Traveling with baby does not have to be stressful. But admittedly it requires a bit of planning. Of course, you want to pack extra clothes, enough diapers and wipes and entertainment for baby. Keep reading for the 10 commandments of flying with baby! Don’t board a flight without reading this!

1. Thou shall not skip meals

   Few things are worse than a hungry baby. If you are breastfeeding, this is an easy solution. For babies that eat solids, pack a banana, blueberries or any snacks that can fill baby’s belly and keep him entertained!

2. Respect thy naps

   The only thing worse than a hungry baby is a sleepy baby. If Oliver skips his naps, he gets so cranky and moody. Keep baby’s schedule in mind when booking a flight. For long international flights, I always try to plan an overnight trip. For shorter flights, I try to fly during his nap time!

3. Thou shall bring a baby carrier

   When you are going through airport security and while boarding the aircraft, a baby carrier leaves your hands free and keeps your baby close. There’s so many options in baby carriers you’re sure to find one that’s suitable. I use the ring sling but I’ll admit that Oliver did not like being in it until he was about 4 months old so don’t give up on the carriers.

4. Thou shall not check the car seat

   Take the car seat all the way to the gate. You don’t want to risk the airline loosing it and if there is space on the plane, most airlines will actually let you bring it onboard. For babies that sleep best in their car seat, this is a life-saver.

5. Thou shall respect time zones (or not)

   When we travel within a 3-hour time difference, we like keep Oliver on his same schedule. If the time difference is more than that, we don’t have a calculated method but try to just let him sleep as much as possible. He usually gets acclimated to the time change in about 3 days.

6. Thou shall choose a window seat

   I find it to be the most comfortable and now that Oliver is more aware, he can spend a long time staring out the window. You also don’t have to worry about waking baby if another passenger next to you needs to stand up.

   

7. Thou shall let the squirms out

   Sitting in a stuffy plane for hours is not the most comfortable. Before boarding or in between layovers, I brave the germs and allow Oliver to crawl around and expend some energy so he can endure the long flights. If baby isn’t crawling yet, lay a blanket out and let him get some tummy time in before the flight!

8. Thou shall breeze through security

   Going through security is such a hassle and it can be tricky with baby. So here are things to know:

   1. Strollers and car seats must go through the conveyor belt. If baby is sitting in either, baby will have to come out. If you have a metal-free baby carrier, you can keep baby in it and go through the metal detectors with baby in carrier.
   2. Some liquids are exempt from the 3.4 oz. max limit. Breastmilk, formula and juice for kids are allowed reasonable quantities and must be screened separately.
   3. Shoes, belts and laptops are required to come off and go through the conveyor belt. To avoid this, I recommend Global Entry. It is a customs program with many travel benefits. Once approved, you will get a few time-saving perks. One of which is TSA Pre-check, allowing you to skip security lines and forgo removing shoes and belts and lap tops! The cost is $100 per person and is valid for 5 years but many credit cards wave that fee (I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve which I really love!)
      For more info on TSA and traveling with children, click here.

9. Thou shall request a bassinet (for international flights)

   For international flights, book flights as early as possible and contact the airline to request the bassinet-compatible seats. For those long flights, getting a break from holding baby and getting some shut eye is amazing. Call the airline to make sure you secure the bassinet and the corresponding seats as soon as possible because there are limited amounts!

10. Thou shall accept help from strangers

    You’ll be surprised as how many friendly people you will encounter while you travel. We had a lady sit next to us once who was flying home from visiting her grandchildren. Halfway through the flight, she offered to hold Oliver and walked up and down the isle with him for a bit. It was a nice little break to use the bathroom and stretch a bit. And truly, they can’t go anywhere so you don’t have much to worry about.

    Do you have any great tips for flights with baby? I’m always looking for great tips and tricks – let me know!