Despite your excellent answers – and the good dose of Swisdom – in response to my Baby Name Quandary post, I have yet to stop dithering about what to call the baby here.
I asked my husband what he thought, and he suggested Carla.
So perhaps I should go with that.
Let’s try it out, just for this post, and… if you return to this blog in future days and see that I have begun calling the baby something else entirely, well, just know that is a possibility.
So Carla and I are westward bound. Alone. Together.
My husband has a Medical Conference to attend, and I am, apparently, more apprehensive about spending five days alone at home with Carla than I am about flying with her, alone, on an airplane.
Why are we not flying together with her father? Vacation days, that’s why. I don’t want to use them all up on THIS. We will all fly home together, so that’s good. Especially because I will be, at that point, A Seasoned Flyer-With-Baby-Er, which will certainly impress my husband.
Of course, ever since we booked the flights, I have been in a semi-panic about EVERYTHING.
Not just the flying. Although HOO BOY there is plenty to panic about when it comes to flying!
I have been reading up on flying with a baby, though, so I feel like I have A Plan. Whether it’s A GOOD Plan remains to be seen, but it’s A Plan, and that helps.
First, I am going to check a bag, and carry on just one bag. It will primarily be Carla’s diaper bag, but it will have to contain purse-y type things, too, like my wallet and the phone charger. What will I do with the breast pump? I guess I have to check that, in my luggage? That makes me slightly nervous; that thing has been my near-constant companion for over seven months, and I would hate to lose it. Maybe I can carry that on, as well? I could use the little freezer compartment to hold some frozen milk. Hmmm. Maybe that’s a good idea.
Okay, so my Plan is clearly still taking shape.
One or two carry-ons, plus the baby. She will have her stroller, of course. My husband and I are going back and forth on whether or not to bring a car seat. WAIT A SECOND, before you freak out: Carla will of course travel to the airport in her car seat. And she WILL have a car seat in the Western City we are visiting. We just haven’t decided whether it’s better to rent or bring our own.
The pros to bringing our own:
– Free
– Clean
– Familiar (to us – I doubt Carla cares)
The cons to bringing our own:
– Just another thing for me to Deal With
– Possible damage during the gate check process
– We can’t ALSO bring the base, which reduces the convenience factor about a thousand-fold
So that part of The Plan is still under construction, as are others.
I also plan to bring some little Ziploc baggies with earplugs and a note from Carla inside and maybe some sort of candy. These I will hand out to the passengers in front of us, behind us, and across from us. (What about the people behind and in front of the people across from us?) I have also been panic-thinking about buying a couple of $5 Starbucks gift cards for the people directly around us, juuuuust in case Carla freaks out and spends the whole flight screeching. But a) I doubt my husband would jump on board with that plan and b) it is probably overkill. The baggies with earplugs are probably overkill, I just really really want my fellow passengers to be on my side juuuuust in case.
The Plan involves me bringing a variety of – quiet – and easily washable – toys with me. Several for the diaper bag, that I can switch out as Carla gets bored. And maybe several others that I can pack in my suitcase or in my husband’s suitcase to use on the plane ride home.
It also involves a big package of anti-bacterial wipes that I will use to scour the seat and armrests and tray table and seat belt and my rowmate, if s/he lets me. Carla puts EVERYTHING in her mouth and airplanes are just TEEMING with disgusting things.
It ALSO involves a couple of clothing changes, and probably… five diapers? Is that enough? We aren’t connecting anywhere, thank goodness. And the flight is during the time when she’s getting ready to go to bed, so hopefully she’ll sleep. But I am TERRIFIED that she will have a blow out on the plane, and then I will have to use the on-board lavatory, which I typically avoid at ALL COSTS.
Listen, I can and will change her in an airplane lavatory if necessary. I once had to change her IN A SINK at a restaurant that didn’t have a changing table – it was a complete diaper change and FULL outfit change, and the sink wasn’t exactly a pedestal sink, but the counter wasn’t anything to write home about, and the hand dryer was an automatic jobber that kept leaping to [loud, blow-y] attention every time my elbow passed within five inches of it, and Carla for the most part was stunned into stillness because she was being changed IN A SINK for Pete’s sake, but she did do a little wriggling and maybe licked the faucet, I try not to think about it too hard – and nobody died. But I am totally That Mom who would rather change her baby in the trunk of her car than in a public restroom. So you can imagine that the thought of using the airplane lavatory is giving me the vapors.
