We've only done it once so by no means are we experts (or anything close to it!). However, I've been asked some questions regarding air travel with a baby and I'm willing to share our experience with you!
First of all, BABIES ARE PORTABLE. We made it from the Middle East to Canada (20+ hours of travel) and nobody tried to stop us. In a similar scenario, I don't think they would try to stop you either ;) That being said, your passion for exploring the world? And that desire you have for having a baby? Well, they can happen simultaneously. One doesn't haven't to stop for the other one to happen. FACT. (Ah-hem, I am referring to a few key people here. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!)
Second of all, YOU NEED TO RELAX. Before we headed to the airport (I'm talking WEEKS before, not just hours), we were both a nervous wreck. I think I blogged about this on our departure date, joking that we may just throw in the towel and spend our summer in the desert. Well, all that worrying was useless. Babies can sense tension like nobody else and all that unnecessary anxiety can make for an unhappy (and tired!) household. It's true that things always work out - one way or another!
Third of all, YOU WILL BE A TRAVELING ROADSHOW. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT. People will stare at you funny as you struggle to carry everything to your gate and find a place for it all in the overhead compartment. But, who cares?! That's LIFE. If it comes down to packing too much or too little, go for the former. How many diapers will you need? Onesies? Sleepers? Bottles? Take extra!!! Peace of mind is a good thing. And don't forget an extra change of clothes for yourself, either. It would be a terrible occurrence if you became a victim of reflux and had no way of ridding yourself of the smell.
Lastly, you gotta just GO WITH THE FLOW, expect to encounter some inconveniences and embrace the experience for all that it is. There will be times you want to throw the stroller against the wall (like when it won't collapse at boarding after many rehearsal hours earlier at home). There could be times when you find yourself trapped inside a cloud of cigarette smoke (because the no smoking signs in the airport are mostly ignored) and you pay whatever you need to get into a smoke-free lounge with free wifi, comfy seating, and a buffet. There will be times when you have to walk elbows-out to board the plane because people without children like to pretend they have children in order to get on the plane early. Whatever the case may be, just go with it. Take a deep breath. Laugh it off. And remember that drinks are always available at the back of the plane ;)
Other Tidbits:
* Although we requested a bassinet seat, Nory hated the thing. It's small, situated right against the same wall as the toilets, and can only be used when the seat belt sign goes off. As such, Nory couldn't sprawl out the way she likes and she woke up every time a passenger opened or closed the bathroom door. We would still request the bassinet in the future, though, because it places you in a row with lots of leg space (or play space!) and the bassinet can be used to store all of the things you may need during the flight (going into and out of the hand luggage compartment is not fun).
* Schipol airport in Amsterdam is AMAZING. If you can book via this city, I would highly recommend it! They have a quiet, dim-lit baby area that is free to all visitors. Inside the room there are a series of private, curtain-contained cribs with enough seating room for the rest of the family. There is also a microwave (where we sterilized all our bottles, mid-trip!), two changing stations, and two sinks big enough to bathe your little one! It's also nice to bump into other families that you can share laughs, eye-rolls, and faces of exhaustion with ;)
* Nory didn't have any problems during take-off but she did seem a bit bothered during the landings. We aren't sure if this is because she hated being strapped to me in the seatbelt or if her ears were hurting her. Either way, we did our best to sing to her softly and we gave her a toy, pacifier, or finger to chew on. (Side Note: We had never used a pacifier with Nory before the flight. We assumed she would have a natural affinity for the thing but it turns out we were wrong. She looked at us both like, "WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS?!!!" Luckily, she is at the stage where everything goes to the mouth. When the pacifier failed, the toys worked A-OKAY!)
* The Ergo carrier is a savior. I'm so happy we did all of that "Ergo Practice" before our flight! Having two hands is certainly a pro when navigating the airport and on the plane we could eat, drink and be merry while Nory did some people watching or took a cat nap. I don't know how we would have survived the flight without it! (Bring the stroller too.....it's free to check and makes an excellent trolley when not in use!)
* Airplane bathrooms are SMALL. In order to maximize our space in there while changing Nory, I had prepared five, ziplocked onesie/sleeper/bib/diaper combinations (matching, of course!) and a separate ziplocked bag for wipes/diaper cream/blanket/lotion, etc. Whenever Nory needed to be changed, I grabbed Nory and the two ziplocks and we were good to go! It was EASY PEEZY.
So there you have it! We survived Nory's first flight and we did a pretty good job of embracing it too. People with horror stories of traveling with a baby could argue that we caught Nory on a good day. Perhaps we had a streak of good luck? Perhaps as she grows up she will develop some spontaneous hatred for all things airplane? There could even be a time she turns into "THE NORNADO" at boarding and screams the duration of the flight. But if she does.....and fellow passengers stare us down with those "how dare you ruin my travel experience by bringing your baby aboard this aircraft" eyes.......I would have no problem staring right back at them with my "she's the one acting her age!!!" eyes.
