I'm flying into & out of Chicago Midway. The flying part isn't the problem. It's the lagistics of wrangling everything alone. Once I land & pick up car seats & such, I have to get from Midway International Airport to the L-Train platform (about 0.3 miles walk), ride the L-Train across town, get from the L-Train drop off to Union Station (about 0.4 miles walk), manuver around Union Station & get onto our Amtrak Train with......my 3 1/2 year old son (hopefully still wanting to wear his own little back pack of stuff), his car seat, 8 month old daughter, her car seat & stroller that her car seat snaps into, my back pack, my breast pump bag, daughter's diaper bag. I've got MOST of the lagistics down: she's in her car seat that snaps into her stroller with her diaper bag & my pumping bag in the bottom of the stroller. I'm wearing my back pack & son is wearing his (if not, it's in the bottom of the stroller too). DS might be tired but he can walk & hold onto my hand or the stroller to stay close. The BIG problem is HIS CAR SEAT!!
HOW in the WORLD do I drag HIS car seat along during all this?! Any suggestions?
Can I ask why you are not flying to where Amtrak is taking you. I would get a car service or cab to go from Midway to Union Station. Then get a red cap. There is no way that you can do that any other way. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Too bad you don't have a double stroller. That would solve the problems. I often did shopping and all kinds of things with the kids both in the double stroller. I used the top of the shades to carry all sorts of bulky items like 24 packs of toilet paper and paper towels. They can't be super heavy but those shades will hold a lot. They have metal inside that helps them expand down to cover the kids faces in the rain or when the sun is shining brightly.
Put your backpack on the stroller and wear his car seat like a backpack. Just loosen up the straps. It's uncomfortable, but can be done.
1. Travel light, but prepared!
2. you need only one bag a large back pack. (you did not specify how long you are staying or if you are checking baggage that will meet you on the other end)
-the one bag should contain all that you need for yourself and the two children. for the baby you need a small cooler bag usually fits two bottles for her milk or juice.
I'm assuming you have a medela pump they are wonderful arent they?..,but leave it! or pack it in your luggage. Medela makes a wonderful hand pump that is lightweight, easy to fit in the backpack as an alternative it runs at Target for about 30-something bucks..
Two more alternatives to taking the breastpump are: rent one when you get there from a company, mail it to the location ahead of time.
Inside the backpack you will need a foldable canvas bag like the ones they sell at Target for groceries. This bag you will need to take items needed out during the flight in case you can't put the large backpack under your seat or for other miscellaneous reasons!
You can put the diaper bag you may need in your checked luggage if you have any.
The care seat? uuummm. not sure what to suggest, are you traveling there for a visit, moving? Can someone meet you on the other side with an car seat? Maybe try a half booster seat....
