BABY QUESTION: Wearing v. Stroller at airport

[katriscari]

We leave in 5 days. We have an 8 year old and a 10 month old. I have a stroller rental for when we get to the resort for our 10 night trip. I was thinking of just wearing the 10 month old while at the airport to stay hands free to help with our 4 personal item bags on the plane. We will be using the yellow tags for our checked bags, so those will not be an issue. I have an umbrella stroller as well, but it would need gate checked and just sit around the rest of the trip. I was not planning on brining it. I guess I am second guessing that thought. If you could wear baby (I have an Ergo) would you just do that? Would you lug the stroller too for just using it at the airport?

 

[brockash]

We leave in 5 days. We have an 8 year old and a 10 month old. I have a stroller rental for when we get to the resort for our 10 night trip. I was thinking of just wearing the 10 month old while at the airport to stay hands free to help with our 4 personal item bags on the plane. We will be using the yellow tags for our checked bags, so those will not be an issue. I have an umbrella stroller as well, but it would need gate checked and just sit around the rest of the trip. I was not planning on brining it. I guess I am second guessing that thought. If you could wear baby (I have an Ergo) would you just do that? Would you lug the stroller too for just using it at the airport?

My biggest concern would be what if you got delayed, rerouted (happened to us this past summer), or had an extremely long wait for ME. I would not want to be stuck having to have a human being attached to me at all times - I did enough of that when I was pregnant lol. If the baby was a little older (2ish probably) and walking well etc., then I might consider it, but I just don't think I could do it with a 10 month old. I'd just take the umbrella stroller for the airport if nothing else.

 

[kboo]

We usually bring both umbrella stroller and carrier (both for WDW and other trips). Also - remember that when you are going through security, you will have to take the baby out of the carrier, and not having a stroller will make that part that much harder. We just traveled with DD2 at 15 months, she's walking, and forgot the baby carrier in the car. We were using the umbrella stroller as a baby and carry on cart, and didn't realize we'd forgotten the carrier until after check in.

 

[Tink_83]

Are you bringing the baby's car seat? If so you can get those carts that allow you to wheel it around the airport... I believe you can still gate check the car seat like you would a stroller... (I'm assuming you did not get a seat for the baby...) anyway that could also be an option to look into. I was never into baby wearing so I can tell imagine wearing a 10 month old through the airport, but that's just me.

 

[katriscari]

Are you bringing the baby's car seat? If so you can get those carts that allow you to wheel it around the airport... I believe you can still gate check the car seat like you would a stroller... (I'm assuming you did not get a seat for the baby...) anyway that could also be an option to look into. I was never into baby wearing so I can tell imagine wearing a 10 month old through the airport, but that's just me.

Nope, no car seat. He is a lap child. I do not baby wear often either. I was attempting to not bring a stroller I woudl barely use, but it appears I should probably drag it along just in case he is not cooperating.

 

[Kelly014]

Do you have layovers? If so a stroller may be handy. Is baby mobile? If not it may not be a huge deal to wait things out on the floor so you get a break from baby wearing, but if that means chasing a crawling or walking 10 month old you might want the stroller. Are you the only one babywearing? If you have someone else who will baby wear too I would lean toward skipping the stroller because then you can just swap. I've always baby worn in airports and on the plane, it's just easier. If all else fails and you're stuck with a umbrella stroller you could wear baby and put some small luggage and bags on the stroller to help move things along

 

[katriscari]

Do you have layovers? If so a stroller may be handy. Is baby mobile? If not it may not be a huge deal to wait things out on the floor so you get a break from baby wearing, but if that means chasing a crawling or walking 10 month old you might want the stroller. Are you the only one babywearing? If you have someone else who will baby wear too I would lean toward skipping the stroller because then you can just swap. I've always baby worn in airports and on the plane, it's just easier. If all else fails and you're stuck with a umbrella stroller you could wear baby and put some small luggage and bags on the stroller to help move things along

No layover--direct 2 ish hour flight from home airport to orlando...
my husband could wear too
he crawls and tries to climb
he likes the stroller--but i rented a better stroller which is why i did not want this cheapie one just sitting around taking up space, needing to be gate checked, wasting time and hands, etc.
coming home we are also direct--

 

[kohlby]

We just baby wore and it made it so easy. However, I noticed you said that you don't babywear often so that can make a difference. I could babywear for 10 hours a day walking through the parks and it wasn't an issue so a delayed flight wouldn't be a problem. But if you're not used to it, then you could be happy you have the stroller. I could argue either side for you but I'd likely not take the stroller in that case still since your husband can wear baby too and your other child is old enough to not worry too much about likely.

 

[katriscari]

We just baby wore and it made it so easy. However, I noticed you said that you don't babywear often so that can make a difference. I could babywear for 10 hours a day walking through the parks and it wasn't an issue so a delayed flight wouldn't be a problem. But if you're not used to it, then you could be happy you have the stroller. I could argue either side for you but I'd likely not take the stroller in that case still since your husband can wear baby too and your other child is old enough to not worry too much about likely.

