Las Vegas with a 4 mo. old. Crazy??

[TXmom2]

After leaving my just turned 4 mo. old DD last weekend (went ok, but I hated it) I want to change plans for our upcoming trip to Vegas for a hockey tournament in 2 wks.
DD was supposed to stay with grandma, now I want to bring her with us. Grandma is refusing to go along to help so we are hoping that one of the wife/girlfriends of our teammates will be willing to watch DD during the games.
Unless one of you out there is in the area and willing to babysit??:wink
I have several concerns though:
1. Do I need to take a carseat? (DD is flying as a lap child) Or can we get one in the rental car there? Should I take her carseat anyway just because it's familiar?

2. I plan on using my BabyK'tan, should I take a stroller as well? Maybe for use for longer periods, naps, or while being watched during the games?

3. What do I really need to take? I know clothes (2 outfits per day), diapers, wipes, a bottle or 2 just in case (she's EBF), extra burp cloths, light blankets, 1 heavy blanket, a few toys. What else?
She sleeps in her pack n'play or co-sleeps right now. I'll try to get a crib at the hotel (Circus Circus) but if we can't not a big deal...

4. Experience with a baby in Vegas?? What can we NOT do with her? What else should we know?

[hotharmony]

I would do it!

1. Do I need to take a carseat? (DD is flying as a lap child) Or can we get one in the rental car there? Should I take her carseat anyway just because it's familiar? YES take your own car seat, you don't know what your getting with a rental seat and if it's safe. Just bring you seat to the gate with you and if they have an open seat on the plane you can use it there and if not they will check it right then.

2. I plan on using my BabyK'tan, should I take a stroller as well? Maybe for use for longer periods, naps, or while being watched during the games? I would take a stroller too, if not just to hold extra stuff while walking around.

3. What do I really need to take? I know clothes (2 outfits per day), diapers, wipes, a bottle or 2 just in case (she's EBF), extra burp cloths, light blankets, 1 heavy blanket, a few toys. What else?
She sleeps in her pack n'play or co-sleeps right now. I'll try to get a crib at the hotel (Circus Circus) but if we can't not a big deal...
That sounds like a good list to me. Maybe an extra outfit or two incase of diaper blowouts or spitup.
4. Experience with a baby in Vegas?? What can we NOT do with her? What else should we know?

[Krisis]

I would just be careful with her in casinos where it's really loud. I took DS when he was 5 months and he was fine, he rode in my wrap most of the time and it was nice, but I got tired. So I would take a stroller or else switch off with people carrying. That's about all the advice I got have fun!

[SeattlePisces]

I'd also just keep in mind that the casinos are very smokey. Lots of cigarette smoke. I'd keep her in a wrap or sling and not in a stroller. There are always tons of people waking around and a stroller would be a PITA to try and maneuver through.
I don't know how much time you plan on being on the strip itself, but all in all I do not think of Vegas as a great place to go around with a baby. Just not a super kid friendly place, in my opinion.
Either way, Have Fun!

[BabyMae09]

Originally Posted by SeattlePisces

I'd also just keep in mind that the casinos are very smokey. Lots of cigarette smoke. I'd keep her in a wrap or sling and not in a stroller. There are always tons of people waking around and a stroller would be a PITA to try and maneuver through.

In a wrap or carrier for sure. For me, there'd be too many people around to want to have DD out of arms. You could use a stroller to carry all your stuff, and have your LO in a carrier or wrap, too. Or, you could use a backpack for your stuff, and a front pack for LO. I'd be wary of having LO 'out' where anyone could touch them, fall on them, or otherwise bother them.

[TXmom2]

Originally Posted by hotharmony

I would do it!

1. Do I need to take a carseat? (DD is flying as a lap child) Or can we get one in the rental car there? Should I take her carseat anyway just because it's familiar? YES take your own car seat, you don't know what your getting with a rental seat and if it's safe. Just bring you seat to the gate with you and if they have an open seat on the plane you can use it there and if not they will check it right then.

