My first post on how to fly with a newborn was such a hit, I wanted to share another on flying with an infant. Jett and I flew to Kentucky for the second time when he was 5 months old and again for Christmas last year (7 months old) and things went really well considering I was by myself. Today I’m sharing everything I brought in my diaper bag and tips for flying with an infant (specifically ages 5-8 months)!
For my diaper bag that went under the seat, I packed:
Ziploc bag for dirty burp cloth(s).
Swaddle that I could also use as a burp cloth if needed.
Extra pacifiers.
2 Wubbanubs (in case one fell on the floor, which it did, and I put it in that “dirty” ziploc bag)!
Diapers and wipes.
5-6 toys (3 of them new that he hadn’t seen or played with yet) all on their own pacifier clip so they could be clipped to him while he was playing with them and he couldn’t throw them on the floor!
An extra bib.
For my diaper bag that went in the overhead bin, I packed:
Swaddle that I could also use as a burp cloth if needed.
Extra outfit in case he had a blowout or threw up all over himself.
Extra diapers and wipe in case we got stuck somewhere and had to stay overnight.
Extra nursing tank for myself if Jett threw up all over me.
TIPS FOR FLYING WITH AN INFANT:
Call the airline ahead of time and make sure that your newborn is on your boarding pass and everything is all set. Otherwise, you won’t be able to check in on your mobile app and it’s a mess. Trust me, just call beforehand! For our trip tomorrow, the customer service agent even changed my seat assignment for free since I’m flying with a child- whoohoo!
Have a copy of your babies birth certificate just in case. I’ve never been asked for this, but I always bring it just in case.
Pack more diapers than you think you’ll need just in case you get stuck somewhere over night!
Bring a baby carrier like an Ergobaby for boarding and deplaning. You’ll need both hands to get your bag, backpack and whatever else you brought! People are helpful and just ask someone to buckle it if you can’t get it on your own. No one has ever told me no and is always happy to help! I also had a pacifier clip just for the Ergobaby and I would stuff the pacifier into the zippered pocket if we went into the bathroom so it wasn’t swinging around and touching germs!
Get an organizer for your diaper bag! I didn’t have one until I found this one on Amazon for my Louis Vuitton Neverfull and it is LIFE CHANGING!
If you have a layover longer than an hour and a half, I would suggest gate checking your stroller. It makes things so much easier. I love the UPPAbaby VISTA travel system and I also love the UPPAbaby MINU!
If you’re breastfeeding, google the airport you’re going to be in to see if they have any breastfeeding rooms or pods. DFW has a room and ATL has pods. For the pods you have to use an app but it’s usually easy to download then and there. In ATL I used the the mamava app!
Fly Southwest. I’ll be honest before having a baby I did not like Southwest. The whole boarding situation just gives me anxiety. However, with a child it’s the best, you know why? Because you get to board first and there’s a 99% chance that the person who sits next to you LIKES children or you might even get an empty seat next to you- WIN-WIN!
Wear leggings but not leggings that are too thick/tight because it’s harder to get them up when you have the baby carrier on.
If you’re breastfeeding, wear a stretchy tunic so you can also use it as a nursing cover! I wore one with a nursing tank underneath and it was so easy!
Wear your hair up so it doesn’t get all caught in the baby carrier.
Dress your baby in pajamas with feet and a zipper so you don’t have to worry about their socks falling off!
Buy inexpensive pacifier clips and attach one to each toy you bring. Give the baby one toy at a time and always clip it to them so it doesn’t fall on the floor. This tip is especially important if you are flying alone! I brought about 5/6 toys and a few of them were new that he hadn’t played with before.
Bring different types of snacks and snacks they’ve never had before. When we flew to Kentucky for the 3rd time last December, Jett had recently been introduced to solid foods but was also still breastfeeding. To keep him busy when he was awake, I would let him eat snacks. Back then it occupied a lot of time because it took him forever to eat a puff- those were the days! For that trip, I brought 2 flavors of puffs (they also love playing with the jar haha) and 2 flavors of yogurt melts.
Breastfeed, bottle feed, or make sure they have a pacifier for take-off and landing.
I think that covers everything for flying with an infant! Like I said before, it only gets harder as they get older so try to enjoy it while you can. If you have any other tips, drop them in the comments so other mamas can read them! I hope these tips were helpful and I’ll do a post soon on flying with a 1 year old!
Xo,
Haley
