US Airways travel with infant?
I will be flying from San Diego to Grand Junction Colorado with my 3 month old daughter. I have a few questions, I will just list them, and if you have answers or advice for any, please share:
Can I bring my stroller and is that considered a carry on?
I cannot breast feed and have to pump every six hours, can I bring my medela electric pump on the plane or do I have to check it..and if I check it, will it be safe from damage?
My car seat comes with the carseat base..can I bring that?
I paid for her to have her own seat, does that she means she can have carry on’s and checked luggage as well?
Will somebody help me to get to the next flight after the layover?
Anything else I should know?
You can take the stroller to the gate and it will be gate checked. Then you will be able to collect it as soon as you get off the plane. It may take a while to get there, so no need to rush off the plane. The stroller will not be counted as a carry on item.
I do not see any reason why you cannot take your pump on the plane. If you do check it, make sure it is well padded and it should be ok.
If you paid for a seat for your daughter you need to take the car seat base on since you will fix the seat in the same way as you do in the car. Remember that when the car seat base is attached to the car seat, it is a lot heavier than when you are just carrying the car seat by itself.
Your daughter gets the same luggage allowance as you since you paid for her seat. I would try to keep your carry on to one since that is all you will be able to manage with the car seat!
Do not rely on someone to help you get to your next flight, even if the airline say this is possible. We booked a wheelchair for my father-in-law one time and when he got there he was told that there was no one available to help him!! You need to only take enough pieces of luggage that you can do it by yourself. Push the stroller with one hand, pull a roll-along bag with the other and have a back-pack diaper bag. You need to find a way of either fitting the car seat base in the basket under your stroller, ot attaching it (with bungy cords or similar) to the stroller.
When I travelled with my children at this age, I used the Baby Trend Snap’N'Go infant seat carrier and I could balance the car seat base on top of the basket. I think I used the latch system belt to keep it on there!
You did the right thing getting a seat for your daughter. It is safer for her and more comfortable for both of you. Make sure her car seat says on it that it is FAA approved and put it in the plane rear facing the same as it is in the car. You will need to make sure that you have a window seat for her (so you don’t block anyone else’s exit) If you can get a bulk head seat that is the best, if not then unfortunately the person in front of her will not be able to put their seat back, on a short flight this should not be a problem. Just stand your ground if the person complains, your daughters safety is more important than that persons comfort!
Try to get your daughter to take a bottle during take-off and landing, although if she is asleep don’t wake her to do it! They are also the most important times for her to be strapped in her seat. Since she is facing backwards, you will be able to see her and interact with her well. Take a few of her favorite toys to play with when she is awake.
Other than carrying the car seat (and bottles etc) this is probably the easiest time to travel with a baby. I am just about to do a 10 hour flight with my 2 children aged 18 months and nearly 3 years! I have managed to devise a way that I can carry 2 car seats and everything else by myself, just in case I do not get any help!
Good luck!!
Used car nightmare — Mossy Toyota