2. I plan on using my BabyK'tan, should I take a stroller as well? Maybe for use for longer periods, naps, or while being watched during the games? I would take a stroller too, if not just to hold extra stuff while walking around.

3. What do I really need to take? I know clothes (2 outfits per day), diapers, wipes, a bottle or 2 just in case (she's EBF), extra burp cloths, light blankets, 1 heavy blanket, a few toys. What else?
She sleeps in her pack n'play or co-sleeps right now. I'll try to get a crib at the hotel (Circus Circus) but if we can't not a big deal...
That sounds like a good list to me. Maybe an extra outfit or two incase of diaper blowouts or spitup.

That sounds good. Didn't know I could check car seat at the gate

Originally Posted by Krisis

I would just be careful with her in casinos where it's really loud. I took DS when he was 5 months and he was fine, he rode in my wrap most of the time and it was nice, but I got tired. So I would take a stroller or else switch off with people carrying. That's about all the advice I got have fun!

Definitely want to carry her when passing through the casinos

Originally Posted by SeattlePisces

I'd also just keep in mind that the casinos are very smokey. Lots of cigarette smoke. I'd keep her in a wrap or sling and not in a stroller. There are always tons of people waking around and a stroller would be a PITA to try and maneuver through.
I don't know how much time you plan on being on the strip itself, but all in all I do not think of Vegas as a great place to go around with a baby. Just not a super kid friendly place, in my opinion.
Either way, Have Fun!

That's my biggest thing. I HATE smoke! Don't want her near it, so that will be a struggle while in Vegas but we don't plan on hanging out in the casinos...just maybe checking out the strip and a few shops. We might take turns (DH and I) if we want to go to the casinos


How much stuff are you allowed to fly with? Car seat, stroller, checked bag for baby, carry on for baby, carry on for DH, checked bag for DH & myself, plus hockey gear for both DH and myself.....geesh!

[sunshynbaby]

Take the carseat. I heard that car seats with rental cars are pretty yucky. You can check it and a stroller at the gate if you choose to bring them. We recently traveled and bought a ticket for LO, so we brought the car seat on the plane. That worked out wonderfully. A friend of mine got thrown out of a casino in Las Vegas for playing a slot machine while holding her baby. I guess they take the gambling laws very seriously, lol!

[TXmom2]

Thanks ladies :)

We are leaving on Thursday

We are taking her infant car seat, a lightweight stroller, a checked bag and a carry-on for her. From what I understand we can check the stroller and car seat (if an extra seat is not available) at the gate. I hope this is right....

One of our teammate's wife has agreed to watch DD during the games so at least we covered there

I'm bringing my PIS (so I can pump at night and between feedings) Is it ok to put it in her checked bag? Should I carry it on?

Any other last minute tips for flying/traveling with a 4 month old? hehe...I'm a little nervous about it all but we're going to make the best of it

[lilith1]

we took DS to Vegas around that age and I was amazed how adaptable they are. We mostly took him in the Ergo. (Think tons of people, tight sidewalks,... and a general safer feeling.) I brought my little battery - operated Medela that fits in my purse. the batteries I recharged at night in the hotel room. In my experience the newer casinos manage to keep the air pretty good in spite of lots of smoke. The older ones I would avoid.
Enjoy your trip, and make notes after your trip what you needed and what not. ( For your next one... )

[TXmom2]

Thanks for the input ladies :)

We had a wonderful trip! DD did fabulously on the flight out even though it was a full flight and we couldn't get her own seat. She enjoyed her BabyK'tan and only fussed a little after we landed while waiting to de-board

She loved all the lights and action on the strip, although she did get a little over stimulated and harder to wind down a nap times. We only went in the casinos on the way to other places (sights, food, etc) I used a combination of her stroller and carrier when we were out and it worked very well...the carrier for close quarters and the stroller for more open areas and while napping.

The flight back was not so full and American was kind enough to hold a seat for her. She got to sleep in her car seat from right after security until we landed back at home

The only thing I found that I should have brought was a hat for DD...it got quite windy in the later afternoons-evenings and she wouldn't let me keep a blanket up over & around her head. Although, the Baby K'tan worked in these cases.