Orbit trivia and other resources:
(below) Steven Spielberg strolls with step
daughter Jessica Capshaw in Central Park
with their Orbit Infant System.
Travel Tips
It used to be that summer was exclusively family travel season.
But in this day and age with varied schedules, work demands and red hot travel deals, families travel extensively all year long.
Co-founders of Orbit Baby, Vivian Chiang and Joseph Hei have virtually made a career out of traveling with their two young daughters, Chloe and Zoe.
And while at first thought the notion of toting all the things a family of four needs through an airport may seem daunting, Joseph and Vivian have gotten their act down to a science.
Below are the couple's top 8 tips for safe and sane travel with babies on airplanes.1. Pack lightly, with travel-safe baby items. We like to take pre-mixed formula bottles and disposable nipples, like the Enfamil Lipil bottles. A handful of ziplocks can also save you from a lot of hassle, and often the stewardesses won't take a poopy diaper from you without a sealed plastic bag. You should be fine traveling with liquids, but be sure to keep them in accessible baby bag pockets, as you'll have to fish them out for security.
2. Travel with a backpack and a stroller-docking baby bag. It makes a huge difference if you can keep your hands free as you navigate your stroller through a busy airport. We keep all of our baby stuff in the Orbit Cargo Pod, which easily attaches to the bottom of the Orbit Stroller, and throw the rest of our 'grown-up' stuff in the backpack. That way, we can stroll up to the gate hands-free, pull out the Cargo Pod with one hand, and throw it over a shoulder for the plane ride.
3. Purchase bulkhead seats for yourself and your child seat. It's safer for your baby and more restful for you to purchase a separate airplane seat for your child, and most airlines will sell you a discounted ticket. The bulkhead seats are definitely preferred, as you'll have more space for a car seat and no passengers directly in front of you to bother.
4. Check the fold-ability and dimensions of your stroller and car seat. Airport security can be a huge pain without a stroller and car seat that can fit through the x-ray machines. We love that we can undock our car Seat, fold our stroller base with one hand and put them both sideways on the conveyer belt, all while holding a baby. We like to keep our strollers with us to check at the airplane gate so that our babies (and arms!) can relax as long as possible.
5. Use a car seat that can dock on and off of a stroller. After strolling to the gate, a convertible seat will allow you to undock the seat from your stroller and board the plane without disturbing your baby.
6. Try to plan around your child's temperament. If you know when your child tends to nap, be at their crankiest, and be the most hyper, you can plan your trip around their schedule. We like to plan shorter road trips for Chloe and Zoe's nap times, and make sure they'll be in a good mood for the longer ones.7. Pack healthy kids snacks. When kids just want something to munch on, sugary snacks can make them way too hyper for car seats and airplanes. Individually packed baggies of crackers, grapes, and carrots work well. Sometimes I save a small treat for Chloe, but I save it for the end of the trip when we don't have too much longer to travel.
8. Bring distractions. Invest in a good portable DVD player and some of your child's favorite movies. These can keep your child distracted during that critical travel time. I also like to pick out a couple toys or books that Chloe has never seen before, so that it takes a little longer for her to get bored.
For a slideshow of the Orbit Infant System around the world please visit: Orbit Baby