Oh, this reminds me of Past Me, who was Not a Fan of kids, and who watched with utter horror and disgust once as a mother changed her baby’s diaper on the seats of the airplane I was flying on. I was just… dumbfounded. And wanted her to be ARRESTED, that instant! for daring to change her grimy little offspring in the very seats where other people rested their delicate rear ends! Oh, Past Me. Pat, pat.
Maybe I will pack ten diapers. Juuuuust in case.
I also plan to bring two bottles. One for takeoff, one for landing. To relieve ear pressure, and also to soothe her to sleep. Listen, I think breastfeeding her would be a better option (and more convenient and less to lug around), but Carla and I have never really mastered the whole nursing-with-a-cover thing. We’ve tried it a couple of times, and she usually reacts by flailing at it the way that you or I might flail at a spiderweb we’d inadvertently walked through.
And even if I were more comfortable about nursing WITHOUT a cover – which I am not, strangely, even though my boobs got a LOT of Public Viewing Time when Carla was wee – the thing is that Carla is extremely nosy. Like to the point that if her own boring old dad walks into the room while she’s nursing, she has to immediately contort her body to be able to see what terribly! fascinating! thing! he is doing. So imagine how distractible she would be in an unfamiliar space with all these cool people walking around and sitting in their seats.
I am going to pack the nursing cover, juuuuust in case, and I will also wear a nursing friendly top, but I am going to bring bottles in hopes that they do the trick.
I have toyed with the idea of bringing the Ergo baby carrier, and trying to wear her on the plane. It has a hood, so presumably she could nurse that way… But I don’t know if it really WORKS while the wearer is sitting… and, even if it does, I’m not sure that I’d be allowed to wear her while we were in the air – or, while taking off and landing. No idea. Plus, it’s a new toy that we haven’t really mastered anyway, so this is probably not the best time to be adding new thing on top of new thing.
So… I think that’s it for the airplane, right?
I’m a little worried about getting through the actual AIRPORT, but I will have the stroller and I’m a seasoned enough traveler that the security stuff doesn’t bug me. I haven’t decided if I will ask to be frisked rather than take Carla through the x-ray machine… Maybe. That doesn’t bug me, to do that – I did it while I was pregnant, so it’s not a big deal.
I better not drink anything the entire day before the flight, right? I mean, how do you use the bathroom with a baby? The toilets in airports aren’t usually built to accommodate a traveler and her carry-on suitcase, let alone a giant stroller, so I don’t have high hopes. I guess I could hold out for a disabled stall? Or use a family restroom? I DON’T KNOW. The best choice is to not have to pee.
Then we get to the part of the trip that has me… I’m not going to say MORE panicked, but… additionally panicked.
The whole Staying in a Hotel With a Baby thing.
I mean, what do you DO with a baby in a hotel? Where am I going to stow her while I take a shower or use the restroom? (Remember, my husband will be at a conference all day.)
I feel about hotels only slightly better than I do about airport lavatories. So I suppose my big package of wipes will come in handy, there, too. I am going to wipe down every surface.
My husband suggested that buying some necessities once we get to Western City is a better idea than transporting them across the country. So I think he will pick up a package of diapers, and some wipes, and some hand soap (I can’t imagine using bar soap for three days, when I wash my hands about 80 times a day, and also need to wash pump parts and bottles). I already ordered, from Amazon, some disposable diaper changing pads, so that I can change her easily in the hotel. Although… where? On the dresser? On one of the beds? (Past Me is gagging the corner, just thinking about it.)
And sleeping. THAT will be interesting.
I am trying, delicately, and without much hope of success, to edge Carla’s sleeping patterns toward waking up later. Because now, she wakes up at six on the dot every morning. Which means that she will wake up at four on the dot every morning in Western City. That sounds… terrible. So if I can coax her into sleeping until seven here… well, we’ll see.
We ordered a little Travel Sleeper that we’ll be taking with us. It’s something that she can use – hopefully – for at least a couple of years (I am now realizing I have no idea what age kids are when they start sleeping in a real bed – two? five?), and it seems simple to pack and use. And easy to clean. But she’ll have to sleep in it on the floor, and I’m not a fan of that.
(By the way, if you are the anxious type, I recommend against researching options for where your baby should sleep while you’re on the road. Because it doesn’t matter whether you are looking into Travel Sleepers or looking into Using the Hotel Pack-and-Play or looking to Co-Sleeping: they are all RIFE with warnings and horror stories and I am in a PANIC about it. I would just as well have Carla sleep between me and my husband, but… HORROR STORIES. Plus, we are planning more trips with her next summer, and we think the travel sleeper we found will be useful multiple times.)
