What to pack in your cabin bag

Buying a stroller is a very good investment as your baby can sleep in it while you are at the airport and during transit on longer flights. Buy one that is very thin and compact so you can take it to the door of the plane. I only suggest to buy one if your baby walks and if he is too heavy to be in a baby carrier.

In your cabin bag: pack all essentials for your baby’s hygiene, feed time, and play time.

• Passport/ID card and a visa if needed
• baby carrier
• diapers (the disposable ones!)
• changing mat
• wipes or lotion with cotton pads
• medical and first aid supply (pain relievers, arnica in gel)
• homeopathy to calm him down
• a burp cloth
  
• an extra outfit
• a jersey and a blanket as it is colder in planes
• a pair of socks
• favourite toys and soft toys
• a bib (can be disposable)
• a dummy if your baby uses one
• water bottle
• baby bottle
• spoon
• powdered milk or already prepared milk formula
• cookies or fruit puree and /or yogurt
• for longer flights, bring all your baby’s meals along, even if you requested a baby’s meal from the air company. Always take a bit more than what you need to be sure. Also, delays happen!

What to pack in your main luggage

• very few diapers as you can buy them at the local destination (save space for other things!)
• food to start with (a 2 day supply so it gives you time to find the right type of food/ingredients if you go to a foreign country); don’t forget to hire a steamer/mixer so your baby can still taste mommy’s yummy food!
• more compacts and favourite toys and a musical toy to fall asleep
• sleeping bag (you can also rent it)
• enough clothing for cold/warm weather (one change per day plus add 2 more in case)
• pyjamas
• bibs
• hat/swimming suit
• sun protection
• thermometer for the bath and for the body
• wipes/lotion with cotton pads
• cotton buds
• plasters
• medication (first aid supply)
• small bottle of "baby head to toe" soap
• brush/comb
• samples of baby perfume
• nail clipper
• compress/physiological liquid
• face cream
• nappy/rash cream
• cutlery, bowl if you don't rent them
• a baby fan or a sprayer (this is for hot/ humid weather)
• your child's health record book
  

Check if you are allowed to take a 10kg luggage for your baby or if it is equal to bring your stroller along.

For the rest, do not forget that you can hire! You will have more pleasure bring more souvenirs back!

There is a list of what you should need for your baby's first aid kit. According to your destination, you will need more or less. Always seek your baby's pediatrician for advice.

• Infant and/or child thermometers
• Children's and/or infants' acetaminophen and ibuprofen, as recommended by your pediatrician, to relieve fever and mild pain
• Antihistamines, as recommended by your pediatrician, for insect bites, hives, and allergic reactions
• Topical calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream (.5%) for insect bites and rashes
• Antibiotic ointment for cuts and scrapes
• Irrigating eye wash to rinse irritants from eyes
• Saline nose drops to clear stuffy noses
• Aloe gel for burns
• Tweezers for removing splinters, ticks...
• A pair of sharp scissors
• Child-safe sunscreen
• Child-safe insect repellent
• Nasal aspirator bulb
• An assortment of adhesive bandage strips in various sizes and shapes (for children's sensitive skin, get the less-sticky kind)
• Gauze rolls (1/2 to 2 inches wide)
• Gauze pads (2 by 2 inches and 4 by 4 inches)
• Adhesive tape
• Sterile cotton balls
• Cotton-tipped swabs
• Mild liquid soap (most antibacterial and deodorant soaps are too strong for babies' sensitive skin)
• An oral syringe or calibrated cup or spoon or special dummy for administering medicines
• Blanket (space blanket)
• First-aid manual

Additional items to include if recommended by your pediatrician:

• Rehydration fluids, to rehydrate children with diarrhea
• Epinephrine injector, asthma inhaler, or other prescription medication if your child is allergic to bee stings, peanuts, or shellfish, or if he has some other type of life-threatening allergy

Babies can Fly!

Yes, it's scary and overwhelming to fly with your baby for the first time, but getting over the mental barrier will open your life to so many possibilites! Read on to find out about my story:

I have flown on my own with my baby girl several times now. The first time, she was less than 3 months old. It was on a local low-cost flight. Mom needs to take baby steps too I though to myself. She was light and I had her against me in a carrier. I made sure to carry only one piece of luggage. The crew was very friendly and actually did know how to make us feel special. Once on board, they gave us a special belt called a belly belt that secured her to my own belt. She sat on my lap feeling pretty relaxed. Good start!

