travel

So… you’re about to take an airplane trip with your baby and/or toddler? It’s one of the most anxiety-inducing experiences for parents to face, but it doesn’t have to be! With a little prior planning and preparation, you can sail through the travel trenches like a pro! These tips have been cultivated over the past few years after my husband, an aviation executive, was asked to give a series of interviews to a mom advice segment that occurs on our nightly news. We asked countless other parents in person and in various mama groups online to get the best advice and boiled it all down just for you. Read on to learn how to survive plane trips with your littles – all without needing to pay for alcoholic beverages on the plane (unless you want to, of course). I’ll break this down by age of child (infant vs. toddler) so you can pick and choose what applies to your situation.

FOR ALL AGES:
1) Bring some type of disinfectant wipe for the seat tray. You never know what other babies or germy people have touched it or (ew) had a diaper changed there. Wipe down the armrests, the window shades and the overhead buttons/air vents for added disinfecting fun. This is especially important if your child is immune-compromised for any reason (prematurity, chronic illness, etc.) or if your kiddo is a lap baby… they like to explore their environment.
2) Parents traveling with babies and toddlers do not need to conform to the 3oz rule for liquids if they are transporting breastmilk, formula, juice, water in a bottle or cup, or medication. This also goes for baby food or pouches. Separate any baby-feeding items from the rest of your liquids and put them in their own bin for screening. The TSA will inspect them for you. They will ask you to open the bottle/sippy cup and potentially one pouch so they can pass a strip over it that detects whatever bad things they’re looking for (explosives?)
3) Ask your airline for assistance if you are connecting flights. They will often provide assistance to families with young children. You can call and request this ahead of time, but frankly, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing in many cases so you can also ask a gate agent directly on the day of travel.
4) You will likely be allowed to pre-board… listen for announcements at the gate for “family boarding” or anyone needing extra time to get down the jetway. There is one major US carrier which does not do this (ahem… think legacy carrier beginning with an “A” ) but everyone else does. When I travel with my hubby, we do the family boarding if allowed and then I get on the plane first with the car seat so I can buckle it in. My husband waits a minute in the jet bridge and then follows with my son. The car seat must be placed in the seat closest to the window and they cannot rear-face if doing so would impair the ability of other people to get in/out of seats or recline. However, for an infant seat, the directions on the seat say to rear-face, so you should be able to do this. If traveling alone, I send my son down in front of me and use my voice to guide him to the seat. This obviously only works if you have a child that can walk; otherwise, I would wear him. It’s a sweaty and exhausting prospect to guide a child and install a seat at the same time but it can be done! Plus, most flight attendants or even other passengers are willing to help.

FOR INFANTS AND YOUNGER TODDLERS (mostly):
5) Many parents find that using a baby carrier is beneficial in the airport. You may wear your child when going through security, and you will not have to unbuckle them until you are seated on the plane. This is a great way to transport your child, especially if you are flying direct. If you are connecting, be aware that you could potentially have a long layover if your second flight is delayed. In that case, wearing your child becomes very heavy. Even if your child is a lap baby, they will not allow you to wear the baby during take-off and landing for safety reasons… just FYI.
6) Carry any items you will need for yourself and your baby in a backpack so that you are hands-free to manage your kiddo. Bring a change of clothes for yourself and your child in the event of illness while flying. Bring at least one diaper for every hour of travel. Most airplanes have changing tables in their bathrooms, but check with your carrier. I literally do not bring anything for myself in the carryon bag… it’s all for my son. Each of your children is entitled to his/her own carryon, though, so technically you could have two diaper bags/backpacks. Older children like to carry on their own little bags or backpacks containing their toys, which frees up space in your backpack.
7) If you choose to use a stroller and/or a car seat in the terminal, you will have to put them through the screening machine and carry the child through the metal detector with you. They will not send you through the newer detector where you have to raise your hands up (you know, the one that sees you naked under your clothes…); you’ll go through the older-fashioned kind. You will also have to gate-check your stroller and the car seat, unless your child is a ticketed passenger and you plan to seat him/her in a seat on the plane. If you are planning to seat your child under the age of 2 on your lap, you may ask the gate agent if the flight is undersold. If so, you will likely be allowed to carry on your car seat so that your child may ride just as s/he would in the car. Strollers and car seats are checked for free. It is not recommended to check your car seat at the ticket counter with the rest of your luggage as you want to keep an eye on it for as long as possible… but truly, once your items are stowed in the cargo area of the plane you won’t know whether the integrity of the seat has been compromised anyway.
8) If you plan to pump or nurse on the plane, check with your carrier regarding their regulations. You will be permitted to feed your child, but you may be asked to be discrete or to use a nursing cover. You are within your rights to refuse to use a cover, but many airline employees are woefully uninformed where this is concerned and unfortunately, nursing mothers have been removed from flights in the past for refusing to cover themselves. That being said, and whether you’re nursing or not, many parents recommend feeding your child on take-off and landing, as it helps the child’s ears adjust to changing pressure.

FOR OLDER TODDLERS/PRESCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN:
9) Bring things like stickers, post-it notes, Play-Doh, books, videos/tablet, and LOTS of favorite snacks (obviously not something s/he is too young for). You might also bring a toy or two your child has never seen before so they will have something novel to occupy their attention. If the airport has a child play area, let your child play and run as much as possible before you get on the plane. I actually gift wrap a few of my son’s regular old toys because it adds a layer of something to do.

AND LASTLY…
10) Try to be relaxed and flexible; children can sense your stress! This seems easier said than done, I know, but it’s true. I always envision that a flight will be the worst experience imaginable… and then it often turns out to be pleasant and no big deal. Probably not a wonderful psychological strategy but it works for me!
Best of luck to you on your air travels and safe trip!

