Flying Babies - Advice On Traveling With Your Infant

Wed, 05 May 2010 13:51:02 EST

Traveling with a baby or a young child can be difficult and often embarrassing. From getting passports for minors to changing diapers in an airplane bathroom, it seems as if every turn presents a new challenge. With the proper planning, your airline trip (believe it or not) can go smoothly.

Preparing is the best thing you can do when planning a trip with your baby or toddler. When travel arrangements have been made, while you are shopping around for the best prices, be sure to check to see if your airline allows children two years and under to fly for free while sitting on your lap. If not, you will need to use a car seat.

When booking your seats, consider being separate from your partner, especially on long flights. This allows for one of you to rest while the other takes care of Baby. Recently airlines have become more strict on their stroller policy, aand very few allow them to be stowed overhead anymore. If this is the case, pack yours in a stroller bag to keep it clean during the flight.

Make sure you know where your family's passports are. If you cannot locate them, be sure to get a pasport application and reapply for new ones as soon as possible. Passports for adult are only useable for ten years after while children under 16 need to get a new one every five years.

Also, you have been recently married or divorced, you need to get a new passport. Having passports ready and available prevents last minute stress when your travel date approaches. If you need to reserve a rental car, make sure to stow your car seat.

So it's the big day. Pack a large purse, as opposed to a separate diaper bag, with a fresh diaper, baby food, bottle and formula, some toys to keep Baby occupied, some small snacks, and a baby blanket. If you need to nurse your baby on the plane, the baby blanket could provide a little privacy. Also, make sure you have a binkie for your baby because the descent can hurt their ears.

As your boarding time approaches, change and feed Baby to reduce the chances of having to do it while in the air. If you need to change your baby during the flight, let a flight attendant know. Some planes have bigger bathrooms with bigger changing tables. A flight attendant can help you set up the bathroom and make it a little less challenging. After all, they are there to help you.

Traveling with Baby doesn't have to be a traumatic experience, and, with planning, it can be a good start to a great vacation. Getting started on your pass port application is something that doesn't need to be last minute, especially if you have already booked your flight. You will need to get a infant passport for anyone under the age of 16, and an adult one for anyone 16 and over.

Make sure to have stuff to keep Baby fed and happy. If people give you a hard time if your baby is upset, ignore them. No one knows your child like you do, and no one knows what's best for him or her like you do. So sit back and enjoy your trip!

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Flying Babies - Advice On Traveling With Your Infant