Advice On Travel With Infant please

• 

  Nugs on 02/02/2017 - 11:24

  +4

  advice - don't do it

  • 

    sammyla on 02/02/2017 - 11:35

    Yeah i know what you mean but i have to travel as i need to sort out some property/land settlements overseas. i have no choice.

• 

  Euphemistic on 02/02/2017 - 11:40

  +3

  A 9-10month old is going to be a very different critter to a 2 week old. I don't envy you taking a 13hr flight with one, but people do it. Once you get closer to the trip you'll need to work out how best to keep junior happy for the flight.

  Find the smallest stroller you can for travel. Arrange your baby seat OS. It's hard enough taking essentials with you, let alone excess stuff.

• 

  mskeggs on 02/02/2017 - 11:41

  +9

  Our oldest girl’s first flight was UK<->AU at 4 weeks, and all of our four kids have been on international flights before the age of one.
  Full service airlines will give you a bassinet and a seat in the bulkhead row, but charge a fee, usually 10% of the adult fare. Discount airlines will let the child fly free, but they must stay on your lap.
  The bassinet is nice, but not 100% necessary if your partner is there to hold the baby should you need to use the toilet or otherwise have a break. In my experience you will hold the child on your lap most of the time anyway.
  The biggest drama is likely to be ears ‘popping’ from the pressure change on take off and landing. This can be unpleasant and will make little kids cry. The best bet is to feed them, as the sucking action encourages the pressure to equalize.
  People are generally very understanding of parents of small kids, but do try and keep your child civil if possible. It isn’t the time for a controlled crying initiative! Just feed and change the kid often to keep them satisfied and they will find flying no different to sitting on a couch in the living room.
  You can get ‘umbrella’ strollers that are compact for travel. They are OK, but I wouldn’t spend much money on one. The airline will let you take the stroller to the boarding gate then stow it for you, and have it there for you at the other end. I probably wouldn’t take a baby car seat. Different countries have different requirements, and if you rent a car you can hire one. If you are travelling in the developing world, baby car seats are fairly rare. I am willing to ride in the back seat with an infant on my lap, but others would be horrified at the risk of an accident. The arrangements you need will be determined by how you feel about this.
  My final piece of advice is to see if your credit card has a ‘concierge’ service, or check if your travel insurance has an operator assist service. These can often act as an interpreter should you be travelling in a country where you don’t speak the language. This can be very helpful if there is a medical issue or similar.
  Have fun on your trip, you will be fine!
  PS - once we flew business class with an infant. It was awesome. Luckily I wasn't paying for the ticket!

• 

  empty456 on 02/02/2017 - 11:45

  +2

  We travelled when our baby was 5 months old. Singapore Airlines is good. My advice is to book those seats near the bassinet area and check in early to be sure you get one.

  Babies are worst during takeoff and landing as that is when their ears pop and it hurts. Make sure the baby is sucking on a bottle, eating or feeding during those times. The middle of the trip is pretty much the same as being at home with your baby so if the baby cries all day he/she is probably going to do the same mid air. Just bring some books, toys or whatever the baby enjoys at the time. An inflatable beach ball is a good one to pack. So is an ipod or media player of some sort.

  Regarding sitting with a baby, the bassinets are not to be used during takeoff and landing anyway. The airline will give you an infant seatbelt to be attached to you. The baby carrier could be useful if you want to walk around the plane during the long flight.

  I do not advise to bring the pram unless you are going to be overseas for a long time. Airlines have complimentary prams. Or use the cheap fold up ones while you are waiting at the boarding area. Also it is easier/cheaper to just arrange for a baby seat than to bring your own.

  Good luck. it is not as hard as many people say.

• 

  bozbargain on 02/02/2017 - 11:46

  +1

  Congratulations with your newborn! Flying with infants is easier than with a toddler, especially if they can't walk yet. So don't let anyone talk you out of it! You & baby will be fine, even if it's a 24h flight!

