Travel is exciting! Travel with an infant and/or children in tow, is a completely different story. Yes, it is still exciting and fun but the process of getting to your destination is quite a bit more stressful. Add in a child with a peanut allergy to which you need to board the plane prior, clean and ask them to make an announcement…that adds a whole other level of stress.
When we had our daughter, we were adamant about continuing to travel. We knew traveling with an infant was going to be very different than when we were alone, but we did not let that deter us. In her 3 years of life she has gone on 6 different out of state trips to California, Virginia, Colorado, & Florida. Now that she is of the age where we have to purchase a ticket for her AND we have a second child, our travel isn’t as often. That extra ticket (and soon to be 2 extra tickets) is a budget killer! One to two times a year is our goal and we have been holding to that thus far!
We became pretty organized, traveled minimally and learned tips and tricks along the way. Hopefully you find some of these useful as you plan your family adventures!
Plan flight times according to their schedule
I strictly breastfed both our children for the first 12 months of their life. When they were infants, it was easiest to schedule our flight times during a nap time because upon take off I would nurse and she would fall asleep. I ONLY recommend this for the infant stage.
When your children are toddlers or older it is best to schedule flights after nap time and before bedtime. Though this is not always practical, especially if it is a longer flight, it is extremely helpful for everyone.
If you breastfeed, you need Milk Stork
I did not find this company until we were about to leave on our 10 year anniversary trip, without the kids. I had a 5 month old that I strictly breastfed and I had been trying to stock up enough milk for when we were gone. Unfortunately, there was not going to be enough milk to last.
We were headed to Hawaii and I wanted to attempt this because breastfeeding was such an important commitment of mine. I cannot say enough fantastic things about this company. It delivered the packages at our resort, prior to us arriving in Hawaii. All I had to do was stock the breastmilk in the package and activate the refrigeration pack. It arrived not even 2 days later back home in North Dakota.
I had a second package to take on the plane with me and getting through security was seamless. I even came home and had a stash in the freezer and my son was still strictly breastfed and it was all because of Milk Stork!
A backpack of surprises
Before taking off on any trips I find small games and toys that they have never seen or used before. I put these in my daughters backpack and she carries it. They are not allowed to open it on the plane. (If they are tempted to, one of us carries it instead.)
On our most recent trip I surprised my daughter with a tiny baby doll and my son with a new car. Then I added in “time killer” knowledge games from Brain Quest. Nova loves to learn so I try to foster that, plus it keeps her entertained for a good period of time. She loves being quizzed, so these were perfect! Knox, who is 1, also loved it because it has photos of animals and he was learning as well!
Buy or rent children’s equipment for traveling
I used to be in the financial world, and a little bit of a nerd sometimes, so numbers speak to me a lot. I wouldn’t recommend something like this if it didn’t make financial sense.
Typically, car seats are free to check or bring on a plane. However, they are technically considered damaged after gate checking or checking them on a flight. Not only damaged, but experts say they are damaged as bad from a flight as they would be in a car accident and are not safe to use going forward.
- So, in my opinion you have 2 options:
bring it on the plane with you (by purchasing a seat for your little one) or
- rent/buy one when you get there
Some parents swear by paying for a seat for their little one and bringing their seat on board. When they are under 2, I have always been willing to hold them the whole flight, to save the money on an extra ticket and not have the car seat to carry around. We then either rent car seats from a local company once we are there or purchase cheap safe seats to have available when we get there.
We rent pack-n-plays as well and they have been delivered to our hotel or family’s homes prior to us arriving. We have always had great experiences doing this. Be warned though, you never know what kind of condition they are in so I always travel with sheets, seat or car seat covers, and plenty of sanitizing wipes to clean it prior to using it.
Wear your baby and bring an umbrella stroller
I have always been a fan of baby wearing, but even more so when you are traveling. Having two free hands when you are fumbling through an airport or pulling luggage is essential. If you are lucky, your baby will even fall asleep and you can wear him the whole flight!
Once they are a little older or if they do not enjoy being worn, an umbrella stroller is a life saver. We are active when we travel and outside of the airport it comes in very handy.
Accessible snacks and drinks
If you are anything like me, since having children, having accessible snacks and drinks has been a staple in my every day life. I always have at least one granola bar in my purse and their water bottles are basically hooked to them. It’s obvious they will get hungry and thirsty traveling if they do on a 5 minute drive to the grocery store.
Having their favorite snacks tucked away makes your life easy! I always keep them in my carry on bag which is typically combined with the diaper bag.
Bring a pillow and blanket
We tried a flight or two without a pillow and blanket and it was horrible. Now, we won’t travel without the normal sized bed pillow and each of their favorite blankets. If you don’t travel with car seats, it is much more necessary.
I have small security blanket versions of their favorite blanket, so it makes traveling easier. The large pillow is especially helpful for you as the parent to support your arms if the baby happens to fall asleep.
It’s important to remember, even if you do plan as best as you can, things will never go “as planned”.
Understand that the first night is probably going to be rough, and your kids are not going to adjust to a new place or new time zone quickly. Typically by the second night it is a lot easier and everyone adapts. Try to keep their routine the same as at home and everyone’s life will be much easier!
How do you travel with your babies?
XO,
