Strategic and Skillful Preparation
Remember your twins’ feeding schedule when booking your flight. At three months, our twins were relying exclusively on breast milk for their nutrition, every three hours. As a twin-nursing Mommy, if I went much longer than three hours without relieving breast pressure/milk accumulation, my breasts would have encroached and/or exploded on neighboring seatmates. By necessity, my dairy-strength electric breast pump was declared carry-on number one. Airline security staff was highly curious as to what exactly the stylish, yet suspiciously mechanical, black bag contained. Once we revealed its non-sinister nature, it was rapidly returned to my care. Especially when I described that the “liquids” (evident through x-ray) were bottles of breast milk, so that when we hit our layover, hubby could tandem bottle-feed them in the double stroller while I pumped out the supply for the next feed. With twins, sometimes revealing a bit too much information can work to your advantage!
I was surprised to discover that airport restrooms rarely have discreet in-stall outlets. As a first-time-twin-traveling nursing neophyte, I wore a comfy pullover. In order to double pump my breasts, I had to pull the front of my sweater over my head and behind my neck so that my hands were free to hold the noisy, churning, sucking funnels in place while I non-chalantly gazed at a paper towel dispenser. The spectrum of reactions was hysterical. Ranging from the sympathetic reassurances of those who had been in my shoes (or funnels), to the squeamish moms who shielded their young son’s eyes, to the loudly-articulated biology lecture my conspicuous presence inspired, that twenty minutes was without doubt my most memorable pumping session. Short story long: Wear a front closure shirt.
You will need to change your twins’ diapers before, and quite possibly after, they’ve had their meal. Most airport restrooms have a single changing table. It’s a popular destination. You may have to wait in line. Don’t even think about hauling both babies into the restroom simultaneously. Let hubby or your co-traveler keep one entertained in the stroller while you change the other, then flip flop.
Anything you can do
to keep your parental
stress levels low will
help in keeping your
twins stress-free --
essentially the key
to pleasurable air
travel with two babies.
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In the weeks before your trip, try to look at your day-to-day activity with fresh eyes. Note key items that might be useful in making your vacation time more relaxing and safe for your twins. (e.g. things like nightlights, portable CD players with familiar night music, your nursing pillow, special “cozies”, are easily overlooked, but can be very helpful in reducing your twins’ away from home stress.) Plan on purchasing diapers, food, sunscreen and the like upon arrival at your destination. You’ll have enough to haul without adding the weighty and space-occupying sundries that are easily acquired anywhere to your packed bags.
Determine if laundry facilities are available at your vacation destination. If so, pack lightly, knowing you’ll do wash. Even if your twins are boy/girl (as ours are) pack plenty of outfits both can wear.
Think about what you have implemented in your home for safety. Will you want to take along some outlet covers, toddler-proof doorknob covers, a pack-and-play for “containment” and safe play? We typically rented cribs, but at twenty-seven months, we had a bad case of the climbers. We packed crib tents in Daddy’s golf bag.
What will you want at arms length during your flight? Those items form the foundation of your in-flight diaper bag. You may decide to upsize your regular at-home diaper bag to an as-big-as-airline-will-approve carry-on.
What was in our diaper bag for our three-month-old twins’ air adventure?
1.) Diapers/Wipes/Vaseline. (More than we thought we’d need of all three. Air delays happen.) A changing pad rounded out our diapering supplies
2.) Burp cloths and bibs. (To mop burp cheese, vomit and basically absorb any/all bodily output.)
3.) Gas drops and infant Tylenol. Adult Advil.
4.) Pacifiers and spares. (Altitude fluctuations impact infant ears dramatically. Sucking not only provides comfort in a new and unusual situation, but relieves that ear discomfort. Suck ‘em if you got ‘em. If your wee ones are non-binky babies, have a bottle standing nearby for the take-off and landing, or encourage them to suck on your finger. If you are a nursing mom and feel comfortable nursing in-flight, go that route. We always nursed tandem at home. I did not think that I, the babies or my seatmates would appreciate the cramped quarters. We used pacis.)
5.) A spare set of clothes for each three hours of travel time per baby. We packed unisex outfits even though our twosome is boy/girl. That way, if one culprit had two diaper malfunctions, he/she wouldn’t be forced to cross-dress as a consequence.
6.) Lots of toys and small books. We read aloud throughout flight, and traded toys and books back and forth between each other. Entertained babies are courteous babies.
7.) Anti-bacterial wipes. (For cleaning our hands, the babies’ hands, and public changing tables prior to use.)
8.) Our wallets, cell phone, emergency phone number list, sunglasses, nutrition bars and breath mints. (True confession: I stashed a lipstick in there, too. The last thing I wanted to do was add a purse to the mix. Vaseline doubles as a wonderful lip gloss...I snitched a swipe of the babies’ booty protectant.)
9.) Our tickets, itinerary and photo IDs were easily accessible in front pocket.
Last, but far from least, we had stoked our secondary carry-on (the breast pump storage bag) with bottles of milk; enough for one feed more than anticipated, in case of delays.
More on Traveling with Tots
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Surprisingly enough, the contents of our diaper bag changed little when we traveled again at fifteen and twenty-seven months. The breast pump was no longer a necessity, but more books and solid foods/snacks were. You will be able determine the imperative contents for your family’s diaper bag based on your twins’ age and unique needs. The above should just serve as a leaping point.
You’re all packed? How will you handle your trip to the airport? Will Mommy, twins in stroller, and bags all be dropped off curbside, while Daddy parks the car in satellite parking and removes car seats if needed? That’s what worked for us, but you may have an alternate plan. The specifics aren’t too important, but to have a pre-discussed plan is.
Anything you can do to keep your parental stress levels low will help in keeping your twins stress-free -- essentially the key to pleasurable air travel with two babies. You can prepare as best you can. You can be ready for the situations you can anticipate, but there will be those you can’t. Try not to lose your cool when the unexpected happens. Traveling with twins is fraught with unpredictable, unforeseeable surprises. Despite all best intentions, flights are delayed, even canceled. Children “hit the wall” or get sick at inopportune times. Try to relax, and do your best to roll with the punches. Babies can sense your calm -- or stress -- and will mirror your attitude. If you sense your children starting to “wig out”, step back and see if you are starting to “wig out.” Breathe deeply. Speak slowly, softly and soothingly. You may diffuse the pending dual-detonation by modeling the behavior you desire from your kids.
Whatever you do, don’t let the fear of twin-induced turbulence deter you from air travel. Armed with your carry-on of airline awareness and your suitcase of skillful preparation, your friendly skies will likely prove smooth sailing indeed!
© 2006, Cheryl Lage
adapted from Twinspiration: Real-Life Advice from Pregnancy through the First Year, Taylor Trade Publishing, 2006