toddler travel tips

all the things you should know before taking your baby or toddler on a plane

If you have been keeping up with my blog posts, you know that we just visited Miami, Florida for my husbands work and decided to bring the baby along! I was very nervous making the decision to take a 13 month old on a 4.5 hour flight to a big city, but I am so glad we did!

I think it is important for couples and families to realize you CAN travel with kids. Your life is not over once you have them. Can it take more patience than before? Sure! But it definitely can be done if you prepare the best you can and go with the flow.

Below are some of my greatest insights and tips about flying with a toddler! More Miami posts to come. I hope you find some things you can try on your next trip.

The Carseat Situation

I HIGHLY suggest bringing your baby their own carseat and buying them their own seat if they are mobile. We ended up buying a cheap carseat - the cosco convertible from walmart for less than $50 to travel with. We had to buy this one because our Graco 4ever was too big for the seats on the plane. It was somewhat annoying getting it through the airport, but we just strapped it to one of our carry on suitcases and rolled it around. It was nice to be able to get Baylor out of the seat if he was antsy, but also have the option and room for him to sit or sleep in his own chair without TOO much freedom. This way we also already had a carseat in Florida and did not have to rent one.

FYI: You MUST book a seat by he window for your child if you plan on installing a carseat on a plane.

The Stroller Situation

We bought this umbrella stroller (also from walmart - the mickey one isn’t available online but it is in store so here is another option) and it was a lifesaver, especially at the airport! It is affordable and very light weight which makes it super easy to fold up and store and check at the gate before you get on the plane. Definitely worth the 25 dollars!

The Entertainment Situation

You are definitely going to need something to entertain your little one, especially if your flight is longer than an hour. Our flight was 4.5 hours and I was truly terrified to see how he would last. Thankfully he slept for (small) parts of the flight each way, but we had lots of time on our hands for activities. Some things we brought for entertainment included:

-iPad or phone (download netflix episodes/movies BEFORE departure)

-headphones (he didn’t really keep them on but it was worth a shot)

-LOTS OF SNACKS

-chewy candy (yes, his first candy, I was desperate and it kept him entertained)

-a magnetic doodle board, you know, the one with the attached pen

-small stuffed animal

• Have your baby or toddler take a bottle, sippy cup or pacifier at take off and landing to help their ears adjust

• Bring a change of clothes, extra diapers and wipes

• Put baby in an overnight diaper to reduce changes on flight

• Put or keep baby is jammies if it a very early or late flight so they understand it is time to sleep

• Ask for ice during drink service if you are bringing milk on the plane

• Book a DIRECT FLIGHT if possible

• Book your flight during nap time if possible

• Sit near the back of the plane - you will find more families there and you are close to the changing table and bathrooms

• Less is more! You don’t need to bring EVERYTHING you own but definitely bring extra essentials. You can always buy more of what you need or forget at your destination.

• Relax the best you can - easier said than done - but you are not the first person in history to bring your baby on a flight, you got this, mom!

happy, safe travels!