I hope you enjoyed the posts this week on flying with a baby. I thought it would be helpful to wrap up this series with a distillation of the mom-tested words of wisdom from the series.
- Don’t over pack, have a diaper/nappy bag with just nappies and wipes in it. That way you’re not digging through a lot of stuff just to reach the wipes. Pack a second bag with clothes, toys, etc. Don’t forget to pack a clean shirt for yourself. On one memorable occasion, BigB barfed all over me while we were boarding a flight from Seattle to London. 10 hours in a stinky t-shirt is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone else.
- Breastfeed your baby if possible, it makes managing feeding while traveling very easy. As Trish said, the moment her baby stirred on a flight she picked him up and fed him before he’d even woke up fully. Nursing put him back to sleep so the net result was he slept for the majority of the flights.
- If you’re traveling with a spouse or partner, agree to work together for the flight. If you start out arguing you’re likely to continue to do so for the entire flight. It doesn’t matter who packed or didn’t pack whatever or who got to eat their meal first the last time or who’s turn it is to change the baby!
- Expect to be awake for the entire trip. Even if the baby sleeps most of the time, you will constantly check her to make sure she’s comfortable.
- If the main purpose of your trip is to visit relatives and you’ll be mostly staying with relatives, book a couple of nights away by yourselves regardless of how short your trip is.
- People have babies all over the world and baby products such as diapers, wipes, etc are therefore available everywhere. Pack what you need for your journey plus the first couple of days of your trip. If you are visiting somewhere new, your mission on day one of your visit is to find a supermarket where you can buy supplies.
- Expect jet-lag to be difficult to manage with a young infant. Plan ahead on how you will manage it with your spouse, partner or host.
- If you have a long stop-over, check out rates at airport hotels. Being able to take a shower and relax in a private space is a great way to break up a long journey.
- Bring a roll of sticky tape!
- Remember that all flights have to come to an end. Even if your child is upset from take-off to landing, most people on the flight will be sympathetic to your plight and even if they’re not, you will likely never see those people again.
Related Posts
Flying with a baby: Pre-trip planning
Flying with a baby: On the flight
Flying With a baby: rrival and jet-lag.
Ten Tips For Flying Internationally With A Baby
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