When traveling with a baby, most people are concerned about the plane ride. I certainly spent a lot of time thinking about and preparing the logistics of my flight to Vancouver when Adam was four months old. I paid extra to have only one stopover; I bought a lighter, cheaper stroller, that would be easier to maneuver and harder to damage. I googled traveling with a baby and took note of experienced parents’ tips. The trip was a breeze and Adam was a real little trooper throughout. How was I to know the most challenging part was yet to come? Four days later I was exhausted, close to tears and wondering how I would ever survive raising an international family. Adam was sleeping great: from 4pm to 1am. I suspected there was a secret underworld of parents giving their children “a little something” and was determined to join ranks. I called my pediatrician (hey, 1am in Vancouver is 10am in Barcelona!), but was told no medication. He was, however, surprised that Adam was having such difficulty. Babies normally recover from jet lag quickly, he told me, five to six days and they are perfectly adjusted. Hmmm… I had to bite my tongue. Your idea of quickly is certainly different from mine, buster! Still, I have to give credit where credit is due. On the fifth night, Adam fell asleep at 8:30pm and slept straight to 5:30am. The remainder of my vacation was fantastic – and in the end, well worth the initial days of sleeplessness. Just don’t ask me how the jet lag was returning….
Here’s a summary of the best tips, plus a few of my own.
For the plane:
- Some people recommend a window seat as it’s more private for nursing and quieter. Personally, I say go for an aisle seat. You can easily get up and walk around without having to bother the person next to you.
- Definitely reserve the bassinet for long haul flights. It’s free and makes a HUGE difference.
- Take advantage of stopovers to have a good meal, and bring plenty of snacks. If you are traveling alone, it isn’t always convenient to eat when they are serving food.
- Within my carryon, I had a separate bag for diaper changing (with one diaper, wipes, a change of clothes and a plastic bag for messes), and another for feeding. This meant I wasn’t routing around a big bag during potentially “urgent” situations and I could re-fill as necessary during quieter periods.
For the jet lag:
- If you don’t want to give your baby any “help” (and it isn’t recommended), be prepared that it could take him up to 5 days to adjust, and try to plan your trip accordingly.
- When traveling westward, work hard to keep your baby awake for as long as possible, delaying the time he finally goes to sleep each night.
- Traveling eastward is harder, because their body tells them to go to sleep later, rather than earlier. The key here is to not let him sleep until noon (or in my case, 3pm) and as soon as you can, take him out into the natural light.
Here’s a summary of the best tips, plus a few of my own.
For the plane:
- Some people recommend a window seat as it’s more private for nursing and quieter. Personally, I say go for an aisle seat. You can easily get up and walk around without having to bother the person next to you.
- Definitely reserve the bassinet for long haul flights. It’s free and makes a HUGE difference.
- Take advantage of stopovers to have a good meal, and bring plenty of snacks. If you are traveling alone, it isn’t always convenient to eat when they are serving food.
- Within my carryon, I had a separate bag for diaper changing (with one diaper, wipes, a change of clothes and a plastic bag for messes), and another for feeding. This meant I wasn’t routing around a big bag during potentially “urgent” situations and I could re-fill as necessary during quieter periods.
For the jet lag:
- If you don’t want to give your baby any “help” (and it isn’t recommended), be prepared that it could take him up to 5 days to adjust, and try to plan your trip accordingly.
- When traveling westward, work hard to keep your baby awake for as long as possible, delaying the time he finally goes to sleep each night.
- Traveling eastward is harder, because their body tells them to go to sleep later, rather than earlier. The key here is to not let him sleep until noon (or in my case, 3pm) and as soon as you can, take him out into the natural light.
Any experienced travelers out there? We're flying back this Christmas for ten days... and any suggestions or tips are more than welcome!! I suspect it will be a whole different story with a one year old.