This is what I was thinking too. Knock on wood I have a pretty easy going baby....We could trade off wearing at the airports....my older one can help with a bag, etc. Baby is happy on the floor with a couple toys or eating cheerios, etc. I figured for less than 2 hours at the airport he would be ok....it would mostly be when we are walking around only....I would not sit there with him in the thing...just from car to our gate...removing him at security if I need to....right before we get off the plane until we are on ME.....etc...that is it....then when we get to the resort we immediately get our stroller from bell services....worst case scenario we get delayed, and we are transfering 20 lbs back & forth between my husband lol

 

[Belle83]

I would just baby wear and would not bother with an umbrella stroller. When we went to DL with DS, he was 13 months. I just baby wore at the airport and then we had a rented stroller delivered to our hotel. Super easy. For what it's worth, I never had to take the baby out of the carrier while walking through security.

 

[katriscari]

I would just baby wear. When we went to DL with DS, he was 13 months. I just baby wore at the airport and then we had a rented stroller delivered to our hotel. Super easy.

Thank you! This was my first plan lol

 

[Kelly014]

No layover--direct 2 ish hour flight from home airport to orlando...
my husband could wear too
he crawls and tries to climb
he likes the stroller--but i rented a better stroller which is why i did not want this cheapie one just sitting around taking up space, needing to be gate checked, wasting time and hands, etc.
coming home we are also direct--

I would skip the stroller then! We went when DS was 9 months and had a similar flight, he was in the carrier most of the airport and on the plane and it was no problem.

 

[scitti45]

When we took our 16 month old i wore her, and I'm not huge into baby wearing. We brought a cheap umbrella stroller with us just in case. We ended up throwing our stuff in the stroller to haul around the airport. But it gets crowded at the airport and on the tram? at MCO and wearing her was so much easier! She ran around at the airport while we waited for our flight. We rented a double for the parks.

 

[kboo]

.... For what it's worth, I never had to take the baby out of the carrier while walking through security.

I've flown extensively with both kids and am a babywearing pro - Every flight (over 25 for ODD and about 12-16 for YDD, international and domestic) I had to take the baby out of the carrier at security, and had to put the carrier on the belt to be scanned. If you are not nimble with the carrier, I would bring the stroller.

 

[kohlby]

I've flown extensively with both kids and am a babywearing pro - Every flight (over 25 for ODD and about 12-16 for YDD, international and domestic) I had to take the baby out of the carrier at security, and had to put the carrier on the belt to be scanned. If you are not nimble with the carrier, I would bring the stroller.

It's been a while for me - my youngest is 8 - but the rules for carrying baby through were different for me at different places/times. They never made me put the carrier through to be scanned. (But it was just a sling - not sure if that makes a difference). I had to take baby out and carry baby in my arms before, was able to keep baby in before, and had to have a baby walk through on his/her own as well if capable. My eldest had to do that before he was even a year. (Granted, he was enormous and walked early so they likely thought he was a lot older, but I was still surprised).

 

[kboo]

It's been a while for me - my youngest is 8 - but the rules for carrying baby through were different for me at different places/times. They never made me put the carrier through to be scanned. (But it was just a sling - not sure if that makes a difference). I had to take baby out and carry baby in my arms before, was able to keep baby in before, and had to have a baby walk through on his/her own as well if capable. My eldest had to do that before he was even a year. (Granted, he was enormous and walked early so they likely thought he was a lot older, but I was still surprised).

I last flew in February with a 5yo and a 15 mo old, and ... oh wait, that was the trip we forgot the carrier in the car. I think on that trip we walked through the scanner together. In January 2017 we had the carrier (a boba) and an umbrella stroller, and it was much easier to one-hand baby and stroller than to get the baby into the carrier. On and off the plane is, of course, a different issue. We'd usually pop her in the carrier while we were waiting to deplane. That was fun. (especially when baby was screaming at the indignity of it all). Then the one without the carrier would get more of the carry on bags off and get the stroller at the gate.

 

[littlebittyhouse]

Pop that baby right into the Ergo for sure! Sometimes you do get lucky at security and you can walk through wearing the babe. We are doing in November and my DD will be 2.5, I plan on wearing her in the airport(s) and bringing the carrier to the parks as well. I know she will nap easily and you can ride all the boat rides wearing your little!

 

[FredtheDuck]

When DD was that age, we carried in a bjorn her and used the stroller to haul carryons through the airport, around the rental car area, etc. Helped free up hands and if we needed the stroller, we had it.
Now I carry her in an Osprey Poco hiking pack. She was never super comfortable (she's a big kid and never liked being squeezed) in the Bjorn but she loves the Poco. We either check or leave the stroller at home. She's 1.5 now and luckily, travels a little lighter.