Flying With a Toddler, Part 1: Pick Your Stroller

I'm planning on flying to Vancouver with Audrey on Thursday. Audrey's done more flying than my 40-year-old brother has done in his lifetime. I myself am a pretty seasoned flyer. But this is the first time with just Audrey and me. Usually my husband comes with. I'm a little panicked. So I'll post a few tips when travelling with a toddler throughout the next weeks.

Tip 1: Travel with an umbrella stroller

When Audrey was born, our only extravagance was the red Bugaboo Frog. We thought it would be great walking the dog at the beach and around the neighbourhood (and it was and is), but its collapsibility was killing me when travelling, not to mention while storing at daycare. (More about that in a later post.)

So I went out and bought a Maclaren.

I don't regret buying the Frog, but I will say that tooling around town in my new Maclaren Quest is a dream while shopping, and the breakdown a breeze. I'm sure it will be a hit when walking up to the plane. The Frog breaks down in two extra parts. We didn't want to bother with the travel case so we strap the seat to the frame before we board the plan. That's ok for my husband but it will be a big pain in the butt when I'm by myself dealing with a toddler. I also won't need to hassle with reassembling the stroller when leaving. Or be concerned that the wheels will be in Toronto while the seat will be in Vancouver.

More travel tips in the weeks to come...