Living the international life means that I know a thing or two about flying, but this trip was the first time with a baby. Like any other Type A, I did my research and read blogs and articles on the subject. I thought we were rather prepared, but there were a few things I didn’t find in my research, or were great tips that really worked for us. We took 4 international flights and 5 US-domestic flights in the course of 3.5 weeks with a 7.5 to 8.2 month old. Here’s my two cents on the matter.
THINGS I’M GLAD WE HAD/DID
A Folder for Important Documents – We kept our flight info, passports, visas, residency paperwork, etc. all in one folder that went into the same place in the same bag every single time. We always knew where it was and it kept us from panicking.
One Baby Bag – The person who has the baby should carry the baby’s carry-on, with all the baby things, through security. It confuses the security officers if it’s otherwise. A couple of times we had to check and switch bags before we walked up to the belt.
“I Have Baby Water/Milk/Formula”. This is the magic phrase when going through airport security. When you approach the belt, let the security officer know you have baby liquids, pull out your container(s), and place them in a separate tray. You’ll get through security much faster. Each country treats liquids a little differently, but it will be faster if you have it all together and ready for them to test.
Pull the Formula. Just like the baby’s liquids, you’ll want to pull the formula out of your carry-on and place it in a separate tray on the belt. It looks like drugs on the scanner. (Also, my Dr. Bronner’s bar soap looked mysteriously like something nefarious at one of the airports.)
Backpacks as Personal Bags. Hands-free and easy to carry, backpacks work. We took only one wheeled carry-on size suitcase because the less you have the schlep with a baby, the better. (Tip: Don’t put anything in the bottle holders on the sides of most backpacks. The stuff won’t stay there, especially through the security scanners and the overhead bins.)
Infantino Mei Tai (not a sponsor). This is my go-to carrier. It’s fantastic for so many reasons. It folds up small enough to fit in a bag, has no plastic clips, and is easier to use than a sling-style carrier. I was allowed to baby wear in US airports through security, but not in Germany. I had to sweet talk the security officer in India to keep wearing Butter Bean (she was sleeping). On the plane, as soon as the we landed and the seat belt sign was turned off, I put Butter Bean in the carrier and we speedily deplaned. It was fantastic to have both hands free. Now, I wasn’t traveling alone. It don’t know how it would have worked out if I was.
(Please note that baby wearing is not allowed by most airlines during take-off, in-flight, or landing. If something happens to you on the flight, it can be dangerous for you and the baby if you are strapped together.)
Dish Soap (in a travel-size bottle). It might sound odd, but it was so useful. I pump, and therefore there are dirty ‘dishes’ that need washing. We washed in the airport bathrooms and then asked for scalding hot water at Starbucks to sanitize. It’s not ideal, but pumping is always a hassle, so just more of the same. Sanitizing wipes are great, but I don’t feel like they get everything clean-clean.
Small (10-count) Kleenex Packets. My nose always runs on airplanes. Don’t forget these.
Extra Tops for the Adults. We never needed to change, but I know for certain that if I hadn’t packed a back-up top, I would have needed it. Babies are messy.
Small New Toys. Something new can be a great distraction for any baby. One of our flights, the crew gave us a little plushy for Butter Bean. She loved it, and it gave her a few hours of entertainment.
Footed-sleep Suits for Baby. Putting Butter Bean in her PJs for travel made everything so much easier. Just one piece of clothing is better than a cute outfit with several pieces to it. Pack at least two extra in your carry-on if you’re doing around 24 hours of travel. I think the PJs helped Butter Bean relax and sleep.
Extra Pacifiers. If that thing drops on the floor of the plane, and it will… YUCK!
Sanitizing Wipes. We wiped all hard surfaces (ones on the planes and at the airport gates) that Butter Bean could possible reach, for my own peace of mind. One of the flight attendants complimented us on our germ vigilance.
Large Blanket. At one point, we had a long layover and stretched out a large, thin blanket on the floor at the gate for Butter Bean to crawl around on. She liked being able to move around and not have her personal space constantly invaded. I liked being able to set her down.
Window Seats. Get a window seat if you’re modest about breastfeeding. It’s a little more private than the other seats.