  1) This depends on where you're going (UAE, USA?) but even AirAsia and the likes have decent bassinets.
  2) Unless you have a very tall baby, most bassinets will be big enough for infants < 12 months. Make sure to put a request in for a bassinet by contacting the airline after you make the booking. Also try and get an extra seat (between the 2 of you perhaps) blocked off for the baby in case they're not comfortable in the bassinet (in reality, they will be and you end up with a bit more space for yourself). They won't give you the seat when the flight is fully booked of course (and December can be busy). Again, you'll find that flying as a parent will be easiest when your little one fits in the bassinet. It's like business class for babies. When they're 2 or 3 and want to run around, that's when you can potentially have a challenging flight!
  3) In my experience, no. Some kids could have trouble/discomfort because of the cabin pressure during take off and landing. If you or your partner is still breastfeeding by then, that's easy. Otherwise a bottle will do!
  4) Depends on your baby. Don't worry about the other passengers, you asking this question here shows you're a considerate person already. Babies cry, that's part of life. No one has ever complained about our kids on the plane.
  5) Umbrella strollers are easiest, I like the McLaren ones.
  6) Depends on what you want to do with it. In the plane, the bassinet should suffice. Most car rental places around the world have baby/kids seats you can book.

• 

  atreyuATR on 02/02/2017 - 11:49

  +1

  You will worry yourself into a frenzy, don't. You're probably going to find that the white noise and the rocking will send your child off to sleep and keep them sleeping.

  I traveled with my 6 month old to Japan and the bassinet was big enough. I think for 2 week old, you'll be fine! My kid has never slept so well than on a plane.

  If you can feed them about 30 seconds after the wheels leave the tarmac, this is when they will need the pressure in their ears needs to be equalised, which will happen automatically while they are feeding. Once they're full, hopefully they'll drift off to sleep, drop them in the bassinet and keep patting till they're out.

  they should allow you to take your stroller on as a carry on. and they will hold it for you at the front of the plane, so you have it first thing, ring the airline for details

  if you have someone in the country to where you're going, see if they can hire one or 'gumtree' a cheap one you can ditch later on.

  There are some cold medicines that help them sleep, but for 2 weeks, i'd say its too early for that stuff. But try and time your feeding and sleep times for the plane flight.

  Good luck, you'll be fine, don't panic.

  • 

    PVA on 02/02/2017 - 12:50

    the baby will be around a year old, they are flying at the end of the year.

• 

  altomic on 02/02/2017 - 11:54

  +1

  hi, I regularly travel with my 3 kids but they are now 7,10,11. I was travelling when they were small as well. more often than not on long flights the parents w/babies are positioned behind one of the galleys so that there is a wall infront of the the seat. these have large fold down table things to place a bassinet in/on. at 11 months that would be fine. just let the airline know when you are booking that you have an 11 month old so they can accommodate you the best.

  start training your baby to tolerate loud noise. e.g. start vacuuming in the same room when they are sleeping.

  put formula in to pre-measured bags for easy mixing on the plane.

  as Euphemistic says - the smallest stroller -just a regular kmart elcheapo ~$20 - compact+light+disposable = dump it before you come back.. though I'd be more inclined to use/take a baby bjorn as well.

  car seat - I'd be inclined to take one (aus standards)- if you were planning on upgrading your regular baby seat or have a friend who has one to give away then take that. again - dump it before you come back because you will have so other things to worry about. -I suggest taking one from aus because of safety standards of the car seats. you know that it confirms to a tested standard (I don't know where you are going or what the countries standards are but it is for your child.)

  the main issue for babies is the take off and landing which involves a change in air cabin pressure which can hurt their ears.

• 

  geek001 on 02/02/2017 - 12:03

  +2

  Others have provided very sound advice. The only thing I would add is to try and get a day flight and NOT a night flight. The last thing you want is you being cranky for not having enough comfortable sleep while having to deal with a crying baby while other passengers are glaring at you because they can't get any sleep either.

  • 

    poboy on 04/02/2017 - 11:55

    The airlines generally cluster all the babies together. It only takes one crying baby to set the others off.

    • 

      geek001 on 04/02/2017 - 16:14

      I doubt that. Each aircraft section has only so many basinet seats. So that means if you get a full flight each section comes with their very own baby!:)

• 

  Hellfire on 02/02/2017 - 12:05

  +1

  1. All the full service one's should be fine. Although I'd prioritise those that allow you to book the bassinet seats. Some just allocate them at the airport which means you could miss out.

