Your first flight with a baby or child is a momentous occasion and something that many parents dread. Air travel is stressful enough thanks to long TSA lines, canceled or delayed flights, and the constantly changing rules about masking/vaccination in different countries. Add in a tiny human and their extra baggage (from diaper bags to car seats), and it’s understandable why parents may freak out.
Is air travel safe for babies and children?
Given the ongoing pandemic, many parents are reluctant to travel, but sometimes you don’t have a choice. For healthy babies and children, air travel is safe enough, provided everyone in the family is vaccinated and using masks on the flight. Washing your hands frequently and using sanitizer will also reduce the risks of illness.
Your doctor may discourage air travel for newborns. Since their nervous systems are still developing, they are more prone to catching infections. Babies who are less than a year old are also at increased risk of severe illness with COVID-19. If your baby is recovering from an ear infection or minor surgery or is currently sick, then it may be best to avoid travel unless your doctor says it’s ok.
If you’ve decided to travel, it’s time to start planning the trip. Here are a few tips to help make the trip fun and less stressful for everyone involved.
Travel tips when flying with babies and children
Be prepared
The most helpful tip is to prepare and plan for the trip ahead. Your baby may love air travel or the toddler may hate it. You never know until after the experience. If you are calm, then your kids will not be nervous either.
Make sure to give yourself enough time to get to the airport, go through security, and reach the gate. Account for delays everywhere, so you’re never worried about missing a flight should something happen.
Bring an extra set of clothes (or two)
Make sure to pack a change of clothes (or at least an extra shirt) for both the baby and yourself. You never know when there will be an accident with formula or a diaper. This way, you and your baby are not wearing a stained or dirty shirt for the entire flight.
Check that the baby’s clothes are easy to remove and change. Avoid anything with dangly threads or cute accessories that can get ripped off or lost. Remember to bring something to put the dirty clothes in as well.
Have a new toy for the flight
Lots of parents have used this tip to make a flight less stressful. While your child may love their favorite plush toy, you run the risk of losing it on a plane. Also, nothing beats a brand new one for most kids. Buy an inexpensive toy just for the plane that you don’t mind losing and wrap it like a gift. This toy may mean the difference between a happy child or one that’s having a meltdown for 30 minutes on a packed flight.
Pack essentials
While infants under the age of two don’t require a separate seat, it can be a good idea to buy one provided you can afford it. Babies tend to sleep better in their own seat or carrier rather than if you hold them in a cramped plane seat. Plus, you will get some rest during the flight as well instead of holding the baby all the time.
A diaper bag with sufficient diapers, wet wipes, lotion, and baby food is essential but don’t go overboard. After all, you can buy most things at your destination as well. But be sure to account for any delays, so you always have an extra diaper or jar of baby food should you need it. You can gate-check car seats and strollers. Having these means you’re not carrying a baby all over the airport.
A good travel tool is the Matty Changer from Natart. It’s a great surface to change a diaper anywhere. While most airports take precautions such as wiping down surfaces frequently, using the Matty Changer means the baby doesn’t have to lie on a public changing table at all. It’s easy to disinfect and put back in your bag, plus you can do a more thorough cleaning after the trip is done.
The Matty is not only a changing surface, but you can also use it as a play mat or just to lay the baby down instead of holding them for hours. Since it comes with a safety belt, it leaves your hands free to grab a toy, open a jar of baby food, or do anything else you need to do. You might wish you had an extra pair of hands but using hands-free tools and bags is certainly the next best thing!