Best Travel Tips When Flying With A Baby

Let me tell you…you’re going on a trip soon and you’re searching for the Best Travel Tips When Flying with a baby. You have a newborn and a tot yet you aren’t exactly sure what to prepare and expect.

Sounds crazy right?

Now that you have a tiny human with you, the thought of traveling across and outside the country may sound overwhelming.

It may require so much planning and organization to complete your whole family’s bucket list with the addition of a baby. 

Surprisingly, if you have a system in place and you know what you need and what your baby needs, you’ll be able to handle the journey.  

In December last year, our friends planned for a trip outside the country while Little J was a month and a half old.  They visited 3 countries! 

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure if I can do it myself. I just don’t know what to expect and I had the fear of the unknown: Vaccination? Sickness? Comfort? Crying baby? All of these things were haunting my head.

Here are some tips and tricks:

• Tip #1: Have a good seating arrangement 
• Tip #2: Arrive early to skip the rush
• Tip #3: Breastfeed if you can
• Tip #4: Be prepared on limits to liquids
• Tip #5: Be systematic by packing the essentials

Want more tips? Read the whole post on christinekeys.net: The Best 5 Tips When Flying with a Baby

Now in today’s post, I am so delighted to have Chelsea, a Mom of 2 who happily shares to us her Best Travel Tips When Flying With a Baby.

Here it is.

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Warm summer sun glistening off the water on a soft sandy beach. Kiddos giggling while I bask in a bit of relaxation. Sounds great! Isn’t it?!?!

A family vacation you have been dreaming about for months and you did it this time. You actually booked those plane tickets. That vacation is one step closer to becoming a reality!!

You think t-minus 4 months till vacation day with plenty of time to get ready!!!!

So Exciting!!!

Now it’s about t-minus 1 week and you’re overwhelmed. There are all those to-dos before leaving and the dreaded packing.

RELATED: 15 Summer Bucket List Ideas for the Family

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

Yep. This is me. All excited for the trip at hand and once packing time comes, I procrastinate.

Please tell me I am not alone in this feeling?!

Packing for yourself?

Not so tough. But when you have little ones, there are so many things to think about and pack.

So after a few times of this happening, I needed a system to keep me on track.

RELATED: How to Stay Organized When You Feel Overwhelmed

Since we were flying this time, it was different packing wise than your average road trip, where we would have the opportunity to stop several times if needed.

To start, I made a breakdown of the bags I was going to bring.

Now, every airline is different as far as what you can bring aboard or check.

So before getting too far, check what airline you plan on utilizing and read their bag guidelines.

Next, I made a list by breaking down each bag. For example Diaper Bag, Carry-on Bag, & Checked In Bag.

From there I evaluated what I needed in each bag, one bag at a time!

Funny story on why. After forgetting to put an extra, extra set of clothes in the diaper bag, my little one decided to clean out his system not only through the clothes he was wearing but the extra one I packed also, even after I got him changed.

I was forced to put him in a blanket the entire trip. This was a lesson learned #momfail. Completely embarrassing!!!

On the upside, it confirmed that making a list is ok! It helped me not only know what is going to go where but also helped me to know what I all needed.

From that point on I made a list for everything I needed for each bag.

Diaper Bag List:

• Bottle/Drink Cups
• Diapers
• Wipes
• 2-3 sets extra clothes-top & bottom
• Blankie
• Small toys to entertain
• Books
• Pacifier-if needed, and
• Snacks for both Baby and Mom.

I put the essentials in the diaper bag because that is the bag I kept at my feet so I had access to anything I needed during the flight.

Now, keep in mind the age of your little one. This will determine what you will want to pack to keep them occupied during the flight. My kiddos went from sleeping the entire trip to playing with small toys, coloring, reading and doing felt or activity books.

You know your kids best and what they like, so keep that in mind when packing.

Carry-on Bag List:

• Reading Book
• Extra set of clothes for myself and kids.

I worry about the airline losing my checked bag, so just in case I pack an extra set for myself as well.

In many cases my carry-on was my only bag, so everything went in there:

• Shoes
• Clothes
• Cell phone/tablet
• Charger
• Hairbrush
• Toothbrush
• Contacts…you get the picture.
• (No liquids-unless the correct dimensions meet airline regulations—make sure you check these).

Related: 8 Best Indoor Activities for Kids without using Technology

Check-In Bag List:

• Baby bottles or sippy cups: Allow time for TSA to test the liquid in those cups or look through your bags thoroughly.

• Baby carrier: This was a lifesaver for me! Having the extra set of hands was nice. It helped when I needed to gather all those bags together.

• Stroller: At first I was stressed about bringing our stroller but in the end, it was a breeze! You have to be able to run them through security but other than that, it’s painless. Once you reach your gate, tell the desk attendant you have the stroller and they will give you a tag to put on it. Once they call your seat section, you roll the stroller down the walkway and unload the kiddos and bags you are carrying on. Then you fold it up and the airline staff will put it on the plane. After landing, the airline staff will unload the stroller on the unloading dock for you to grab and go.

• Crying Babies: Another concern for me was what if my baby cries. I can say now that we have taken several flights, it happens and sometimes there is no way to control it and that’s ok! Seriously, it’s ok. Don’t worry about the horrible looks people may give you. The majority of the passengers will understand and won’t let it bother them. To help ease the altitude-ear situation I would try to nurse my babies, have them drink something or give them a snack to keep the air flowing so their ears would pop often enough to eliminate some pain that can come with the altitude airplane cabin pressure.

• Birth certificates: Some airlines require the kids’ birth certificate. So make sure you check with the airline you are flying with to find out the details. Knowing the information beforehand helped me get everything in line and will ease your worry come vacation time.

A Few Extra Tips:

I pack an outfit for every day of the trip, shoes, etc.

Let me share this tip with you: rolling items is the key!

Related: 7 Best Time-Management Tricks for Busy Moms

The main thing is, vacation is a chance for you to relax and unwind, and so don’t let flying with little ones stress you out. Take it step by step and bag by bag. Don’t overthink…don’t over stress!

Hopefully, some of my past experience insights will help you eliminate some worry about your trip at hand.

Now Momma, get yourself ready for that warm summer sun glistening off the water, the soft beach sand in-between your toes, and a vacation for the memory books! Happy Flying Momma 😊

About the Author:

Hey Everyone!!! I am Chelsy Herbert. I am married and a Mom of two little ones. A Girl-5 & a boy-2.

We live in the heart of the Midwest-Good Olé Nebraska. Yes, I am born and raised a Cornhusker!

I work full time at an insurance agency & enjoy writing on the side.

I aspire to be a stay at home mom with all my heart….with a bit of luck and a ton of hard work, this will be my reality someday!!!

When I am not working you can find me making memories with my kiddos! Time with them flies and I enjoy every moment I can.

My dream besides being a stay at home mom is to impart on my kiddos and everyone around me that we all owe it to ourselves to become everything we have ever dreamed of being!

Feel free to connect with Chelsea on Social Media! Find her on Facebook and Instagram.

There you have it.  As a first-time mom, knowing what to expect and prepare was something that I eagerly asked for some tips and tricks. 

Although this not a complete list, I do hope you gained something out of it.  Maybe next time when I get to travel myself, I’m able to add more tips and strategies.

When you travel with a baby, don’t hesitate to ask questions or ask for help.  You got this Mama.