airplanes + babies
i was terrified when i found out that i was having a baby for more reasons that one. but, among those reasons, i was sure that all my adventures would come to a screeching halt. that has not happened, and it's 100% possible to still travel (and have fun!) with a baby. august has now flown six times and is not even six months old. we already have 3 more trips planned in the next four moths, and two of them are international!
how i pack/travel with a baby:
step one: PREP!
a week before a trip i'll start to make mental to-do lists of what i need to get done, what i need to buy, and what i'll need to remember to pack. i find that thinking about it all in advance helps me not forget when it actually comes time to pack and make lists. two days before a trip, i'll schlep out the suitcase (long are the days of a backpack and a carry on) and start throwing things into the luggage that i know i can't forget. pumps, blankets, toys, etc... it all gets put into a pile. depending on the trip, i'll often amazon prime diapers and wipes to wherever we are going so that it's one less thing to pack and one less errand to run while we are traveling. this is typically only done when visiting friends and family. if it's a family vacation with the three of us and we are staying in an airbnb, i'll just suck it up and make room in my suitcase. or purchase upon arrival. typically when we travel, we are switching up time zones. i'll map out an adjusted schedule for the baby to use on the day of travel. of course, this can all go out the window if something happens. but it's good to have a game plan in place before travel instead of sitting in the airport trying to figure it out as you go.
step two: packing
august and i share this suitcase when we travel. i make two lists of what to pack -- one for august and one for myself. i typically will pack three toys, three books, and actually break down his play gym to bring with as well. i'll bring 5-7 outfits for august, and always plan on doing a few loads of laundry during our trips. if i know i'll be going out for dinner/drinks and not able to feed august, i'll bring some of my milk stash. otherwise, i do not bring any milk while traveling. we have the uppababy cruz, mesa, and all of the travel covers for stroller and carseat. we check the stroller and carseat at the gate. the guavea travel crib is on caleb's back along with his carry on luggage. i wear august in the ergo baby and i have the diaper bag. the suitcase that august and i share gets checked.
the diaper bag has a few toys, changing pad/diapers, disinfectant wipes, one muslin blanket, 3 burp clothes, 2 change of clothes, and a nursing cover. true story: august has had a blow out each time we have traveled which has required an entire outfit change. super fun to deal with on an airplane bathroom!!! yikes.
step 3: travel day!
because i have already planned out the day's adjusted schedule, i'll kick off august's wake time and eating schedule with the new time he's supposed to wake/feed. typically it's only adjusted about 30 minutes. i'll always schedule nursing to take place either right before leaving for the airport, waiting for the plane, or in the middle of the flight. i know everyone says you're supposed to nurse on take off and landing, but that timing hasn't worked for me. i think the most important thing, though, is to have a plan in place of when you're going to nurse that day. after going through security (we have pre-check... HIGHLY recommend this) i will find the family bathroom or the nursing station. most airports have a family bathroom, however when i was in chicago recently, the airport only had a nursing room. i use the family bathroom to change august and use the restroom myself. i made the mistake the first time i flew with august and didn't change his diaper before i got on the plane. never making that mistake again! (also, i think it goes without saying, but i essentially wipe down everything august might touch with wipes in the bathroom. caleb like to joke that the SLC family airport gets cleaner whenever i'm flying :) when i sit down in my seat, i take wipes and do my best to disinfect everything i can. i wipe down the seat, tray, arm rest, etc. if i'm alone, i'll offer the wipe to the person sitting next to me, and typically they'll take it.
i wish i could say i have a plan on when i try to have august sleep and be awake while in flight. honestly, it's a toss up on when he sleeps and even IF he sleeps. i try to stay flexible and positive. when he gets cranky on the plane, i try to adjust and interact with him to fix the problem and keep him happy. i like to think that if he does get cranky, and i'm doing my best to combat his crying, the people around me will be more understanding.
aside from all the extra gear and planning, it's really not too bad! happy travels!
also: i am a huge promoter of uppbaby products. they have incredible customer service, and if your equipment get damanged while using their travel cases, they'll replace for free! amazing.
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