How to nail your babies first flight
From one anxious traveller (who hates attention being drawn to her) to the next.
TLDR:
You can bring milk/liquids through security
You can use the special assistance lanes
You pick up your larger checked items such as stroller/car seat from oversized luggage
Your baby has a seatbelt that connects to yours
Stick to your usual routine ahead of the flight, once on the flight forget about what the time is where you departed and go with the flow.
Feed on take off and landing so that their ears don’t hurt
Bring a portable change mat that’s lightly padded
You and your baby will do so much better than you think!
Answering the questions on your mind:
Most airlines allow 3 infant items plus carry on. That could be a stroller, a car seat and a large suitcase (all checked included with their ticket).
You have to take your baby out of their stroller when you go through security. That means a sleeping baby may be woken at that moment.
You are allowed to bring breastmilk/formula through security. They don’t care about liquids when it’s a baby's bottle. Volume doesn’t matter.
The flight attendants are amazing and will help you clean bottles/provide boiling water and/or warm water for bottles. On a long flight e.g. 15 hours LA → Sydney I needed to clean bottles multiple times, you can get them to fill with boiling water & shake out/clean for you so you don’t need to pack 100 bottles.
The change table on the airplane is as basic as they come. It has no padding, no curved edges, it’s a plank of wood with a strap. Bring a portable travel pad like this or this if you don’t have one.
You can take a travel stroller through the airport and check it at your gate if you don’t want the extra item on the flight with you.
Your baby is secured to you with their own seatbelt. The seatbelt links through yours and goes around their waist. They are safe and secure with you.
If there is severe turbulence you will be asked to take your baby out of the bassinet and put them back on your lap with their seatbelt attached.
The basinet has a seatbelt in it as well as a grate/fence type thing which goes over the top. If something were to happen suddenly they are safe in there.
The basinet usually comes with 2 x blankets, one that covers the mattress, one for them… the bottom one isn’t fitted, if you prefer fitted BYO.
It’s around 71F - 21C on a flight, if you’re doing a longhaul and they’ll be sleeping I like to bring a long sleeve onesie and 1 TOG sleep bag.
Be prepared for your baby to hate the bassinet, want to feed more than usual and want to sleep more than usual. I have found wake windows to be much shorter on flights as they’re such a great sleep environment - cold, dark, white noise so be sure to watch your babies tired signs.
If you’re unable to select a seat with a bassinet when you book your ticket you can usually ask for it at the airport and they often save a few of those seats for families so there’s no harm asking.
A potential play by play for you:
If you can, book flights that will see them spend as much time as possible asleep in the air so you don’t have to entertain. Planes are an epic sleep environment, white noise, cold, in your arms.
Don’t try to change their schedule up to suit the flight. Go through your day as per usual, feed normally, sleep normally and from the moment you check in do what you have to do to get through it. Respond to your babies needs, contact nap, feed, play - it’s a really over stimulating environment at the airport so once they’re on the plane it’s easier to get them to rest.
In my experience though, they will surprise you & sleep more than ever on a flight esp whilst they are still young.
Arrive at the airport & check as much as humanly possible at the gate. No one is getting far with a baby anyway. Consider bringing through your travel stroller or carrier into the airport.
Have a bottle of milk on you at all times ready to use to calm them if they begin to cry.
You can use all the express lanes with an infant so keep an eye out for the special assistance lanes.
Take them out of the stroller/carrier & get through security.
Head to lounge/cafe/seating & chill, use that time to feed if you need, pump if you need, top back up your emergency bottle of milk, change them fresh for flight etc.
Go to the gate & even if you are in business class make use of the fact anyone with an infant can board first. Take up space, take your time, get all your shit to dominate the overhead lockers.
At the gate, consider checking your stroller if you still have it with you. One less thing to worry about & you have no use for it once on the flight anyway.
Based on the baby's schedule you might be able to get them to sleep at this point, or they may be mid-wake window - if they are due for a feed that is truly perfect. If you have the ability to stretch them to need to feed during take off or fall asleep during take off that is ideal.
Once take off begins, put your baby on your boob and/or bottle in their mouth and make sure they are sucking for take off. This means they won’t cry/take off won’t be an issue for them as their ears won’t hurt as the pressure changes.
If you’re in business class it’s likely a service will begin and there will be a lot of clunking/silverware sounds, I recommend not putting them in the bassinet until that passes so you can soothe them/keep them asleep if it gets a little loud. Once service ends, consider transitioning to the bassinet. Heading to the lounge area to avoid all of that and get them to sleep is also a great solution.
Be prepared for your baby to sleep on you the whole time.
During the flight give them what they need, if it’s a wake window, play with them, read, you can get toys that stick to the windows which are a solid distraction. I also recommend walking to the bulkhead or back of the plane where there is more space. Basically just survive, but try to entertain as much as possible in the wakr windows as IMO that helps with the timezone changes.
Once landing rolls around deploy step 8 again… have them suck, usually landing is worse on their ears than take off for some reason. Alfie’s never made a peep on take off/landing & I think it’s due to the sucking.
Once off the flight, use a carrier or hold them to baggage claim… if you have flown internationally and have an infant you can use the diplomats/special assistance lanes at customs. I feel like holding your baby/no stroller really expresses things for you cause who TF is going to keep a mom and baby waiting.
If you check your stroller/car seat either at baggage drop or at the gate, one thing they don’t communicate well enough is that it is always collected in oversized luggage - not at your belt.
Hacks that may make your flight easier:
If you have a fussy bub and are bringing expressed milk and or premixed milk and need it to be warm to feed get a portable bottle warmer
Your baby may poop a lot due to the change in pressure, bring 1-2 extra nappies than you think you need.
Put your bub in a wondersuit like this where their hands and feed can be covered so they don’t touch too many germs!
If you’re travelling long haul in economy and have the ability to buy an extra seat (hello Qantas, now selling spare seats in economy for $50 so you can ensure you have a spare seat next to you) consider buying one of these blow up beds.
Best travel bags - anything from willow bay!!
Jetlag - we all experience it, imagine being a baby who has no idea what’s going on. It’s ideal if your baby doesn’t have a schedule when you’re travelling e.g a younger bub as they can go with the flow a little easier.
However, if they do have a schedule and understand day and night approach jetlag like you would yourself. The BEST thing you can do is to get outdoors when you land. Don’t take a nap, get yourself and your baby straight onto the new timezone, show them that it’s daytime and if they happen to nap whilst you’re out sobeit but you’re helping push them into the new timezone already.
One method I have used to get them into a new timezone/ease them back into their original setting is focusing on feeding. Sometimes they might reverse feed. E.g bulk feed during the night (their usual day time) and eat next to nothing during the day (their usual night time). In order to switch this you need to gradually decrease the amount of time/volume of milk overnight to push their feeds up during the day.
E.g. if you feed for 10 minutes at 1am, feed at 8 minutes the next night, 6 minutes the next night and so on until you have eliminated that feed. If your feeds are all over the place and you don’t know how long they usually feed for start with the highest number e.g. if sometimes they feed for 15 minutes but other times it’s 6 start at 15 and reduce to 13. If on the first night they feed for 8 not 13 then the following night go to 6.
Don’t do this if they’re sick!!
Remember: You have totally got this, they will surprise you & if it all turns to shit pack some lollies to offer to the passengers around you. It’s also a great idea to introduce your bub to the people around you, let them know it’s their first flight or one of their first flights - people are generally so understanding and if they aren’t, remind them they’re on public transport and to book a PJ next time if they’re so bothered ;).
GOOD LUCK!