One thing that you have to remember is that your baby needs to suck something while taking off and landing. This allows their ears to equalize. When they cry, its almosy always because their ears are sore. They can drink their baby bottle or suck a dummy. If you are breastfeeding, it will be a good time to do so. Remember that the sucking motion will also calm them down and also make them fall asleep, so you can enjoy your flight!

After the first time, flying nationally was not as challenging anymore. Next up was a 12 hour flight from France to Singapore... Alone. Gulp! She was 14 months old, full of energy, mischief and an unstopable desire to walk-run-trip-cry-and then some . Once again, I did it on my own. The situation was tricky as she just started walking, so you can imagine what I had to do in the planes aisles… and I had my huge hand luggage filled with baby essentials and another 12kg bag. This is when I realised that buying a light stroller, just for the airport, was the best decision I have made. She obviously was too heavy for her carrier and too dynamic to stay still.

The short flight from Bilbao (Spain) to Paris went well, as it was snack time for her. Good idea to make her drink her fruity milk baby bottle. Then, I just spent my time playing with her. Once in transit, she finally fell asleep…in her pram! I also must be honest about something: it is not easy to push a pram and a trolley filled with suitcases at the same time! But mothers can do it all! I am quite a pro at it now… I use the same technique when I go grocery shopping!

My plane from Paris took off at midnight, and she was still awake! So, I lied her down on 2 seats (thank you dear stewardess!) and used a blanket to hide the light from her. I put her soft toys around her, used the belt to prevent her from rolling down and sang her a song. She felt like at home! Just repeat your daily routine, so they understand that it is time to sleep. Once asleep, my meal was served, I enjoyed my glass of wine and my lovely dinner while watching a movie. She slept for straight 8h! Of course, I did not! I kept checking on her and… I never sleep on a plane anyway. Our arrival in Singapore was very pleasant as they do have prams at the airport.

I must say that my trip was very enjoyable and that I feel stronger as a person, as a mother and that experience brought us closer! I loved every little bit of it.

I love flying. It is an enjoyable moment for me. But with a baby or toddler, we believe that we are less mobile. It is just a question of organisation, really. I am sure that you know that by now. Baby Included ™ is here for you. In order to help you get ready for your wonderful family holiday, here are some pieces of advice.

First of all

• Try to flight at night if you go take a long courier, as it will not disturb your baby’s habit too much.

• Try to take as few planes as possible. It may be more expensive, sometimes, to take one plane instead of two or three, but think of your child first, which basically means it is better for your stress level!

• When booking a seat, make sure you ask for a seat with a baby cot in front of you. It can carry babies who weight under 10kg for 70 cm high. They can sit in it, play in it, and of course sleep. Moreover, those special places are by a wall so you have more space for your legs and baby can play there too; and you are near the bathrooms, which is great when it is time for a nappy change!

• Make sure that you see your paediatrician before hand, so he can advise you or not if baby can travel to the desired destination. Ask him if all vaccines are in order and whether he can prescribe a medication or homeopathy so your child can sleep better or remain calmer.

• If your destination is a country which has a jet lag of 3 hours minimum, you should go there for no less than 10 days.

• If the time change at your destination is between 1 to 2 hours and your trip is short, try to make baby live in your normal time zone.

On board

• Hydrate your baby often, as well as yourself.

• Make him walk in the aisles if he needs exercise, so he can sleep better afterwards.

• Usually, stewardess gives you a pack with soft toys and/or crayons according to his age. Use them while flying so your child can experience a pleasant trip and feel spoiled.

• When it is time to sleep, put your baby in his babygrow, so he understand what is about to happen. Then put him to bed as you do it usually: read a story, sing and rock him… He needs to feel you.

At destination

• Change your baby in a new outfit, so he feels ready to begin (or end) his day.

• In order to re adjust him to the local time, try to shift his feeding time slowly. You can give him a snack such as fruit puree, a yogurt or a cookie if he is hungry until it is time to eat lunch or dinner.

• Shift his sleeping time too. Remember, babies and toddlers will readjust to time quicker than adults! You may find yourself wanting to sleep (because you have to) while your baby wants to play with you on the bed! Let him be near you, it will calm him down and soon you will be able to put him to bed.

Time ahead: When the night comes, keep the shutters/curtains close so that he can understand that it is sleeping time and keep lights at their lowest capacities. Put him down when he is ready (a later time than an usual night if you are ahead of time - local time). When morning comes, you see that he is still sleeping like an angel, wake him up to start the day (same as home but in your new time zone.), he can fall asleep in his pram later.

Back in time: When the night comes, put him down at his bedtime local time (which would be later than at home) and wake him up at the usual time but local time.

In 2 to 3 days maximum, he is back on track! You can enjoy showing him new places. Have fun!