About Jessica Gallagher

Jessica Gallagher is a former English teacher turned stay-at-home mom. Her husband works in the aviation industry, and they have (some times more successfully than others) flown across the country numerous times with their three-year-old son Mikey. They look forward to experiencing the madness of traveling with two littles in June 2017 with the addition of a new baby.

The gorgeous songbird Priscilla Ahn is known for her folky acoustic sound, and has had a powerful music career playing alongside the likes of Willie Nelson, Amos Lee and Joshua Radin. Her music has been featured in top television shows, movies, and even Dancing With the Stars. However, her most important role to date is that of mama; Priscilla tours around the globe and totes her adorable son wherever she goes. She’s here today to give us a rundown on some tips for touring the world with baby in tow – or, for us regular folk – tips for having a great time traveling with a baby! 

You can follow Priscilla’s adventures on Instagram.

The first time I traveled with my son, he was 6 months old and we were flying to Japan where I was to do 4 shows in 2 cities with daily promotion.  Sans baby, this tour would be a breeze, a blip in the radar.  But as a first time mom, traveling and working with baby in tow, I was downright scared.  

My biggest mistake was not being open to giving our son formula while I was working.  Up until this point, he had been solely breastfed.  (We were about to start him on solids as soon as the tour ended.)  I brought my breast pump so that my husband could give our baby a bottle while I was away.  But because of the huge time difference, my milk supply was confused and all turned around, which led to a decreased supply!  So even when I tried to pump, I just wasn’t getting enough for him.  And leaving my husband to watch our baby without a bottle, even for just an hour, led to a few emotional breakdowns for all of us.  If you have formula on hand as a backup, you’ll be doing a kindness to yourself, as well as your baby and caretaker while you’re away. (We rounded up some nursing mama travel essentials, if you’re looking!)

Two items that were super convenient life-savers:

1.  Babyzen YOYO Stroller – It’s super light weight, you can fold and unfold it with one hand, and the best part is that it’s carry-on size!  Which means no waiting in the jetway for your stroller to show up, and no risk of any damage being done to it.  (Psst – we just sang the praises of the Babyzen YOYO last week!) 

2.  Ergobaby Carrier – I highly recommend having one of these, or something like this, wherever you go.  You can wear your baby in it while walking through security, which leaves you with two free hands to remove shoes and place baggage on the belt.  (We agree! The Ergobaby Carrier is one of our registry essentials, especially for traveling mamas). 

Some travel essential items from Gugu Guru: The DockATot baby lounger, The TwelveLittle Diaper Bag, and the Crane Travel Humidifier for keeping baby’s air fresh and clean. 

All in all, traveling with an infant before they can walk is pretty painless.  Throwing a work schedule into the mix makes everything a little more challenging, but it’s worth it!  You can do it!  Happy and safe travels!  

Priscilla recently released her first children’s album, La La La – be on the lookout for an Instagram giveaway of the album soon! 

Gugu Guru’s team is so excited to introduce you to Julie Bielenberg – our new travel editor! Every month Julie will be taking us on a new adventure in her “Have Baby Will Travel” series, and showing us her tips for traveling with kids and babies. Julie’s here today to introduce herself and stay tuned for her first travel adventure this January!

Have Baby, Will Travel!

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

That’s my motto, it hasn’t always been, but along the journey, it’s a ‘hashtag’ I’ve definitely begun to embrace. I’ve conquered dozens of flights with an infant, or toddler, or both, in tow. I’ve road tripped to three states in nine days and visited seven different hotels; I’ve attempted the adventurous lifestyle of baby and travel, and, it’s really not that challenging. More so, it’s almost addictive.

I used to dread every plane flight, new hotel room, in-laws sleeper sofa, car ride over 25 minutes, meal out in anything but the comfort of a suburban chain. However, after I realized my spirit was truly only enlightened with travel and children along, then I understood I needed to adjust my lifestyle and attitude.

Today, with the ease of the Internet, you can easily search how to travel with baby and get a list of items and places to go. However, it’s the once I’ve gotten there that’s sometimes a struggle, but usually overcome with success with the right equipment, attitude and tools. That’s the editorial, photographs, community and interaction we strive to give you at Gugu Guru. We want you to have baby, and travel!

Each month we expose you to various moments on the road, whether that be a taxi ride, plane ride, 10-day Caribbean cruise, 2-day slow travel train trip, we’re taking you and baby with us, and the best gear we can grab to get it done, while looking as stylish as possible. We want ease of travel and joy of baby while on the go, and expertly procured goods to make adventure and family even more lovable.

In November I am excited to introduce you to my family and the three little ones who have taught me everything I really need to know about travel—Hank the Tank, Dora the Explorer and Addy. my newest addition. Through their navigation of the foreign, strange, excitable and scary, I’ve become a slow and go traveler; I can enjoy the world through their eyes and still have a sense of adventure and fun, with family in tow and laughter, giggles, shrieks and tears as part of the ride.

Enjoy the incredible autumn. We were just remarking this morning how crunchy the leaves were on the way to school.  It’s very dry in the Rocky Mountains and it’s a spectacular assortment of red, yellow, orange and green. My dear friend who moved to New Hampshire this summer has told me that there is no better display of red in fall than Vermont. For our August 2017 travel issue we do a leaf peeping story on the best way to travel with baby and enjoy the leaves, so stay tuned while my girlfriend and I vie for best photos.

In the mean time, as we enjoy the autumn, we can’t help but get excited for the snow to fall and the skis to get waxed. Join us in January as we hit the slopes with the kiddos, for have baby, will travel, an our Colorado-born babies, they hit the slopes young, with the right gear, food and naps, of course!

Happy adventures and enjoy the leaves and first snowfall.