(This is NOT an invitation for you to share ANY horror stories in the comments, please and thank you.)
Should I be packing up her high chair and taking THAT with us? It is really easy to lug around, but… add it to all the other stuff we have to take, and it’s not really something you can just throw in on top of things. But if we don’t take it, where will I put her if we go out to eat? She is MUCH too wriggly for laps. Although that will probably be what happens – we will pass her from lap to lap. And what about feeding her? Carla is just starting to (be forced to) eat purees, and it’s a grueling and messy process (that we try to make delightful, so as not to give her the impression that eating is a grueling and unpleasant experience), and I can’t imagine setting her up on a hotel bed and trying to shove pureed bananas down her throat. Also, I suppose we could buy food there, and maybe bring a spoon and a bowl with us, but it just seems like a lot of trouble, you know? Is it terrible for her to take a break from “solid” food while we’re away?
Likewise, is it terrible for her to take a break from BATHS while we’re away? She still bathes in a little plastic whale-shaped tub that sits inside our bathtub, because she’s just too little. And she is MUCH too slippery to bathe with me, my near heart attack and I can assure you of that. Plus, she’s so small, she doesn’t really get DIRTY. Except for the blowouts. And the pureed food all over her. In any case, I am leaning toward no baths.
And how am I going to keep her entertained in a HOTEL? A lot of my parental survival skills involve moving Carla from Baby Containment Device to Baby Containment Device: she has a swing and a chair and a play gym and a bouncy thing in the kitchen and a bouncy play gym in her bedroom. And then, in desperate times, she has a pack-n-play and a crib, too.
But she’ll have NONE of those things in the hotel. She’ll have her little Baby Sleeper, but that’s not really a place for playing. I can put her on one of the beds, but I can’t leave her there. She’ll fling herself off the edge.
She also spends a lot of time just moving around on the floor. She’ll roll around on her bedroom floor, or the living room floor. I have a towel I set up in the (enclosed) hallway outside my bathroom, so she can roll and crawl around while I get ready in the mornings. But no way am I putting Carla down on the hotel floor. I don’t care WHAT you say about “germs are good for her immune system” – she gets PLENTY of germ exposure at daycare, she doesn’t need to put her face into the yuck that makes up a hotel carpet.
I am happy to stroll her around in the stroller… but I admit, I haven’t really researched this Western City or our location yet, so I’m not sure if there’s anywhere to stroll TO. Plus, if she wakes up at four in the morning? I’m not strolling. I refuse to stroll before seven a.m.
Sure, I’ll have the aforementioned toys. And perhaps I will have to bring a couple of books as well. It’s not like I can bring a LOT of books. Man, it’s going to be a long three days if I have to read Madeline thirty thousand times. Maybe I can read her The Goldfinch.
Why did I agree to do this again?
Perhaps I can cajole my husband into taking Carla with him to the conference. That ought to liven things up for those physicians, right?
May I offer a few suggestions (mom of a recently turned 1 year old, an even more recently 4 year old and 19 weeks pregnant):
Don’t just carry a change of clothes for Carla on the plane. Carry a change for you. I assume she’ll be in your lap. If she has a blow out, YOU spend the day in poop jeans. No good.
A fringed scarf is great for distracting the baby, playing peek aboo, covering you if you leak (I was a huge leaker if we weren’t on schedule) or a blow out.
DO NOT BRING A HIGH CHAIR. Every restaurant I have been to that is child appropriate has high chairs. If you want one of those covers, ok. We found stuffing a jacket behind a wobbly baby worked best.
Going to the bathroom in the hotel. You can either bring her in with you or strap her in the ergo to you if you don’t want to leave her on the carpet. Bring a blanket on which you can change her/she can play.
Sleeping: we have used the hotel cribs with great success. In 1 particularly bright hotel, we went to the bathroom and then dragged it in there. She slept all night, but **i** was a wreck. (Kids generally move to a bed when they learn to climb out of the crib or when you need the crib for the next baby. DD1 was 2.5. DD2 is still in a crib.)
Good luck. You will have fun, especially if you remember this is out of the norm and you don’t have to adhere strictly to her regular routine. Our kids have surprised is when we traveled by sleeping in so we didn’t need to worry about 4 am wake ups. Kids are more flexible than you think.
