When you have young kids, it can be easy to use them as an excuse to not travel, but sometimes travel is inevitable. If you have to travel with young children, here are some of my best tips for what to do to make your trip less stressful if you have to bring those young kids on a plane.
When my son was 5 months old we went on a trip to Hawaii. It’s a long flight from Anchorage to Maui, and my son did great! We ended up having him strapped into his car seat next to us and he had a great time experiencing sand for the first time. His schedule wasn’t too messed up. He slept better in Hawaii than he had at home.
I also went on a trip with my daughter to my cousin’s wedding when my daughter was about 5 months old. I am convinced this is the best time to travel with small babies, they’re not constantly nursing and they are alert and starting to move and engage with the world. They’re also still pretty content to sit on their mama’s lap for longer periods of time.
Recently we went on a trip to Anchorage with both of our kids. Flying with two toddlers is no joke. We planned the trip to be during early night so that our kids would hopefully sleep, but our flight was canceled and we were rescheduled multiple times. We ended up on a late morning flight which was far less than ideal. My daughter was on my lap and my 2.5 year old son was sitting next to me. My husband was across the isle. We had a huge struggle with my son not wanting to have his seatbelt on and there was definitely screaming involved. After a bit, we subdued him by allowing him to watch Once Upon A Snowman. My daughter was passed across the isle to my husband towards the end of the flight.
Related: The Best Toys For A Toddler
Traveling with a small child can make a trip rough. I felt so bad for the other passengers and flight attendants who had to deal with us, but when you have to travel with littles, you have to find something that works. But there are ways to combat the struggles of inconsistency with traveling. Here are the best ways I have come up with to prepare for success when traveling with toddlers and babies.
Lap Child
Children under two years old are considered lap children. This means that they can sit on your lap and you do not need to purchase a ticket for them. If you do not want to hold your child the whole flight, you might want to consider purchasing a ticket for them anyways. You can bring their car seat on board and strap them into the seat next to you. You may also be able to see if there is an open seat next to you, or if you can change seats to be next to an open seat so you don’t have to pay for the seat, but your child can use the seat.
Scheduling
Try to schedule flights during naps or at night. This may make it easier for your baby to sleep and be less disruptive or frustrated at having to sit still for so long. If you think your child will do fine sitting on your lap while awake with limited problems, you can schedule your flight during the day to make sure your child gets good naps and night sleep. My children are very active and do not want to sit still on my lap for hours at a time. When I travel with a baby, I like to choose an aisle seat because it allows me to get up easier when I need to.
What To Bring
Car Seat
You are allowed to check a car seat and it will not be counted against you as a checked bag. They can then pack it last on the plane by having it checked at the gate and it will be available for pickup on the way off, again at the gate instead of baggage claim.
Pack N’ Play & Stroller
Most airlines allow you to bring a pack and play as well as a stroller and they don’t usually count them as checked bags you have to pay for. You will need to check the pack and play, but you can bring the stroller through security and it will be checked at the gate.
Baby Carrier
Have a baby carrier! Strapping your child to your chest will make life so much easier. You won’t be able to wear them during take off and landing, but during the rest of your trip you will appreciate having two hands free. Find a carrier that you love and make sure you bring it for traveling.
Identification
You might possibly want to bring a birth certificate (we still don’t have a birth certificate for my son). For most airlines, they do not require proof of identification for children under 14.
Toys
Bring toys and books to entertain and distract your child.
Diapers & Clothes
Make sure you bring enough diapers and extra clothing so that you are prepared for blowouts. It may also be good to bring extra clothes for yourself. We cloth diaper our kids, so when we travel, we bring almost all of our diapers with us and plan to wash them while we are gone. On the plane, we typically bring 3-6 diapers depending on how long the flights are.
Food
Breast milk is allowed through security. They may have to test it. They put it into a box and that runs a test. To avoid this test, you can freeze your milk so it is not a liquid. There is no limit to the amount of breastmilk you can carry.
Snacks are allowed for young children including liquid baby food. I recommend getting the pouches if you are feeding your child baby food, they will be less of a mess in the long run. You may want to experiment with them before you are on a plane, so you know how your child will respond. Puff’s, cheerios, and other small finger foods are great too.
Related: Diaper Bag Checklist
Transporting Car Seats
Make carrying a bulky car seat easy by using one of those huge bulky carts, or you can make it even easier by bringing along a tow strap or bungee cords to strap it to your rolling suitcase.
Pressure Changes
During take off and landing, the pressure of the air changes and can cause problems with your child being uncomfortable. A great way to counteract this is to nurse or feed your baby during take off and landing. You can also allow your baby to use a pacifier so that the sucking helps them out. For older kids, you can give them something to suck on or chew so the pressure doesn’t upset them.
Long Layovers
It’s best to avoid layovers that are excessively long, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Make the most of moving around when you are on a layover. Walk around, point out interesting things. Allow your baby to move around as they like while they aren’t confined to your arms.
Nursing Suites
Many airports have areas for nursing or pumping mamas. These areas are private and usually have a sink and changing table in them. Sometimes there’s a comfy chair to sit in. The Anchorage airport has a nice family room with large couches, books, and a huge window with a view of the planes outside.
