First Flight? Actually Helpful Baby Travel Tips
Ready to travel with your infant or toddler? Whether you have done it or not, here are some things to consider!
The two travel tips I kept hearing when preparing for our first flight were:
Nurse/feed baby during takeoff and landing
Pack extra clothes for baby
Yes, AND? That’s it? After completing the first flight, I realized those were the LEAST helpful things! There were way more helpful things that I figured out through trial and error/the hard way that made our first flight and the ones thereafter much more enjoyable. Several of these tips have also been vetted by friends and family as well - they found them helpful and I hope you will too!
Pack in your carry on luggage:
Noise canceling headphones with travel case for infants/toddlers - to help with sensory overload, improved sleep quality during flight (We like BANZ)
Two muslin swaddles - 1. to block light and distractions during feeding and sleep 2. place this over the parent who is holding baby to help with sweat - it can get HOT holding an infant on a full flight
2 Extra sets of clothes for baby
1 extra set of clothes for each parent
Toy straps - to secure toys to your wrist, carrier, stroller to prevent lots of drops (or throws…) to the ground
Diapers/Diaper Bag:
Event though we normally use DYPER bamboo diapers which are more eco friendly, they can sometimes not do great when huge amounts of liquid are consumed so when we travel we use Pampers Pure - think about this when you travel. Example: if you use cloth diapers, will you use them or try disposable?
Pee pads/Chux/Waterproof disposable pads: Whatever you call them, these are NECESSARY for airport and airplane bathroom diaper changes. I recommend the larger size so you can use one to cover the whole changing area. DEFINITELY pack more than one. I recommend 4-5 if you can fit them
Gloves: Just one or two pairs of disposable medical grade gloves. Just…trust me on this one. You never know. I used them to change poop diapers at the airport & in case of blow outs.
Any favorite stuffed animals (and a backup). I highly recommend getting your child used to more than one stuffed animal because you never know when you might lose one or leave It somewhere or it falls off a boat or gets stollen in a mall (this really happened to me as a child)….etc.
Food/Formula:
Food:
Pack more than you think you need
precut items for small babies to the size they need
don’t use the trip as a time to: introduce new foods, work on chewing or holding something new - in fact, I sometimes cut items into easier sizes to eat than I knew baby could handle just to be safe. You don’t need extra stress while traveling
Know that the distractions while traveling may cause baby to eat less at a time, but more frequently
Try not to pack anything that will have juices or liquids leaking out
It’s okay that travel day includes a little more of something (I.e. formula?) than your child usually has or a little less of something (I.e. veggies?). You just need to get through the flight/travel.
I don’t advocate for tons of pre-packaged baby food, but if you are 80/20 like we are, our 20% includes travel. We (almost) exclusively use Serenity Kids brand (code BBALANCED for 15% off your first order) if we use pouches.
Think about things your baby could eat at an airport should you run out of food due to a delay (avocado? toasted bread? rice? fruit plate? cheese? etc). Just think about this AHEAD of time so in an emergency you aren’t feeling as panicked
Formula
get one (or two) stainless steel water flasks/bottles that keep water warm for 12+ hours - in case of delay etc and long flights etc so you don’t have to ask for hot water to warm your bottles in - it’s faster
we pre-measure formula in one of these formula towers; while I try to minimize plastic use, these are a LIFESAVER for travel and/or childcare, honestly! 80/20 people.
make sure to pre-measure more “pucks” (what we called each layer of the tower) than you think you’ll need in case of spillage, delays etc.
If you cannot ship formula ahead with you, carry the rest in your check in luggage; breakdown the boxes to save space, but keep one box flattened in the suitcase. Label each unmarked formula bag (especially good tip for European formula) with what’s inside and place it in a large ziplock to prevent drama if something pops or rips open.
Basically, when a bottle needs to be made, pour the warm water into the bottle, open the cap of the top “puck” of the formula tower and pour it in. The tapered funnel top is key, because it prevents formula powder from flying everywhere. Quickly close the water and formula and then shake your bottles - perfectly warm, delicious formula ready in seconds!
use bottled water (from my research, Fiji is best for babies but any will do) if you run out of the water you bring form home
to heat a bottle on the fly, you can ask a restaurant or flight attendant for a cup of hot water for tea and use this to dunk the bottle to warm it up (make sure it’s not boiling hot).
