Travelling Alone with Baby

I was wondering if anyone has experience travelling (US-UK) with a 9-month(ish)-old baby?

I have an opportunity to get in an extra trip back to America in a few weeks and DS will be around 9-months-old...I'm torn as to whether I'll be able to handle him on my own.

We use a sling/carrier quite often so that part of the trip won't be a bother.  DD will be 7 and she'll be coming with me...she's a big help as far as carrying bags or pulling wheeled suitcases, etc. 

DS is really close to crawling and he doesn't like to sit still for very long so I know it will be exhausting trying to keep him entertained.  He sleeps and eats well though so that part of it shouldn't be an issue.

I took a 5hr trip (roundtrip) alone with the kids a few weeks ago and it went ok but I'm just trying to anticipate how much he will change in the next few weeks before I commit to it.

Anyway...any advice or personal experience travelling with a child that age (even if it wasn't alone) would be helpful towards making the decision. 

When my eldest was 10 months we took a long flight. I found bringing his car seat on the plane was helpful in keeping him in his seat. The best part was that I didn't have to pay for the seat- the plane wasn't full so I just used the empty seat next to me!

I think allowing frequent walks up and down the plane should help get the wiggles out- most international flights have kids moves, even CBBeebies! I'll even fly a red eye flight so that the kiddos sleep for most of it! I hope it works out for you! Good luck!

I'm definitely used to seeing babies come crawling up the aisle, so if he wants to crawl I'd let him do it! Your 7 year old could even follow him around, which would keep her occupied as well.

Well I'm going to do it.  Eeeeep!!! :nervous face:

I don't envy you! I've travelled alone with one kiddo- but two! Your a super mom! Good Luck!

I have travelled along with both of my kids, this summer I brought Immi (5 months) and Noah (4.5 years) to my parents by myself, and I plan to do it again this summer. To be honest, its pretty easy! Its only one day of my life, and it will be over soon enough. Personally, I wouldn't let my little one crawl up the aisle of a plane, they are super filthy, I am not a germophobe at all, but its gross. I used a baby carried in the airport and I put my bags in her pushchair. I have never seen anyone bring a car seat on a plane, but everyone seems to say they do it, so I must just be on flights where no one brings them. When we flew to Florida in february, we had a bulk head seat and they brought us a skycot which we used on the floor as there was no hardware to hang it, BUT I would have rather been in a 4 across where we could have picked the arm rests up and Noah could have laid across, he was so tired on the way home.

Also, don't forget its illegal to use UK car seats in the US. You might not get arrested, but I would be afraid that my insurance wouldn't pay out
if there was god forbid an accident!

I won't be taking a carseat or pushchair (my niece is only 3 months older than DS so we'll be borrowing her PINK stuff for him from the airport  ).  We use carriers (I have several) all the time and I'm comfortable with carrying him in them and I'm pretty quick and efficient with taking them off and back on if I have to.

The trip back will be overnight so hopefully (*crosses fingers*) it won't be too bad.  Everyone thinks I'm crazy but even if it is horrible, I think the extra trip to see my family will be worth it.

I wouldn't let a kid crawl up and down the aisle because of unexpected turbulence.  There is no way a crawling baby would be able to withstand any sort of force in that situation. 

I wouldn't let a kid crawl up and down the aisle because of unexpected turbulence.  There is no way a crawling baby would be able to withstand any sort of force in that situation. 

Good point! I hadn't even thought of that.

I just posted in the pregnancy and parenting board about my horrible flight experience with a 6 month old in January, but even as horrible as it was (for me) it was worth it to see my family again! I'm making the trip again in November and I'm anticipating that one to be horrible as well, but I'm still looking forward to seeing everyone again. I used a car seat on the flight. I took one that attached to the pushchair so I could push him around the airport, it was really convenient. They just took the pushchair at the gate and I got it back when I got off the plane.