Anyways....now that I think of it.....traveling with Nory is WAY easier than traveling with Phil. She gave me someone to smile and laugh with while the other one of us was busy sweating it out and trying his darnedest not to vomit. If we managed to survive it with a worse-than-terrified flyer and a 4.5 month old, you can do it too! Don't let your little one stop you. Guaranteed, they will add to your adventure :)
HAPPY FLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First of all, BABIES ARE PORTABLE. We made it from the Middle East to Canada (20+ hours of travel) and nobody tried to stop us. In a similar scenario, I don't think they would try to stop you either ;) That being said, your passion for exploring the world? And that desire you have for having a baby? Well, they can happen simultaneously. One doesn't haven't to stop for the other one to happen. FACT. (Ah-hem, I am referring to a few key people here. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!)
Second of all, YOU NEED TO RELAX. Before we headed to the airport (I'm talking WEEKS before, not just hours), we were both a nervous wreck. I think I blogged about this on our departure date, joking that we may just throw in the towel and spend our summer in the desert. Well, all that worrying was useless. Babies can sense tension like nobody else and all that unnecessary anxiety can make for an unhappy (and tired!) household. It's true that things always work out - one way or another!
 |
| Here we are before take-off. You can see nerves are still a little high...... |
Lastly, you gotta just GO WITH THE FLOW, expect to encounter some inconveniences and embrace the experience for all that it is. There will be times you want to throw the stroller against the wall (like when it won't collapse at boarding after many rehearsal hours earlier at home). There could be times when you find yourself trapped inside a cloud of cigarette smoke (because the no smoking signs in the airport are mostly ignored) and you pay whatever you need to get into a smoke-free lounge with free wifi, comfy seating, and a buffet. There will be times when you have to walk elbows-out to board the plane because people without children like to pretend they have children in order to get on the plane early. Whatever the case may be, just go with it. Take a deep breath. Laugh it off. And remember that drinks are always available at the back of the plane ;)
 |
| Chilling in the Pearl Lounge. The best money we've ever spent at an airport! |
Other Tidbits:
* Although we requested a bassinet seat, Nory hated the thing. It's small, situated right against the same wall as the toilets, and can only be used when the seat belt sign goes off. As such, Nory couldn't sprawl out the way she likes and she woke up every time a passenger opened or closed the bathroom door. We would still request the bassinet in the future, though, because it places you in a row with lots of leg space (or play space!) and the bassinet can be used to store all of the things you may need during the flight (going into and out of the hand luggage compartment is not fun).
* Schipol airport in Amsterdam is AMAZING. If you can book via this city, I would highly recommend it! They have a quiet, dim-lit baby area that is free to all visitors. Inside the room there are a series of private, curtain-contained cribs with enough seating room for the rest of the family. There is also a microwave (where we sterilized all our bottles, mid-trip!), two changing stations, and two sinks big enough to bathe your little one! It's also nice to bump into other families that you can share laughs, eye-rolls, and faces of exhaustion with ;)
 |
| Our private & cozy "Schipol Pod". THE BEST FIND. |
* The Ergo carrier is a savior. I'm so happy we did all of that "Ergo Practice" before our flight! Having two hands is certainly a pro when navigating the airport and on the plane we could eat, drink and be merry while Nory did some people watching or took a cat nap. I don't know how we would have survived the flight without it! (Bring the stroller too.....it's free to check and makes an excellent trolley when not in use!)
* Airplane bathrooms are SMALL. In order to maximize our space in there while changing Nory, I had prepared five, ziplocked onesie/sleeper/bib/diaper combinations (matching, of course!) and a separate ziplocked bag for wipes/diaper cream/blanket/lotion, etc. Whenever Nory needed to be changed, I grabbed Nory and the two ziplocks and we were good to go! It was EASY PEEZY.
So there you have it! We survived Nory's first flight and we did a pretty good job of embracing it too. People with horror stories of traveling with a baby could argue that we caught Nory on a good day. Perhaps we had a streak of good luck? Perhaps as she grows up she will develop some spontaneous hatred for all things airplane? There could even be a time she turns into "THE NORNADO" at boarding and screams the duration of the flight. But if she does.....and fellow passengers stare us down with those "how dare you ruin my travel experience by bringing your baby aboard this aircraft" eyes.......I would have no problem staring right back at them with my "she's the one acting her age!!!" eyes.
Anyways....now that I think of it.....traveling with Nory is WAY easier than traveling with Phil. She gave me someone to smile and laugh with while the other one of us was busy sweating it out and trying his darnedest not to vomit. If we managed to survive it with a worse-than-terrified flyer and a 4.5 month old, you can do it too! Don't let your little one stop you. Guaranteed, they will add to your adventure :)
HAPPY FLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
