Hi everyone

We have 4.5 month old twins and are about to fly 7 hours with them. They will be on bottles only. At 7 months (bottles and solids) we are going on a 20 hour, 3 flight trip. I'm after everyone's best tips! Thanks in advance.

Phoebe

Phoebe, make sure u book the twin bassinets for the plane. It's 4 seats with extra leg room and 2 bassinets that fold down. Absolutely perfect for Dh, mil, ds1 and I + the twins. They slept loads and they could sit up in the bassinets and watch people walk past etc throw some toys in there for them to play with. The noise and vibration is a bit like a car..they loved it and slept really well. at least 10 hrs each way of the 13hr flight.

I actually did not book the bassinets but Qantas took the liberty of reserving them for me both ways. I don't usually like Qantas but they were brilliant.

It was so easy..thinking back now but they were a bit older at around 8/9mths old. We recently came back from another trip to asia, only 8 hrs flight but it was much harder than when they were younger (15mths). Luckily the flight was empty coming back and they slept across 2 seats being a red eye flight. But going there was tough...day flight, full flight, sitting on our laps....8 hrs felt like 24hrs.

We brought along the whole can of formula, it's easier than using dispensers. We also changed formulas overseas and thankfully the twins adjusted fine.

We used ergo baby carriers a lot, especially getting on and off the plane. Try to have as little hand luggage as possible.

If u go to US, it's a bit of a nightmare with domestic flights...security is very strict. We couldn't have the twins in the baby carrier or the pram....it took awhile.

We received lots of nice compliments from other passengers on that trip.. I was as surprised as they were as I really did not really know what to expect as it was their first trip.

Have fun!!

Just wanted to add that I love traveling with the twins coz dh and I get a lot of bonding time with them. We do things with them we don't normally do because at home, it's like a bit of a military operation. Stuff like cuddling them to sleep on our lap and cuddling them whilst they are sleeping, co-sleeping, lots of baby wearing etc it's really nice and just impossible to do by myself but with dh it's great and we take turns with each baby. But they do develop separation anxiety when we get home but it's worth it.

I have never flown with my girls for that length of time. Just a couple of hours is all so I can't give you survival tips for something that long but are you aware that it helps the pressure in their ears if they are sucking during take off and landing. Have formula for them but also water in case they are not due for formula when you are taking off or landing. I would second the baby carriers thing. So much easier to be on and off the plane without having to worry about your hands full of them. Also, you can take your pram (if you are taking one) right through to the gate and hand it over there rather than at check in. It's a bit of a pain going through the security check because they go over it with a fine tooth comb (fair enough) but it will be worth it to have the pram with you for the couple of hours between checking in and boarding. It'll be a bit easier when you do the longer flight as you'll have them on solids. Make sure you offer them finger foods from as soon as they are able to hold them (around 6 months - in fact, if you are weaning them from then there's no reason to give them anything other than finger foods; they're well capable to feed themselves) so they are well practiced by the time you get to your 20 hour flight. Sucking on a rusk or something like that (cruskits are good too as are little vegemite sandwiches or rice cakes etc) will keep them occupied. Toys, toys, toys. Take their favourite one(s). Even don't let them play with their favourite(s) for a couple of weeks prior so it's all lovely and a novelty to them again.

watching with interest: we just booked flights to melbourne for boxing day, and even though its only 2 hours, I am still pretty anxious about it. They will be 1 and I hope they wont be terrorising the rest of the plane... I am secretly hoping they dont walk until after we get back from Melbourne LOL.

Haven't done longer than 3 1/2 hours with our two. Did fly the 1st time with them at 4.5 months. Mum had one(the quiet sleeping one) I had the crying one although the flight noise muffled alot. The girls were breastfed but I did take bottles of water and one had a dummy.

Definately use the baby slings. We used to check in the twin pram. Then when they got bigger 7months or more just bought a couple of strollers that we could take to the gate and easy to throw in a car and fit through doorways etc

As they got a bit older I booked late night flights as I found the flight so much quieter that the girls would often sleep a couple of hours at a time.

Do nappy change just before you get on the flight so that'll be one less change on the flight and take a couple of wraps/socks/beanies for the cold airplane.

Bag of fave toys and a couple of new ones. At least you'll have more food options as they get older.

Happy travels