T-minus one week until we leave on our first airplane trip with a one-year-old. To say I’m nervous is a complete understatement.
I used to travel for work a bit, and my husband and I loved to travel (pre-baby), but we’re not quite sure how to do it with a one-year-old. I’m know I’ll over-pack, & bring all of the wrong things for her, but in preparation for this trip I’ve been doing a ton of research that might help new parents when traveling with little ones.
The details of your trip often can mean the difference between success and disaster. I found some great tips in an article about airplane travel with a baby.
Planning the trip
- Examine all aspects of the journey when you book your flights. Aim for direct flights so that you can avoid changing planes. If you have to make a change, avoid short layovers that give you too little time to get from gate to gate, and conversely avoid long layovers that require lots of idle time in airports.
- When you make your reservations, give the agent the ages of all passengers. You may learn some important rules such as:
- FAA regulations allow only one lap-child per adult. If you are traveling with two children, and only one adult, one child will require a seat of his own. (Not that you would want to travel with two children on your lap!)
- Some airlines do not allow newborns to fly, check on age requirements.
- Some airlines offer discounted prices for children’s tickets, and kids under a certain age (usually age 2) may fly free on your lap.
- Most airplanes have only one extra oxygen mask in each row, which means you can only seat one lap-child in each row. If two adults are traveling with two children, consider sitting across the aisle from each other, or two behind two.
- Some airlines count carseats or strollers as extra baggage.
- If your child falls asleep easily and stays asleep, try scheduling travel for during your child’s nap or sleep times. If you have a finicky sleeper, on the other hand, avoid traveling during usual sleep times, as your baby may just stay fussy and awake.
- If you have an infant, ask for the bulkhead (front row) and request a bassinet.
- Contrary to popular advice, avoid the bulkhead with older babies and toddlers, because these seats offer neither under-seat space nor seat pocket, so you’ll have to store all your toys and supplies in the overhead compartment. Also, in the bulkhead, the food tray pops up from the armrest, effectively trapping you in your seat when your table is laden with food.
- Don’t put your child in the aisle seat, as the food cart and passengers carrying luggage could injure your child.
Must Have Gear
These tips were collected from parents all over the US who travel frequently with babies.
- All-in-one travel systems – stroller, car seat and seat base. There a many model, but when you are shopping , be sure to check safety ratings.
- The Trunki ride on suitcase and boosapak. The boostapak is ingenious, safe and so easy to travel with coverting from a backpack into a car booser seat.
- Any sort of travel tote that slides over the top of your rolling luggage or car seat system and will keep your bottle upright and insulated. It has a bag for diapers and all the other essentials.
- A Stroller – Even the smallest babies feel heavy after a long time in your arms, and toddlers often decide they can’t walk any longer at the most inconvenient times.
- Backpack Carry-on – One carry-on bag that serves the role of purse, briefcase and diaper bag is the most pared down choice for air travel. My favorite carry-on bag is a large backpack that I can share with baby. A backpack is easy to carry when your arms are otherwise occupied, and easily holds diapers, snacks, airline tickets, identification and even a spare outfit for baby.
The Onboard Kit
Plan for an onboard baby kit – diapers, wipes, blanket, plastic bag for trash and dirty diapers, fresh change of clothes. Keep it in a smaller bag so you can stow it under your feet or keep immediately above you on flights for quick access. Add a bit extra in case of delays. Pack an extra clean shirt for yourself in case of “accidents.” Snacks for baby and for yourself. Traveling is exhausting, be sure to eat and keep your energy level up – think protein bars and fruit. Include some sort of first aid kit as well.
Whew! This doesn’t even touch on what to pack in the suitcase, but it’s definitely a good start in planning for the travel days. Wish me luck. I’ll let you know how it goes! – Lauri
Do you have any travel tips for this new mom? Tell us your first airplane travel with kids stories.
