2011 and Yasmine has just found out all about flying on Aeroplanes
Traveling with babies or small children isn't soo easy especially when they likely to be as active as Yasmine, restraining her our our laps was a tiring task but we managed to do it for 4 flights to and from New Zealand in the end its all worth while but during you cant wait to get your feet on solid ground every time.
here are some tips:
- Allow plenty of time at the airport for check-in, and connecting flights. Remember how much longer it takes to achieve anything with kids in tow and apply the same formula to your travel plans.
- Smile sweetly and helplessly at everyone and you may get help and be able to queue jump
- Always make sure you have enough food,snacks and drink for your child as this occupies them well on flights and fulls them up hopefully for a sleep during the flight as well. Jars of food for between flights and snacks for during, airlines don't mind the amount of food or formula you are carrying for your baby.
- Formula - if you decide to take powdered formula in easy to open stick packets like i did (because they are easier to carry)there are plenty of water fountains or parent rooms in airports for you to fill your bottles up with but make sure you do this before boarding you plane other wise you will have to bother a hostess to do this for you and there is no time to do this if you need to sooth or relieve your child's ears during take off (breast is best but if your past this sucking actions can help ears during take off but especially when landing is when its most important), Yasmine doesn't need her bottles warming up but hostess are more than happy to boil water or put your bottle in a microwave for you.
- Take disposable bibs, they are great the less mess you have the better , for those of you in SA i found these in foodland supermarkets,
- Spoons - i managed to find a tommie tippie set of two spoons that go in a handy case (from david jones) which was great to just slip in to my hand luggage and comes in bright stand out colours, I also found another way for one handed feeding and that's a boon squirt spoon which i also have but didn't use this time. Also helpful for all those day trips out you will be probably doing.
- Nappies and Wipes i don't think i need to stress how important it is you have enough of these.
- A spare set of clothes you will always need then if you don't have them, and this was nearly the case for me if i hadn't thought about it before we left for our flights home, it could of been an absolute disaster. Make sure you also carry nappy sacks or a plastic bag for any mess that does occur along the way.
- How are you going to carry your child... you can take pushchairs through the scanning machines to wheel around the airport but I've seen what a hassle this can be, easier to put under with your larger bags for the other end if you really think you will be needing one. A Baby Bjorn carrier with good support is what you need or a sling if you have a new born, reins or a harness for your toddler is also a good idea airports are busy places but you still want to give your busy bodies room to work off energy.
- This is about all you need and its not much different to what you would usually have in your nappy bag, a backpack style will make carrying everything easier especially if your child is old enough to carry there own things. Extra things might be your child's favourite toys a blanket or wrap plus your own personal items and DON'T FORGET YOUR PASSPORTS!
- YES EVERY CHILD FROM BIRTH NEEDS A PASSPORT so make sure you don't book flights too early that it doesn't give you enough time to get one for yourself and your child/ren
- prepare yourself to lose things and don't be fussed if you do,
- make sure you test out the new range of duty free perfumes to keep yourself smelling fresh and feeling great.
- a pen on hand for arrival and departure cards will make sure you move through the airport process quickly.
- travel in comfy clothing , ignore rude people, keep smiling and try to stay relaxed , make this a fun experience for everyone.
