Fri, 02/17/2012 - 05:56 — Anonymous The prospect of traveling with a baby
is daunting — will he cry the whole time? Can I change him on the plane?
Will I have enough diapers? I just took my first trip with our 10-week-old
son and I was nervous about flying with a baby. But I found that, if you're
prepared, traveling with kids isn't all that different from traveling
alone. Here's everything you need to know to travel with baby. These 20
tips are sure to make your trip less stressful.Planning Your Trip*1. Pack
light and carry on.* We always try to pack light, but I was sure we'd have
to check a bag on our first trip with a baby. I was wrong. Elizabeth and I
fit everything for two adults and one baby into two carry-on rollerboards, a
diaper bag, and a backpack. We figured if we needed anything that we didn't
pack, we could buy it when we arrived. I'm so glad we did it this way. Who
wants to pay money to check bags, only to wait by the baggage claim with a
jet lagged baby?*2. Consider the time of day.* If you can, book your flights
for a time of day when baby is generally in a good mood. You probably don't
want to subject yourself (or your fellow passengers) to baby's 6:00 fussy
time.*3. Make sure necessities are accessible.* Pack snacks (for parents and
older babies), toys, adequate diapers, a bag for dirty diapers, wipes,
formula or breast milk, a blanket, and any other must-haves in an
under-the-seat bag so you can get to them at any time. Here's a list of
items to back when traveling with baby.image credit: mbrubekGetting to the
Airport*4. Arrive early.* This is true especially if you're traveling on
the weekends or during holidays. Give yourself an extra 30 minutes at the
airport to deal with any urgent situations that arise (blowout diapers,
anyone?). Travel with baby takes longer than traveling alone, no matter how
prepared you are. You'll feel less stressed if you give yourself plenty of
time.*5. Drive to the airport.* Our lovely friend was kind enough to drive us
to the airport at 6:00 am and we planned to take public transit on the way
home. Of course, our flight home was canceled and we were re-booked on a
later flight. By the time we got to our home airport, we had a cranky baby
with two cranky moms. Oh, and it was 10 degrees out. Taking the Light Rail
home, then walking 20 minutes with a screaming baby in freezing weather was
unappealing. Instead, Elizabeth took public transit home, got the car, and
picked up our baby and me from the airport. Having a car parked at the
airport would have been expensive, but it would have been worth it in our
circumstances.*6. Don't bring a car seat on the plane.* I highly recommend
wearing your baby and leaving your car seat in the car. Lugging around a car
seat is a hassle and you either have to check it (and risk it being tossed
around and damaged) or buy another plane ticket for your baby to have his own
seat. Just make sure your ride when you reach your destination has a car
seat.Going Through Security*7. Familiarize yourself with TSA's guidelines.*
These are subject to change at any time, so it's a good idea to review them
before each trip. Read TSA's Traveling with Children guide.*8. Wear baby
through security.* If you "wear" baby in a sling, wrap, or carrier like
the Moby Wrap or ERGO Baby carrier, you can leave him in there when you go
through security. I would highly recommend wearing your baby since it gives
you two free hands to carry luggage and put it through the x-ray machine. I
wore my little guy in a Moby and it was perfect. One thing to note: a TSA
agent might wipe down your hands to check for explosives.*9. Don't worry
about baby's footwear.* Children under 12 can leave their shoes on so
there's no need to remove baby's shoes or socks.*10. Prepare your liquids
in advance.* Make sure you have all of your liquids in 3 ounce containers in
a plastic bag, just as you do when traveling without kids. There is one
exception: If you're traveling breast milk or formula, you can bring larger
containers, provided you declare them to TSA officers. Learn more on TSA's
website.*11. Bring a baggie with ice for breastmilk.* If you're bringing
breastmilk through security you'll want to keep it cold. Instead of using
resusable ice packs (which I was afraid TSA might not allow) I filled ziploc
baggies with ice. That way, when the ice melted, or if TSA wanted me to dump
the ice, I could get fresh ice from any of the restaurants through
security.In the Airport*12. Ask for better seats.* Make sure, at the very
least, your family's seats are together. Better yet, get seats toward the
front of the plane so you can exit more quickly when you reach your
destination. Elizabeth asked if we could move closer to the front of the
plane since we were traveling with a baby and the gate attendant did us one
better — he gave us an entire row to ourselves! Thanks American
Airlines!*13. Know that not all restrooms are family restrooms.* I was
dismayed when we discovered multiple (huge) restrooms at DFW Airport without
changing tables. We wandered until we found a "family restroom" to change
the baby.*14. Change your baby often.* It's not easy to change a baby on a
plane since your choices are changing him on your lap or in the cramped,
dirty airplane bathroom. I recommend changing him often in the airport where
you have adequate room.*15. Grab a bite** near your gate.* If you have a
layover and need to grab a meal between flights, eat near your departure
gate. That way you won't be running through the airport with baby, trying
to get to your gate, when your meal takes longer than anticipated.*16. Feed
baby.* I found the time before and between flights was perfect for a quick
meal for my little one. I fed him more on the plane, but the pre-flight snack
insured he wasn't starving as we were boarding.*17. Preboard!* I was super
excited about my first preboarding experience and it was great. No rushing to
get to the front of the line or worrying that there wouldn't be room for my
carry-on in the overhead bins.On the Plane: Flying with Baby*18. Make sure
baby is fed.* A hydrated, well-fed baby is a happy baby. Nervous about
breastfeeding on the plane? Forty-five states have laws that allow women to
breastfeed in public, but people have been known to complain about
breastfeeding moms on planes. If you're traveling with another adult or
child, have him sit in the middle and you can take the window; it will give
you more privacy. You might also want to bring a Hooter Hider or blanket to
cover up (but don't feel like you have to). I didn't have any problems
breastfeeding on any of the four legs of our trip.*19. Nurse during take-off
and landing.* Sucking on something can help keep baby's ears clear so
he's not in pain during the flight. If you're not breastfeeding, offer a
pacifier or your (clean) finger.*20. Have a plan for changing baby.* No one
wants to have to change a baby's diaper on a plane, but any parent knows
that blow-outs happen at the most inconvenient times. Be prepared in case it
happens to you — where will you change baby? What will you need? How will
you handle the logistics? Here are some tips for changing baby on a plane.
*21. If baby cries, don't fret.* Our little one was great on the way to our
destination and cried much of the way back. He refused to nurse or take a
pacifier and none of the usual tricks worked. For the most part, people
around us were sympathetic; many of them had been in our position before. And
the white noise of the plane helped drown out his cries. I found it was
easiest to change my baby on my lap.Traveling with a baby and flying with
your baby doesn't have to be overwhelming. Just follow these tips and
you'll be prepared for whatever the airlines — and your little ones —
throw at you.*Do you have any tips for traveling with a baby or flying with a
baby? Add them in the comments!*/Note: This post contains affiliate links,
which help us provide great, free content. Thanks for your support!/