No Hot Beverages. While in flight, we didn’t have tea or coffee. A bouncy baby and boiling hot liquids are a disaster waiting to happen. Surprisingly, the flight attendants seem shocked that we turned down the burn hazard. I waited to have my tea until after we landed. This was hard for me considering I’m the person who asks for plain hot water – I used to bring my own tea bags because airline tea is bluuurgh.
Baby Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer & Thermometer. We, thankfully, didn’t need these, but you never know. Better safe… Pack it all together in your zip-top liquids bag.
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THINGS I WISH WE HAD (a thankfully short list)
Diaper Changing Clutch. On the plane, it’s annoying to have to dig in the baby’s carry-on to find the wipes, diapers, etc. It’s easier if you have it all in one small bag. My husband just stuffed it all in his pockets, but men can do that.
Small Plastic Container. We needed something to sanitize all those lovely ‘dishes’ in without fear of scalding. The Starbucks’ cup wasn’t quite up to the task.
A Variety of Snacks. We brought snacks, but for whatever reason, I wanted granola bars and had none. I wanted a PB&J, and didn’t have it. I just packed the wrong kind of snacks. I wasn’t in a nutty mood and that’s what we had. The thing is, I know better. I blame ‘mom brain’.
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THINGS WE DIDN’T USE
Stroller. We don’t own one of these in the first place, for reasons I’ve discussed earlier. We found that the carrier worked just fine. I don’t have back trouble, and didn’t get tired of baby wearing even when we had flight delays (of course we had flight delays). Plus, we didn’t have to wait for the stroller to be unloaded from the plane. I know there are varied opinions on this – do what works for you.
Eye-Mask. I was so hopeful that I’d be able to use an eye mask on the plane because that meant I got to sleep. However, I was either watching Butter Bean, or so tired that I didn’t need it. On BC (before children) flights, this was one of my staple flying items.
Nursing Cover (for nursing). I was super surprised that I didn’t use my scarf/cover and I’m rather modest. There wasn’t the space to use it. I had a widow seat on all but one flight and found it unnecessary. No one paid a lick of attention. (I did use a cover when I pumped, but not for nursing.)
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OTHER TIPS
Reserve your bassinet early. If you’re planning on using a bassinet, call the airline(s) as soon as you purchase your tickets to make sure you have the correct seats and a bassinet assigned to your ticket. Some airline’s websites will say to wait until 24 to 48 hours before the flight – don’t do it. Call immediately. You may have to wait on hold for 30+ minutes. When you check-in at the airport, confirm your bassinet seats. At the boarding counter, confirm your bassinet seats. Confirm, confirm, confirm.
Ask. If there’s something you want, ask. If you want to have an empty seat next to you and the flight isn’t full, ask. If you want a window seat and don’t have one, ask. If you want to board early (you totally will), ask. We noticed that international flights let us board early, US-domestic flights didn’t (without us asking). If you need to find the baby room/family restroom and can’t find one, ask.
Make friends with the flight crew. They can be your advocates or your worst nightmare. We had both. On one flight, they sanitized ‘dishes’ for us with no problem. On another, I had an attendant try to hand me a glass of water while I was standing up holding Butter Bean. How in the world was I supposed to take it and not spill it everywhere? On a few of our flights we requested my meal be delivered and then my husband’s so that he could occupy her while I ate and then vice-a-versa. Some flight crews were happy to accommodate, others looked at us like we were nuts, rude for asking, and gave us both meals at the same time anyway. Let’s just say our US-based flight crews were NOT baby friendly.
Don’t Apologize. Your baby is a baby and will act like a baby. You will not let your baby needlessly cry. You will do everything you can to soothe your baby. Ignore the haters. Most people are actually quite understanding.
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Butter Bean was an angel baby. We were complimented on her behavior on almost every single flight. I was amazed at how much she slept. She only cried and fussed after our 23 hours of travel became 31 hours of travel. After a flight cancellation, we were rerouted and then our final flight was 5 hours delayed. We should have reached my parents’ city at 6PM. We arrived at 2AM. Anyone would have been in tears on that final flight. Honestly, both Butter Bean and I cried. I didn’t cry because of her, it was just the day that would never end. However, we survived. Now, our little Butter Bean has 9 flights, 3 continents, and 4 countries to her credit.
A Tea Lover's Dream 