If you pre-heat water to bring or pre-make the formula, the security people WILL test your liquids so ASK THEM TO CHANGE GLOVES BEFORE DOING SO or ask to handle the bottle yourselves (they likely won’t let you so ask for a change of gloves). They should NOT stick anything into the liquid, just hover it above the open containers.
Think about how you’re going to do bottle dishes and dry them on the other end. Boon makes a travel bottle drying rack that comes with brushes and nipple brushes. It folds up nicely and is a good size. They also have this countertop drying rack, at a quarter of the price, but it’s not as sleek for travel.
Entertainment:
wipeable, washable simple baby books that are thin and unable to be torn; if your kid loves to read and it holds their attention buy one of these!!
can also hole punch the corner for at toy strap to go through it
Bag of Tricks
Dollar store is your best friend for this
Dollar spot at Target is my FAVORITE place to get low cost items that will not hurt my heart if they get lost, thrown into the oblivion of under the seats of the airplane etc.
Toiletry bag - I try to make sure almost all of my items fit Into a medium-large makeup bag that is NOT see-through. That way there is some mystery…!
1 year and below: 1 item/activity every 30 min or so; reuse once you’ve gone through them all. An activity can count as chewing on a teether, handing over a bottle cap, having a kid put pom poms into an empty water bottle, etc. (Note: please keep your eyes on your child the entire time and make sure you only pack activities that are safe for your child)
1-3 years: 1 item per 15-20 min, activities can be more concrete and have a beginning middle end; For 2+ you can involve them in picking out some items and keep some a surprise. You might even encourage them to carry a small backpack of their activities.
Keep things small, toss-able and as compact as possible
The idea is that you have some novel item come out every 15-30 minutes depending on age… and if it falls on the floor, gets ruined, etc it’s FINE because it was minimal cost.
We placed everything into a makeup bag (sans makeup) and it fit easily into our carry on or was easy to move to my purse to have easy access to
Some of our favorite items:
small magnetic boards (this Eric Carle one was a favorite!)
mini magnadoodle for no mess drawing
crayons/markers from the dollar store/dollar spot (the kind that have 4-5 colors per pack and you won’t be sad to lose)
stickers (Dot stickers can be used for so many things!)
small coloring books or half sheets of paper
water bottle caps (because Why are there even toys?)
teethers that have a hole for a toy strap
disposable plastic water bottles
water wow (for 1 year or older, once they stop putting things in their mouth)
small, light books
Tech - we have been able to avoid using iPad/back of seat screens with our child on flights, but for longer flights it may be helpful to have some less stimulating videos available in an emergency (flight delays, tantrums, parents are exhausted…). Do think about how much you use this tool, because traveling across time zones is hard and stimulating for little ones. Some ideas:
Videos of the child with family or doing something memorable. Watching videos of themselves can be used as a tool to help with memory or to prep them for the upcoming trip (I.e. seeing family members who they haven’t seen in some time)
Follow @jerricasannes on instagram for more details, but she rates kids media/tv shows on a rubric, but some of her least stimulating show choices are: The Snowy Day, Trash Truck, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Bug Diaries, Guess How Much I Love You, Stella & Sam, Bluey. You can check out her instagram and website for more information about shows that rate A, B, C etc. on the rubric!
Make sure to bring your baby monitor and a (travel or regular) sound machine if you use them!
Bring your thermometer and nail cutter & any meds you may need for baby with you, so you don’t have to go searching on the other side when you will inevitably need to take a temperature and/or cut a scraggly nail.
Send Ahead (if possible):
If you’re traveling within your own country, especially to friends or family, it can be helpful to send the following ahead, as it can save space in your suitcases. This doesn’t work if you’re traveling to a hotel or airbnb style vacation.
