HOW TO TRAVEL WITH A BABY
As of this Sunday, my 9 month old baby will have been on 9 flights. I have family in California and Toronto so I tend to travel quite a bit – there’s always a fun occasion and I don’t want to miss out! Our first plane ride was a 6 hour flight to Boston and then a 3 hour drive to Connecticut when Liam was 6 weeks old. As you can imagine, I’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help keep flying as smooth as possible with a baby attached to me. I’ve made mistakes and I’ve gotten lucky so I’m here to share with you what I’ve learned along the way. I’ve also linked to all my favorite products.
Bring the stroller through the airport (we have the Uppababy Vista which I am obsessed with). You can throw your bags in the bottom, your baby in the seat and they will gate check it for you. Since most airlines let you board first, you’ll have time to fold the stroller to gate check it. You can also walk your baby around the terminal before boarding if it’s during their naptime (I often use the white noise on Spotify and throw it near the seat and cover it with a burp cloth to mimic his sleep environment at home). Your stroller will get scratched, so if you care to keep it in pristine condition then bring a protective bag. Also, stay on the schedule as much as possible. If your baby eats at 6:30AM, 11:30AM, 3:30PM and 5:30PM (Liam’s bottle schedule), stay as close to it as possible while offering snacks in between (so many snacks). Same goes for naps.
Speaking of sleep (the number 1 goal for basically any parent), book your flights at appropriate times. I try not to travel before 9AM and after 4PM because it will interact with Liam’s wake up and bedtime. However, do what you have to do. When it is Liam’s “scheduled” nap time, I will try to help him nap. Whether that’s walking around the airport terminal, rocking him while holding him on the plane, I try to do what I can to get his nap in. Sometimes it’s 15 mins, sometimes its an hour. This way when we land it’s not an absolute disaster. That being said, there will usually be at least one meltdown on a travel day. Which brings me to my next point…
Travelling with a baby is hard and tiring, there is really no way around that. But focus on the fact that you are able to share your favorite places or new parts of the world with your baby!! That’s so exciting! Travel days aren’t the most fun, but were they before anyways?? Do things to make it easier like: buying an extra seat if you can afford it, bringing tons of snacks, allowing a little more screen time than usual, and ideally travelling with an extra set of hands. However, this weekend will be my third solo flight with L and it hasn’t been as bad as I expected. Also, if it’s an afternoon flight, order a glass of wine. Actually, do that any time of the day.
In terms of gear, I like to bring the stroller, a carrier so I can have my hands during the flight, toys (this rattle is my fave), snacks (this brand is my fave), diapers and wipes, bottles with formula pre-portioned, a soother and a second change of clothes. But honestly, if Liam is dirty on the plane I don’t really care. It’s not my goal to keep him looking spic and span. I’m more concerned about his well being, his diapers, and if he naps. A little orange stain from a carrot won’t keep me up at night.
Bring as little as possible. You don’t need 3 outfits a day for your kid if you have a washing machine (yes, you will likely do laundry almost every day on vacation). If there is a crib provided by the hotel or rental company, GET IT. If your cousin’s sister’s friend has a high chair you can borrow while you’re there, take them up on it!! If you have an infant car seat that clicks into your stroller, leave the stroller seat at home and rough it for a few days. If you have to bring your massive carseat, borrow someone’s travel stroller. I am all about keeping things as minimalist as possible while still being prepared. I use packing cubes so that I can keep Liam, mine and Peter’s stuff straight and so that when I get home it’s easy to unpack.
Everyone says this – but pacificer, bottle or boob on the way up/down. It helps their ears, but don’t force it if they seem fine!
Our flights have been under 8 hours and have only been between the US and Canada. This summer, we’re heading to Europe and I’m sure we’ll be in for a whole new adventure (and updated blog post for travelling internationally!!)
Any tips for us?? I hope this helped! xo