As a family living in another country and loving to travel, one of the biggest parts of our life is traveling with our daughter. Our daughter took her first flight when she was 6 months old, and I might regret a little for exaggerating and delaying it in my mind until then 😀 After overcoming the initial fear, I realized that traveling with Defne (our daughter) by plane wasn’t difficult, so for the next trip, I took her alone on a flight, and interestingly, journeys with just the two of us were much easier (Don’t be upset, Dad 🙂 ).
In notes, I intend to share what I did and give a little encouragement to those who are hesitant like me.
- During takeoff and landing, if you are breastfeeding, nursing your baby or giving them a pacifier or a bottle can help reduce the risk of ear pain due to pressure changes.
- Preparing before the journey: I usually prepare plenty of diapers, around 10 for a 4-hour journey, so I don’t have to worry about delays or different issues. I had the misconception that you can easily find diapers at the airport, but we usually travel from Gatwick and sometimes we couldn’t find the right size for Defne at Boots, so it’s essential to make sure there are enough diapers in the handbag without taking any risks.
- Another pre-flight preparation is to use a picture book to explain
to Defne what an airplane is like, how it sounds, the flight attendants, the pilot, other passengers, what to expect, and where we will end up or who we will meet when we arrive, preferably about a week before the trip. - Snacks, snacks, snacks 😀 When Defne was little, I used to breastfeed her a lot during our trips. After 1 year, I make sure to have healthy snacks with me, usually fruits, clean packaged snacks, or crackers I make. In the UK, there are many clean and nutritious packaged alternatives available.
- If possible, having a toy that she hasn’t seen before or hasn’t played with in a while can be a lifesaver during challenging times. I usually prefer books, reusable stickers, a tea set for her to play with while we’re eating, and toys that can stick to the plane window and rotate. I avoid noisy toys to not disturb other passengers.
- Other passengers 🙂 I don’t know if it’s our luck or if it’s the same for everyone, but we are always surrounded by friendly people on the plane and during boarding, along with a very good cabin crew. Passengers behind us are playing peekaboo, those next to us are waving, and so far, since she has always been on my lap, passengers sitting next to us have even sung songs from their seats 🙂
- Do we need a stroller for the plane journey? We thought about it a lot and after a couple of experiences, if we don’t have a long or hilly walking route, we decided to continue with just the carrier (although we love our stroller very much). In crowded places, when our daughter gets tired or just wants to be held, we carry her on our back or front, so she feels safe, and we can move easily and quickly. I think the type of carrier is crucial at this point. Since Defne was 4.5 kilos (around 10 lbs), about 4 weeks old, we’ve been using the carrier. Based on our doula’s recommendation, it has soft fabric, good baby support, and a tiny hood,. Honestly, I hesitated a bit because it seemed a little expensive, but especially in the first year, it became as essential as our hands and feet, and we used it so much that it more than justified its cost. We initially started with a sling, but as a couple who prefers more practical things, using something like this instead of wrapping and tying every time was much more convenient for us. I can provide more details on this topic later.
- As for clothing preparation, considering where we are and where we’re going, we usually prepare 3-4 sets of clothes, individually bag them, and when needed, I can take one out without unpacking the rest. This way, they stay clean without getting dirty. I also include three different sizes of muslin cloths: one for wiping the head or back if she sweats (15cm x 15cm), one for quickly wiping hands and feet, or drying them if they get wet (60cm x 60cm), and one large cloth (150cm x 150cm) to cover her.
- When the announcement to unbuckle the seat belts comes, taking tours in the plane corridor becomes the most significant source of entertainment. Looking out the window to see if there are other babies on the plane, waving to friendly passengers, playing peekaboo again becomes big lifesavers.
- Another facilitating aspect is asking for help. Throughout the journey, we are always surrounded by people, most of whom are ready to help, understanding, and have been through similar experiences. Don’t hesitate to ask for help, especially when traveling alone with a baby, whether it’s lifting a bag, getting a suitcase down, placing something in the overhead bin, getting some water, or asking for something.
- Our daughter has become quite sensitive to loud noises lately. She can even be disturbed by the sound of a passing car. I’ve started carrying noise cancelling headphones for babies/toddlers that can reduce or block out sound in case we need them. So far, there hasn’t been any problem when we’re in the car/plane, but the headphones have been quite helpful against noise whenever we travel by plane or go anywhere else.
The most important thing I want to say is that even if you do everything, your baby may still cry. Please don’t feel like you have to silence her immediately or avoid disturbing other passengers. Living in a society makes us all responsible for all children, and someone being bothered by a baby’s cry is a sign that they have difficulty regulating themselves, and it doesn’t reflect anything about your parenting. Also, did you know that cabin crew can help calm crying children? If you need to catch your breath, asking them for help could be an option.
Have a great trip!