What is next & what do I use instead of the snap & go to go through the airport. I have a double stroller. but how do I get the car seats through the airport. I am a single mom with twins. Do they let you check car seats when you check your bags?
I know everyone keeps saying about until a certain weight but we can not close it she is too big. She is in the 75% for height & weight. And even my other baby who only weighs 17 it is tight on her. The straps are at the longest they could be.
I have always used a sling for airport travel-- much much easier than dragging a stroller, car seats, etc. You could put one baby in a sling and one baby in a small umbrella stroller- much less work. Car seats can be checked and don't count as baggage. Be sure to look them over for signs of damage when you pick them up.
Most airlines (maybe all) let you check your stroller and car seat for free either at baggage check or at the gate right as you get on the plane (to then wait for you right when you get off). I have also found that airline and tsa employees are often quote helpful to moms traveling alone with a baby/ies. Happy trails!
try the Gogo Kidz Travelmate. Basically converts a toddler seat into a stroller type thing. You could get one for each of your twins (they are very easy to push). They do let you check car seats when you check bags, but I've found it much easier (and cheaper) to gate check the whole contraption. The advantage is also that you have a car seat for your kids at your destination.
Yes, you can check your car seats with your regular baggage. They are free on Southwest and United (United charges for bags, but not car seats). We put ours in a car seat bag and I actually stuff a few things in the seat like blankets or jackets or stuffed animals. Nothing heavy or bulky in case they check. I just have one child but we always check the car seat and then use the stroller through the airport and check it at the gate just as we get on the plane. We took our car seat (FAA-approved) on the plane one time and it did not work out, my daughter is much happier sitting in the airplane seat with the seat belt on and sitting in the car seat made it so she could easily kick the seat in front of her. It was also really difficult to install in the airplane seat.
The Snug Ride car seats will harness to 22lbs or until there is less than one inch of hard shell above the childs head. Their legs hanging off the ends are not a problem what you need to pay attention to is the weight and less than 1 inch of hard shell above the head.
When they outgrow the infant seat, you purchase a convertible car seat. Aconvertible car seat will rear face to 35-45lbs (depending on model) and then forward face to 40-80lbs (again, depending on model). You want to keep your children rear facing as long as possible, hte AAP recommends children remain rear facing until at least 2 and 30lbs, or until the child outgrows the convertible car seat rear facing. Google EXTENDED REAR FACING for more information.
As for traveling, especially with small twins, bring the car seats on the plane with you and buckle the kids in just like in the car. It will make your life alot easier, trust me. Use the double stroller and get a cart to wheel the car seats.
You've gotten some great advice. The only thing I would add is to get bags to put your carseats in so that when you check them they will not get ruined in transport. Many airlines will give you a big trash bag type bag but those can rip and your seats may not come out well. We have a Britax convertible seat and bought the travel bag for it and I've been very happy with it. Also, like someone else mentioned, you can put other stuff in with the seat if you need the room. It can come in pretty handy. :)
When my twins were babies I had a double Maclaren umbrella stroller. I would push it right up to the door of the plane. I carried on Britax roundabouts that were in carrying bags. I had one hanging from the back of the stroller and the other across my back. Besides what was absolutely necessary for the babies and myself, in a back pack, that was all I carried on. If you can't carry a car seat put the lighter of the two babies in a sling and carry both car seats on the stroller. One in the seat and the other across the back.
On the plane I liked having the babies in their own car seats. It was familiar and comfortable for them. We have always carried on car seats. It has never been an issue because they sit in them versus putting them in overhead.. You will need 3 seats across and you will sit at the aisle.
This can be done! Do a trial run and take a walk around the block. It will help you figure out what works best for you.
Good luck, you will be surprised how many people stop to help you.
You don't have to keep them in snugrides until a certain weight, just in rear facing car seats. Many convertible carseats start as low as 5 lbs.
