Traveling to Europe with 18-month-old twins - worried about flight, jetlag, etc...

[Anonymous]

My brother is getting married in Europe and I am in the process of booking the flights. This will be our first trip with our twins, who will be 18 months old at the time of travel. I've been putting off booking until now because I've been sort of in denial about this trip. While I look forward to my brother's wedding and seeing my family, I realize I have a lot of anxiety about the trip with two toddlers. Our twins are great sleepers and have been on a very regular schedule until now, so this will be a jarringly new experience for them. They haven't taken a nap outside their cribs in a long time. For the flight, we will have to keep them on our laps, since we cannot afford booking seats for them (I just checked the prices and had to lay any fantasies about getting them seats to rest). They are usually very calm and well-behaved babies, but I just have no idea how they will cope with a long flight.

I'd like to hear from anybody who has experience with a transatlantic flight with toddlers, maybe even twins, and especially how the flight went if you did not buy seats for your child. Any tips on how to make it easier? I read airlines have different policies with children, do you recommend a certain airline over another?

And then, how do toddlers who have been on a regular sleep schedule cope with the jetlag? How long does it take them to find their rhythm again after arrival? Any tips to make it easier on them?

Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

Are you flying direct? What time will you arrive at your destination?

(I have flown to Europe several times with my four - including twins (first time with them, they were just gone 12 months). Like yourselves, we did not pay extra for any seats if any of our children were <2. We also keep a strict schedule at home and I was always nervous about how things would go, but it all just somehow works out!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you flying direct? What time will you arrive at your destination?

(I have flown to Europe several times with my four - including twins (first time with them, they were just gone 12 months). Like yourselves, we did not pay extra for any seats if any of our children were <2. We also keep a strict schedule at home and I was always nervous about how things would go, but it all just somehow works out!)

We will have one stopover, not sure where because it depends on the airline. I do hope to get a connection that leaves Dulles in the late afternoon/early evening, arrives at the hub airport in the morning, and then get to our destination before noon. The return flight will likely be a morning departure and then early evening arrival back at Dulles.

[Anonymous]

I am flying to England in April with a 22mo old. Also not paying for a seat.

Something a friend told me when she went with her twins: She took the stroller all the way to the gate and then checked it. When she got to Heathrow she found out it had gone to baggage claim. Her and DH had to walk with a crying/tired toddler all the way to baggage claim with their carry on as well. She flew with Virgin.
I am going to be very specific in the fact I want my stroller to be waiting for me when I exit the plane.

I flew to NM in Oct and was nervous, flight went really well and DD did great. She is on a schedule at home too and sleeps 12 hours at night. Somehow they adapt, I think they do better than we do.

[Anonymous]

I lived in London when my twins were born. We traveled back and forth a few times over the years.

1) 18 months is a tough age because they are mobile without any common sense. Be prepared to spend many hours walking around in the galley or up and down the aisles.

2) Beg for the bulkhead if you can. But - they won't allow more than one lap child on the middle 4 seats across because of air pressure masks (there are only 5). So you should book a seat on either side of the aisle (and beg them to the bulkhead seats.)

3) Consider- and I know it's horrible - those backpacks with leashes for the airports. My 15 month old was a runner. At one point I was in the toilet (for my needs!) and she decided to crawl under partition and join the person in the next stall. Got the leash backpacks after that. Oy.

4) You are just going to have to expect some jet lag. The lucky thing is toddlers sleep a lot in general, so I found it less miserable than my own jet lag.

5) I hated overnight flights because no one really got any sleep and then everyone was miserable the next day. But if you do take an overnight flight, some bendryl or even ibuprophen can really help them sleep. I know it's terrible to drug your kids, but it make a huge difference to me. (Test the bendryl first to make sure it doesn't make them hyper.)

6) Beware of the double stroller rules - some airports won't let you gate check your big/heavy stroller anymore. Other airports won't let you collect your gate checked stroller at the arrival gate. This means you will have to carry or cajole your kids -- and ALL your carryon crap -- through the airport. Not sure what the solution is except possibly two very light/cheap umbrella strollers. When mine were 13 months old we ended up with wheel chairs for DH and me. We sat in them and held our kids through heathrow all the way to baggage claim. Embarrassing, but the only way we could seem to manage it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am flying to England in April with a 22mo old. Also not paying for a seat.