  2. I've done it and while it can be done it won't be comfortable for you. If you have an empty seat next to you then they can lie down there too. I had a giant 10 month old and he still fit in the bassinet although technically he was too big.

  3. Mine were fine at flying and it wasn't a problem but all babies are different.

  4. Try to fly during the night when the baby usually sleeps (it will become a lot more regular by 9-10 months). Mine didn't cry and other passengers around us were often surprised that we had a baby.

  5. By December they will be big enough for a small push stroller.

  6. First time I just bought one overseas. That was easy but a little expensive. Second time we took a car seat with us. It was a real hassle to drag it everywhere.

  Make sure you take plenty of food, drinks, and toys.

• 

  MiMiKat on 02/02/2017 - 12:06

  +1

  Congrats on your baby. From my observation of friends who have traveled with babies, they all used a baby carrier. For a 10 month old, a pram is optional if you already have a baby carrier, since they are not that heavy yet. If you are bringing a pram, a cheap one from Big W or Kmart will do. It is compact and does the job.

• 

  sammyla on 02/02/2017 - 12:34

  Thank you everyone , you guys are very helpful. wife and i can relax a little now :)

• 

  [Deactivated] on 02/02/2017 - 12:46

  -2

  I wouldn't do it. Until a child knows that by swallowing they equalise inner ear pressure, they are often actually crying in pain. Planes at altitude are pressurised significantly below sea level. If your baby cuts up rough shortly after takeoff or descent, the pain is probably real.

  • 

    onetwothreefour on 02/02/2017 - 16:27

    +1

    We found that breastfeeding the baby was a good way to soothe the ear popping, we haven't had any dramas with any of our 3 kids.

• 

  singlemalt72 on 02/02/2017 - 12:49

  Most of the major carriers are good with infants, but I rate Emirates as best.

• 

  try2bhelpful on 02/02/2017 - 13:31

  As a non parent who dreads the sight of a child near me when I'm travelling I would say don't. However, as a person who also understands people have to fly I generally don't mind as long as the parents seem to be actively trying to keep the child settled and happy. I use blockout earphones so I usually don't get too disturbed by the crying; however, on my last trip I was really sick with a cold and couldn't put the earphones in. The person in front of me had a toddler and decided that the 30 hour trip from Paris to Australia was a good idea; believe me it wasn't - the kid was basically distressed for most of the journey. I now know why people die on planes, it is because they want to.

  The best thing I read about was a couple that left little notes on the chairs of people around them apologising if the child disturbs them and to come to the parents if there was a particular issue. Apparently the journey went fine, but it did give the people around them a sense that they could approach if they felt they needed to. The counter story was the couple that decided to change the baby on the seat in the plane instead of the toilets - OMG.

  Hope the travel goes well.

  • 

    bozbargain on 03/02/2017 - 09:50

    +2

    I was really sick with a cold

    Then you shouldn't be flying. Seriously, I'd much rather sit next to a family with 4 children than next to someone with a cold. Do you know how easily a virus can spread on a plane?

    The best thing I read about was a couple that left little notes on the chairs of people around them apologising if the child disturbs them and to come to the parents if there was a particular issue.

    I read that as well. No parent should ever feel obliged to hand out such notes.

    Apparently the journey went fine, but it did give the people around them a sense that they could approach if they felt they needed to.

    Why would you feel the need to approach anyone on the plane? You leave parents with little ones alone, it's stressful enough, there's nothing you add to the situation if an infant is upset by 'approaching' the parents. Do you think they enjoy having an upset baby?

    • 

      try2bhelpful on 03/02/2017 - 10:30

      The person asked for advice and I gave it on what I considered to be helpful I was trying not to be judgemental - apparently you didn't feel you needed to do likewise. You are the sort of person that makes it annoying for other passengers; you don't seem to think that the inconvenience that other passengers feel needs to be ameliorated in any way for your choice to fly your children. I have no trouble with flying with the OP, but I would probably with you. Did it ever occur to you that someone might feel they can approach the person to offer help?

