As we become more and
more of a global community, many young families live
far away from close relations and of course the desire
is there to go and visit each other regularly. It may
be from the East coast to the West coast of the US or
it may be to the other side of the world. Either way,
any traveling involves a long flight plus airport time
either end as well as getting to and from the airport.
Whether you have a young baby or an active toddler or
even both, with some careful planning you can make such
an undertaking much less stressful than you would imagine.
o The most important thing apart from advance planning,
is to remain as calm as you possibly can. Your child
will always pick up on your distress and this will
reflect in his own behavior. Don’t ever give
him that excuse!
o This planning starts from before you even book
your flight. Decide what time of the day or night
you would prefer to fly (depending on availability
of different flights of course). For a long haul flight,
it is best to do this through the night so that your
child will be sleeping most of the time anyway. If
it is a slightly shorter flight, it might be good
to plan it so that your child will have his daytime
sleep during this time unless you feel that your child
is unlikely to sleep in these surroundings. Think
about what would be best for your child, and plan
accordingly.
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o If your baby is younger than say two or three months,
then it is really not difficult to stick to your normal
routine. Most airlines even provide a carrycot fitted
to the bulkhead in front of your seat. But do make
sure when booking your flight that the airline is
made aware that you will have a baby or toddler with
you, that you need a bulkhead seat and of course anything
else which they can provide to ease the journey. You
do not want to find when you get to the airport that
all these facilities have already been booked by others.
o When you have booked your flight(s), you can start
your preparations. Pack well in advance after making
those necessary lists so that do not forget anything
vital. Do make sure that you get to the airport in
plenty of time so there is no anxiety on your part.
Your child can have his own backpack to carry on and
this can be packed with his own spare clothing, a
familiar comfort tool such as a blanket or stuffed
animal, and a book or two.
o In your own hand luggage, pack a variety of activities
for you both to do together such as books, crayons
and drawing book, toys and anything else you know
your child will enjoy. The important thing is to make
sure they are not noisy or likely to disturb the other
passengers. Ensure that these activities and toys
are kept for the plane only. Don’t bring them
out at the airport otherwise your child will be tired
of them by the time he is on the plane. Also try to
pack some small wrapped presents. You can bring out
a new gift for your child to open and enjoy every
time you feel the need for a distraction or a break.
-Another idea is to bring a bag of snacks. Although
some airlines will provide meals or snacks, it does
not hurt to give your child some other snacks to choose
from and to keep him busy at different times.
o An emergency bag is also a good idea and this should
contain a sick bag and anti-nausea medication, plus
something to help earache, ginger ale and anything
else you might need at short notice.
o Bring a car seat too. This is useful for traveling
in a vehicle both to and from the airports while some
airlines are even equipped for the use of car seats,
providing a familiar and safe place for your baby
or toddler on the plane itself. A regular walk all
around the plane with your child or toddler also provides
entertainment and exercise for you both.
The trick is to have plenty of options to fall back
on if your child becomes bored or irritable.
If both parents are going to be on the flight, agree
beforehand that you are going to share the job of
looking after your baby or toddler – something
like 1 hour on/ 1 hour off and it immediately becomes
an easier task.
When you get to your destination, you may well decide
that the trip was even quite enjoyable especially
because you have been prepared, organized and calm.
