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| ^^ 8 pieces of luggage, two luggage trolleys, one stroller, one happy little world traveller, one hard core mama (hardcore daddy not pictured, he was hauling bags). |
WHAT TO BRING FOR BABY:
Passport and Birth Certificate. Some airlines will require a birth certificate for your baby. Check with them before you fly to make sure. We brought ours just in case. If you are travelling internationally do not forget your babies passport.
Nappy Bag. I used a back pack for this trip, which was good- but I feel like I can do better. I'm on the hunt for the most perfect bag for when we make our trip home. I want something with more compartments and something that I am not going to have to dig or empty out to find anything.
Wipes. You cannot have to many. Trust me.
Nappies. My husband and I carried 8 nappies each. This was more than enough, but I wanted to be more safe than sorry.
Changing mat. The bathrooms on board are fitted with change tables. I'm a huge germ-a-phone, no way was my babies bottom going onto one of those things without a change mat.
Nappy rash cream.
Change of clothes. Because we were going from a seriously hot summer to a seriously cold winter a brought two changes of clothes for Andrew. One change for inflight and one for when we landed (that was warmer gear for our transition in Heathrow) I was really glad that I did that because we ended up having to catch a bus out to get our hire car and it was SO COLD. Andrew was bundled up really well. I put both sets of clothes into a zip lock bag and labelled them "on flight" and "London". It just made it easy to grab what we needed when we needed it. No digging. I am a big fan of being organised, it's how I function. The less stress the better for me. I like to know where everything is at all times.
Blanket. I brought Andrew's favourite blanket. It made sleeping on the plane a little more familiar and was very handy upon arrival. I also packed a thick blanket in our carry on for when we arrived in London. This one was stowed overhead.
Dummy and clip. If your little one uses a dummy, pack this- and make sure you pack a clip. That thing is going to be spat out at some point, you do not want to loose it mid flight. And if you are extra OCD like me, you will pack a spare that is kept in your overhead carry on luggage.
Formula. I have just stopped breast feeding Andrew (although he occasionally wakes for a night time feed, but that is more for comfort than anything else). I knew we wouldn't be breast feeding in the flight, so I packed enough for 6 feeds. I used a little formula container that separates the individual feeds. I took three bottles in my carry on and Alex took three in his. No water though, you will have to get that after you have been through customs. It was a little more than what we needed but it all got used. Although Andrew was down for food on the flight, the didn't have any for him. I've learn't for the trip back home.
Baby food and snacks. I'm all about the pouches. You don't need a spoon or a bowl and your baby can just get that pouch and suck away! I packed much more than we needed, but it worked out well because like I said, Andrew didn't get any food during the flight- it was also handy to have a couple of food items he was familiar with upon landing as well.
Water bottle. This will need to be empty at security. You can fill it once you get past that point.
Toys. Lots and lots of toys. Pack toys your baby hasn't seen yet as well as some old favourites. One of the best things we packed for Andrew was a little hand puppet affectionately named "Charlie". He loved interacting with that thing! We also packed lots of books.
WHAT TO BRING FOR MUM:
A separate bag for yourself. I like to do this because A) I can and B) It's just nice to keep things separate from all the baby gear you are hauling around.
Snap lock bags. Because things get messy and there is nothing like hauling messy things into snap lock bags. You know you can deal with it later, and you know nothing else is getting soiled.
Wallet, ID and Passport. A given, but important. Don't forget these.
Change of clothes. This is really dependant on how far you are travelling. I was glad that I did. It's a personal choice.
Laptop.
Snacks. I actually completely forgot about this and was so sad about it! I have the worst tummy ever and the food on the first flight just made me sick! What I would have given for a muesli bar. Next time I will not forget!
OTHER TRAVEL TIPS:
Fly the best flight class you can afford. This isn't something I would really worry about it I was travelling alone, or if I wasn't making such a long haul flight. But now that we've travelled with a kid I see where the benefit it. We will be using our points to upgrade on the trip back home. No questions.
Flight lounges are worth it. Again, not something I am to particular about when travelling alone- but babies are a game changer. The beauty of a flight lounge is that you know you are in a safe place, food is provided. There are showers and bathrooms and your baby can safely roam free. Check with where you are planning on entering a flight lounge with your baby. Some places let them in free with you. In our case the flight lounge in Dubai required us to purchase a membership for Andrew. Not going to lie, it was pricey- but the best money we spent on that trip over. Again, it is a personal choice.
Go with the flow. No way are you going to be able to keep to any kind of schedule with your baby. Our parenting mantra has always been "calm parents, calm baby". This is especially true when flying. It's a potentially stressful situation (especially if you have ego tripping ladies on the check in counter, that's another story for another time). But, if you can keep your wits about you and just take it all in your stride you will all be better off for it. It was a fantastic experience for us as a couple. I had forgotten what a well oiled machine my husband and I really are- it was great to be reminded of that. Work as a team and enjoy the ride. Exciting things await you!
Thanks for reading!
xox
