I’m a few months behind, but I wanted to share our experience traveling with a baby (and a wiener dog!!) for the first time when Hayes was 4 months old. I can honestly say the weeks leading up to the flight were much more stressful for me than the actual flight. It’s just one of those things you need to do as parents in order to build that confidence traveling with a baby. I’m so happy it’s under our belt now because we love to travel and want to bring Hayesie more places with us as he grows up.

Earlier this fall, Bridger and I planned a trip to to Austin, Texas, for a fun escape from the gloomy Seattle weather and spent about a month there. Then we flew from Austin to Las Vegas to spend Thanksgiving with family before heading home. Three flights down, and I can confirm we feel wildly more confident traveling as a fam of four now!

Let me share what worked for us, including some tips that made the whole experience less stressful.

Buying His Own Seat With The Doona

This was one of the best decisions we made. We bought Hayes his own seat so he could travel in his Doona car seat, which is by far the best baby buy. It made things easier because it gave him a familiar place to relax and nap, it double as a stroller and carseat, so we didn’t need to check anything or worry about a car seat when we landed. We wheeled him right through the airport, then clicked it into place on the plane. It was seamless and saved us from juggling extra gear.

Positives of Using the Doona Car Seat on the Plane:

• Safety and Comfort: Hayes was snug and secure the whole flight. The familiar setup helped him stay calm, and he even took a 30-40 minute nap during takeoff.
• Convenience: Transitioning from stroller to car seat on the plane was so quick. No extra stress or hassle.
• Hands-Free Moments: Since Hayes was in his seat (for a short while, I guess), we had time to eat, organize our things, take bathroom breaks easily, and take a breather without holding him the entire flight. He does like movement, though, so once the nap was over, Bridge and I entertained him on our laps until he was tired/had to go back in his car seat for landing.

Packing Smart

Since we were going to be gone for a month with a baby, we packed quite a bit. We checked both our large suitcases and two carry-on size roller suitcases right when we got to the airport. That left us with pushing Hayes’ doona stroller, carrying a backpack diaper bag, Coco in a pet carrier, and Bridge’s big backpack through security and onto the plane. I got so many tips from you guys not to bring too much with you on the plane because it ends up being more stressful. I packed our diaper bag with all the essentials and a few extras just in case. Here’s what we brought:

• 6 diapers in the diaper bag and more in Bridger’s backpack
• wipes
• 2 changes of clothes for Hayes (and an extra for me)
• portable changing pad (came with our diaper bag)
• disposable diaper bags
• 1 bottle full of breastmilk upon leaving our house, 1 clean bottle, portable breastmilk chiller mug to transport extra milk. Here are the bottles we use.
• portable breast pump— this is the one I’ve been using since Hayes was born. I love it!
• breast pump wipes
• pacifiers and teethers and everything connected via silicone tethers to the stroller
• burp cloths on burp cloths
• soft baby blanket
• crinkle books and window spinners (his favorite distractions)
• portable sound machine
• snacks for me, obviously

For the airplane bathroom: Not all of them have changing tables, but the ones that do are usually marked on the door. Before heading in, I grabbed just the essentials (see below) so I wasn’t juggling the whole diaper bag in the tiny space.

Timing the Flight

I feel like it’s near impossible when people say to book flights during a baby’s naptime because you have to consider the travel time to and from the airport, extra time in the airport, etc., but my suggestion is to book a flight earlier in the day if you can. Babies tend to get more fussy as the day goes on, so morning flights are your best bet. Hayes has major fomo, but was able to nap during takeoff for 30-40 minutes until Coco woke him up with her crying on the plane lol. The hum of the plane ended up being the perfect white noise, and we covered his car seat with a blanket to keep it cozy and dim when he was asleep.

Feeding During Takeoff and Landing

Babies can struggle with the pressure changes, so I made sure to feed him during those times. One tip: Don’t feed too early before takeoff! It takes forever to actually get in the air, so wait until you’ve taxied to the tarmac before starting.

Pumping On The Flight

Since I pump about 85% of the time with Hayes (he has to be in the perfect mood), I bring my pump with me everywhere. At about 4 months pp I was pumping an aggressive amount because he was eating tons; about 7-9 times a day. It was a LOT, but I was used to it. During travel days, I would have a warm bottle made right before we left to feed him in the car and when we got to the airport. I pumped during takeoff when he was in the Doona and while I was feeding him a bottle. Then I filled the empty bottle with that milk and knew I had 4 hours to feed him that at room temperature. He ate every 2-4 hours so that was perfect. I would then find time to pump again 2-3 hours later.

Traveling with Coco

Traveling with a baby and a dog for our first flight was kind of a crazy idea, but since we were going to be gone for a while, coco had to come! Bridge and I used the system so many of you recommended– Bridger got on first with Coco and his backpack, while I pushed Hayes around the gate area until the very last minute to avoid Hayes sitting still for too long. He loves movement, so this worked really well and avoided sitting on the plane for too long before takeoff.

Staying Calm

This was a big one. Bridge and I made a pact to make the travel days fun and enjoyable and tried our hardest to avoid getting stressed. Babies pick up on our energy, so we kept reminding ourselves to go with the flow and remember that we’re a team! It ended up being smooth even when we got held up at security because they needed to bring in bomb squad to check my breastmilk… so FYI, leave extra time if you’re bringing milk with you! I ended up learning that it only happened to us at Sea-Tac airport because their TSA machines are older. Leaving Austin was a breeze and they didn’t even stop us when I had a full bottle of breastmilk in the diaper bag.

Changing A Baby On A Plane

I got tips for this before we left, but it’s one of those things I feel like you learn exactly what you need to do after your first experience changing a baby on a plane. Here’s what to bring with you into the bathroom:

• 2 diapers (in case one gets dirty while changing)
• Wipes
• A portable changing pad
• A change of clothes (blowouts happen!!)
• Disposable diaper bag
  

Favorite Baby Distractions

Hayes loved the spinners we stuck to the plane and car windows. Crinkle books and his favorite teethers kept him entertained, and we brought a soft blanket to cover his car seat when he was asleep. Having a few go-to items made all the difference.

If you’re gearing up for your first trip with your little one, I hope these tips help make it a positive and memorable experience for your family!

All in all, baby’s first flight was a success! Comment below if you have more tips for traveling with a baby under 6 months old 🙂