Traveling with an Infant (3 months)
We braved our first airplane ride with a baby! Honestly, three months was a great age to fly with since she slept the majority of the flight and required little entertainment. Below are the products we found most useful for traveling with an infant and a few tips based on our experience on a plane and in a hotel. xoxo
Feeding: Dr. Brown’s Travel Formula Dispenser with Lid made it easy to carry up to three bottles worth of formula in my bag through the airport and on the plane. I also carried three Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow® Anti-Colic Newborn Bottles with me and filled them with water once through security. We booked our flights around our existing feeding schedule so that we could feed at takeoff and help with ear pressure. Thank goodness our flights were on time and this trick worked well, we feed at take off and she slept the rest of the flight fuss-free! This OXO Tot Travel Size Drying Rack with Bottle Brush was the perfect tool for cleaning bottles in a hotel room and we use this same set when we drive to the lake.
Note: We traveled with a sealed container of powder formula in our carry-on suitcase. While this is allowed by TSA, a chemical on the packaging flagged our suitcase and they had to search our bag. On the trip home, we put the remaining formula in our checked bag to avoid the hassle. A few friends had similar stories, so I recommend packing any formula on top of your carry-on for an easy search. TSA has different rules for flying with breast milk or baby food.
Transportation: The Doona Infant Car Seat has served us well in daily use but was a complete game changer while traveling. We used the stroller through security up to the gate, then we put the Doona in the Padded Travel Bag and checked it at the gate. A friend also recommended this Padded Car Seat Travel Bag for Airplane that is a little cheaper and works the same as the Doona branded one. We did not travel with the Doona base and used the seat belt in our rental car to secure the car seat. Once we gate-checked the stroller, I used the BABYBJÖRN Baby Carrier Mini to find our seat and have a hands-free flight. This Pacifier Clip Holder saved us multiple times through the airport and on the plane to spare our pacifiers from being lost forever. I also never leave the house without the AMACOOL Battery Operated Stroller Fan, especially in the summer, because you never know when you are going to find yourself in a hot car or airplane. We had to use the fan in the back seat of our rental car to combat the 100-degree-plus heat.
Note: You do have to walk through security holding your little one (even with pre-check) and strollers will go through the belt scanner. When you check a stroller at the gate, they will also unload them at the gate and not through baggage claim. When we arrived back at DFW they were slower than we were coming off the plane and an employee told us strollers would be at baggage claim. This was not the case and we had to go back through security to get our stroller at the gate. A few friends had similar stories, so spare yourself and wait at the gate for your stroller!
Sleep: Since we were flying and staying in a hotel, it was easier to coordinate a crib in our room than fly with a pack-n-play. We had no issues coordinating this at the Hilton property we stayed at, but I did check a few hotel reviews in the area to confirm the cleanliness of rooms and cribs (you would not believe some reviews). I also packed a crib sheet and used it over the hotel-provided one. When we are not traveling by plane, we love the Graco Pack ‘n-Play Dome LX-Playard. This pack-n-play is great because it also includes a bassinet for newborns and a changing table attachment that makes large diapers a non-issue. The Yogasleep Hushh Portable White Noise Sound Machine is so easy to pack and works fantastic in hotel rooms or for a nap on the go.
Note: When we go to the lake for a long weekend we travel with the Eufy Life S340 Smart Sock and Monitor. However, when staying at a hotel the monitor and smart sock would not connect to the hotel wifi. We ended up with the crib next to our bed, which worked well for a three-month-old. In the future, we might consider a Bluetooth monitor or a secure hotspot so we can keep the crib in a separate part of the room.
Diapers: A friend warned me that airplane travel tends to cause large diapers and that was no joke! Our flight was just short enough that I did not have to change a diaper on the plane (thank goodness) but I did put on a clean diaper right before boarding and we changed again as soon as we landed. The Joey Changing Kit was so easy to use on the airport changing tables and I carried A+D Original Ointment 1.5 Ounce with me to prevent a rash. These Ubbi Retractable On the Go Bag Dispenser for Travel were so helpful when changing messy diapers in our hotel room. I bagged all our diapers up as a courtesy to the cleaning staff and to keep our room from stinking.
Note: I am always shocked to find most public restrooms are not accommodating for babies and airports were no exception. In both the DFW and Atlanta airport I found one changing table per restroom (always in the way of a line or the sinks) and one handicap stall that would fit a stroller. Keep this in mind when planning your diaper changes, you might have to wait for another mom to finish or for a line to die down.
Packing: It is amazing how much you have to pack for the smallest member of your family! We ended up packing all the baby necessities in a carry-on suitcase and checked a bag with our things to keep from carrying too much on the plane. I carried everything we needed during the flight in my large tote including bottles, diapers and wipes, a change of clothes for both of us and a few books and toys. We often take long weekend trips to the lake and I can easily fit everything a baby could need in this Lands’ End Zip Top Long Handle Canvas Tote Bag.
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