Even THINKING about traveling with an infant has me hyperventilating a little. I think you’re doing VERY WELL.
I loathe being That Person but I feel like I can’t avoid being That Person right now, because…how can you just NEVER put the baby down in the hotel? Without baby containment devices there doesn’t seem to be much choice unless you plan to wear her the entire time.Maybe you can ask for an extra set of sheets and just carpet the floor with them so she can roll around on something that gets washed more often than the flooring?
Honestly, we only traveled a couple times when the children were especially tiny because I found it so stressful (my 3 and 4 year olds have still never been on a plane) so it sounds to me like your Plan is sound and hopefully goes well. I don’t think it matters if you don’t feed her real food, I don’t think gifts for your plane neighbors are necessary (and damn those parents who first started it for setting such high expectations), and I think changing her diaper on whatever flatish surface you can find is fine, especially if no one sees. Good luck and I hope you report back that it was all such a joy! so fun! breezy! that future you scoffs at this post.
Hi there. My daughter and yours are just about the same age, I think. We’ve gone on a plane with her a couple of times now…once to my mom’s and once on a vacation to the Bahamas.
First, we opted to rent a car seat (or anything else we needed) once we got to our destination. I know there are horror stories out there, but I’m a big believer that life happens and you can’t spend it freaking out about stuff that is probably not going to happen.
Second, we asked the hotel if they had things. In the Bahamas, they gave us a crib and a high chair. Huge help and lots less to lug around.
Third, in terms of flying. I totally agree with the person who said change of clothes for you! My daughter is a champion spitter-upper and I got burned on our first flight and spent the rest of the day covered in baby spit up. It was awesome, I can tell you. The flights have not been too bad. I hate flying like no other, but have convinced myself that the baby will freak if she senses my fear, so since having her I literally won’t let myself break down. I don’t even want my heart rate to go up around her. She’s done perfectly on both flights. Fed her on the way up, fed her on the way down, and beyond a few little whimpers, she’s done pretty well.
Good luck! Have a fantastic time and enjoy the little break! And don’t worry too much about the people around you. We’ve all been there. (Also, I think of it in these terms – people annoy me ALL THE TIME, so me and my annoying baby on a plane is just the world evening it out. That mindset actually did get my through the first flight quite nicely.)
You seem to have a great plan! I’m a planner, so I greatly appreciate reading about other people and their planning.
I HIGHLY agree with that first comment about a change of clothes for YOU as well as for the baby.
And the only other thing I will say is this: Less is more. You will end up packing many things “just in case” and then not use most of it because baby will be so busy looking at everything and playing with the safety card in the seat pocket in front of you and possibly sleeping (one can hope), that most of the items will just be taking up space and you’ll be frustrated that you carried around more than you really need.
Okay, I’m a liar. A few more things: Be one of the last one the plane. The less time sitting waiting for take off, the better. And, finally, when you get on board, look around for a grandmother-type looking woman. Make eye contact and smile and if she seems excited to see a baby, that’s the person you could ask to hold the baby if/when you need to use the airplane bathroom. Flight attendants are not who you should ask (says my friend the flight attendant). But you may make this woman’s day to hold a baby for a few minutes. And it’s not like she can run away with the baby, right?
Good luck!
Follow-up post, please, so we can hear that all went perfectly! Have fun with Carla.
Hey friend. Please excuse the novel I am about to write. I’ve flown with Gracie a few times (Solo and with the husband or my parents) and stayed in hotels with her a few times. My recommendations:
1. Totally take your car seat. The rental ones are notoriously gross, often expired and you don’t have any way of knowing if it has been in an accident or not. If you are flying Southwest and they have extra seats on the flight, they will let you take your car seat on board and she can ride it on the plane- so much easier.
2. I cannot fathom flying without our Ergo. You can wear her through security which is essentially the only way you can get through security without exploding or forgetting something. It works sitting down as well. Sometimes they ask you to take them out for take off/landing, but for boarding the plane/deplaning and security, it is a GODSEND.
3. Take your pump on the plane.
4. When I traveled w/ bottles to a hotel I packed a small travel bottle of dish soap, a roll of paper towels, a bottle brush and a sterilizer microwave bag by Medela. I was able to wash and clean eveything I needed that way. I also bought those Medela breast pump wipes because I was able to clean the bottles on the plane because inevitably the baby goes off schedule when you don’t have a fresh bottle, etc.