      • 

        bozbargain on 03/02/2017 - 11:02

        OP wasn't asking advice on whether or not to fly, but your first reaction was 'don't do it'. I don't think that is fair. Some people have to fly with children (eg when they have family overseas), so it's not always a choice. And I did provide my feedback/experiences earlier in this thread. Not sure why you think I'd be annoying to be on a plane with, I like to think of myself and my family as one of the most considerate people you can imagine. I'd go out of my way not to inconvenience anyone but I would take offence if someone would start to complain about a little cry here and there, for the reasons pointed out earlier. I can relate to your feeling of preferring not to sit next to children though, I was like that before I had kids.

      • 

        try2bhelpful on 03/02/2017 - 12:50

        @bozbargain: The first comment was a throw away line; you seem to take it personally. You then decided to take judge other comments I made; when the OP had asked for ideas from people. Of course I would prefer to travel on a plane that is not full of screaming children, however, I am understanding as to why people travel which is why I invested in a good quality set of block out earphones rather than spend the flight complaining. Frankly, your post does not come across as some one considerate with comments like "No parent should ever feel obliged to hand out such notes"; no, they are not obliged to but it was a nice gesture on the part of the people who did. I do appreciate people who go to the effort of trying to take into account the people who are around them.

  • 

    sammyla on 03/02/2017 - 10:14

    +1

    haha i think i have encountered more obnoxious adults than troublesome babies during many frights i have taken, not rich enough for private jets yet are we lol so everybody has to put up with kids on planes like it or not, honestly when looking back i have never seen overly troublesome kids on plane, nothing that would distress me.

• 

  ZippyRoo on 02/02/2017 - 14:26

  We travelled to China when my son was 10 months old but was told that the bassinet is more for newborns and it would be too small for him. We still got the front row where we had a bit extra leg room, so we ended up setting up camp on the floor in front of our feet and he slept for quite a lengthy amount of the trip. The couple next to us who had a boy around the same age eventually gave me and set their son on the floor to sleep too. It wasn't what I would've pictured us doing, but we made do with what we have I guess. :)

  I understand as a new parent you worry about what would others feel about your baby crying and disturbing everyone else, I used to be the same too. But these days I don't give a damn about others. I'm trying my best to discipline, control and understand what my children's needs are, but at the end of the day, they're kids, if you can't stand my child getting up and down a bit more than usual and accidentally kneeing your seat a few times, then I would just tell you to your face to move. I'm not going to let my child cry non-stop, nor am I going to allow him to kick your chair 20 times in a row, but if he accidentally kicked something, I'm not going to just tell him off just because you turned around with an annoyed face. I travel often with my family and believe it or not, I get those people every now and then. Don't be phased by it, children are wonderful and beautiful creatures, and they never fail to make you smile. We're extremely tolerant of other kids, and I even offer to hold other babies when the parents get tired. My son loves making friends with other children on the plane and they end up entertaining themselves by playing together.

  Good luck. Travelling in the first year will probably be the hardest, after that, you won't even remember that you have a child travelling with you. Haha, this reminds me of Home and Alone now.

  • 

    lainey13 on 02/02/2017 - 22:16

    Quite a few airlines will make you pick up the baby if you try and put them on the floor to sleep nowadays :( Safety etc

    • 

      ZippyRoo on 02/02/2017 - 22:47

      Yeah that's true actually. I think a friend mentioned the same thing recently.

• 

  Rifraf on 03/02/2017 - 00:53

  -4

  Sorry but children should travel with the cargo.
  The selfishness of inflicting children on the unsuspecting single childless folk is nothing short of arrogant.
  Got on a plane from Wellington to Auckland with a baby that literally screamed from before take off till landing.
  Then it was Auckland to Los Angeles with said same shreaking baby.
  By the time we got to LA, people were threatening to put it out the window.
  Some of us boarded the ongoing flight to Frankfort, Germany and you guessed it, the freaking shreaking baby was on board.
  Part way into the flight there was going to be a riot.
  The hostesses whose eyeballs never stopped rolling the whole flight, bumped the mother and child up to first class to stop her from being evicted from the plane over what I assumed was the Atlantic.
  Guess who was still on board for the Frankfort to Heathrow leg?
  I ended up feeling almost sorry for the mother for the amount of abuse she copped by the time we all cleared customs.
  Now I'm a firm believer that children should not be allowed in public transport unless they are in the cargo hold.
  What did the rest of the passengers ever do to you OP?