Something a friend told me when she went with her twins: She took the stroller all the way to the gate and then checked it. When she got to Heathrow she found out it had gone to baggage claim. Her and DH had to walk with a crying/tired toddler all the way to baggage claim with their carry on as well. She flew with Virgin.
I am going to be very specific in the fact I want my stroller to be waiting for me when I exit the plane.

I flew to NM in Oct and was nervous, flight went really well and DD did great. She is on a schedule at home too and sleeps 12 hours at night. Somehow they adapt, I think they do better than we do.

I am PP. Wont' work. It's the airport policy, unless something has changed drastically in the last few months.

[Anonymous]

We were not baby wearers at all, but we did borrow two of those ergo carries for the trip when the twins were 12 months - but yours may be too big for them by then? We would pace up and down the plane with them, so they could rest/sleep. I have to say, our lot NEVER sleep on the way back, only on the way so do prepare for that.

Since you are not buying them seats, I would look at the size of the plane also - it is easier in the larger planes where there are two aisles and bulk head seats.

I went to a toy store the week before and purchased lots of little things, so they would have new entertainment for the flight. Also, food, snacks ... lots of that!

We always arrive to our destination early in the morning - we try to encourage them (and us) to sleep a little on arrival (but not too much) and get them back into a normal routine that very night - bath, bed at the "new time". They do have a few "wakings" the first couple of nights but then they get back into their normal routine. Going home is easier in that regard - it is just a SUPER LONG day but at least you get home at bedtime.

(We are travelling to Europe in June to my brothers wedding also!!)

[Anonymous]

I know this isn't in the question, but would it be possible to have an adults only trip and leave the kids with your in-laws for the week?

[Anonymous]

Oh man, OP, I hope your brother appreciates your efforts here. I can't imagine have two toddler lap babies all the way to Europe and back. And the people seated next to you...just a crappy situation all around.

[Anonymous]

OP can you leave them here? I think it's awful to take them as lap babies at 18 months - I say this as some one who's flown a dozen or so times cross country with my 20month old. After 13 mons he was just too big & too wiggly to have him sit on my lap for 5 hours, I can not fathom having him on my lap for 9+ hours at this point.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you all for your comments - those are very helpful! It's good to hear that toddlers tend to handle the jetlag better than adults, because I don't handle it too well and was assuming it must be worse for the babies.

15:37, no absolutely not. For one, I would not leave my kids with anyone at this age, and secondly, part of the purpose of the trip is for my family to see the twins, and for them to meet their cousins.

15:39 - I don't think my brother really views it as such a big deal to be honest. He visited us with his 6mo last year, and will take his then 18mo backpacking in Mexico this spring (although his fiancée is the adventurous one, not so much him).

[Anonymous]

Can you spring for one extra seat for them? You could take turns having them sit in the car seat and trading off with your husband I think this could make this much more manageable

[Anonymous]

OP, a lot of alcohol for you and DH will go along way to helping on this trip.

-from another twin mom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you all for your comments - those are very helpful! It's good to hear that toddlers tend to handle the jetlag better than adults, because I don't handle it too well and was assuming it must be worse for the babies.

15:37, no absolutely not. For one, I would not leave my kids with anyone at this age, and secondly, part of the purpose of the trip is for my family to see the twins, and for them to meet their cousins.

15:39 - I don't think my brother really views it as such a big deal to be honest. He visited us with his 6mo last year, and will take his then 18mo backpacking in Mexico this spring (although his fiancée is the adventurous one, not so much him).

Flying with a 6moth old is the easiest thing in the world, an 18moth old nit so much so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you spring for one extra seat for them? You could take turns having them sit in the car seat and trading off with your husband I think this could make this much more manageable

OP here. I have contemplated that, and am wondering how much better it will make the situation. At $1,200 a seat, it's quite an investment... But still thinking about it.