Babies on a plane - and on a trip!

On months with more than 4 Wednesdays to them, I'll be sending out a bonus newsletter with tips and tricks for travel... and this one's all about traveling with babies! 

I personally think that traveling with babies is a lot easier than people think -- if you've planned appropriately. It's the toddler stage that brings a few more challenges, and even then, I still think its a great idea to travel with your kids! Here are a few tips I found helpful when Malcolm and I went on a 2 week trip to Europe alone (the picture above is all we packed!).

Diaper tip for the plane ride(s)

Malcolm and I took a one-stop flight to Prague which meant one 8-ish hour flight to Paris before hopping over on a shorter flight. One thing I did to prepare for being alone on a plane with an infant was to create a gallon sized ziploc diaper bag. I put in 2-3 diapers, a small pack of wipes, a change of clothes, and 3-5 puppy pads. When it came time for the inevitable dirty diaper, I pulled my ziploc out of the actual diaper bag, and brought Malcolm to the bathroom. There is a murphy-bed type of changing table in most plane bathrooms (there will be at least one bathroom with a changing table, but usually more), and I pulled it down, placed the puppy pad down, and changed him. I threw away the puppy pad afterwards and it was a lot easier to do than hauling my big diaper bag into the small bathroom. If it was a blow out, the change of clothes was ready for him!

Babywear, babywear, babywear!

What I found during this trip, as well as the trip to Philadelphia we took when my daughter was about the same age was that infants can make it through a nearly full day of sightseeing (with breaks, and ability to stop if needed) if they are worn in a carrier. They've got their parent close by, they feel secure, and they can even doze off (like Malcolm is doing in the picture above in from of the Charles Bridge in Prague). Make sure you take a hat or cover up of some sort, apply sunscreen to their faces if not completely covered by the hat, and that they and their little toesies and hands are warm if you are in windier or chilly weather. Also be sure to bring a diaper bag (backpack style works well) with some sort of blanket to spread when baby needs a break from being worn. 

Solo parenting during travel

On our trip to Europe, it was just Malcolm and I for about half the trip (we visited a friend in the Czech Republic for the other half, and she was able to help with Malcolm). So how did I shower, eat, get anything done without holding him, etc.? I used one of these puppies above, a pop'n'sit chair with a removable tray. I could set him in that on the floor, and he would be immobile for a few moments as he played with a toy or ate a snack. I could shower, pack up, eat my own food, whatever! and he would be safe and happy.

Keep things off the plane floor

We all know how disgusting the floor of a plane is, let alone other surfaces. So while I carried wipes to wipe down the surfaces of the seat, armrest, tray, back of the seat, etc. I also wanted to make sure the pacifier, toys, any anything else I brought would be safe from the unwashable floor. I didn't have cool straps like the ones in the picture above for toys, but I had his pacifier attached to his shirt, and his toys tied by a string to the others, so that as long as I was holding one of his toys, none would fall to the floor.

Hopefully these tips help you if you're thinking of taking a trip with a baby! The last (and possibly best) tip I can give is to relax. People have babies all over the world, and babies are definitely one of the things that bring folks together. If you do end up needing help with something, you're sure to find a kind soul who will help you navigate being somewhere other than your comfort zone with your baby.

Want help planning your own trip?

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