Yes, you can check car seats with your baggage and not have to carry them through the airport. You can also check them at the gate. I think you will have to get a seat for one of the kids because they will not let you hold two on your lap, so you may want to bring the carseat on the plane for that child.
you neeed a convertible carseat..
one that go forward in the car or backwards
you will need a double stroller for the airport.. but the carseats will not fit in the stroller.
Hopefully who ever is driving you to the airport can help you to the ticket counter. Once there just let them know that you are a traveling alone and they will do one of two things:
1) Allow the person with you a companion pass to help you through the airport to the gate. Also ask for who ever is picking you up to get the same thing.
2) Provide you with someone on their staff to assist you in getting to the gate.
They will let you check the car setas at check in, in fact they prefer that.
Good luck and have a great time!
I traveled with my twins at 18 months by myself through the airport. We bought a seat for one carseat and took it on the plane with us and the other sat on my lap. . . we switched periodically through the flight until one fell asleep. The airport people are very kind if you tell them you need assistance carrying a carseat through the airport to the gate. We used our double stroller and checked it at the gate. Then its given back as soon as you get off. We also checked the other carseat as we needed it when we got off the plane. Good Luck to you!!
I didn't fly alone with twins but I did with a 3 month old and 21 month old. This was 7 years ago so rules may have changed. First I was able to get discount seays for both that way we had room to ourselves. I put one in a front pack and one in a backpack and then used the stroller to cart our carry-on and carseats through the airport. The hardest part was security, they made me take off both kids and the packs to go through security. To make the car seats stay in the stroller I strapped the car seat straps thorugh the stroller straps. When I got to the gate I reminded them I needed to preboard and it all went well. On every flight, (4 total) a business traveller sho was missing his kids would come and offer to help me iwth my carseats. They also offered to stand there and hold and coo at the baby while I strapped in the carseats. You can check carseats when you check your baggage, but having travelled with two little ones, I personally think I was much happier with the car seats on the plane.
Are the too tall for the snug riders? They are still within the lbs for the infant seats. There is really no way to get the stroller, babies and car seats on the plane by yourself if you don't use the infant seats. You can get the convertible car seat for the heavier twin and check it and then just hold that twin on your lap in the plane. You could use the infant seat for the lighter twin and just carry it on the plane. It will be nice to have the extra seat open and without a car seat anyway in case you need a diaper change or something, I don't think the 3 of you could manage in the airplane bathroom!
Good luck!
Also, in terms of air travel, if you're in a position to have carseats waiting for you on the other side (renting them with a car rental company or whatever) you can buy harnesses to make them safer on the airplane. We used the CARES harness (http://www.kidsflysafe.com/) for our daughter when we needed her to stop kicking the seat in front of her. It was much lighter than a carseat (or 2) and worked very well.
They will check car seats at the airport-- no charge. Good luck!!
Well, that is going to be tricky, but it can be done! Most snug rides should be safe up until the child is 22lbs, so if this is really stressing you out I would check that out...there's a label right on the carrier part of the seat. If they don't fit in the carriers, you'll need to get convertibles, like the other poster mentioned. THey are obviously bulkier. I would suggest putting the kids in the double stroller and then getting a cart for your luggage and car seats. Push the cart with all your stuff and then pull the stroller behind you with the other hand. The stroller will be a lot more managable and will probably be easier than the cart. You can either gate check or regular check the car seats or you can take them on the plane. If you didn't buy the kids a ticket, ask when you check in if there are extra seats...if there are then take at least one car seat on and strap it in the seat next to you just like in the car and then you can alternate the kids between it. Good luck!
You can totally check the carseats with the bags, and they are free (at least on united) to check.
Yep, time to switch to a convertible carseat. We have a zippered bag on wheels that holds the carseat, so we can get through the airport faster. Car seats, by the way, do NOT count for one of your pieces of luggage. You might want to look at getting a couple of these- http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId.... They might be helpful. Are you traveling alone with them, or with your husband/ partner? I hope you have some help- airports with even one kid can be very challenging.
Good luck to you!
T.
Yes, they will let you check carseats when you check your bags. Good luck!