Formula
Diapers
Disposable waterproof pads (I.e. pee pads, chux, etc)
Wipes (we love Water Wipes and use them for everything from faces to hands to bums when traveling - as long as they are the ones WITHOUT soapberry - and less access to sinks and washcloths)
Car seats - if you are traveling to family/friends who you will travel to repeatedly, it may be beneficial to invest in a convertible car seat which will last you a long time
Bedding - if you’re traveling to family/friends who you will travel to repeatedly, it may be beneficial to invest in a convertible crib to toddler bed/mat & bedding which will last you a long time
Any preferred bath products if you have a strong preference or child has sensitive skin
Bottle soap, bottle brushes, etc.
A note on pain with ascent and descent:
Short flights vs. Long - many times short flights have quicker ascent and descent which can make inner ear pain worse for some children; not always the case and for some kids long flights have a painful ascent and descent as well.
What to do? Feed baby liquid upon ascent and descent (nursing, bottle). For older babies and toddlers, something chewy or even crunchy (if safe) can work as well! I like to pick something they don’t usually get to eat often, but are safe to eat on a flight because when they see it at descent time it’s novel, exciting and preferred so they will eat it right then and there (usually…)
We had a very kind passenger who offered our SCREAMING (loudest I have ever heard) child some gummy snacks on the descent from Southern to Northern California. I wanted so badly to take her up on her offer because I was desperate, but my child had never had gummy snacks before and I wasn’t sure this was the best time to introduce something like this, which could have been a choking hazard for her.
A few tips for germs:
You all, I am NOT that interested in keeping my child in a completely sterile environment on a regular basis but NOBODY WANTS A SICK KID ON A VACATION am I right? So I do what I can to be extra cautious on flights and then leave the rest to the universe.
seat covers, sheets - When the covid19 pandemic first started and we had to travel for a family matter, I tried these - there were hardly any on the market and I found them to be tough to put on in the rush of boarding. So we tried a flat sheet - that was easier to set up, but it slid around a lot. So I would consider trying one of these newer seat covers again, maybe something like this. There are way more choices now that we’ve lived through a pandemic.
Sounds like I’m being extreme, but it’s way easier to feel relaxed about your kid just chillin on the seat, especially infants, if you try this. But this is definitely NOT required.
antibacterial wipes - We had never done this pre child, but we had friends who swore that if you wipe down everything with your own wipes, there’s way less chance of kids getting sick on flights. Now, after covid19, I think cleaning procedures are better, but I still put on a glove and cleaned the screens, arm rests and other high touch surfaces in our seating area quickly as we boarded.
gloves - we used gloves through security while traveling in the height of the pandemic (we had to travel for an emergency), and I also used them (ocasionally) to change diapers and if I couldn’t clean my hands before something or there was no sink around. Just to keep things super easy and non stressful. Why not? Worse case you don’t use them, they barely take up space. When you have a blow out diaper you will thank me!
Toy straps - will save you so much annoyance! Just buy them they are about $1-2/piece if you buy these.
Final notes and crying babies:
Yes, it’s annoying to be on a flight with a crying baby but THAT is what people sign up for with group travel. It is what it is. It feels stressful in the moment, and you feel like you are ruining people’s trips.
However, MANY of the people on the flight are/have been parents or caregivers. Try to make eye contact with a passenger who gives you kind and empathetic looks and just put blinders on to the others.
And don’t feel the need to bring snacks or gifts for all the people around you. It’s so not necessary, a waste of money, a waste of precious carry on luggage space and it is part of life for babies to cry. Sorry! That’s just my two cents, though. You do you!
As long as you’re trying to calm your child (I mean, who isn’t in this case? It’s not like I’m just letting her cry and scream without a single ounce of care!!!), that’s all you can do for fussy fliers.
People suck, but also there are many amazing, helpful, kind souls in this world as well. I hope that you get more of them on your next flight!
Have a wonderful trip! If it doesn’t go well, there’s always next time!
You won’t believe how much time a ziplock bag of pom poms can take up on a flight! They can be held, taken out and placed into a bag, cup, empty water bottle…so much fun!
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