Flying with babies is undoubtedly the most complex of traveling with children. They need car seats, feedings, diapers, strollers, a place to sleep at your destination, etc. Babies thrive from routine so taking them out of their routine already creates an added level of stress for both the parent and child. With the proper planning, you will find traveling with a baby isn’t too hard and can be enjoyable; here is what you need to know:
Diaper changes
Not all planes have a changing table. Some airlines are better about having changing tables than others. JetBlue has a changing table in every bathroom. American has one on most of their larger planes. Most other airlines are a hit or miss based on the aircraft. Talk with the Flight Attendant about which lavatory the changing table is located in. Sometimes they are located in the front of the aircraft, sometimes in the back.
If there is no changing table, what does one do? There are a few options, depending on your child’s age, the circumstances, and what you are comfortable with as a parent. Some will change their little one on the seat; others will close the toilet seat in the lavatory and set down a changing pad. Many flight attendants will allow you to put down a blanket or changing pad in the galley and change them on the floor. It goes without saying of all the choices, do not change your baby on the seat tray. The tray is not made to hold the weight of a baby. Additionally, others use tray tables for food. Be sure to pack some Ziplock bags to put a stinky diaper or messy clothes in. Your fellow passengers will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Car Seats
Children 2 and under can fly for free on your lap. If you purchased a seat for your child, you can bring a car seat onto the plane and have your child fly in their own seat. Keep in mind you will need to transport the car seat around the airport and from one gate to another. If you aren’t interested in paying for a seat for your small fry, or you simply don’t want the hassle of lugging the car seat, you can check your car seat for free. If you go that route, I suggest putting your car seat in some container to protect it from dirt and grime. It will additionally help prevent the belts and buckles from getting tangled or stuck. We have used these car seat bags. They have gotten some small holes in them over the years that I have patched up with some duct tape from the inside. Be sure the long strings to close the bag are secure and tucked in with little chance of them escaping.
Strollers
We have both checked our stroller at the ticket counter and the gate. Like car seats, checking your stroller does not cost anything. The choice between the two came down to if we had a layover and the age of our kids. If I had a layover, I found that having a stroller helped me try to navigate the airport. I would often wear the baby and use the stroller to carry our carry-on luggage.
In-flight
Take-off and landing can be scary for babies. The air pressure change can hurt their ears. Feeding during take-off and landing can help relieve the pressure. For older babies, be sure to bring some Tylenol in case their ears bother them. The actual flying experience can change so much from one child to another. Some babies enjoy the process and like looking around and seeing all the people; others will find it frightening. Distraction is the best key at this age. This is where preplanning will be your friend.
Weeks before the flight, I would hide/pack some of my little ones’ favorite quiet toys or books. I would pull them out while on the flight when needed. They would be so excited to see their favorite toy that it would appease them for a time. A favorite for us was Freddy the Firefly. When that toy got boring, we would move on to the next, and the last one would go back in the bag. Lift the flap books were a big hit at this age, and I read them repeatedly. It got old for me, but it kept the baby happy. Some of our favorite lift the flaps books were Dear Zoo and Where is Maisy?.
Flying with Babies
On long flights, you may want to think about choosing the bulkhead seat. Most larger aircraft have an attachment for the bulkhead wall that creates a small baby bassinet for nap time. It can be great to have a place for the baby to sleep and can free up your arms for a while. For small babies that sleep a lot, this can be a blessing. For older, mobile babies this may be more of a hassle. The bulkhead typically has more leg room; however, the armrests usually do not go up and there is no storage for the seat in front of you because there is no seat in front of you. Your storage will need to be in the overhead. This can be difficult when you need something fast.
If possible, schedule a direct flight. If you must have a layover, be sure it is long enough to accommodate diaper changes, and feedings, acquiring your gate-checked items and moving from one gate to another. Almost all airports have family bathrooms and quiet nursing rooms for mothers these days.
Once you arrive…
Depending on where you are traveling and the purpose of the trip you may choose to travel without a car seat or stroller. There are many large cities that offer car-seat or stroller rental. Hotels have cribs, be sure to reserve one when you make your reservation. Most car rental agencies and car services that you hire to pick you up will have car seats available if you let them know ahead of time. Once we took a cruise and hired a car service to pick us up both to and from the airport. We supplied them with the information of needing one car seat and two boosters at the time. They arrived with everything we needed. Most resorts will also have this service. Be sure to check with the hotel ahead of time to see what you may need.
And finally, SNACKS, bring more snacks than you think you will need.
Conclusion
What you really need to know about traveling with a baby is that with proper planning you will end up having a great trip. Every time you travel with your baby will be a little different because your baby will be in a new stage. Every trip will become a little easier. Remember to relax and try to roll with the punches. When you are calm, your little one will feel calmer. And snacks, bring snacks.
If this article was helpful check out our article, Family Travel Insurance: What You Need To Know.