5. Pack enough diapers that you would need for an entire DAY then add five more. This sounds silly but you have to pack as though your flight is terribly delayed and then the stores are closed when you land and need more diapers. As someone who ran out of diapers flying because my child decided to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes (unheard of) I implore you to overpack in this arena.
6. You need 2 extra outfits for the baby and one extra outfit for yourself.
7. Babies only need help regulating their ears on landing most of the time, just an FYI.
8. For hotel floor playing I used Aden & Anais muslin blankets. It worked well enough.
9. I wouldn’t pack a high chair myself, unless it was a clip on one.
10. If you want her to eat some purees on the trip, buy some pouches and a Boon Spoon that screws onto the pouches. Easy peasy. But you can also skip it if need be.
11. For bathing on the go when she was wee, we had one parent get in the shower, the other one hand them the baby and then the out-of-the-shower parent soap her up and then take her back after being rinsed. Worked just fine.
Oh and on board lavatories have changing tables- just ask the flight attendant which lav has it. Sometimes they fold down from weird spots, but they help.
Have your husband take a few flat sheets in his bag to line the floor!
Do you have a seat assignment yet? If not, decide where you want to sit (aisle or window–not middle) & call! If you sit on a window/aisle side on the way home it will be easier for you & the Doctor!
You would think flying with her in the Ergo would be safer than just in your lap? However, if it makes sense than probably not!
And remember you will get extra time to board the plane since your traveling w/ a young child! In fact, if you ask they may let you on a bit earlier than that to get settled!
Sounds like the moms have given you some good advice. I would take the pump in the diaper bag just so you know it is safe. Wet wipes and hand sanitizers sound good too. Have you called the airline and hotel to ask what is available? I think you should take the car seat too. I’ve seen a lot of them on the airplane when I have traveled. Good luck. The first trip is the hardest…I think most passengers will be sympathetic and understanding. Carla will probably “flirt” with all the men passengers and the women will fall in love with her.
I wrote a blog post on this if you’re interested, we flew a ton with my daughter when she was an infant: http://www.lifewithkarma.com/2012/06/flying-with-baby.html
Anyway, I would say:
1) Take your own carseat. I personally preferred to check the carseat so I didn’t have to drag it through the airport, but you could also gate check it (I assume you didn’t buy your daughter a seat on the plane). Practice putting the carseat in the car using the buckle without the base ahead of time. It’s actually pretty easy. When I traveled alone, I would put my daughter on the seat next to me while I installed the seat.
2) Hate to share this news, but my daughter could sense we were on an airplane or something and pooped up a storm… I always had to change her in the plane lavatory. It’s not so bad, just cramped. And bring a lot of diapers in case there are unexpected travel delays.
3) I don’t think you really need to give the other passengers “gifts” to win them over. They’re on an airplane. People bring babies on airplanes. They can get over it- you’re the one who has to deal with the baby, they should be giving you gifts! lol.
4) I nursed on the plane, but mostly because my daughter was a very slow nurser (whereas she downed bottles), so it provided entertainment/distraction for a longer period of time.
5) At her age I would just use the hotel’s pack n play. You can also put her in there while you shower. I’m sure a travel bed is fine too right now if she’s not mobile.
6) I would bring the ergo, but I’m actually not sure you’re allowed to wear her on the plane.
7) If she’s okay at sitting up- you could just use the restaurant high chairs. Maybe stuff a blankie around her so she can’t move as much? I wouldn’t bring a high chair though.
8) For baths- I don’t think it’s bad to skip them, but you could also put a towel on the bottom to provide some traction and just fill the bath up a couple of inches.
9) No advice about entertainment- that age is so tricky because they can’t actually do anything yet. I would say, have activities outside that you want to do, and take her along. Try not to spend all day in the hotel- that sounds kind of awful. Is there a hotel pool? It might be fun to take her swimming.
Good luck, it will be fine!
