Traveling with Twins

1. Bring new toys. Give them out through out the flight or car ride.

2. Try to time your feedings so that they match the assent or decent. Give them a bottle or a sippy cup during take-off and landing. Otherwise use a pacifier to help them with ear pressure.

3. We brought 2 diaper bags on the plane. One for each twin along with a clean shirt for each parent (for spit ups). If you and your husband get separated on the plane, at least you will have what you need to make it through.

4. Buy enough seats on the plane for everyone! It's a relief to be able to get up and go to the bathroom without having to bring your lap baby with you! wink.gif

5. Plan your traveling around naps. For instance, take your long drives during their naptime and stop for gas and food when it is time for a bottle or a meal. Change diapers in your car (it cleaner) and give them some time to be out of the seats before you back in. For flights, try to make your flights that connect during naps or even red eye flights work well if you want them to sleep the whole time.

6. Bring a DVD player or laptop for their favorite Baby Einstein or TV show videos.

7. If you are flying, drop all your luggage and yourself at the curb. Use curbside check in. Check all you can, and bring your seats and your stroller to the gate.

8. Dress babies in comfy clothes without shoes. They may have to remove shoes to get on a plane.

9. Give them a dose of Infant Tylenol or Benadryl. This is going to be a really long day for them and it can help keep them a bit more comfortable.

10. Check car seats (with bases if necessary). Wrap a bungee cord around the car seats and the bases so they wouldn't get separated.

11. If you are renting a vehicle at the airport and you are doing a lap baby, consider renting a car seat from the rental company. It is a lot easier than checking your seats and picking them up with the baggage claim. You can even rent one on short notice if you ended up stuck somewhere overnight and needed to rent a car last minute.

12. Pack two large suitcases and check them. If you are checking your car seats they count as two of the four bags that you are allowed to check.

13. Use one double stroller. You will probably need a SmartCart of luggage so it is easier to use a double stroller. Note that they will make you collapse the double stroller and put it through the x-ray screener.

14. Pack 24 hours worth of formula, in case you get delayed. You can pack filled bottles of formula for the feedings that I knew that we would definitely have to do while traveling. Pack a small ice pack to keep them cold. Then pack enough of the little 8 oz cans of Enfamil to get us through 24 hours. Plan to rinse out the used bottles if needed and pour the cans of Enfamil into the rinsed bottles. Skip cereal and veggies and just feed them formula until you arrive at our destination.

15. Pull out all of your formula, meds, ice packs, and baby food at security and put them in a separate gray bin. Also check with airline to find out what regulations they have with respect to bringing liquids on the plane.

16. Pack in the diaper bag: Clean outfits, burp cloths, receiving blankets, toys, diapers, wipes, Desitin, pacifiers, bottles with formula, small cans of Enfamil, Infant Tylenol, Baby Orajel, saline drops for noses.

17. Divide and conquer...each of you should be in charge of one baby to get through security. You must carry the baby in your arms through the metal detector.

18. If you are driving long distances, try to complete your travel in one day. It is easier to get it over with than to prolong it over two days.

19. Take breaks while driving, for diaper changes and a little leg stretching.

20. Have an adult sit in the back with the babies to entertain them when they are awake. Be prepared for them to be unhappy when they are awake (usually after 4-5 months old).

21. Before you reach your destination, research where the local ER is and which one your medical insurance will allow you to go to in case of emergency.

22. Bring yourself two PNPs (if they are used to sleeping in separate cribs) for an overnight stay. Make sure there is enough room for two PNPs where you are staying.

23. When traveling alone via airplane with the twins, have the adult dropping you off at the airport escort you inside. Just go to the ticket counter of your airline and ask for an escort pass for your friend...they might need to show picture i.d. The escort pass will allow them to help you through the TSA checkpoints (great for holding babies and folding strollers) and they can follow you all the way to the gate to lend extra arms.

24. Carry cash!

Franca (mom to Sofie (6 transatlantic flights, 2 international, 5 domestic incl. cross country) & Maxine and Felix (just 1 international flight)) suggests:

Just remember, your twins won't notice anything that goes wrong -- but they will notice your mood change. So have fun and lighten up for the trip!

Articles in category "Traveling with Twins"