Traveling or going on an adventure is always great to share with your family. However, if you have a baby, you can imagine the horror you must deal with as you travel. Unlike adults, babies can’t understand what’s happening around them and how they should behave. This can lead to confusion and make them uncomfortable, especially if you’ll be on the road, train, or plane for hours. With that, you need to look for ways to keep your baby tight and snug.
The last thing you want to happen is hearing plenty of people complaining about you and your baby. While this might be an uncontrollable situation, you should still try to look for ways to make the entire journey peaceful for everyone. This will allow you to get the rest you need as you land.
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The Do’s
Knowing what you need to do first will help make your trip feel like a breeze. To help you get started, listed below are the things you must do when traveling with a baby:
1. Prepare Their Travel Bag
One of the first things you must do is prepare your baby’s travel bag. You can read the blog from Serenity Kids as they discuss the travel essentials for summer. But since this is focused on what you bring on the trip, you need to prepare your bag as you board your plane. Ideally, you should get enough essentials with you. This includes extra clothes, diapers, milk, wipes, jacket, socks, burp clothes, and toys. Ideally, you should place them in their separate bag that allows you to pull anything they need during the flight.
2. Schedule The Flight Timely
To increase your chances of having a peaceful trip, you should schedule your flight during your baby’s usual nap or sleep time. If your baby is already sleeping through the night, you should book your flight at those hours. While your baby might feel a bit uncomfortable at first as they’re in a new environment, this can help make them fall asleep faster, as this is their usual sleep hours.
3. Book For Non-Stop Flights
If you’re traveling to distant places, try to look for a non-stop flight. While a connecting flight is more affordable, it might be inconvenient for your children, especially since you have to bring them out and back into the plane. To avoid tantrums, book a non-stop flight for you and your baby.
4. Decide About Bringing A Car Seat
You can bring your own car seat to your flight if your child is more comfortable seated in it. However, know that there are only certain car seats allowed inside the plane. You can check your airline’s websites about their car seat requirements and see if your car seat matches them.
However, if it doesn’t, you can request one from the airline so they can provide you with one. While this might save you trouble, this can be pretty tricky, especially if your baby is fond of their own car seat.
5. Prepare Essential Documents
Even if they’re babies, they must also prepare essential documents at the airport. This proves that you’re carrying your child as it’s not allowed to bring a baby that’s not your own, unless you have a verified parent’s consent. Ideally, you should prepare your baby’s birth certificate and valid ID to prove your relationship with your child.
The Don’ts
Along with the things that you must do, you should also inform yourself of the things you must avoid. Furthermore, listed below are the don’ts of traveling with a baby:
1. Not Practicing Baby Wearing
If you’re planning to do babywearing during the entire flight, you should get practice at least a week before your flight. This way, your baby won’t be too bombarded with new things while on the plane. This also lets you determine what position they’ll be most comfortable in.
2. Letting Them Sit On Your Lap For Hours
There are two ways you can bring a baby with you during your flight. They can either sit on your lap for free or pay for an extra seat for their bassinet or car seat. While it’ll allow you to make them sit on your lap, this might not be the best option if your flight would take you hours. This can cause exhaustion to your body, especially if you’re traveling alone with your baby. If you’re expecting a long flight, pay for an extra seat.
3. Arriving At The Airport On Time
Source: businessinsider.com
If you’re deciding to let your baby sit on your lap as your flight would only take an hour or two, you should arrive at the airport as early as possible. Even if you booked your tickets online, they might not be able to provide a boarding pass for your baby. To avoid inconveniences, you should arrive at the airport at least an hour before your usual arrival so you can arrange your baby’s flight requirements.
4. Not Feeding The Baby Timely
One of the most uncomfortable feelings for your baby during flights would have to be the takeoff and landing. This can cause a sensation in their ears. To help distract your baby, you should feed your baby during the plane’s takeoff and landing. The sucking movement should help distract them from their ears. It could keep them comfortable and prevent any pain in their ears. With that, ensure you don’t feed your baby before arriving at the airport and your estimated landing.
5. Not Bringing New Toys
Babies are usually more fascinated when they see a new toy. Apart from your baby’s favorite, it’ll be helpful if you could purchase new toys you can be happy with. Purchase something that’s age-appropriate and doesn’t produce loud or annoying sounds, as you also need to think about the other passenger’s comfort. This doesn’t have to be too expensive as simple blocks should do.
Knowing the dos and don’ts of traveling with a baby should help to make your entire trip comfortable for you, your baby, and the other passengers. While it might require you to do some practice and early preparation, it’ll allow you to have a peaceful trip. With all of the tips mentioned above, you should be able to prepare yourself for what’s to come and let your baby enjoy their first trip with you.
