[naturallyspeaking]

HI,
I'm traveling to Korea from FL by myself with 2.5 month old baby (when traveling), 2 yr old (almost 3), 6 yr old in May. I will have 1.5 hour flight, 2.45 hr connection, and 15 hr flight to Korea. I didn't buy a seat for my baby and my flight is with Delta and Northwest (on the way back). I have several questions that I would like to ask moms who have done international travel with young kids.
1. bulk head seat w/ bassinet vs. regular seat
I heard bulk head seat's armrest can't go up/down like regular seats' do.
Would you recommend bulkhead seat or reg. seat for 4 of us?
2. bring carseat or/and stroller?
I do plan to use MT but I heard that during the flight, they don't let you keep the baby in MT or baby carrier, is this true? Then how did you hold the baby?
3. bulkhead seat
If they can reserve one for me at the gate, what will happen to my 6, 2 yr old kids? Would they seat next to me in bulkhead seat aisle or do they need to be seated at the original seat?
4. What to bring to entertain 2 yr, 6yr old? What do you do during long flight?
5. What kind of snack? Any snack ok as long as it is not liquid?
6. What do you bring in as carry on, what did you wish you had brought?

Thank you so much.

 

[AllisonR]

Wow, that's a lot of flight time! I've done it with young ones to the USA (only 10 hour flight, but if you add in travel to airport, connection, getting to actual final destination... it ended up 20 hours. All of us were beyond tired and had bloodshot eyes at the end. Delta is a definite step up from Northwest imo.)

The good news - (most of) the stewardesses will feel for you and be very helpful. They realize that if your kids are generally happy and quiet, that the other passengers will then also be happy, and their jobs will be easier.

Definitely bulkhead. Yes, trays are a problem, but there is more room there, which is worth a million, and which you can use to spread out toys and pillows and your kids will be able to fall asleep on the floor there. (much harder in non-bulkhead rows) And they can kick and punch and not disturb the row in front of you, since there is none. You and kids will basically hog the row in the middle. They will not separate you. If your kids were in another row, then some other strange adult would be responsible for them. You will be miserable, stranger will be miserable, kids miserable, stewardesses miserable. NOT going to happen. Don't worry.

The airports themselves, and connections if it hasn't been too long, will be exciting enough for the kids without toys. (meaning the way over with a 1.5 hour flight and connection and then long flight will be OK, but the 15 hour and then connection and new flight will be worse than h*ll. Hope you don't mind honesty!) Most airports have play areas, and even without, looking out the windows at all the planes and trucks..... is fun enough. The problem is when they are over 4 hours into a flight and they want OFF!!! Walk them up and down the isle. Let them stand in the back if the stewardesses allow and it isn't at mealtimes. Frequent trips up and down the rows and to the bathrooms, and mindless chatter with strangers that like kids - no one will blame you for it. Most would prefer this that to a screaming child.

Bring some toys that take a long time, like small games and coloring books.... Multipurpose, open-ended toys like dolls and small race cars also work well, because you can bring them out several times over the course of the trip. Rotate toys. Also get some new toys, let the 2 yo and 6 yo see it once, so you aren't packing a dud, and then if they love it, put it away for the trip. If you are anti-tv, video.... but have access to a game boy or other electronic device your 2 yo and 6 yo can use, now is NOT the time for the moral high ground. Same with chocolate, juice.... anything new and exciting for them will give you some time.

Most airports let you keep your stroller all the way to the gate, and then when you board the plane you put the stroller at the end near the airplane door and they put it in the luggage for you - and you get it at the other end at the same place. So you can have baby in MT, 2 yo in stroller, and 6 yo walking, direct to plane. Never heard of not allowing baby in a MT. I'd just bring it, and keep him/her in it, not sure they are going to argue with a mom with 3 young kids. If they do - tell them they can hold her for the rest of the flight!

I'd leave the car seats and rent at the other end. How are you going to carry a baby, 2-3 car seats, a stroller, bag with toys, diapers... and keep hold of 2 yo and 6 yo at the same time? I know people think car seats are safer, but I have been on hundreds of flights (enough to do horrid turbulence, touch-and-go landings, crash landings, you name it) and this makes no sense. If the whole plane is going down, then it doesn't matter tiddly-squat if your DC is in a car seat strapped into a airline seat, or just in the airline seat. What matters then is the skill of the pilot and proximity to decent landing location. The only time I can see it being an issue is if there is sudden loss of air pressure and you are jerked around and your DC gets jerked around. I have been in some awful storms, and a large airplane, even when it jerks around, it is still large, fluid movements, not the harsh jerk around you get in say a roller coaster, or even a helicopter.