  • 

    sammyla on 03/02/2017 - 10:16

    oh really? didnt even bother reading your full post. why don't you pack yourself in to a suitcase too? could travel cheaper that wat what a dumb thing to say? why don't you hire a private jet! hahahahah

• 

  TheManInDemand on 03/02/2017 - 02:42

  +1

  Buy a Feeding Friend
  FeedingFriend.com.au
  It's the only portable and self inflating nursing pillow on the market. Absolute life saver and works everywhere and it's so small enough to take on the plane and during stopovers etc
  The big nursing pillows are a complete joke because they are so large and so hard to carry along with everything else you carry whilst travelling.

• 

  Mister LoLPants on 03/02/2017 - 08:49

  +2

  having travelled with a simlalry aged infant, the 2 biggest things i'd say are:

  1. provide a feed on the way up and down, the most distress is the pain the their ears they can get with the difference in pressure, feeding helps balance this out.

  2. Take a small 'grab bag' of items you need to perform a change, the baby change area is tiny to you need to limit the things you take in there. We had a clutch sized travel bag that could hold small wipes, 1-2 nappies and creams. This was the thing we took to perform a change (along with the baby) and we kept the mother load of nappies in the overhead. after each change you reload the clutch bag. This enables you to easily grab it from under the seat in front each time a change is needed as well as saving space.

  …oh.. and forget the nay-sayers who say dont do it, i've had more issues on flights from obnoxious, entitled 'adults' than any kids, i've found that as long as you are doing something to help a distressed child, that reasonable people are understanding, issues only tend to arise when parents ignore the childs issues to finish of the dodgy in flight film, in reality, flying in economy is public transport these days, if people want peace and quite they can pay to sit up the front or step outside.

• 

  WT on 03/02/2017 - 09:46

  I cant help but thanks for being considerate of the people around you

• 

  coolhead on 03/02/2017 - 10:38

  +1

  been there, done that. My experience & advice
  - till the child is 4-6 months old, travel is easy as they only need milk, sleep and nappy change
  - if you get a bassi, it wont be small as they are decent size. My 8 month old was also able to just fit in
  - at that age baby wont be concerned about people around. might unsettle for sometime but usually they are good when they are small
  - have baby jogger too and carried it overseas about 3 times and 1ce domestic.. no issues at all.. they do handle them with care.. i never bought an extra one..
  - have a car seat overseas if its easy.. i always had it overseas.. 1 less bulky thing to carry
  - don't think too much… and no need to get too many inputs or ideas it will just confuse you..
  as i said its very easy to travel when they are small >6months..

  cheers and enjoy your trip

• 

  flickr on 03/02/2017 - 10:55

  +1

  • Decent airlines -> depends on where you go. Emirates, Garuda and Singapore Airlines are good if you have the option.
  • Is it easy to carry them on lap if the bassinet they provide is too small? -> I prefer this way actually, closer to the mom will settle him down more if the baby breastfed. The only problem is when you want to go to the loo. If you wake a baby up, it will be hard to settle them down (in my experience)
  • Do they find an airplane too be too uncomfortable for them? -> depends on the child. My child actually laughing during the take off due to the shaking.
  • Flight will be at least 13 hours, is that going to unsettle the baby? -> smaller baby is ok, easier to handle as they can't walk yet anyway.
  • Would be annoying to people sitting next to us if he keeps crying!! -> yes, but most people especially the one that has one themselves will be more considerate. Ask for row designated for carrying the baby. Usually they will give you front row.
  • Any decent small strollers i should take? -> Umbrella stroller is the best. With the baby and luggage, it will be hard for you to maneuver with a full stroller.
  • Shall i take the baby seat or arrange one while overseas? -> Depends where you are going. Most car rental will have baby seat option. Some car rental will not have baby seat if the country does not impose baby seat requirement. Also depends on how many will travel with you. If only you yourself, forget about the baby seat. It is too cumbersome with the luggage, baby and the stroller.
• 

  GreyMelb on 03/02/2017 - 11:02

  +1

  We went to England with our son when he was 10 months old. He started walking the day before we left!
  I was expecting a nightmare but he was fine. In fact several times people commented to us how good he was. We flew Royal Brunei - they were ok but nothing extra because we had a child.
  The biggest bonus with the bulkhead bassinet is not so much the sleeping (he mostly slept on my wife's lap) but it's a great place to store your stuff - especially at meal times.
  Take busy bags with things to keep them occupied when they are awake. It's probably not going to be as bad as you imagine.
  Good luck!

