Oh, Hi! Traveling with a 3 Month Old!
If I have learned one thing about parenting since having B., it's that no matter what all the books, blogs, or your friends say...you can make any activity involving your baby EASIER than they all tell you.
You just have to get in touch with your kiddo, know their limits, learn how to read their tells, and PREPARE.
Before taking B. to Turks & Caicos this week, I definitely felt like the task of flying with a baby to a foreign country was something only seasoned parents should attempt.
As per usual, I read everything I could, asked my mommy friends, and also as per usual, ended up making lists on lists on lists.
Every situation is different, so our travel style may not apply to you - but this is now we managed our first international trip with an infant...and if you dig it....how you can too.
SPOILER ... we had absolutely ZERO melt downs on the entire trip. Parenting win.
FLYING
About two years ago, at the airport, we witnessed an incredibly traumatic and dramatic scene. A family of three stood at the checkout counter in front of us.
Mom looked exhausted and annoyed, and had clearly resigned herself to a life of Lands' End cargo pants and sneakers because WTF else did she have time for, and looked like she was ready to scale Everest with all of the straps and things hanging off of her (We later realized this was an over complicated baby carrier)
Dad....he had taken on the task of breaking down a full size stroller, attempting to wrangle said stroller into what looked like a very large laundry bag, and perilously passing it from the scale to the attendant to be checked...and then doing the same with a full size car seat, the family's multiple bags of luggage, and a Pac N Play.
The whole operation went on for at least 20 minutes...and lord knows how long because we had checked in and dropped our bags off before the poor family had wrapped up their debacle.
We SWORE we would never be those parents. And we were NOT.
B. rode as a lap passenger on this trip, which worked out great. I was able to breastfeed on the plane, and just used a simple blanket to conceal the activity. I wore a nursing tank (no bra) and a very loose sweatshirt on the plane ride for easy access, and it made all the difference in the world.
Our trip was 5 days long.
We did NOT bring a carseat or a Pac N Play with us....WHY??? Because our resort provided a crib, as well as a carseat to use in taxis upon our arrival and while traveling around the island. CALL your hotel before booking and ask about infant amenities. You MAY be surprised at what you can borrow!!
For the trip we packed:
- 1 Full Size Suitcase each, to be checked. I packed B.'s items in with my suitcase, but kept her items separate by packing them in a soft bag inside my suit case.
- 1 Carry on item each. My husband was in charge of packing the usuals ... (snacks, iPad, headphones, Passports) ... and my bag was the Diaper Bag (in our case the diaper BACKPACK from SkipHop. Highly Recommend)
In Our Diaper Bag for easy access in the airport / on the plane we packed:
-5 Diapers (I changed her twice on the way to T&C, and three times on the way back)
-Baby Wipes
-Hand Sanitizer (Used this only like 2,345,345,344 times)
-2 Burp Cloths (Yepp. Used those)
-2 Extra Onesies (Didn't need, but came close during one diaper situation)
-2 Blankets of different weights (Used one when we landed due to different climates, and used one on the plane as a nursing cover)
-2 extra pairs of socks (Didn't need but better safe than sorry)
-2 Bottles of breastmilk (Ended up breastfeeding on the plane so didn't need in the air, but used on taxi ride to hotel)
-4 Baby Books (Yes! Used these a few times)
-B's favorite hanging toy from her activity gym (Gamechanger. Just when she would start to get bored we would whip this out and save the day!)
-2 plastic grocery bags in case we needed to enclose a wet outfit, or toss a dirty diaper in a pinch (used 1)
For B. For the Duration of the Trip We Brought:
- 2x Onesies for each day (Only used about 1/2 since we spent alot of time by the pool)
-Socks for travel days (Used 2 pair)
-Pajamas for each day (Used ALL)
-HALO Sleep Sack
- 3x swimsuits in different sizes (Used ALL - Swim Diapers are kind of not the best at containing certain explosions, so we had some wardrobe changes)
-Swim Diapers
-Baby Sunscreen (We used Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen 50+, EVERY DAY, and reapplied every 2 - 3 hours. B. didn't get a DROP of sun. This sunscreen ROCKS)
-2x Swim Cover-Ups (Used 1)
-2x Sun Hats (one by iPlay was our FAVORITE)
-Baby Shampoo / Soap
- 4x Burp Cloths
- 3x Bibs
- Headbands
-3 Toys
- 4 Books
-Cooler for carting bottles around
For Infant Transportation We Used:
This thing was a dream. Retails at $99.99 at Babies R Us and Target. This was light and easy enough to open and close by myself with B. in one hand. It folds pretty compactly, and we were able to wheel her through the airport and then gate check this bad boy. no damage was incurred, but I did make sure to remove the canopy and the cup holder before gate checking. This stroller was crazy easy to assemble initially as well. We wheeled this thing all over Turks & Caicos, and it held up really amazingly. It steers easily, and for a lower end stroller, I really have no complaints! So happy we bought this instead of one of those fabric super light strollers, plus we had to because this has a 5 point harness, which is still necessary with B.
While this does look a bit bulkier than some other carriers on the market, the comfort level is amazing. I never have any lower back strain or shoulder pain with my 17 pound kiddo riding around in this thing! It's super easy to use, and was really handy when disembarking the plane instead of carrying B. to wait for the stroller at gate check. We just hung it on the stroller when walking through the airport if we weren't using it at the time.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MADE OUR TRIP EASY:
We arrived at the airport with the minimal amount of waiting time, which helped alot. I made sure to feed B. right before heading to the airport, and breastfed her while we were ascending and descending in the plane.
Because she was swallowing as the altitude shifts occured, she NEVER seemed uncomfortable or in pain due to the pressure change!
I made SURE to pay close attention to her on the plane. The slightest pout or whimper was swiftly met with a toy or food. I don't care what people say, you can't spoil her at this age.
I was VERY deliberate with what I packed in the Diaper Bag. All of the necessities and no extras. There is nothing worse than digging through layers in a Diaper Bag to find that ONE ITEM you need while your kiddo is throwing a tantrum....and imagine that scenario in an airplane!
We called ahead and reserved all the baby equipment we could at our resort. The more things you can borrow, the easier your trip will be. If our resort had not provided a car seat, we would have found a car service on the island that offered one.
B. LOVED her first trip. My biggest tip is to STAY CALM and just be a little extra attentive to your little one. YOU CAN TRAVEL with your baby, just THINK and prep. That's it!