NUMBER 1 tip of all time: breast feed or bottle feed on the way up and on the way down. And give your 2 yo and 6 yo juice or milk and ask them to sip it. It helps prevent the lovely popping eardrum issue, which will make a baby scream. But if they are sucking, they are much less likely to have ear problems.

 

[Marylizah]

About the bulkhead: Definitely the best place for you, since you need 3 seats. The bassinette attachments are nice if your baby is small enough to fit in them and is able to sleep in them-- then you can eat dinner! lol

Re: toys-- portable dvd player, if you do movies, also small toys like the pp mentioned. Playdoh is great, too, one can per kid and one shape for cut outs, etc. Magnadoodles are good, no worrying about losing crayons. Small fun things. I try to bring some new toys along that DS hasn't seen, the novelty keeps him occupied.

Snacks: bring LOTS of snacks. Anything except liquids. Crackers, cookies, fruit, sandwiches. One, it'll keep them busy. Two, they'll have food they like if the airline food stinks. Three, with air travel the way it is these days you may have delays. So definitely go all-out on the snacks.

About the baby in the MT, you might have a stewardess tell you to hold your baby for take-off and landing instead of having him/her in the MT. But the rest of the time it should be fine. Definitely gate-check your stroller, you need to go to the gate when you get there and ask for a gate-check slip. That way the 2 y o is confined on your way into the plane.

Oh, and if at all possible, travel at night so the kids will sleep through some/most of the trip.

Good luck, and don't forget the Rescue Remedy for yourself!!! You are one brave lady.

 

[sugarlumpkin]

I will not even try to give you advice, but I will reassure you on one point. They will make you take the baby out of the MT for take off and landing, but you can use the carrier during the flight. I know, whatever, but the carrier "is not approved for take off and landing" so you can't use it then. But you'll be sitting then anyhow, right?

My friend who used to fly between Italy and the US (8 hours) with his two under two always said to get the bulkhead seats. He said he set up a play area on a blanket on the floor there. He also said he never got to use the bathroom during flights.

Good luck!

 

[naturallyspeaking]

Thank you for you guys' honest advice and helpful ideas.
I will definitely try to get the bulkhead seat. (Do they let kids sit on the floor and play though?)
My 6 yr old likes movies so portable dvd player might be an option but would I need to bring extra batteries to play? I asked Delta and the rep said they don't have outlet jacks installed in a seat.
The main reason I wanted to bring a carseat is if there is a empty seat I thought I could use the carseat and put my baby there to free me sometimes. But I would want and need to nurse during take off and landing so if having a carseat prevents this, then I guess I won't bring it.
Now, I don't need to bring a convertible carseat for my 2 yr old, right?
Thank you again and I also look forward to hearing from other moms with more advice.

 

[dziwozony]

previous mamas are giving good advice- just wanted to chime in that while of course you are going to be concerned about preventing your kids from disrupting others on the flight, otherwise tune out other passengers! i say this because i flew to the US & back from NZ by myself with my then 7 month old & had some really annoying interactions with people just because i was on flight w/ a baby. they would huff & comment even when he was quiet & still (he did great the whole time, actually). so just focus on you & your kids & heed the tips mentioned previously & stay calm! deep, relaxing breaths. good luck!

 

[Marylizah]

About the car seat for your 2 year old: many moms on the site would recommend you take it-- in case of serious turbulence. Are you planning on taking one to use at your destination? If so, you might consider it. They can be a bit of a pain to install, but it probably is safest.

If you don't want to take the car seat, there is a special harness you can get for kids, called the CARES harness. It's a bit pricey (about 80 dollars, I think) but it's very easy to install, takes up much less room and is safe for turbulence situations.

For the baby, I wouldn't bring the baby seat if you can get a bassinett. Depending on what plane you are on, the bulkhead could have 3 seats across, not 4. So one of your kids might be across the aisle.

Now if you are planning on using the seats at your destination, you might want to bring at least the 2 yr old's on board. Otherwise, gate check them to keep them a bit safer than the regular checking (they get tossed around a lot).

And no, Delta doesn't have jacks, they also don't have the personal screens that so many of the airlines have these days (at least on planes to/from Europe) so definitely bring extra batteries for the DVD.