Have Baby, Will Travel

Traveling! Something we all desire. But is it really worth it if you’re bringing your little one(s) along? It can be! Throughout this entry I will discuss how you can make air travel with an infant more enjoyable for yourself and the others around you.

Step 1: Booking your trip

You can either book an extra seat for your child or they can sit on your lap. For our first trip we opted for saving some money and just took turns with the little guy. Surprisingly the flight was full, but no one was assigned to the seat next to us! We had plenty of room. I have read that it is best to book the window and aisle if you are traveling with someone else. Most of the time people won’t pick the middle seat and you may be left with extra space. In the instance that it does get booked, I am sure the passengers will be willing to switch one of you seats.

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Step 2: Packing for your trip

Babies require so much stuff! Try your best to bring the bare minimum so you’re not hauling your house/nursery through the airport. Other than clothes, some bigger items we brought included: the Pack ‘n Play , car seat and boppy. I was able to squeeze the boppy into his suitcase, but some mommas have suggested it for the flight. I definitely missed it while feeding him during the first flight. On the way home I brought it. For his pack ‘n play, we checked that with our luggage and the car seat at the gate. I bought a gate check bag to protect it. Best investment! Lastly, dress your child in something semi warm for the flight or bring a blanket. Don’t be like me and forget a jacket for yourself. Planes can be freezing! Luckily, I had one for the flight home. We dressed Grayson in a long sleeve onesie with cotton footie pants. I also packed a few changes of clothes in his diaper bag. You probably already know your diaper bag essentials, so I will leave that up to you!

Step 3: Airport and security

Get TSA pre-check if you can! The best suggestion I got from various other mommas was to wear your infant! Again, to save money we bought the infantino carrier and it was amazing. Such a good price and he loved it. I was able to wear him through security and on the flight. For formula feeding mommas, bringing powder and sterile water through security was so much easier than expected. We just notified them ahead of time and they pulled it aside to test. They stuck the sterile water in some crazy looking machine and we were on our way. To make sure this was allowed prior to travel, I contacted TSA. If you would like to read more about the regulations, do so here.

Step 4: Before the flight

I read mixed things on whether to feed before the flight or during takeoff. To be honest, we just fed him when he wanted to be fed. He eats every 2-3 hours right now, so this time he wanted to eat right before the flight. I also made sure to change him 5-10 minutes before boarding. I was so worried about him being content, I forgot to pack snacks for the hubs and I. So grab yourself something yummy too!

Step 5: The hard part

As we boarded the plane, everyone stared! I knew exactly what was going through a majority of their minds… “Oh great, there goes my nap!”, “How am I suppose to get any work done now?”, “ I didn’t sign up for this!”. Luckily, this flight was filled with kids, so we didn’t feel as bad. They had me take him out of the carrier for takeoff and hold him. So weird! You would think it would be safer for him to be strapped to me. When we took off we had Gray suck on his pacifier. You can also feed during this time. In fact, throw out any feeding schedule you may have. If needed just feed whenever they get overly fussy. Maybe not a whole bottle, but just enough to calm them. The other passengers will thank you. I also suggest being on strict diaper watch, so you can change it before they start fussing and so they don’t stink up the cabin. Do everyone else a favor and don’t change a number 2 in the cabin! The changing tables are actually not bad. Just bring a pad to place on it. For landing, also have them suck on something to relieve some pressure. If wearing a carrier, you will need to take them out again and hold them.

-We have accomplished our first two flights with a baby! Second trip is in a few weeks and hopefully it goes just as smooth. Traveling with a newborn was so much scarier than it should’ve been. Other than the fear of germs and him possibly getting sick, it wasn’t too bad! You got this mommas! Do you have any other suggestions for traveling mommas? What are your must have item(s) for travel?