Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

Ok, so we are thinking of going away with DS and i am beyond nervous about taking a plane. We decided to do a drivable vacation, but i read a lot of posts on here about all inclusive vacations that people have done, so i am tossing around that idea.

Ok, so obv i will pack food, formula, diapers and clothes.... i use powdered formula so i read that you can bring prefilled water bottles on the plane, but if needs be i will buy water once i check in.

I can always get a cheapy stroller and have it checked in at the gate, but what about a car seat? I still have the infant one, but should i buy the convertible one and bring it with me? what do i do to go from the airport to the hotel? did anyone buy a seat for their child and put them in the carseat on the plane?

Give it to me straight... what did you do, what shouldnt i do... kinda like a vacationing with infant for dummies!

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

It was super easy traveling with DS when he was that age. It is much easier to travel with an infant compared to a toddler. I also think it is easy to take formula.

My 3yo is not bad to travel with either.

Right now the 15 month old toddler is hard. He was a dream just half a year ago!

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

At that age we took DS to Aruba. Just in Jan we took both boys to Florida and the baby was 6 months and my toddler was 2.5.
Easier when they're young.
Aruba we were driven to the airport so had the carseat in our car. My dad took us and drove our car. I have a cab co. I use that has a carseat, but they're not required there either. Once we are at the timeshare we don't leave in a car or taxi. We walk everywhere. And mainly stay at the beach. Timeshare is great since there's a kitchen. We pack formula, wipes, diapers, snacks, clothes, dome toys, etc. On the plane we gate checked the stroller. DS at that age sat on our laps. You're allowed water bottles and other liquids if traveling with a baby. They just check it and we had no issues. Carryon had diapers, wipes, snacks, formula, bottles, etc.
No issues
The hotel or timeshare has cribs so we used theirs. On the beach we bought a cheap blowup pool and sat the baby in that with a little water. Also took a float for him that folds easy, but this way you don't have to hold the baby in the water. Oh, lots of sunscreen, a hat, swimmies,etc. You'll be fine.

Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

I took DS to FL at 4 months and it was the easiest trip ever. Flying - I bought empty bottles and the tubes of formula (makes a 4 oz bottle) I bought water on the other side of security. You can bring formula through but I just didnt want any extra hassle.

We gave DS a bottle at take off and one at landing and he slept the entire time.

I did not bring formula for the trip or diapers. I bought them there so less we had to lug with us. If you are traveling in the US I suggest doing this so you do not have more luggage then needed.

Check where you stay cause they might have a crib/PnP. Also look for companies that rent items. Travel light. Kids do not need as much as we normally have at home and will do fine with less.

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

We 1st flew with DS when he was 17 months but I imagine it being easier with an 8-10 month old. We bought a seat for our DS and he sat in his convertible car seat which was great. He napped over 1/2 the flight. We checked our regular stroller and it was fine, no need to buy a cheapie one.

You can bring anything you need for your child onto the plane. I brought a bottle with milk, his sippie, water bottles, all his meds (tylenol, advil) anything I would need, which were all liquid. He was eating solid foods and I make all his meals so I also had frozen individual portions of all homemade food for the trip. I had a separate cooler bag for this.

I had no issues. Just make sure that as soon as you get to security, you tell them that you have liquids for baby and they will check everything out.

Don't worry, it should be fine. And if your DC is not really mobile yet, even better

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

We went to The Bahamas when DS was 8mo. It was such an amazing trip!!! He had his own suit case full of clothes, diapers and baby food. I was BF, so we didn't have to pack any formula or anything. He slept straight through the plane rides and was such a good baby. I brought his infant seat and stroller and that was it. It wasn't a problem to carry it bc he was in it and actually made it easier getting through the airports. The hotel we stayed at did supply us with a crib, but he ended up sleeping between DH and I bc I was skeeved even with his own crib sheet.

That good baby is now an energetic 18mo and I would never ever dream of taking him on plane right now unless he was strapped into a carseat now.

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

We flew to FL when DD was 10 weeks old. We stayed in a hotel so we ordered a crib for the room in advance and also booked a room with a microwave so that we could heat the water to warm her bottles. She is on RTF formula so I brought enough for the first day and enough diapers also and then shopped at Walmart shortly after we arrived. We brought her infant car seat and stroller that was part of the travel system. We did not buy a ticket for her but there was plenty of room on the flight so we were given a seat (your DC must be seated by the window) and we didn’t have to keep her on our laps. Be forewarned that your DC must be taken out of the stroller and carried through security. You put the car seat and stroller through the scanner, which is a bit of a pain. As a pp said we gave DD her bottle at take-off and landing and she slept the entire flight. I think the drone of the engines and the motion actually helped her to sleep.

We are travelling to Ireland when DD will be 9.5 months and I am a little more nervous because they do not carry her formula over there and I will have to bring 24 cartons of RTF! The airline (Aer Lingus) does hold all of the bulk-head seating for anyone travelling with infants and they provide a cardboard crib-like box for babies to sleep in. A friend who travelled to South America said the airline she flew also had the same service. We are going to get the Cosco Seneca car seat which is supposed to be very light. This time we are staying with family and I am going to borrow a travel crib and high chair from friends. We are considering going to a Club Med resort at the end of the year, when DD will be around 1. Club Med offers "baby welcome" services, which is complimentary. Upon arrival, you will have a crib, bottle warmer, baby food, stroller, etc. all things you don't need to pack with you, and they also offer a baby-sitting service.

Re: Give it to me straight, vacationing with a 8/9/10 month old

We rented a beach house for 2 weeks when Sasha was 7 months. We drove and loaded up the car, had a full house and fridge-- and were able to hit up supermarkets, etc. To me, this is a very easy type of trip with small children.