I’ve flown with my 9mo 4 times, 3x by myself. The best part is every mom and grandma in the airport will offer to help you, they are the best, let them help by making faces and cooing at Carla, watching your bags while you change a diaper, etc 🙂 I have never had a seat-mate be grouchy about my baby, even the business men end up cooing at her, just make sure to smile a lot and let them interact if they want to. Bring a manual/hand pump if you can, my little one doesn’t nurse in the airport/plane either and after a 5hr delay once I thought I was going to explode (but omg the gate attendants and fellow passengers were so nice and happy to help me during the delay). Def bring your own carseat – I just attached the base to mine and checked it. Try feeding your kiddo cheerios – I know, its not a puree, but if you feel comfortable doing it, picking up O’s will entertain Carla for HOURS. (and on that note my girl never liked purees, still doesn’t, so we went straight to table food…consider it?) Ask the flight attendant for a lid for your little drink cup, put a small, colorful plastic toy (I just use a connector-ring) inside and let Carla fling it around – colorful, doesn’t go far when she flings it, won’t hurt anyone, and its “new and exciting” to her. and on that note, bring a ton of those rings, I attach all of her toys to rings and hold on to one end so when she drops them they don’t hit the floor. Oh, and when I’ve had to use the restroom myself, I put her on my knee. Not fun but better than the alternative. And I second the Ergo, we always use ours. I’ve always been told to take her off for takeoff and landing, but not a big deal. Lastly – we always get the window seat – a little more squished but she LOVES looking out the window.
You will do great!! Lots of great advice here, and the only thing I would maybe add is–is there a reason you couldn’t bring the carseat base? Whenever we’ve flown, we’ve just taken it with us, and checked the whole thing attached together as soon as we got to the airport (they count it as one item and it doesn’t get taken apart or anything). Super easy, super convenient!
Excited to hear how it goes! 🙂
a) bring wayyyy more diapers in the carry-on than you think you need. Like, a day and a half worth, and a full container of wipes.
b) using the potty–wear her in the ergo. Wear sweatpants with an elastic waist for easy one-handed pull down. I never ever ever wash my hands in an airplane bathroom (60 Minutes did a special on water systems on planes 20 years ago that horrified me); I bring babywipes and hand sanitizer.
c) bring your own carseat; rental places will frequently run out of carseats even though you reserved one.
d) check the stroller with your luggage and use the GoGo Kidz Travelmate–it turns your carseat into a stroller. It is awesome. We have used ours every trip for years. (You can get the crappy cheaper brands, but they are much less sturdy and they suck.)
e) bring cheerios/puffs and one of those stick-on disposable placemats. Bring tons and tons of dry finger food. When my kids were of nursing age I just nursed them for most of the flight–my kids also hated the cover, but I would try and arrange the blanket so it was not over the heads but sort of bunch up to the side so you couldn’t see much.
f) if you are buying stuff on the other end, a portable high chair that straps onto a chair or clips on the table is only about $25.
I agree with what everyone else says! When we have flown, we have just done infant in arms and then either held or worn in the Ergo. Good for bathroom, etc too. I keep my pump with me. I would die without it – especially if there are delays and no way am I checking that thing! I say take your car seat. Does it snap into your stroller or are you taking a different stroller? If it snaps in, you can keep her in it all the way to the gate and then gate check the stroller and the car seat. If you purchased a ticket for Carla, I think the car seat fits onto the seat and she can fly in that…don’t know, cause we just hold ours til they are 2!
We don’t take the base with our car seat. It easily straps in just by using the seat belt and when traveling, for us, that is the way to go.
Its good you are flying near bed time. Just keep her awake at the airport, security, etc and then once you feed and the plane takes off, she’ll sleep the whole time!
We have always just gotten pack n plays from the hotel and then brought our own sheets for it. When I shower, I throw kids in there with a few toys and pull it near the bathroom. As someone else mentioned, if the bathroom is large enough, you can put the pack n play or whatever in there and that can be baby’s own little room for sleeping and napping!
I would bathe her in the sink. Take clorox wipes and just wipe it down and then you are good to go!
Dont stress! She will surprise you! Chances are, where ever you are going has a store and worst case scenario, you spend an extra few $$ and make a run to get what you need. Not ideal, but totally worth it to take care of your baby girl (and for your sanity!)
I’m not a mother so cannot comment on anything else but I think the gift cards and ear plugs are both overkill. You don’t need to feel guilty about disturbing the passengers around you! I’ve been on 12 hour flights with screaming babies and it was not nice, but I dealt with it. At the end of the day babies cry, little kids get excited. (I’ve even been that kid who will not shut up at 3am) Good luck 🙂
You can DO THIS. I travelled alone with Elizabeth around Carla’s age and it went just fine.
Practice with the ergo now because that will be a lifesaver. You can wear her on the plane, but not during take off or landing. Even if no one tells you not to, don’t do it. It’s not safer than holding her, don’t google this, just trust me. So when the seat belt sign is off, you can ergo her and when you need to be buckled, you can hold her in your lap. She’s sitting up on her own, right? If so, you can back carry her in the ergo and that is much more convenient for airport travel and having your hands full. (And it works beautifully for walking her around the hotel and everywhere.)
