pickup service (a small additional fee) with a carseat. For Las Vegas, we called ahead to ask for a car service that would provide two carseats for both babies. Many big cities have uber/lyft that provide carseats as well. This is something you can book with your hotel or do your research to find the best option that fits your needs/budget. We have found it really easy to travel without carseats!
Create a comfortable space for your baby to sleep. For us, we always use the bathroom or closet space because they are the darkest and we are able to still hang out in our room while the babies sleep. We either check our pack-n-play or use the cribs provided by hotels (if available!). I know many people love the Slumber Pod (5 star reviews on amazon) to help keep a dark space for baby!
TRAVEL STROLLER:
Zoe Twin+ Luxe
Double tRAVEL sTROLLER
We used our new Zoe Twin+ Luxe Double Stroller for this trip and it was a dream! I was a little nervous to travel with a double stroller but this one is super lightweight, slim, and easy to fold (in seconds!! ). We were able to roll it down to our gate and gate check it as we got on the plane. It is super durable and high-quality. My dad literally spilled a coke on it and I was able to wipe it down with a wipe- like new! All of the grandparents, David, and I wanted to push it because it’s such a smooth ride! I used the stroller clips to hold my XL Camo Tote and was able to fit tons of stuff, including my giant diaper bag in the under storage. I loved that it is suitable for 3mo+ so Noah could ride comfortably in it, unlike many other travel strollers which are made for 6mo+. She even took a few naps in it!! The size and functionality were literally everything I was looking for, thank you so much to everyone who recommended this stroller for our family! We LOVE it.