As if taking care of a baby is not challenging enough, travelling with them might be the last thing on your mind. But travelling with your baby does not have to be hard. Good preparation will go a long way. We first traveled overseas to Thailand when our son was 6 months old. Our flight went smoothly and we thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks holiday. Looking back we are glad to have taken the first step.
Here are our 13 Best Baby Travel Tips:
1. Choose a baby friendly destination
Choose a holiday destination that is reachable by a direct flight. Ideally this destination will have baby change room facilities and is stroller in most places. Don’t pick a destination so challenging that it will discourage you from ever travelling again.
2. Practice from home
Little ones who spend much of the week at home will experience a massive shock if all of the sudden they go out for 6-8 hours every day. In the weeks leading to the trip, regularly bring your baby out to visit playgrounds, zoo, shops or have a long walk at a local park. Riding on local train or buses will also help introduce your baby to what is about to come. There are other small things you can practice including regularly dining out in cafes or restaurants. Check out our “6 habits for a successful first family holiday”article.
3. Bring a good baby carrier
Choose the right baby carrier for your travels. For our early travels we chose Ergobaby Performance. It is lightweight and wicking performance fabric allows good ventilation in hotter climate. Carrying your baby at the front will allow for a good weight distribution and will help parents avoid back aches. We later used Tula carrier as our baby got a bit heavier. We believe both brands to be just as good.
4. Bring a good travel stroller
Before purchasing a travel stroller, do your research. Find something light, sturdy, compact and easy to fold. Our day to day pram in Perth was the City Mini GT but at 10kg, we had to give it a miss when traveling. We ended up purchasing a second hand Maclaren Quest stroller for only $40. It only weighs 6.3kg and is quite sturdy. So far this Maclaren stroller has survived three travel adventures with us including Germany, France, China & England. It even survived the cobble stones and snow! We have owned this stroller for almost 2 years now (and its previous owner had it for 5 years) and is still going strong.
5. Book the right flights
When planning your travels take into consideration choice of airlines, flight time and transit time. Remember to check with your airline their specific policies on bassinet seat booking. Fly during time of day when your baby is at their happiest, for us this means flying out on morning flights. Flying when your baby is tired and cranky is hard work. Do remember that your baby will also need the usual documents such as a passport, visa and travel insurance.
6. Book the right accommodation
Try to find accommodation that give baby a similar sleeping arrangement as you would back home. If possible, get an accommodation which has a separate living area. This will allow you to relax after your baby go to bed. Stay in hotels offering free baby cot as this will save you a lot. Check out our “6 Steps to choosing the right accommodation for travelling family” article.
7. Pack your flight carry ons correctly
Put all your little ones necessities into one easy to carry backpack. Forget about maximising your baggage or carry on allowance, the last thing you want when baby travel is to carry unnecessary extra load. Here is our flight carry ons packing checklist when our son was 6 months (note: Our son Berlin was breastfeeding). Always spare clothes for yourself in case of “accidents”.
8. Dress your baby with comfortable clothes
Cotton clothes with jumper for layering (if needed) plus socks are our go to baby travel outfit. If you expect your baby to fall asleep on the plane journey, wear something they would wear for sleeping back home.
You will likely need to change your baby’s nappy on board, so be prepared to dress them in appropriate attire. Easy zipped onesies or top and pants works great for easy changes (especially for #2s!) in a small confined space. Our son wore his pyjamas from Perth all the way to Europe on both trips. If needed, also bring their favourite blanket or comforter.
9. Bring your baby’s favourite toys for flights
Favourite toys from home will give them comfort and entertainment. Remember that babies tend to get amused quite easily. On our son’s first flight to Thailand, he preferred to play with plastic cups and plastic packaging of the airline complimentary soft toy.
10. Board flights early
Utilize the early boarding privileges that almost all airlines allow those travelling with baby. A good reason is so that your baby enters a very spacious and empty plane as opposed to being the last one in with all these staring strangers. At the same time you get to avoid long waits for other passengers to get seated. That extra time also allows your baby to settle in, get accustomed to the environment and get comfortable. As soon as you get to our seats, take out the necessities from your backpack such as the sippy cup, wet wipes, snacks, stickers, toys and the iPad. The rest you can leave it in the backpack on the overhead compartment to give yourself as much space as possible.
11. Load the iPads with videos & music
We try to not use iPads, so this is the very last resort. But in flight entertainment screens are usually way too high for babies. The iPad is also useful for when hotels you staying does not have their favourite TV programs. It can also be used to store and play your baby’s nightly sleeping songs. When travelling we play our son music for going to bed at night. This also helps to block any background noise.
12. Helping baby with jet lag
Long haul flights and jet lags can be a challenge for travelling adults let alone travelling baby. So far we have been to Europe twice with our son and have managed well. From where we are (Western Australia), most European destinations are 8 hours behind. Leaving Australia, we prefer to fly on a morning flight which means that Berlin and us are well rested for the super long journey. We prefer to arrive in Europe in the evening which allows us to have a decent rest before starting our travel adventures the next day.
13. Relax and enjoy your family holiday!
Finally, don’t try to cover too many sights and activities every single day. The last thing you want is coming home feeling exhausted and the need to have another holiday. Be present. Take in the beautiful sights, stop checking your phone and stop looking for free WiFi. Come home with plenty of memories.