Feel free to text me with any specific travel-with-kids questions you’ve got. Of all the flights I’ve taken kids on, Elizabeth only screamed on one of them, the one that took off right after nap time should have started. And it was a Southwest flight that wasn’t full, so she was screaming when everyone got on and they all sat up front and we sat in the back. And she fell asleep as soon as the plane took off (white noise on planes is magical) and I had seventeen rows free for myself and a baby that slept the entire flight.
You’ll be fine! Definitely wear the baby as much as possible, especially while travelling to and from. (I did that once with a 13-month old, so it is definitely workable with an older baby.) Please don’t worry about your fellow flyers, unless she poops on THEM. I would carry on changes of clothes for both of you.
You sound very organized, so I am sure you will be fine! I once flew internationally, alone, with a 6-month old and a four year old, which involved two 2-hour car rides, two flights, and a trip through customs, and I did fine, and I should mention I am NOT very organized, at all. So, you know, if I could do that, this will be fine! Best thing, once you’ve done it once, it is a huge confidence booster and you will be much less stressed on any future trips. Good luck!
These helped me when I traveled with my 2-month-old daughter. Hope it helps 🙂
For the plane:
https://flyebaby.com/
For the hotel:
http://www.ulive.com/video/4-crucial-tips-for-staying-in-a-hotel-with-your-baby
Somehow I flew more in the first year of daughter 1s life than in many years preceding it. So far we are continuing the trend with daughter 2.
Here’s my thoughts:
-I always thought it would be worse than it ended up being, and in the end it was so much fun to have done.
-Don’t worry about the other people on the plane, and you don’t need to make them little baggies or anything. Your daughter is a person too, and even if she’s an annoying one on the plane, there’s no reason to apologize for her existence. Plus, she’s much much much less annoying than the toddler kicking a seat and throwing toys around. As long as you are trying and look desperate, travelers tend to be on your side.
-Yes, bring yourself changes of clothing too. Wear cargo pants if you have them to stick things in your pockets. Bring lots of diapers.
-My husband and I took turns changing the baby in the airplane bathroom, and he didn’t tell me until this year about the changing table that flips down behind the seat.
-I know that people are suspicious about rental car seats and if they’ve been in crashes, but I tend to be more paranoid about checking a carseat, because them being thrown or dropped or having a bag dropped on them will damage them structurally as much as a crash would.
-Practice with the Ergo, it is the best thing ever. If you wear her through TSA, they will just send you through metal detector and then swipe your hands. In fact, we never traveled with a stroller until our kid turned three and was too big to be worn. But we were more carriers than strollers.
-Do you swaddle her at night? Our routine was to get on the plane (we always boarded early but I know not everyone likes that), swaddle her up in her swaddle sleep sack, I’d toss her on the boob (usually by the window) (bottles weren’t as effective), once she was on, toss on a cover (or just block the view) and she’d nurse to sleep and take a good long nap. (Airplane is great white noise.) Mine get distracted super easy also and pop on and off, but it is almost like the huge amount of goings-on on the airplane is overwhelming, and they need to hibernate a bit and cut out the noise and people. (A cover might come in handy if they need to turn off the senses.)
-Use a high chair in the restaurants, etc, and take a cover if you need to keep cleaner.
-We actually bought a Bumbo seat when visiting my mother (the prince lion heart version) and used it there and managed to pack it in our suitcase home. But that was extreme.
PS if you stay relaxed and roll with it, she will too. Babies smell fear.
I promise, it will go much more smoothly than your worries are leading you to believe! And if nothing else, it’s way easier traveling at her age than with a toddler. Here are my thoughts:
1. If she nurses, why bother with the pump? Seems like a lot of stuff to bring and manage (and clean in a hotel sink!) if it isn’t necessary.
2. If she is still swaddled, just swaddle her for the flight. If not, nurse and she’ll fall asleep (without ear popping). I am not a huge fan of nursing in public (for myself–no judgment to others), but the plane really is the perfect place. I would wear a nursing tank + hoodie or cardigan and NO ONE will say or think anything of it, I promise. People will seriously just be amazed at what a good flier she is. And even with a squirmy toddler, I haven’t had any indecent exposure by the time I’ve layered up.
