Traveling 40 Hours With a 7 Month Old
This Saturday my family will be traveling to the Philippines for an 11-day trip. It will take us 40 hours to get there, including 3 flights (one leg is 15 hours) and a 10-hour layover in Hong Kong.
When we go into Hong Kong I am planning on using my Moby Wrap and a messenger bag as my diaper bag so I can be hands free.
I know I should feed on the way up and on the way down. We did get a seat just for her and will be using her car seat. We got a car seat stroller frame to carry the car seat through the airport. Also, I am still breastfeeding, so I won’t be carrying any bottles or formula. I will be bringing my very discreet nursing cover!
I am also planning on bringing several sets of earplugs to pass out to my flying neighbors just in case. Hopefully they will appreciate the sentiment.
Do any of you have experience flying with a baby or handling baby jet lag? Do you have any tips or tricks?
I found this helpful packing checklist and travel tips at babycenter.com:
Packing Checklist
_ Diapers – One for each hour you’ll be in transit, plus extras in case of delays
_ Pad to put under your baby during diaper changes – You can buy disposable changing pads at supermarkets or reusable ones at baby stores
_ Blankets – Bring a few — you’ll use them to lay your baby on, cover her, cover yourself if you’re nursing, protect your clothes from messy burps, shade your baby, and more
_ Plastic bags – Carry a variety of sizes for storing soiled diapers, clothes, and blankets
_ Diaper rash cream
_ Wipes
_ Small bottles of disinfecting hand gel, baby wash, and baby lotion
_ Tissues
_ Extra pacifiers (if your baby uses one)
_ A few of your baby’s favorite toys
_ Clothes, socks, and booties or shoes – One to two outfits per day is a good guideline
_ Washable bibs
_ Sun hat
_ Lightweight plastic feeding set with utensils, and baby food – If your baby’s eating solid foods
_ Formula, water, and juice if appropriate
_ Extra bottles, nipples, and sippy cups if appropriate
_ Energy-boosting snacks for you to munch on
_ Breast pump (if you use one)
_ Nightlight – So you can keep the room lighting soothingly low during middle-of-the-night diaper changes
_ First-aid kit – Baby pain reliever and supplies for treating minor injuries
_ Sling or front carrier – Lightweight, hands-free way to keep your baby close in crowded places like airports
_ Portable crib or play yard – A safe place for your baby to sleep or play
_ Inflatable baby bathtub – Can make bath time easier at your destination
_ Car seat for safer travel by car or plane
_ Collapsible stroller – Can be gate-checked or stored in the overhead bin of an airplane
Packing Tips
- Start preparing to pack a few days before you travel. Keep a running list of things to take, or put items out on a table or dresser as you think of them.
- Use a diaper bag with a waterproof lining and a shoulder strap.
- Pack an extra shirt for yourself in your carry-on bag.
- Prevent leaks by packing medicines and toiletries in resealable plastic bags.
- Keep your baby’s outfits together in one suitcase so you can find them easily.
- Take your camera — and don’t forget the battery charger if it’s digital, or plenty of film if not.
- Take a clip-on reading light so you can read without disturbing your baby.
Bonus
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Great tips for the people who are planning or going to plan to travel with their babies… please accept my applause…
This is GREAT! I know you’re going to be very organized on your trip! The first link on the bottom didn’t connect for me…????
The link is fixed!
Thanks!
we flew with jackson this summer. bring extra outfits. the baby changing station inside the bathrooms are VERY small…..if the plane wasn’t full I went to the back where no one was sitting and changed him. You could try that.
Bring something of hers that is her favorite and seems “normal” to her. Example: blanket or toy. That helps a lot!
Whoa…a 15-hour leg is a LONG time! I thought our 6-hour nonstop to Hawaii was long.
You seem to have done your research and have everything covered Amanda. Caleb has flown 6 times and we’ve never had a single issue with him. I believe mainly due to his personality. Annabelle appears to be really laidback like my son, so I wouldn’t expect any issues to arise with her. Bring plenty to entertain her on the flight. If she’s begun watching any dvd’s geared towards infants like Baby Einstein, I would bring a portable dvd player. That’s a definite must whenever we travel.
We fly back to Portland, OR next week for the holidays. This will be Ava’s 1st flight so I’m praying she’ll be as easy as her big brother. I’m not expecting a smooth flight like I would with you and Annabelle.
Bring her favorite toy!! That are easy to pack and store since you are limited. We have flown with Brielle at 6 months and again at 8 months. Things to get her attention were my best friend. The only other thing that was hard on her was not being able to move a lot. Good Luck!!
Oh…..you need anti-bacterial wet wipes!
Don’t forget to take along a Downtime Sleepy hat – a new mom-made invention for helping babies fall asleep in difficult-to-do-so places….like when traveling. Check it out at http://www.downtimebaby.com.
As someone who has done the transatlantic flight numerous times with a kid (at infant, toddler, and preschool stages), I would say you’ve got a good list there. Just don’t try to fit it all in your diaper bag
As a personal preference, I always use those lithium batteries for my camera as opposed to the rechargeable ones — they last forever, so you usually don’t have to worry about even changing them.
You guys ROCK! Thank you so much for the tips.
Sharon, I am so glad you commented this morning. I was about to go buy a new set of rechargeable batteries. I will get the lithium ones instead. I wasn’t sure how the voltage would work with the rechargeable ones anyway.
I have Ace’s favorite toys ready and plenty of wipes! Someone else suggested anti-bacterial wipes too.
Oh, and we are trying our best to travel light with only two travel-back packs and two messenger bags between the three of us. I am hoping the bag I am using for Ace is just right. I didn’t want a large one, because I would be tempted to stuff it.
Thanks again for all the tips!!
[...] commented on a previous post to bring a favorite toy along. I am so glad I listened! “Fishy” was a lifesaver when Ace’s [...]
[...] am currently in Oceanside, CA traveling again with my baby. I have written before about traveling to the Philippines with my baby when she was seven months old. Now she is ten months old and mobile. Here are some [...]
Hi there , I m planning on taking my 13 month old son Nikolai over seas soon , I need any tips that you might have
I recently completed a 24 hour trip with a nearly 6 month-old and it was much easier than I’d anticipated. The great thing about small babies is that they often sleep a bit on the plane, and yes, wrapping the baby to carry her was a life saver.
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