lottie pearl has just flown her 8th flight. by the time she's 1 year old she'll have flown 11 times..............so i guess i do have a few tips but most of them are dependent upon the individual baby. I have also flown half of those on my own without K so my biggest tip of all would be to try and travel with your partner.
1) Don't be afraid to use TIT! I have never been one to over-boob my kid. but on the plane sometimes you just need to provide a little comfort. and for me, its the only way my little human stays still!
2) Ask for help - thats what stewards are for! If you need to go to the toilet, don't be a martyr - just ask a flighty to hold yr kid for you. There are always at least a few on board that are outrageously clucky and will only be too happy to help you out. Otherwise, just look for the resident grandma - you know, the one who has been endlessly staring and smiling and commenting on your baby since boarding.
3) Have everything within reach - lunchbag, toys, a snack for you, spare nappies. Just make sure your usual nappy back is stocked to the hilt! Also, use stuff on the plane to amuse your kid. Especially if like mine, she's bored of anything that remotely resembles a toy. Empty bottles, laminated safety pamphlets, seatbelts, plastic cups, spoons, headphones with the foam covers removed. You name it, she loves it!
4) Don't fly at night. Seriously. We've made the mistake ONCE and it wasn't pretty. I know some people recommend flying when your kid is meant to be snoozing but that just doesn't apply to ours. We try and fly in the morning that way we can give her a nap when we get to our destination.
5) Have your destination set up and ready to go. I ask whoever is having us to have portacot, heater, blinds blocked out and even some food ready so that as soon as we arrive we have everything set out and can just get straight back into our routine. Also, plan for a relaxing day the next day so you can get back into your routine and give bub a break from the chaos the day before.
6) Time difference? oh time difference absolutely blows. I just spent 10 days in perth living on melbourne time. not pretty at all but hey, after 3 days of trying to change her little body clock and failing it felt much easier to just go with her. even though I was up between 4 and 5am it also meant she was in bed by 5pm and i could hang out with my family which was super nice. I guess I'm a fan of the path of least resistance.
7) Lastly - just try and remain calm and confident. As always - your baby feels your vibes and will certainly stress out if you do. Babies cry (especially on descent as that is when they get the most ear trouble so just give them booby or water bottle then to suck on to help them equalize) and the fact is that probably 80% of the people onboard have kids, want kids or know kids. Just try and be compassionate to your kid - whatever you find boring, uncomfortable and tiresome - chances are, they will too.
What are your tips?