3. Bring a few simple (small) toys and books for the hotel room…maybe stacking cups or similar small things. It doesn’t take much to occupy them at this point.
4. She can sleep/hang out while you shower in the hotel pack and play–just bring a sheet.
5. Just simple things like going to the lobby and people watching will be fun for her.
Don’t feel the need to bring much (certainly not a high chair!). However, I do bring my own car seat…that way you know there won’t be mixups with the rental and you know how to install it.
Thanks for some good tips on travel with Baby. I am a new Grandma, very happily so, and anticipate a visit from Baby who must fly to reach me. Of course her parents will be attending her and we are thrilled. You are a good writer; your humor and outlook are refreshing. I am a 59 y/o doctor’s wife, having survived these many years and their issues as have been mentioned in posts and comments herein.
Filed this under things to remember when we have kids. Traveling to those conferences is fun for me and the hubs but I can imagine a baby thrown into the mix. You are so kind to do the thank you gifts for the passengers wow I’d really appreciate that.
http://www.kellysreality.com
You’ve gotten plenty of good advice. I’ve flown with a baby and stayed at hotels during my husband’s conferences/work trips several times so I’ll just add/reiterate a couple things.
I brought so much on the plane the first time and it was so cumbersome and exhausting. Granted this was an international flight with connections/customs, but still. Bring enough on board to feel prepared, but definitely check what you can or buy when you get there.
Regarding the hotel, I really really really recommend upgrading to a suite if you can swing it. It made a huge difference in our comfort/enjoyment to be able to put the baby down at the usual time in the bedroom/alcove and still be able to use the rest of the room. We’ve used the hotel cribs/pack and plays with no problem, I just bring my own sheet for the p&p. Our first born has spent plenty of time on hotel room floors – bring light blankets or use extra hotel blankets/sheets to spread out on the floor. I also change diapers on the floor on a changing pad. Baths – sponge in the sink. Solids – unless she’s dependent upon them for calories at this point, I’d just skip it.
It will be fun! Try not to worry too much (as a fellow anxious planner, I know this is probably useless to say).
Carrier. A change of clothes for you as well as baby — poop is not awesome to be in the rest of the day/flight.
People around you will get over it. No need for ear plugs. Or starbucks cards. Although I did find it HILARIOUS and if that’s the purpose, totally worth it.
ipad. or iphone. or whatever entertainment device you have just in case. but if it’s bed time she’ll probably just sleep.
and even if the whole thing just goes on like a disaster….remember, it’s just this one flight. And they serve wine on flights.
I literally have a post titled “Flying with Baby” just waiting to be finished. Maybe this will be motivation? Liam has been on a total of six flights, two of which were just him and me. We survived. No one offered us a parachute. You will survive also.
(Sorry if I am redundant with above comments…mama needs to get to bed).
Are you flying Southwest? Please tell me you are flying Southwest. (If you’re not, don’t panic). I love their open seating – I would just beeline to the back of the plane (half as many people to give the earplugs to, with no one sitting behind you, plus you can always hang out with the flight attendants if you need bouncing room).
Absolutely take your car seat. It’s easier. Even without the base – it’s easier (we never take our base). Plus, if there are any open seats (again this is with my SW experience), you can bring your car seat on board with you, even if you aren’t paying for a seat. If you’re going across two time zones, I’m assuming that your flight is long enough that one or both of you will get uncomfortable.
Also, start practicing with the Ergo, because you’re going to want it for security. You have to collapse your stroller and put it through the x-ray machine upside down, have your bottles scanned with lasers and your hands swiped in case you made any bombs that day. Oh, and don’t forget your shoes. You definitely will want your hands free to get regrouped after you make it through security.
Wait for the big stall in the airport bathroom. You’ll fit with your stroller and carry on. And your second carry on/diaper bag can go in your stroller basket.
Two final tips: don’t forget her birth certificate, and wear a lot of deodorant. You’re going to sweat but you’ll be fine 😉
I stumbled across your blog when I googled Lysoling furniture. Your post “I Lysoled My Feet” (which I’ve done btw) or something to that effect popped up. Then I started reading, and now I’m dying laughing because I was just like this when my son was your daughter’s age. I once bought and packed a special blow up bathtub because I couldn’t deal with the thought of the hotel bathtub. And airplane lavatories . . . cringe, panic attack. My son is now six, and we just got back from Colorado. I disinfected the entire plane (okay slight exaggeration) both going and coming home. It does get easier when they can use the restroom, wash their hands, and not eat everything in sight.