Planning on flying with your baby? Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the trip.

Flying with your baby does not have to be scary, if you are prepared. As I write this, I am currently sitting in the window seat of an airplane with my little one (Logan 5 months old), who has finally decided to go to sleep.

I have traveled with my little one several times since he was about two months old. I have been lucky to have friends and family travel with me on a few flights but majority of the time, I am traveling by myself. I constantly try to buy items to help prepare and possibly make these trips easier for myself, but at the end of the day, we all know who decides how the trip will go. I am sharing some of my experiences to hopefully make your trip as smooth as possible.

1.Know your baby.

Logan is a night owl just like his mama. Knowing this, I try to always book flights in the early morning because I know this is the time he would normally be sleeping. If the flight is closer to the afternoon, I try to delay his nap for as long as possible until we are on the plane.

My boyfriend recently booked an evening flight with a layover for us and it did not go so well. He was awake for most of the flights and became very upset and fussy. It took a lot of rocking and bouncing for him to finally go to sleep. I did so much rocking and bouncing it helped me burn calories and added exercise time to my Apple watch goals.

2. Book the shortest flights.

Many times when booking a flight, we always look for the cheapest flights, but sometimes these flights can have layovers. Your little one may have done very well for the first flight, but he may change his mind for the next flight. If your pockets allow you to book the shortest flights, it could save you some worry.

3. Timing is everything (In theory).

When I use to travel by myself, I was that person who was usually rushing and wondering if I would make my flight. Now that I travel with Logan, I TRY to arrive earlier at the airport. I know that it will take extra time because I carry breastmilk with me through security. If the bags of milk are frozen and/or less than three ounces, TSA does not have to check anything. If the milk is more than three ounces they will have to examine the milk (for more information check out the liquids guideline on TSA’s website).

I also try to plan out Logan’s feeding and sleeping schedule before arriving to the airport. I always try to feed Logan right before we leave to the airport so that he will be satisfied enough to get through security. When we arrive to our gate, I am always contemplating whether to feed him before we board the plane or feed him when we sit down inside. This comes back to tip #1, you should gage how your baby is feeling and decide from there.

FYI- I like to bathe Logan with a calming bath set before his flight to help him relax.

4. Know your airline.

Our first time traveling with Logan, we flew with a few different airlines and they each had different rules and accommodations. Some allowed you to add your infant upfront when purchasing your tickets. Other airlines required you to add them at the airport and bring the baby’s birth certificate for verification ( as if a little baby wasn’t proof enough). I think most importantly, if you’re flying with an airline that has first come first serve seating, you may want to see which airline has early boarding for families with young children so that you can choose seats.

FYI- if you’re traveling with a partner, let them find seats for the family (or have assigned seats) , you may want to board last with little one. Sometimes trying to entertain your baby while waiting for everyone else to board can seem like an eternity and your little one can get irritated.

5. Think about your seats.

When thinking about your seats, think about what you want to be able to accomplish if something should go wrong. I have sat in all three seats and there are pros and cons for both window and aisle seats, but middle seat sucks regardless unless you are riding with a partner. I have decided if possible to pick the aisle seat because it allows for me to have easy access to stand up if I should need to comfort or change my baby.

6. Bring toys for entertainment.

In case your little one just absolutely does not want to feed or sleep, bringing a couple of toys to entertain them may help.

7. Think about your clothing.

When traveling, I will always choose comfort over style. I usually wear a maternity shirt that allows me to breastfeed easily, sweats and sandals so that I can get through security smoothly.

8. Check the weather.

This may seem like a no brainer, but when I recently planned a trip to Utah, I assumed that it would be hot and it was. However, if I had not checked the weather app, I would not have known it was going to be very cold at night. I had to pack double the clothes to be prepared for the weather.

9. Altitude

A lot of people are concerned about flying because they do not know how their baby will react to the change in cabin pressure. I am lucky because the few times Logan was awake for takeoff/landing it did not affect him. If you are concerned about the “popping sensation” affecting your baby, there are a few options.

You can breastfeed, give your little one a bottle and/or a pacifier. If your baby is no longer breastfeeding or does not use a bottle or pacifier, you can give them something that will allow them to swallow or suck. Lastly, you can buy baby headphones, which could help with the cabin pressure and noise.

10. Prepare for the worst.

No one wants to be that person with the screaming baby on a flight, but if you go in believing that and your baby is only fussy for a minute that is a win. At the end of the day, we all know that babies are unpredictable and you have to go with the flow. Remember to just remain calm and not worry about what other people on the plane have to say. You will be surprised at just how understanding some people are.

Logan’s diaper explosion just before take off

11. Enjoy your trip.

Regardless of how the flight goes, remember these are priceless memories that you get to share with your loved ones. Have fun and take lots of pictures and videos.

Below is a picture of some of my go to items when I am traveling with Logan. The items are listed from left to right.

•Traveling Stroller- I just added this baby to my inventory. I chose this one because it can fit in the overhead bin and it is very easy to carry and set up.

•Car seat

• Black Mini Diaper bag- The grey diaper bag is huge and literally has everything for his whole trip in there. The mini diaper bag allows for me to simply bring diapers, change of clothes, bottles and plus it is cute enough to use as a purse.

•Grey diaper bag- Basically Logan’s suitcase

•Baby Lotion/Soap

•Pacifiers- Logan doesn’t use them, but I bring them just in case he is feeling adventurous.

•Doggy Bags- For dirty diapers or dirty/wet clothing

•Alcohol free hand sanitizer

•Teethers/Toys

•Black/White Freezer Bag- I am currently breastfeeding, but I bring a bottle with extra bags of milk. I like this bag because you literally put the whole bag in the freezer and there is no need for ice packs. My milk has stayed cold for 8 plus hours depending on how hot it was that day.

• Copy of birth certificate- Some airlines require it, other don’t. I just keep a copy with me just in case.

• Diapers/Wipes

• Carrier- Besides using it for the obvious, it helps speed up the TSA security process. This is also convenient for when you and your baby fall asleep on the plane. Logan is not a fan of the stroller so we put him in there to give him a break. FYI- some airlines are requiring for the carriers to be unbuckled for takeoff/landing (It depends on the airline). I had a flight attendant ask me to unbuckle one strap on one flight and another airline told me he had to be completely unbuckled.

•Extra clothes

•Blankets

•Diaper Changing Mat

I hope these tips help you have a smooth trip. Let me know how you prepare for traveling and what are your go to items.