• 

  ThisOne on 03/02/2017 - 22:00

  +1

  Apart from the great advice already given, I would suggest:

  ** Take a visit to your friendly doctor before you go - my doctor prescribed Painstop and some other medication (can't remember the name) to give my chn to make sure they slept and to help with ears popping - he used it on his own chn as they would fly to Europe every second year. If you don't like chemicals, go to the chemist and get some Rescue Remedy spray - this is great - in fact, if you don't know about it already, go and get some! It's great for both bub and parents:)

  ** If you can get a bassinet, a friend of mine took her small duffel bag with a small mattress (hers was a doll's cot mattress) and then she got some more rugs on the flight - this way bub could sleep on the floor and not move around

  ** Another friend took her baby harness with her and she and bub slept very comfortably - bub liked the closeness to mum (and so was really happy) and the harness made sure when mum was asleep with bub on her chest, bub did not fall off!

  Good luck - flying with chn is not all bad - the key is to plan, plan and then plan some more!

• 

  undercut on 04/02/2017 - 06:48

  +1

  Congrats on the arrival of your little one, exciting times. I have 2 kids (2 years old and 4 years old), and have taken 2 round the world trips with them (each trip lasting for 6 months).

  First of all, don't stress. With two of you there to share the workload, it shouldn't be too hard at all.

  If possible, try to book a night flight, and hopefully if your baby is a good sleeper, you'll get a little rest too. Bring a few packs of disposable ear plugs to give to other passengers around you if your little one decides to be noisy. By 11 months your baby may be walking already, so it can be a little tricky if you get a day flight. They may be restless, and you could end up doing 100+ laps up and down the aisles.

  As Euphemistic said above, 10-11 months old babies are very different to newborns. By that age, you may have a real wriggler on your hands, or you may have a chilled out child who is content to snuggle in your lap for the whole flight. Also, your baby may or may not be sleeping through the night by then. Personally, I had terrible sleepers and super wrigglers. Distraction is key - lots of snacks, toys and books. If your wife is breastfeeding, that's a bonus. If can help to relieve pressure in their ears during take off and landing.

  For the flight:
  Take changes of clothing for your baby and yourselves. Vomit happens.

  Take plenty of nappies. Blow-outs happen.

  Take antibacterial wipes to clean the tray tables, seats etc. Planes are disgusting, and your little one will be putting everything in their mouth at that age.

  Definitely get a baby carrier (Ergobaby is awesome). It's a useful way to get your baby to sleep on the plane, and the best way to carry them through airports and big cities. The Steelcraft Holiday stroller is excellent, and only costs around $90. It reclines fully for nap time, is pretty light and very durable. Plus, you won't be too stressed when it (inevitably) gets wrecked by baggage handlers. You may be able to find one second hand on Ebay or Gumtree for around $20. Take your own car seat, don't use one from a car rental company. The safety of rental car company seats is questionable, as you don't know if they've been in an accident. Plus, they're dirty and expensive.

  Remember that one of you will always have your hands full, carrying the baby or pushing the stroller, so try to pack light. As impossible as that sounds when you'll be bringing a car seat, stroller, nappies, toys, clothes…:D Seriously though, if you just share a suitcase and bring backpacks as your carry ons, it'll make it much easier for you to move through airports and cities. Can highly recommend the Osprey Sojourn as checked in luggage (can be worn as a backpack, but also has wheels).

  Will you be staying with relatives? If not, recommend renting apartment through Airbnb or otherwise. Much more room to move, plus you'll have a washing machine so you can pack lighter.

  Good luck for your trip. The plane ride will definitely not be relaxing, and you won't be able to watch as many movies az you usually do :D But the small inconveniences are worth it to be able to show your little one the world !