✈️☀️ My Tops Tips for flying with a baby or toddler ☀️✈️

allthingsbaby (46)in #tips • 6 years ago

TIPS FOR FLYING WITH A BABY or TODDLER
So we are back from sunny Cyprus to the lovely rainy days of British weather 😩

I was so nervous about the 4 hour flight time with a toddler, for me it was actually taking over from the excitement of going on holiday. Especially the midnight return journey. But thankfully it was nowhere near what I had anticipated and BONNIE was absolutely fantastic both outbound and inbound. 🙏💜

On the way there, she was so excited about getting on the big aeroplane which we had been hyping her up for a few weeks before and pointing to the planes in the sky. After boarding the plane, she had a feed and on take off then slept for the first hour (RESULT!)

On the way home, our flight was at midnight, which I was dreading. But again she kept going right up to getting seated on the plane, had a feed (which also helps with ear pressure) and went straight to sleep, and slept all the way through the flight in my arms and all the way home and finally into bed at 4am (she woke at 7am) So even though I was dreading it and I know I’m going to be tired today, it probably worked better for the little one, as that is when she would normally sleep anyway.

I know some babies/toddlers prefer there own space, but most airlines they sit on your lap until they are aged two (or you can pay extra for a seat for them) You could also look into investing in a Jetkids Bedbox which I think we will also be buying when Bonnie is a bit older. It’s a small suitcase, that converts into a bed (which you take as hand luggage on the plane)

Even though she had Daddy and two big sisters travelling with her, those that know Bonnie, know how attached me and Bonnie are together, and how much she needs mummy at all times. So that is why I wanted to ease my anxiety and prepare myself for flying with her!

We booked Essex Executive Travel to take us and bring us home, so for starters that made our journey less stressful right from the beginning. Getting picked up and dropped door to door. Bonnie was probably the most relaxed she has ever been on a longer car journey....whoop whoop we made it out of Southminster! Alex even provided the car seat, bottles of water, newspapers, and even milk and bread for our arrival home. We highly recommend his services.

So after all the worrying I had done, the flying with a toddler was actually a lot easier than I had anticipated. Here are some little things that really worked for us, and so I would like to share these tips with those of you that are going abroad 😊😎🏖

1 🛩 THE AIRPORT LOUNGE is your playground!: Help your toddler use up any spare energy in the airport lounge (by walking around, peekaboo, hide a toy under the chairs etc) or if they are younger and not walking, then lay a blanket on the floor for them to roll around etc. Some airports even have a soft play, little rides etc to keep kiddies occupied.

2 🛩 STROLLER: Most airlines allow you to take your buggy/stroller right up to boarding the aircraft (rather than checking it in as luggage) which is handy if your little one is quite happy to sit in one! We borrowed a stroller from a friend, hoping that Bonnie would sit in it when we were going for walks etc. I have no idea why I thought she would sit in a stroller abroad,when she doesn’t like to at home!? 🙄 but it came in handy to use as a trolley lol!

3 🛩 BOARDING: When we have been on holiday before, we have always been one of the first families to board and get settled. But with a toddler/ baby, it made more sense to be one of the last to board, so they aren’t having to sit still for any longer than necessary!

4 🛩 WHAT TO WEAR on the flight: I don’t know about you, but I get so hot (I think with anxiety) going through airports/security/boarding etc. So for both going/coming home I wear a maxi dress or jumpsuit and flip flops with a cardigan and/or jacket to put on if I get chilly.

5 🛩 WHAT TO DRESS them in; both ways, I dressed Bonnie in a short sleeve vest, leggings, and cardigan. She gets very sweaty, and although she needed the cardigan en route to the airport, on the plane she got really hot, so itvwss easy to just take her cardi off and leave her in the vest and leggings. The vest helps keep the nappy in place too. Rather than disturbing Bonnie, trying to put a coat on her, I had a lovely fluffy blanket wrapped round her when we landed back in the land of dismal ☔️ rainy Britain 🇬🇧

6 🛩 BUM CHANGE BEFORE: Make sure you change baby about 20 minutes before the boarding gate opens (then hopefully you won’t need to change them on the plane)

