Travel

Tips and Tricks for Flying With a Newborn

February 17, 2020

Traveling is a huge part of our lives, and I knew when we had a baby we didn’t want to slow down too much. I scoured the internet high and low for tips and tricks and I am sure our experience will change many times with different ages, but we are excited to show our little miss the world. We did not want to have children stop us from traveling and it was important for us to be able to do so. Here are our must use tips and tricks for flying with a newborn.

Newborns are pretty easy to travel with. They are sleepy, easy to contain, and really don’t need a lot of extra stuff for entertainment. Choose a time for flying if you can that goes with their nap and you can hold them while they sleep. Enjoy traveling with your young baby, because it is much easier than traveling with a toddler. Hopefully this post helps you learn everything you need to know when traveling with a newborn.

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Tips and Tricks for Flying with a Newborn

Things to Pack in the Diaper Bag

-Birth Certificate Copy, you may or may not need this. It is hit or miss if they ask
-Extra diapers
-Extra outfit for you and baby
-Extra formula (if that is what they are eating)
-Anything your baby may need for soothing- blanket, pacifier, toys, etc.
-Disposable changing pad
-Wipes
-Hand sanitizer
-Ziploc Bags for dirty diapers, dirty clothes, trash, etc…
-Stay organized, use pouches, bags, anything to keep your stuff organized in your diaper bag. Nothing is worse than digging around for 5 minutes trying to find something.

Traveling Through the Airport

-Arrive early to clear security stress free. The TSA agents are usually pretty helpful and will guide you through what do to with your stroller, carseat, etc…

-Use a stroller if you can, it is perfect for holding the baby, but also for storing stuff in the basket. You can also baby wear, we just like the stroller

-You can pack through bottled water if needed for formula as well as other baby items. Make sure your waters are out so they can check them easily instead of rummaging your bag.

-If using a travel bag for your stroller, make sure you know how to use it and you know how to fit your stroller (we learned this the hard way)

-Gate check your stroller and carseat (if you don’t have a seat for your newborn)

-Before boarding, change your baby’s diaper. It may be a while before you can change your baby again, and some airplane bathrooms do not have changing tables.

Other Tips and Tricks for Flying with a Newborn

-Feed your baby on take off and landing, if they are not hungry or the timing is off for feeding, just give them a pacifier or save a little food for them to eat.
-Plan more time than you actually need. I am notorious for not going to the airport early enough. I hate sitting around and give myself the bare minimum amount of time, so make sure to plan an extra 30- 60 minutes so you are not rushed and stressed.
-You are allowed to bring a breast pump as an additional bag and most airports have a place for women to pump now
-Find a mother’s room or quiet space to feed the baby-it could help calm them and cause less stimulation
-Fly during a good time of day for the baby. We try not to mess up our baby’s sleep schedule too much, so our preferred time to fly is during late morning/ early afternoon.
-Take advantage of family boarding but have your stuff ready to go when you are called. Stroller tagged, car seat tagged, and tickets out. The more organized you are, the easier it will be.
-Family Boarding- you may hear mixed information on family boarding and if you should pre board. I prefer using family boarding because I like the extra time to get situated and empty overhead bin options. Some don’t want to coop themselves up for longer than needed. Try it out and see what you like

On The Plane

-Secure your baby’s pacifier, you don’t want them accidentally throwing it onto the gross airplane floor

-Bring sanitizing wipes. Wipe down the seat and everything you can before getting settled

-For us, all bets are off on board. Schedules don’t exist and our main goal is to keep our baby happy. Of course we try to stay on schedule, but we just try to keep our baby happy and not screaming and if that means feeding her extra, that’s what we gotta do.

-When choosing your seat, if you are worried about baby being fussy, go towards the back so if you need to stand up and bounce, you can do so in a bigger area

-If you need to change your baby’s diaper, usually the bathrooms at the back of the plane have the changing table