I Took My 7-Month-Old on Her First Flight and It Went Better Than I Expected

Packing with a baby can be difficult, because you never know how many outfits, burp cloths, and other items they might soil. Take stock of the accommodations at your destination — will you have a washer and dryer to wash clothing? Will you have a microwave to use steam sterilizer bags? Will you have a fridge to store breast milk? Will you have a dishwasher to wash bottles?

Since I was staying with a friend who has a baby, I didn’t have to pack most of my home baby products — she was fully stocked with extra burp cloths, a bottle sterilizer, breast milk storage bags, wipes, and more.

Instead of trying to pack all the diapers and wipes you’ll need for your trip, just buy them when you get there. Stock your diaper bag with whatever you’ll need for the plane (and a few extra in case of delays), but don’t worry about packing dozens of bulky diapers in your suitcases.

We asked my friend to pick up diapers in my daughter’s size ahead of us getting there; you can also order products in advance from Walmart, Target, or Amazon, or swing by a drugstore when you arrive.

Keep in mind that when you fly, you can typically have one carry-on and one personal item. Chances are one of those will be your baby’s diaper bag, so that limits your carry-on options. You should also think about how you’re going to carry your baby through the airport (options include a carrier, stroller, or in your arms) — you may not want to lug your suitcases around if you’re also pushing a stroller.

We decided that because we were just traveling for a few days, we would make it work to bring two carry-on suitcases. My daughter’s diaper bag also served as my purse (I clipped a fanny pack to it to keep my items organized), and my husband brought a backpack with all of our technology and toys for our daughter.

When you’re packing your diaper bag, try to prepare for a number of situations: spit-up, diaper blowout, boredom, hunger, etc. Here are a few incredibly helpful items you might not think to bring:

• Puppy potty training pads: These super absorbent pads are incredibly versatile — put them on the tray table to catch spills, use them in place of a changing pad in the airplane bathroom, place them under baby in the car seat in case of diaper leaks — and they fold into compact little squares.
• Noise reducing baby headphones: Airports can be overstimulating and airplanes can be quite loud. Protect your little one’s ears with protective earmuffs
• Pacifier clips: Use pacifier clips on everything. The last thing you want is pacifiers, burp cloths, teethers, stuffies, or little toys falling on the floor of the airport or airplane, so use these clips to secure everything to your baby or to yourself.
• High chair suction toys: Want to keep your baby entertained without pulling out screens? High chair toys that suction to flat surfaces can be a life-saver. Stick them to the airplane window or onto the tray table for your little one to play with.
• Disinfecting wipes: Babies love to put things in their mouths, but that’s not exactly sanitary. Since airplanes are full of germs, it can be a good idea to give things a quick wipe-down with a disinfecting wipe.

Everyone with a baby knows that things always take longer than expected — traveling is no exception. Getting out of the house will take longer, getting situated in the car will take longer, getting everything out of the car will take longer, TSA will take longer, and boarding will take longer. If you normally cut it close for flights, you won’t want to do that with a little one!

Keep in mind that if you’re flying with breastmilk or prepared formula (which you can absolutely do, and you’re allowed to bring more than the 3.4 oz liquid maximum), they’ll need to pull your bags and do a test on the bottle/milk storage bag.

When we arrived at TSA, we only had one bottle with us, but they still had to pull us aside to do a secondary screening. This took an additional 15 minutes or so, and all the other families we saw had a similar experience.

This should come without saying, but you should always be kind to your flight attendants. Even if you’ve had a hectic travel day, remember that it’s not the flight attendants’ fault — say hello when you get on the plane and let them see your adorable baby. If you need anything later in the flight, it’ll be really helpful to have the flight attendants on your side!

Your baby might have a hard time on the flight — that’s okay. All you can do is comfort them to the best of your ability (and that might not work). Airplanes are a mode of public transportation, so you don’t need to feel bad if your baby cries or laughs or is otherwise “disruptive.” If anyone has an issue with it, they can fly private next time.

Flights can be uncomfortable for babies — the temperature is unpredictable, their ears aren’t used to the change in pressure, and it can be very loud. Try to keep your baby comfortable by bringing layers of clothing and blankets, feeding them or giving them a pacifier on ascent and descent (the sucking motion will help their ears pop), and bringing headphones if your baby is sensitive to loud noises.

When you’re traveling with a baby, things are destined to go awry. There are a lot of unpredictable elements, so do your best to let go of your expectations. No matter what, things will work out. Just remember that the first flight is the hardest — once you know what to expect, things will be easier.

Don’t be afraid to accept help from people who offer! You don’t need to do it all — let other people help you lift bags into the overhead compartment, say “okay” if someone offers to help fold up your stroller, and take advantage of the opportunity to board early.