1.
It’s a heck of a lot colder in the airport and
in the plane than you think. Bundle up
that kiddo in something warm and remember to pack a couple of blankets.
2.
Do not just buy the cheapest flight. Pick the time of day to fly based on your
baby’s schedule. Teddy is happiest in the
early mornings and takes a long nap in the late afternoon so we made sure to
book our flights in the morning.
3.
Make sure your baby is eating during takeoff and
landing. The cabin pressure equalizes
and it can really piss the kid off.
However, if they are sound asleep and it’s not time for them to eat so
they aren’t hungry, just take a deep breath.
If he’s sucking on a pacifier he will be okay. At least Teddy was. Like an idiot, I woke him up, tried to get
him to nurse, and he wasn’t having it. I
got flustered and was miserable. On the
way back, we just let him sleep and he never made a peep. Lesson learned.
4.
Have your husband (or flying companion) order a
beer. It’s stressful flying and everyone
just needs to take a deep breath and relax.
5.
Sit in the front of the plane. Even if it was smooth sailing for you, once
you land you are going to want off that plane as soon as possible. Everyone is going to stare at you with either hate or sympathy and you are just going to want to bolt for that door.
6.
Fly Southwest. They don’t let you board early
like all other airlines which is fair but annoying, but what they do have is a
great attitude. The flight attendants
are wonderful, and if the flight isn’t oversold they will let you keep the kid
in the carseat which is just heaven on earth. Right when you get the gate, just
ask if there are seats are available and they will be very happy to let you
keep your carseat.
7.
I’m a huge fan of bringing your stroller and
carseat and just gate checking them. I’ve
read that a lot of people are fine using a wrap and walking with their babies,
but I have a bad back and anxiety so it just wasn’t worth it. There are pros and cons to bringing a
stroller. Ask and I will tell.
8.
Give yourself an hour and a half at least (preferably
2 hours) before takeoff to make it through security. Even if you are a pro, shit happens. There’s going to be long lines, a slow TSA
Agent, dirty diapers, and you have to bring A LOT of stuff and the last thing
you want to worry about is what time it is.
9.
Leave the cute outfit at home. I’m a big fan of footie pajamas for
travel. The zipper is really easy for
quick diaper changes, it is warm and snuggly, and they have some pretty cute
ones. You’re going to get a lot of
attention and you want your baby to be real cute, but you are going to scream
when you are changing their diaper and doing your best not to touch anything.
10.
Just get over efficient packing. Bring anything that you think you’ll need for
the first couple of trips. You will get
made fun of. You will feel like an idiot.
You will bring tons of things that you won’t need, but it’s a learning
curve. Give yourself a break.
(There is a ridiculous story for each one of these ten items, and I promise I could keep going with my advice. I'll stop now. You got any tips for me? I'm all ears.)
This was the first trip. I have no blanket, just his swaddle. He woke up freezing. It's funny how putting a picture in black and white can make a crazy moment look peaceful.
This was our second trip. Notice the huge blanket, pacifier, and sleeping like an angel.
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