I now have a baseline for traveling with kids after a last-minute trip to my hometown for a funeral last week. Both kids were perfect angels (🙏🏽), so any pain points are officially not their fault.
TL;DR: the travel industry is not very family-friendly.
There can be soooo much anxiety around traveling with little kids and babies, even for the most chill of us (I can hear my husband laughing at this now). In the spirit of sharing and takeaways, here’s what our trip was like and what worked for us.
Trip deets
My husband and I flew with our almost 3-year-old and 7-month-old from Atlanta to Philadelphia, which is under two hours in the air. This seemed perfect timing for my family to chill, nap, or stay engaged with Delta movies until we were restless and hungry.
Itinerary: 10:30 am flights both ways (30-60 minutes travel to the airport) means we were out of the house by 7:30 am. This timing worked great for us, and we were home in time for naps after a quick Chick-fil-A lunch in the car.
Luggage sitch: We checked a large suitcase and a medium suitcase, then also checked both car seats. We also pushed the umbrella stroller and had two backpacks with us. Baby was mostly in the carrier. It was a hassle to lug all this around between the parking lot bus, airport, rental car, etc. Needless to say, we had our fair share of “You’ve got your hands full!” comments.
Plane seats: We booked this flight <2 weeks in advance, so couldn’t get seats together. However, once on the plane, we asked whoever was sitting in the aisle next to the two together if they would switch with me (not a big deal for such a short flight).
We met a Most Noble Man on one flight, who said: “No way I want to switch for a middle seat. But I will.” I hope he got an extra cookie or bag of Sun Chips for his martyrdom.
Minions, Pets 2, & Joseph-Gordon Levitt: We were on Delta with their wonderful selection of movies and shows. The toddler changed movies three times (Paw Patrol, Pets 2, and Minions Movie) but he stayed in his seat and mostly didn’t keep opening and closing the window.
I had a sleeping infant on me, so I was able to watch Booksmart (2019) and “Super Pumped” (would love to finish this). Huge win all around. Also, lots of snacks.
All in all, I wish it were easier, faster, cheaper, and more smiley to travel with littles. But we did our best, and every trip is more practice.
Fave travel resources:
Where Is Briggs on Instagram
Maple travel plans and packing lists
BabyQuip for gear rental
Passports and Parenting blog (by my Twitter friend Clarissa Laskey)
Must-haves for travel:
ErgoBaby 360 or similar carrier
Carseat gate check bags (like these)
Diaper bag and/or backpack (we had both)
Sound machine (like the Hatch Mini)
Aden + Anais Burpy Bibs (like these Harry Potter ones we use)
Something to make the toddler’s temporary bed more fun or homey (favorite toy, blanket, or small pillow)
Toddler over-ear headphones for the plane
A secondhand or cheap extra monitor (we left behind the camera, so I’m glad it wasn’t our main one!)
Diapers + wipes (but not too many—buy more at your destination)
Pull-up for toddler on the plane if recently potty-trained, in case there’s turbulence, or it’s hard to get up and go
Things we didn’t need:
Light-blocking gear: We did okay with room-sharing with my infant, but I could see where the SlumperPod or portable blackout curtains would come in handy.
iPad: Our toddler doesn’t know we own one. We brought it as a last-resort distraction for the airplane or long car rides, but didn’t end up using it!
Bottles: I breastfed the entire trip (including on the plane), but had my pump and a bottle in case we needed it.
Kid tableware: Our toddler used regular silverware and plates/bowls without fuss, and the baby just ate off the tray/table.
Want travel tips from actual experts? Check out this article I did for Huhu: Expert Tips for Flying with a Baby or Toddler (with a Q&A from family travel planner Laura Beilin).
Cluster of updates
👩🏼💻What I’m working on: DTC Mom content for my own biz blog (*gasp*) geared towards brands and marketers in the parenting space. Stay tuned.
Also, a DTC Mom holiday gift guide!
🤩 What I’m gearing up for: Taking the entire month of December off. After a busy Q3, I’m taking some time off at the end of the year. I’ll be ramping up DTC Mom content, bonding with my littlest babe, and embarking on (more!) family travel for the holidays.
🙏🏼What’s saving me this month: Oath Care parent support app with direct access to my personalized care team (pediatrician, counselor, and veteran mom) for all my postpartum and baby Qs.
Also, this outdoor swing now that the weather is more bearable in Atlanta.
🦚 Client work I’m loving: Huhu’s blog content lets me exercise my parenting-tips-and-tricks chops in my style. Plus, the new website is fantastic 🤩 and preorders are live for the Everyday Diaper Backpack!
🔖 Noteworthy industry haps: Peeka & Co.’s marketplace for sustainable play is now live, Lalo launched the new Big Bites tableware collection, and Maple went live with their premade plans feature to help busy parents stay organized.
Thanks for reading and see you next time. ✌🏼