7 🛩 LUGGAGE: We flew with Jet2.com & Jet2holidays, and although Bonnie didn’t get a luggage allowance, I shared a suitcase with her and then I just took a small cabin case full of activities (see below) along with her little @Cath Kidston rucksack with her usual supplies (3 x nappies, wipes, mat, sacks and drink) and my cross body bag (with easy access to passports etc - whilst keeping my hands free)

8 🛩 BREAK YOUR JOURNEY INTO INTERVALS: Break the journey down into 15 minute intervals.....there，that softens the stress levels already.... 😊
The first 15 minutes for take off and then another for landing, they will be busy looking out the window, and the excitement of getting on an aeroplane etc.

9 🛩 KEEPING THEM OCCUPIED: Invest in some brand new Activities that they have never used before for each 15 minutes - WRAP them in wrapping paper (which would take up a few more minutes) See the photos of what I bought and the full list below!

10 🛩 DO NOT WORRY about what other passengers are thinking (especially those without children!) the airline staff DO NOT expect a child to be seated the whole time and get up and walk up and down the aisle with your toddler as soon as they starting getting fidgety. Even younger babies, carry them around and stretch your own legs too! Turn it into a game by waving at the other passengers, I’m sure you’ll get more smiles back than frowns!
So many passengers came up to us after and said how good Bonnie was on the aeroplane and you wouldn’t even know she was there.

11 🛩 My TOP TOP tip: focus on your little one THE WHOLE TIME (whether it just be you, or anyone else that your travelling with) . I know this can be very tiring and quite a challenge. But if you take your attention away from them for any length of time, that is when BOOM💥 they might see this is as the ideal time to get your attention by throwing one of those tantrums that they save for public places 🤣🙄😱 Again any sign of starting to get restless - use that time for you to take them for a little walk/carry ....and bribe them back to their seat with a new activity or snack. The way I saw it, is a tired mummy is better than a tired AND stressed mummy!

😊 REMEMBER For every 15 minutes that passes, you are one step closer to getting off the plane.

😊 If your toddler sleeps like Bonnie did, then see it as a bonus!

😊 If your like me and are expecting the worse, and then your toddler is ok, see it as a bonus!

😊 Your holiday starts as soon as you get on the plane...reward yourself with at least one glass of wine (or your fav tipple) to relax yourself

Enjoy!

I really hope that these tips help you have a stress free flight 😊 feel free to share with any parents that are travelling with a toddler/baby soon.

🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩

See the photos for our list of activities that we bought just for using on the flight, most I bought from eBay or amazon:

💜 Books - Lift-the-Flap, finger trail, push button books (especially of their favourite characters)

💜 Wooden threading toys

💜 Sticker Books ( I love Scholastic or DK sticker books, as the stickers have to go on particular pages/spaces - so teaches them to match up the sticker shapes and learn page numbers/orders)

💜 Magna Carry Playbook - a foldable activity with lots of magnetic pieces (various themes available)

💜 Magnetic Snail Ball Maze (other shapes available)

💜 Wooden Fishing Game - Bonnie caught the fish, then put them into an empty cup (then started again)

💜 Melissa & Doug travel size puzzle - these are fantastic as they are just a bit bigger than post card size, and very simple for a toddler to do!

💜 Russian Animal Dolls -Bonnie has a few different ones of these already. But we bought her the animals especially for the plane, which she also played with lots too!

💜 A new teddy/dolly - Bonnie already had Miss Polly, but hadn’t seen it for a while. So we took this with us. Which you can use to play peekaboo, sing songs, do a puppet show, all sorts. But it also gives them something to be responsible for (e.g: can you look after Miss Polly while mummy gets her shoes on etc)

💜 Colouring crayons and blank paper - Bonnie loves drawing round her hand and mine, and then turn them into faces - sing songs etc.

💜 ICE CUBES - yep when Bonnie was getting a bit fidgety, Daddy came up with his very own ice cube challenge (see photo) of how many ice cubes can Bonnie put in his mouth at once 🤣🤣 It kept her quiet for quite a while 🤣🤣