bridie

getting quite anxious now, having managed not to think about it for so long

two weeks until we go to the UK, just me and DD who is just under 2.

not sure how i'm going to manage 2 x suitcases, hand luggage, stroller and DD all by myself at the other end....

please anyone who's already done it, let me know it's not as bad as i'm expecting

moneypenny20

Ask a porter guy to give you a hand and give him a tenner. There's always loads standing around doing sod all and I assume that's what they're there for. It would only be from carousel to family. Failing that, shove daughter in the hand luggage compartment of the trolley, load up the trolley with the buggy on top and go for it

bridie

yes, good idea, better arm myself with some £££s before I go!!

comet555

May I ask why so many suitcases? Do you really need to bring that much with you?

If you only had one suitcase, a backpack and one other carry on bag it would be much simpler. If needed you could push a stroller with one hand and pull a suitcase with a carry on strapped to the top of it.

If you really do need to bring that much stuff then I would suggest getting some sort of hip carrier that is suitable for a toddler. That way you could pull 2 suitcases behind you, wear one backpack and then buy a couple of big buckle straps to strap the carrone on bags and stroller (if it's a small collapsible type). You could manage to do that if you had your toddler in a hip carrier.

Of course it is a lot easier if you could just pay someone to help you get out to a taxi. Personally though, I've travelled alone with the kids before and the key (for me) is to not carry so much stuff. I usually only use one suitcase plus a backpack, plus my daughter (who is 5) has her own little backpack.

Broad Shoulders

although I didn't do it alone, my wife and I had a child each to contend with along with 3 times the amount of luggage you refer to, it really isn't easy. I would suggest dumping the pram unless you think it will be essential once you are in the UK.
We bought a backpack/child carrier for the littlest (2), which proved to be an amazing buy for us. We didn't bother with the pram, thank god, as our oldest (3) just walked once we got everywhere.
I would strongly suggest getting one of these backpack carriers as it it will allow you to put all your luggage on a trolley then have the little one on your back, which you couldn't do with a pram.
We just bought a crappy second hand 10 quid pram when we got to England for the older one but hardly used it, then we dumped it before coming back.

good luck!

comet555

I agree with Broad Shoulders. With the amount of luggage you suggest plus the pram something has gotta go. The easiest thing probably would be leave the pram as long as your child would tolerate a backpack or hip carrier.

Paying someone to help you is easy enough once you get outside the airport. The problem area though is once you've picked up your luggage you have to lug it through quarantine and outside the airport. Which is definitely not easy to do by yourself, unless of course you have both hands free because your child is in a carrier.

Broad Shoulders

that is definitely the hardest part of the whole journey; in the airport. Especially these days where you have to empty your on board luggage in the airport between stops every 5 metres! We had the kids run off through customs without us, twice!

comet555

I haven't done it alone either (haven't been brave enough with the two little ones!). But I can say that the last time my husband and I made the trip from Canada one of us was responsible for the luggage (all 7 pieces) and the other had both kids. With two people it's easier because you can use the luggage trolley and fit everything on it.

I have made smaller journeys by myself and it's still not easy moving the stuff through the airport. Sometimes they don't even allow you to bring the pram/stroller to the gate (depends on the airline). So if I were travelling by myself I would either bring the stroller and one piece of luggage and a backpack, OR use a carrier and bring more luggage . The problem is my 2.5 year old would never ever stay in a carrier and wouldn't have even when he was between 1-2 years, so that wouldn't have worked for me. So that's why we always carry the minimum amount of luggage we have to.

moneypenny20

She'll be being collected (presumably) so it will only be from luggage carousel, through customs and out the door to the waiting family.

comet555

Yes, I understand that. But that is absolutely the hardest part of the journey!

Getting from the gate and through customs is pretty easy, all you have with you is your carry on bags (which is enough). I know it's not a far distance but having two suitcases several carry on bags and a pram is a bit unmanageable unless you happen to have 4 arms!

As I said it's not a far distance but having done a lot of recent travel with two kids under 5 I can tell you there is no way I would bring that many bags plus a pram. I'm sure some nice stranger would probably help push your stuff through but it's just not something I would count on.

What I would suggest is for the poster to put their child in the pram and collect all the luggage they are planning on bringing. Then, see how easy and how far you can pull your two pieces of luggage plus carry on while it's empty. If it's too difficult then I would give something up, probably the stroller.

Broad Shoulders

easy!

CEM

Yes. I did it on my own with three under 6. I was dreading it, but once I'd dumped the luggage it was much better than I'd expected! I had a backpack for the two year old which was great as it meant I had two free hands for the other two.
I took lots of little toys the girls hadn't seen before, which kept them entertained when they weren't watching the tv, and we had a night flight which meant they slept for a large part of the journey (the only problem was that when they were all asleep, I couldn't move!!).
I'd just say expect the worst and hopefully it'll be better than that!
Good luck.

bridie

yes

the thing that worries me if i dont take the stroller... how do i keep DD "contained" so to speak while I'm trying to get my suitcases off the carousel? dont fancy the idea of her running off or disapearing into the inevitable crowd....

i wasnt going to take the stroller BUT on top of the above i also thought I could have it with me during our stop over, otherwise i'll be carrying her and she is a bit on the heavy side these days. i'm not sure how it works, if i have to check it in then yes, wont bother taking it.

i was hoping to have one case BUT i know friends and family have presents for her and even on the way out it's going to be a squeeze getting both our stuff in one case, let alone on the way back.....

moneypenny20

What about one of those child/parent straps (look like dog leads) and tie the parent end to the trolley. There will always be a helpful man who will get your bags off if you can't find a porter. That's what men are for Failing that, I'm sure that bit at the handle part would hold a child (especially if you tie her to it with the strap

Reading that back it sounds like I'm being really cruel but you know what I mean I did first born (would have been just over 2) from a weeks holiday whilst pregnant with tiddler, with my SiL and her 3 and 7 year old and we had to get down to the last train of the night. Can't remember any problems unless it was so horrific I've erased it from the memory bank

comet555

I was just thinking about a wrist strap as well. You'd have to try it out first though to see how your child reacts.

I tried one a few times with my son and all he did with it is lay down on the floor kicking and screaming, so it didn't go over too well though. It seems to work with some kids though and if it worked it would keep them close to you while you were waiting.