US flight to Tuscany with infants

[thebulldog]

My new twin nephews will be heading to europe in early May as they turn 5 months old.
I don't have kids so looking for things to put into a care package to send my SIL to help prep for this.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

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[VillainV]

Are they coming to visit you? Are you looking for stuff to have on hand for their visit?

Or are you looking for stuff for her to bring with her on her trip? There really isn't anything that kids need for travel that they don't need at home....hopefully she has Pack N Plays, sheets, bottles/sippy cups.....If her kids are eating solid food, then maybe some travel high chairs like the Phil and Ted Lobster (those pack small).

[rupertpenny]

At 5 months they don't really need anything special for the plane ride.

[VillainV]

Feb 24, 2015 20:58:55 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

At 5 months they don't really need anything special for the plane ride.

Exactly.  A good gift, if she does't have them already, are Aiden and Anais muslin swaddle blankets (or really any high-end muslin swaddle, there are tons of brands out there).  They're perfect for travel because they're super-lightweight, and they can be used as a nursing cover, burp cloth, backup changing pad, to throw over the carseat on the plane so the baby can sleep in peace, or you know, as a blanket!

[thebulldog]

Thanks for all the quick responses.

Not visiting me (i am in US) but just traveling there and they have rented a house.

Will look into the swaddle thing.

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[pittpurple]

Are they bringing carseats? There are various options to make carrying/transporting carseats easier. There are logistical suggestions for the flight they might find helpful - do they formula feed?

I travelled on my own with my daughter when she was 7 months from Scotland to California and a few internal US flights. I found a system that worked really well for me was to have ziploc mini care packages - so I had several diaper change ziplocs with a diaper, a disposable changing mat (planes are gross!), a mini pack of wipes and a pack of antibacterial wipes for me. I also had mini feeding packages (I combination fed and she was weaned by then) so I'd have a pouch of food or disposable bottle of formula, a disposable bib and a mini pack of wipes. Everything disposable and packaged up so I didn't need to be in and out of my diaper bag a million times. Then as I travelled I could just throw things away as I went (yes, incredibly wasteful, but flights with a baby are something to be survived!)

5 month old babies are pretty easily entertained so I don't think there's much need for specific toys, etc though maybe something like one of these if they don't already have one (or two?). It was great for travel plus organising the toys for our stay.
www.amazon.com/Tiny-Love-Take-Along-Nature-Stroll/dp/B009GCRH7M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1424856230&sr=8-4&keywords=car+seat+toy

My daughter was obsessed with these sorts of things at that age, they're super convenient for travel as they clip on
www.amazon.com/Lamaze-Play-Grow-Freddie-Firefly/dp/B000I2Q0F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424856256&sr=8-1&keywords=lamaze

and nothing beats these!
www.amazon.com/First-Years-Learning-Curve-Teether/dp/B000V2Y5BW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424856294&sr=8-2&keywords=toy+keys

[potatopie]

Make sure she books bassinets with the airline! At that age, they'll sleep through most of the flight and the space to lay them down (and extra leg room) is absolutely necessary. As long as she's flying with someone else, they should be able to book two.

Ditto bring the carseats if they're renting a car. And I recommend baby carriers for the plane; better for getting through security and getting on/off the plane. Might also be a good idea if they're taking trains, as strollers would not be easy to maneuver in that situation or around old medieval towns.

So, to answer your question as to gifts:
1. disposable things like bibs, changing mats
2. packing cubes/cases (I use zippered clear ziploc-type bags to organize things)
3. carseat travel bags if they're bringing them
4. hand/pacifiers wipes
5. pacifier clips if they don't already have them

[thebulldog]

Really good advice. They are using formula to pp who asked.

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[pittpurple]

So then I'd suggest the single serve formula bottles, so much easier than finding boiled water and ending up with tons of dirty bottles