Travel Tips
by Gretel
We took Jasper to Paris as a "lap ticket", meaning he has no seat and stays on our laps. These days, flights are always overbooked, not a single seat free. You can travel with your child UNDER 2 YEARS for FREE, but I'd say 6 MONTHS is more reasonable. Jasper barely fit on our laps. I don't think a one or two year old could fit, or sit like that.
I did not know this (so maybe you don't either), but the free ticket is only for domestic flights. You must purchase an infant ticket for international. The infant ticket gets you nothing (no extra space or baggage), but gives a boarding pass for the baby. Be sure to call your airline to inform them (domestic or international) about your baby on board, they need it for the passenger list.
Any baby flying requires BOTH PARENTS permission. If you're travelling solo with baby, bring a note from the father (yeah, right, how do they know who it's from???)
We lucked out on one of the four flights we took. Paris to New York had space. We got the center "bulkhead" seats. A row of 3, at the front so the wall is right in front of you. They can attach a bassinet basket to the wall for your baby. Jasper took two 30 minute naps in it (7 hour flight). And played in it maybe another 30 mins. So the basket helped, but we still held him a lot. For example, I held him 2 hours napping on me (he did not sleep well in the basket).
I had heard it's helpful to nurse your baby during takeoff and landing, to help with ear pressure. This seemed to work ok. It's tricky to time it though. On takeoff Jasper would be crying because he's hungry, and all the time waiting and taxiing around is the hard part. Once in the air, he's happy to eat! He did not cry after that, and not during landing. Usually I nursed him when the plane decended, but would finish well before landing.. so I suggest you wait until you break through the cloud layer. Once Jasper was sound asleep during landing and did not eat at all, he did not wake up and so I think his ears must have adjusted fine on their own.
SECURITY lines in the airport will not let you wear your baby carrier through. You must put carrier through the scanner, and just hold the baby without jackets, etc. in your arms to pass through security.
Pack your CARRY-ON LIGHT weight. We did not read much, so no big books. Our headphones and music were used a bit, but we could not watch the movies. A couple small toys. It's always a good idea to pack extra diapers and a onesie outfit to change into just in case.
It was hard to EAT on the plane, with Jasper on our laps. One of us had the tray down for drinks. Bring a small snack bar and a bottle of water.
Jasper used his pacifier more than usual on the plane. Usually we don't take it out with us, it's used only for naps. But we had it on the plane and he wanted it some during the airport lines too. Bring a LEASH to attach pacifier (or a toy) to the clothes, so it does not drop onto the floor all the time.
It seems pilots keep the SEAT-BELT sign on a lot, so you cannot get up and walk around much. That was difficult, especially when trying to calm Jasper. I held him and rocked in my seat back and forth a bit, which thankfully worked out ok.
The seatbelt can hurt your baby, so keep a pillow or blanket over the clip, and under your baby.
If you're staying in a city, taking public transport, then you may not need to bring your CARSEAT.
We did not bring a STROLLER either, we really tried to travel light. Instead, we take him in a baby carrier. We used http://sutemigear.com/ This worked out great in the Paris metro. There are many stairs in the metro stations, and you have to lug your stroller up and down stairs and on/off the usually standing room only trains. Carrying him worked out great!
It was HOT on the plane, so don't bring your jacket on carry-on. Wear a T-shirt. You'll be extra hot, holding your baby the whole time.
We took Jasper to Paris as a "lap ticket", meaning he has no seat and stays on our laps. These days, flights are always overbooked, not a single seat free. You can travel with your child UNDER 2 YEARS for FREE, but I'd say 6 MONTHS is more reasonable. Jasper barely fit on our laps. I don't think a one or two year old could fit, or sit like that.
I did not know this (so maybe you don't either), but the free ticket is only for domestic flights. You must purchase an infant ticket for international. The infant ticket gets you nothing (no extra space or baggage), but gives a boarding pass for the baby. Be sure to call your airline to inform them (domestic or international) about your baby on board, they need it for the passenger list.
Any baby flying requires BOTH PARENTS permission. If you're travelling solo with baby, bring a note from the father (yeah, right, how do they know who it's from???)
We lucked out on one of the four flights we took. Paris to New York had space. We got the center "bulkhead" seats. A row of 3, at the front so the wall is right in front of you. They can attach a bassinet basket to the wall for your baby. Jasper took two 30 minute naps in it (7 hour flight). And played in it maybe another 30 mins. So the basket helped, but we still held him a lot. For example, I held him 2 hours napping on me (he did not sleep well in the basket).
I had heard it's helpful to nurse your baby during takeoff and landing, to help with ear pressure. This seemed to work ok. It's tricky to time it though. On takeoff Jasper would be crying because he's hungry, and all the time waiting and taxiing around is the hard part. Once in the air, he's happy to eat! He did not cry after that, and not during landing. Usually I nursed him when the plane decended, but would finish well before landing.. so I suggest you wait until you break through the cloud layer. Once Jasper was sound asleep during landing and did not eat at all, he did not wake up and so I think his ears must have adjusted fine on their own.
SECURITY lines in the airport will not let you wear your baby carrier through. You must put carrier through the scanner, and just hold the baby without jackets, etc. in your arms to pass through security.
Pack your CARRY-ON LIGHT weight. We did not read much, so no big books. Our headphones and music were used a bit, but we could not watch the movies. A couple small toys. It's always a good idea to pack extra diapers and a onesie outfit to change into just in case.
It was hard to EAT on the plane, with Jasper on our laps. One of us had the tray down for drinks. Bring a small snack bar and a bottle of water.
Jasper used his pacifier more than usual on the plane. Usually we don't take it out with us, it's used only for naps. But we had it on the plane and he wanted it some during the airport lines too. Bring a LEASH to attach pacifier (or a toy) to the clothes, so it does not drop onto the floor all the time.
It seems pilots keep the SEAT-BELT sign on a lot, so you cannot get up and walk around much. That was difficult, especially when trying to calm Jasper. I held him and rocked in my seat back and forth a bit, which thankfully worked out ok.
The seatbelt can hurt your baby, so keep a pillow or blanket over the clip, and under your baby.
If you're staying in a city, taking public transport, then you may not need to bring your CARSEAT.
We did not bring a STROLLER either, we really tried to travel light. Instead, we take him in a baby carrier. We used http://sutemigear.com/ This worked out great in the Paris metro. There are many stairs in the metro stations, and you have to lug your stroller up and down stairs and on/off the usually standing room only trains. Carrying him worked out great!
It was HOT on the plane, so don't bring your jacket on carry-on. Wear a T-shirt. You'll be extra hot, holding your baby the whole time.
posted by Jim at
5:24 PM
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