Travelling with Baby: Top Tips for flying with a little one

Content courtesy of an iCandy Staff Member

Holidays are arguably one of the most exciting times of the year, amongst Birthday’s, Christmas, Bank Holidays and let’s face it… weekends? But as we all know, the annual summer holiday can also be one of the most stressful times of the year… from the dreaded packing, the constant weather check to making sure you are within the right luggage weight; the list really can go on… However we now welcome the ‘annual summer holiday’ with children: now that is a different ball game entirely!

As a parent, you can never bring ‘too much stuff’, so when it comes to packing I feel I have this absolutely mastered with several Babygro’s, too much sun cream and a LOT of hats. However, it’s not this particular element that parents tend to lose sleep over leading up to the ‘big break’ (excuse the pun of a ‘lack of sleep’) – it is without a doubt the flying and flying with a little one! It is evident that parents all over the globe absolutely dread flying with their little one, I know because I do too! That’s why I have decided that if you are planning your next trip with your little darlings, I would offer some tried and tested advice that will ensure a stress free journey.

1. Invest in a Tablet. I appreciate this may seem excessive, however you will be surprised at how much entertainment a tablet can offer at times of need. Download apps, child-friendly games or even cartoons/movies… but make sure you have this all pre-loaded before the flight to ensure entertainment for a respectful duration of a flight, whilst offering a bit of downtime for the parents too! It may be worth bringing a couple of pairs of headphones too, that way you keep baby happy as well as not upsetting the neighbours!
2. Plan, Plan, Plan. I strongly suggest you consider the duration of the flight, then divide this down into half an hour slots with relevant ‘activities’ to keep the tot distracted and entertained during the journey. One of the half hour slots could be food/snack related because we all know a hungry baby is NOT a happy baby! Another could be their favourite story book with loud colours and tangible elements they can get their fingers right into and if you do really well at this, this could result in a post story-book nap so definitely be OTT when it comes to reading: more action, more distraction!
3. Ensure that you have the desired seat well in advance. Pay that little extra and select your seat prior to flying with early board. That way you are sat, you are comfortable and you have so much distraction for the tot when people board themselves – if you get stressed, your baby will sense this, so get yourself on early and settled prior to the hustle and bustle to allow time for your baby to similarly ‘settle in’. It may be worth opting for a seat with ample leg room, or by a window to optimize the distraction and make it easier for you to get up and move if the baby needs settling; this will allow thought for others around when you are waving your hands in the air pretending to be a puppet too!

Try the above out; be calm, patient and remember you will get there!