Flying with a baby can be incredibly stressful. Traveling in general is overwhelming, but when you bring kids into the mix, it can be a huge challenge.
I recently decided to bring my husband and 7-month-old daughter to visit my best friend who lives in another part of the country. She also has a young daughter, and it was the first time we’d be meeting each other’s babies. But as someone who already gets anxious about traveling (planning, packing, flying — it’s a lot), I wasn’t feeling particularly confident about flying with my infant.
I planned and prepared, checked all the guidelines, watched the TikTok hacks, read the articles — but I still wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
Luckily, everything went smoothly! The flights were easy enough, and we had a fantastic visit with my friend and her family. Of course, there are a few things I’d do differently next time. Here’s what I learned on my baby’s first flight: packing advice, tips and tricks, and how to prepare mentally.
More from Mom.com: As a Mom, Here’s What I Wish People on Planes Knew About Traveling With Kids
Packing Advice
Buy Bulky Products at Your Destination
Instead of trying to pack all the diapers and wipes you’ll need for your trip, just buy them when you get there. Stock your diaper bag with whatever you’ll need for the plane (and a few extra in case of delays), but don’t worry about packing dozens of bulky diapers in your suitcases.
We asked my friend to pick up diapers in my daughter’s size ahead of us getting there; you can also order products in advance from Walmart, Target, or Amazon, or swing by a drugstore when you arrive.
Decide Whether You'll Check Bags
Keep in mind that when you fly, you can typically have one carry-on and one personal item. Chances are one of those will be your baby’s diaper bag, so that limits your carry-on options. You should also think about how you’re going to carry your baby through the airport (options include a carrier, stroller, or in your arms) — you may not want to lug your suitcases around if you’re also pushing a stroller.
We decided that because we were just traveling for a few days, we would make it work to bring two carry-on suitcases. My daughter’s diaper bag also served as my purse (I clipped a fanny pack to it to keep my items organized), and my husband brought a backpack with all of our technology and toys for our daughter.
Stock Your Diaper Bag Thoughtfully
When you’re packing your diaper bag, try to prepare for a number of situations: spit-up, diaper blowout, boredom, hunger, etc. Here are a few incredibly helpful items you might not think to bring:
- Puppy potty training pads: These super absorbent pads are incredibly versatile — put them on the tray table to catch spills, use them in place of a changing pad in the airplane bathroom, place them under baby in the car seat in case of diaper leaks — and they fold into compact little squares.
- Noise reducing baby headphones: Airports can be overstimulating and airplanes can be quite loud. Protect your little one’s ears with protective earmuffs
- Pacifier clips: Use pacifier clips on everything. The last thing you want is pacifiers, burp cloths, teethers, stuffies, or little toys falling on the floor of the airport or airplane, so use these clips to secure everything to your baby or to yourself.
- High chair suction toys: Want to keep your baby entertained without pulling out screens? High chair toys that suction to flat surfaces can be a life-saver. Stick them to the airplane window or onto the tray table for your little one to play with.
- Disinfecting wipes: Babies love to put things in their mouths, but that’s not exactly sanitary. Since airplanes are full of germs, it can be a good idea to give things a quick wipe-down with a disinfecting wipe.
Tips & Tricks for the Trip
Give Yourself Extra Time
Everyone with a baby knows that things always take longer than expected — traveling is no exception. Getting out of the house will take longer, getting situated in the car will take longer, getting everything out of the car will take longer, TSA will take longer, and boarding will take longer. If you normally cut it close for flights, you won’t want to do that with a little one!
Keep in mind that if you’re flying with breastmilk or prepared formula (which you can absolutely do, and you’re allowed to bring more than the 3.4 oz liquid maximum), they’ll need to pull your bags and do a test on the bottle/milk storage bag.
When we arrived at TSA, we only had one bottle with us, but they still had to pull us aside to do a secondary screening. This took an additional 15 minutes or so, and all the other families we saw had a similar experience.
Be Kind to the Flight Attendants
This should come without saying, but you should always be kind to your flight attendants. Even if you’ve had a hectic travel day, remember that it’s not the flight attendants’ fault — say hello when you get on the plane and let them see your adorable baby. If you need anything later in the flight, it’ll be really helpful to have the flight attendants on your side!
