As a new parent, I was pretty nervous when I was about to embark on my first flight with my daughter across country. Savannah was only 3 months old, did not have all of her shots, and I just had no idea what to expect. So many things ran through my head…would my daughter get sick from someone on the plane, would I be that mom with the screaming baby who everyone hates by the time we land, will I remember to bring everything that I need, and the thoughts went on and on. Well, as a responsible yet paranoid new mom, I decided to call the nurse hotline. The nurse was very nice and must have thought I was nuts with the 100 questions that I asked her. She calmed down my craziness and told me to do the following things:

1. Keep a light blanket near their face, covering their head (not their face) to shield as many germs as possible.
2. Remember Tylenol just in case! (ask your pediatrician first if it is okay for your baby to have Tylenol)
3. Suck, suck, suck! At the time, I was advised to breastfeed on take off and landing to help with the pressure in her ears. If your baby takes a pacifier or bottle, make sure that they use it during these times.
4. Bring an extra blanket to throw over the public changing tables if you use them.

Beyond her list, I brought the following items that I would consider mandatory:

1. Bring a carrier! Any carrier! We used our Bjorn and Moby Wrap A LOT on the trip. It was so much easier than lugging a stroller around for such a little one.
2. Bring your carseat on the plane if possible! This is REALLY handy when your baby is asleep and you want to be baby-free.
3. Don’t forget enough diapers and wipes, a couple of changes of clothes, plenty of formula, and any other items that may comfort your baby on the trip.
4. We co-slept, but weren’t sure about the sleeping arrangements, so we bought a co-sleeper (which easily fit into my suitcase).

At 7 months old, we took another trip with her, this time it was a long trip in the car. The main tip that I have is to schedule the time for travel around her naptime! We had a 4 hour drive and she slept for more than half of it each way by leaving right before naptime. During the rest of the time, I was able to distract her with toys and singing. At this age, she required a lot of the same things that she did at 3 months, except that she now enjoyed chewing on things and playing with toys.

Just last month, we took our little toddler (12 months) across the country again. Well, let’s just say that this was the marathon of all trips. We took the 5 hour plane and then hopped in the car and drove over 8 hours in 2 days. We then had to turn around at the end of the trip and drive 5 hours the day before our 6 hour flight home. I was exhausted! AND…for me, traveling with a baby was like a cakewalk compared to traveling with a toddler! This trip has inspired me to find ways to help my daughter pass the time without me having to be her personal clown for the entire trip. But beyond that, I thought that I would let you know my tips for travelling with a toddler:

1. Bring plenty of snacks, water, juice, milk, etc. These never get old and can help a lot!
2. Tylenol (and/or Teething Tablets) is once again key in case of pain or illness! (ask your pediatrician if this is okay)
3. Any blankets or teddy bears that you toddler loves. We brought a puppet, baby doll, blanket, and some other items that she loved and reminded her of home.
4. Toys, toys, toys! We luckily were given a bunch of toys at our destination that kept her busy on the plane ride home. I have to say that the toys that they have to focus on are the best - stacking toys, shape sorters, etc.
5. Books are just as important as toys for the trip. Plus, coloring books and crayons if they are ready for that.
6. Car seat again! Important…if they will stay in it on the plane! Don’t forget something like a Wheelie Car Seat Bag With Wheels to help you roll it around the airport AND to have over your seat if they have to store it under the plane. If you are traveling by car, then this is obvious.
7. Lightweight stroller
8. Clothes…don’t forget a swimsuit, hats, mittens, etc.
9. A change of clothes in your diaper bag for your child. An extra shirt for mom might not hurt!
10. Baby Proofing items….socket plugs anyone?
11. Bath items - toys, shampoo, towel
12. I still use Dreft, so this is a MUST on my list of things to bring. Don’t forget the stain remover!
13. *Also, for travel in the car for older kids, check out this pillow made by a mom and grandma on Mommy Auctions, it’s called the Nappernoo!

I put all snacks, food, and shampoo/body wash in little zip lock bags to prevent leakage. Don’t go too crazy with the toys, just bring a few of their favorites to help pass time. Something that I just found for our upcoming car trip, is a Snack & Play Travel Tray for the carseat…this is SMART! My hubby is a big fan of our portable DVD player so Savannah can watch Sesame Street and Baby Signing Time. However, I do not think that this is a necessary item to bring. It can help though.

Hopefully, my crazy travels with Savannah can help another mom prepare for traveling with a baby or toddler. Please feel free to leave your tips as comments! I could use any advice that I can get in this arena as well!

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This entry was posted on Monday, December 17th, 2007 at 3:09 pm and is filed under Holidays, Good to Know, A day in the life of being a Mommy!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.