We just got back from Israel and it feels so good to be home. This trip is the shortest one we’ve taken yet (about 10 days) and I was not ready to leave. It was so fun seeing Mila with Ita’s parents and I feel like they really developed a special bond during our trip. Mila got to meet so many new family members and so many of Ita’s friends. We joked that every time she woke up from a nap she was either in a new place or meeting a new face. That much stimulation can really take it out of a baby and cause them to be so fussy but Mila really did so well. She was all smiles the majority of the trip and I feel like she changed and developed so much over the last two weeks. It was so much fun to see her experience all of these new places and people!
This trip was Mila’s second time flying (we went to Miami in December) but first international flight (she has a passport and everything!). By the way the flight to Israel is LONG. The way there was a 10 hour flight to Madrid, a 2 and a half hour layover then another 5 hour flight from Madrid to Tel Aviv. This trip isn’t easy for an adult so we tried to not go into it with too high of expectations for our little 5 month old. Lucky for us Mila did AMAZING and didn’t cry once. She slept a good part of the flights and hung out and played the rest of the time. The way home was a little harder because our flight left VERY early in the morning. We got about 2 hours of sleep and had to leave to return the rental car around 3:45 in the morning. Mila was a little fussier and didn’t sleep near as much this flight home but still did so well and never cried.
I thought it would be helpful to share a few tips for flying with a baby. Feel free to share your own tips in the comments!
Here are a few of my tips for flying with a baby…
- TAKE A BABY CARRIER – It is so much easier wearing your baby than carrying her. We stood in line in immigration for an hour and a half and it would have been a lot more comfortable if I was wearing Mila! I couldn’t believe I forgot my baby carrier. Note to self: when you make a packing checklist, actually check things off the list…
- USE A BACKBACK DIAPER BAG – it is so much easier to have the bag on your back than having one more thing to carry… I love my Rylapack diaper bag – it comes in a few colors and you can get 20% OFF with code FASHIONHOUR – buy it HERE
- RESERVE A BASSINET or get to the gate early to ensure you get one! Unfortunately most airlines will not let you reserve a bassinet before the flight. I recommend trying since every airline is different but the majority will tell you that you have to wait until you get to the gate. Most employees get to the gate about an hour before (sometimes a little earlier) so you want to make sure you are already through security and at the gate so you can be first in line when they arrive! We made sure to do this for every one of our flights this recent trip (there were 4 total) and we got a bassinet 3/4 times. Weirdly enough our first flight with American Airlines did not have a bassinet on the plane… you’d think we’d panic since it’s a 10 hour flight but we got so lucky and had the first four seats to ourselves. We actually ended up putting the Dockatot on the two middle seats and somewhat strapped it down so Mila could sleep in it!
- TAKE NEW TOYS – I picked up a couple of new toys for Mila at Target before the flight and am so glad I did. She is obsessed with this banana teether. I think it’s a good idea to bring a couple toys/teethers you know your baby likes and one or two new items to get their attention!
- TAKE EXTRA CLOTHES FOR BABY AND YOU – for longer flights I would recommend at least two extra outfits (I put Mila in zip pajamas for this recent flight and had this set with me – only $12.99). I also packed two extra shirts for me and an extra pair of pants. A few hours into the first flight Mila had a blowout and it got on my shirt. I ended up trashing her pajamas (no one wants to smell that on the plane and it’s kind of gross to stuff it in your bag) and I was able to wash the spot off my shirt and had the extra shirt to change into!
- TRY TO CHOOSE A FLIGHT LATER IN THE DAY OR AROUND NAP TIME – our flight to Israel left at 4:40 in the afternoon. I felt like this worked really well for us because it was so close to Mila’s “sleeping time”. The flight home left super early in the morning so we had to get her out of bed and go through the commotion of checking in, security, etc. when she would normally be sleeping. Next trip I would definitely pay for a later flight! I feel like it just makes it easier on your baby and ultimately you.
- CHECK YOUR STROLLER AT THE GATE – I recommend checking it at the gate so you can have your baby in it as long as possible.
- TAKE A SMALLER STROLLER – We were supposed to take this stroller for our trip but it didn’t arrive in time… our Maxi-Cosi one was fine but I think it would have been easier to have a smaller one to get around (especially during our trip too!).
- DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP- I had my mom with me in Florida and Ita with me in Israel so it makes things a lot easier. If traveling alone with your baby don’t be afraid to ask an employee to help you with your things while going through security or even a flight attendant while on the plane.
- FEED YOUR BABY DURING TAKEOFF AND LANDING – I was able to do this for all of the flights except on the way home from Tel Aviv to London with British Airways. They required me to use an infant seatbelt and have Mila strapped to me. Technically I probably could have still breastfed her
- DON’T BE AFRAID TO BREASTFEED IN PUBLIC – I wore a breastfeeding cover on me when we got on the plane and just kept it on so I was able to breastfeed Mila anytime I needed. Don’t feel like you need to hide yourself somewhere or feel bad for feeding your baby in your seat. I have a couple of covers from Milkmaid Goods that are lightweight, breathable material and work great as carseat covers too! Love this one too and it was only $10!
- IF BREASTFEEDING WEAR CLOTHING THAT ALLOWS FOR EASY ACCESS… I wore a loose-fitting tee and a comfortable nursing bra.
- BRING PLENTY OF DIAPERS – you can always buy more diapers when you get to your destination but be sure to have plenty for the actual flight. The younger your baby is the more you will need. I would take 1 diaper for every hour of travel for newborn-3 months and half of that for 3 months+. Mila is 5 months old and I had 10 or so diapers in the diaper bag for our trip (roughly 22 hours) but stashed 5 more backup diapers in my other carry-on just in case.
- HAVE PLENTY OF BABY WIPES AND HAND SANITIZER – as babies get older it is probably not as crucial but when I flew to Florida with Mila when she was only 7 weeks old, you better believe I was covering her up, wiping down everything and trying to keep people from touching her. Airports and airplanes are some of the most germ-filled places and the fact that it was flu season I was definitely on high alert. The number of people I know with babies under 4 months old that have been in the hospital with RSV or some type of virus is insane and I have no shame in trying to prevent Mila from being one of them.
- BRING PLENTY OF PACIFIERS – not everyone uses them but we give Mila a pacifier for naps. It is almost inevitable you will drop a pacifier on the plane or somewhere along the way so definitely bring extra! I had 3 in the diaper bag and an extra in my carry on!
- DON’T FORGET YOUR BABY NEEDS A PASSPORT, TOO! When flying Internationally your baby has to have a passport just like you. We waited until the last minute and had to rush ours. Luckily it’s not that much more expensive but I would definitely try to plan ahead to ensure you get it in time.
- HAVE A POSITIVE MINDSET – at the end of the day you are traveling with most likely your favorite person(s) in the world. Try to go into the trip accepting the fact that you won’t be able to control everything and there is a good chance things won’t go according to plan and a good chance your baby will cry or fuss at some point. Remember that IT’S OK that these things happen and at the end of the day this is a baby. Every part of the trip I would tell Mila, “we are going on another adventure!” And always tried to keep things positive and happy. If you’re super stressed and anxious, your baby will feel that. I know it may not always be easy but I definitely think your mood makes such a difference!
I hope you found these tips for flying with a baby helpful! Feel free to leave your own tips in the comments and as always comment with any questions you have! I’ll be sharing a packing check list for all of the mom and baby necesseties soon with a FREE printable PDF. SUBSCRIBE HERE so you don’t miss it!
Thanks for reading!
