Travelling with baby in tow takes as much planning as the military! It takes precision, organisation and lots of patience. The task of having to keep them seated, happy and not screaming for hours can strike any parent fearful and lets not even mention those hateful stares for having a crying baby on a plane.

Here are some helpful tips on travelling with your little one on a plane...

Before you leave
Travelling with your baby or toddler takes planning and time! On the day of departure get to the airport as early as you can to avoid the rush. Keep in mind the security checks you will have to go through and the long distances in airports between gates- avoid the last minute dash to the gate! Remember with baby in tow everything takes twice as long. Keep this in mind when booking connecting flights.

Also check that your airline allows you to pre-book baby bassinet (sky cot) before the day of travel.

If possible try check in online beforehand to secure your seat assignment online Don’t forget to print all the boarding passes & put them in your carry-on!

Check with your airline in advance about baggage restrictions and what you can and cannot bring. On international flights, some airlines will allow a lap infant to check baggage, other airlines exclude baby items like a car seat or stroller as part of the parent's baggage allowance.

Also don’t check in your stroller unless you plan to carry your child in a sling. Most airlines will now allow you to push your stroller all the way to the gate (it will make your life MUCH easier). They’ll then check it at the gate and have it waiting for you outside the plane door when you deplane. Some airlines will even let you bring a small stroller on board if there is space.

Going through airport security can be scary for little kids so if they are toddlers try explain to them beforehand what will happen.

Keep your eyes out for a fast track security family lane, and take advantage of it! At most airports, the family lane has extra agents to help families gather their belongings and often there is a little bit of extra space where children can put on shoes.

You will be asked for your boarding pass a few times to get to until you board the plane so keep it in an accessible place so you don't have to fumble for it.

Before boarding the plane, make use of the airport toilets and nappy changing facilities. Also if you have toddlers let them run around a little bit before boarding the flight- this will tire them out! Make use of the airports shops and get any last minute snacks for your little one but remember- stay close to your gate and listen for the agent to announce pre-boarding

Boarding with baby
Most airlines allow passengers travelling with babies and children board first and offer assistance getting on and off the plane. Make use of this service. This is also the time to ask if you were not able to get the seat assignments you wanted or want to know whether there is an empty seat available for your lap infant, now is a good time to talk with the gate agent as well getting a check-tag for your stroller when it goes in the hold.

Be prepared to collapse your stroller as the airline personnel will probably not know how to collapse and stow your stroller without damaging it. It is also a good idea to put your stroller in a plastic or cloth bag to protect it from damage.

If you are travelling with your partner or spouse, a good idea is for one person to board first while the other person to stay with the little one. This way the first person can get everything organised and ready on the plane without the distraction of the little ones.

Once on the plane, make sure that you keep any items you need during takeoff or the beginning for the flight within your reach while seated.

Take off with your tot
Often during takeoff and landing you will feel painful pressure in your ears-and your little one will too. Babies and toddlers do not know how to clear their ears to reduce the pressure during takeoff and landing. Unless your baby is asleep, you will need to help them. For babies, nursing, a bottle, or a pacifier will work. In addition to helping with ear pressure, milk also acts as a mild sedative, so feeding your child can set the stage for drifting off to sleep.

During the flight
Keeping your little one occupied on the flight takes planning! If you are lucky baby will sleep alot but most don’t! Bring travel toys and make them last! Try not bring them out until your child asks for them or gets bored. Don’t bring the toys out all at once- take one out at a time so that each has a period of novelty. Try wrap some toys as gifts. The wrapping won’t add significantly to your items, but it will provide a little extra excitement and entertainment for your child. Many airlines often provide little ones with packs filled with games and fun things for them to do. For toddlers make use of the in-flight entertainment which has a channel dedicated to little ones.

Feeding and changing baby
Take all baby’s favourite foods on the plane and don’t count on the airline to always have baby food and milk onboard- take your own! Ask for bottles and meals to be warmed well in advance of when you need them. Cabin crew don't have a microwave and have to heat using hot water in the galley. This takes time. It’s also a good idea to have some disposable bibs with you. Remember to test the temperature of food heated in the aircraft galley before you give it to your baby.

As everyone knows hydroplane bathrooms are tiny so it’s not always easy to change your baby’s diaper. Some aeroplanes have a larger bathroom at the very rear of the plane with a correspondingly larger change table. Wait for this to become free if you have a larger baby to change, as airplane change tables are small or ask the cabin crew if they will prepare the change table in one of the toilet cubicles for you if you let them know that you need to use one.

Landing with your little one
Just with taking off, help your baby relieve pressure in their ears by nursing them or giving them liquids. After landing, it is easiest to wait until the other passengers have de-planed to gather your belongings and children. Despite your best efforts, some of their toys will be scattered on the floor or around the seat, and you won’t want to lose anything. If you’ve gate checked a stroller, it won’t be available immediately anyway, so you might as well wait in your seat instead of at the bottom of the airplane door. Best of all, not being part of the crush of passengers exiting the plane will also give your children a chance to peek in the cockpit.

Travelling tips
Take a change of clothing for you and for your child in case of spills. Layer up so you can take off whatever gets dirty easily

If you hit turbulence it’s recommended that you should provide support to the infant's head, neck, and body, and lean over the infant to minimize the possibility of injury due to flailing.


Happy travels...