How I survived a long haul flight with a baby

When my husband dropped the bomb on me telling that I had to travel all the way to India alone with a BABY, I began to have nightmares. The whole idea of spending 10 plus hours in a flight with a 6 month old send shivers throughout my body. Even though I was the mother of the baby, it seemed scary to actually travel with him.

I googled extensively on ideas to have a smooth trip without losing my mind on the flight. Thanks to the internet, I did get some ideas. I am back from the to and fro trip. Here I am, very much alive after the journey. But I did learn from my mistakes. If you’re a mum looking for ideas, you should remember that what works for another baby may not work for your baby.

Anyway, here is a list of things that I packed for the flight journey. Also, I have outlined what I thought to be my mistakes.

Carryon baggage:

This is the most trickiest part if you’re travelling alone. Though most airlines give 2 carryon bags for baby , it’s hard to carry more baggage if you have to carry a baby in one hand. I limited mine to one diaper bag with the essentials.

·         Diapers – 12 to 20 (You will be changing only every 3 hours or so; no point in carrying too many)

·         Wipes (To clean surfaces and baby’s hands and mouth)

·         3 set of clothes for baby

·         Extra pair of socks and mittens

·         Baby food and water

·         Bibs and spoons

·         A large cloth to use it in airports to let the baby crawl. (I found it very useful)

·         A blankie

·         A small hand fan (sometimes flights can be stuffy)

·         Couple of toys

·         Thrash bag

·         Basic medicines.

·         Baby carrier (extremely useful to navigate through airports)

·         Music player for mum.

The trick is to keep it really simple. I had ended up over loading my bag when I flew down the first time. In the flight, I realized my baby didn’t really need most of the things. In fact, I didn’t even have the time to use most of what I had packed.

If you plan to breastfeed, it helps to wear something comfortable. I made the mistake of wearing jeans the first time. But later I wore skirt during the return trip which proved to be more comfortable.

I travelled by the Qatar Airways which was fairly fine. The crew was friendly enough to entertain my baby when he was cranky and bored. Also, I bothered them a number of times to which they were very calm. I did book a bassinet like most other parents but my baby did not sleep on it even for a minute. He preferred sleeping on me. If your baby sleeps, you’re a lucky woman.

It helps to be friendly with co-passengers. I was lucky in meeting people who were happy to hold my baby to let me have lunch peacefully. Also, you get somebody to talk with.

I am no longer scared of flight journeys with my baby. I guess you get used to it. If you have more ideas, please drop in the comments section.

All the best for your journey!

About the Author : Chital Mehta loves to explore new books. After becoming a mother, she started this blog to share her experiences as a mother. Apart from being busy with her baby, she makes times for writing, reading and watching movies. She has authored 4 fiction novels. You can find details on her facebook page :Chital Mehta facebook

Write to her : chitalmehta1987@gmail.com