Flying with baby

The ultimate tips for a relaxing flight

Flying with your baby for the first time can be quite nerve-wracking. It’s a completely new experience, and you may not know what to expect. With these tips, we’ll prepare you for a smooth flight with your baby. Read on!

Flying with a baby - 6 tips for a relaxing flight

♥ Arrive on time & don’t rush
♥ Give a bottle during takeoff and landing
♥ Book a baby bassinet
♥ Try to maintain your normal routine
♥ Ask for an extra seat
♥ Build a fort

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Arrive on time & don't rush - Flying with a baby

Rushing with a baby is not convenient, so make sure to arrive at the airport on time. First of all, it’s not pleasant to run through the airport with a baby in your arms; that’s not a great start to your vacation. Additionally, you never know how your baby will be. They might be hungrier than usual, have a little accident that requires a change, or simply need some extra attention. By allowing for some extra time, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to arrive at the gate feeling relaxed, clean, and with a fed baby.

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Give a bottle during landing - flying with a baby

A major fear for parents is ear pain when flying with a baby. This concern is understandable, as the pressure in the cabin rises when the airplane descends, affecting the ears. This pressure can cause significant pain, and your child’s ears can even become damaged. Fortunately, this can be easily prevented by “popping” the ears during landing. Babies are not able to do this themselves, so make sure your baby drinks a bottle during landing. The sucking motion helps to regularly “pop” the ears open. If your child isn’t thirsty, a pacifier or some food can also help.

The pressure in the ears can occur only during landing, but just to be safe, we also pay attention to this during takeoff. Better safe than sorry!

Book a baby bassinet - flying with a baby

During long flights, there are often several bassinets available. These are like cradles mounted to the wall of the airplane. Bassinets are usually suitable for children up to one year old.

Not all airlines have bassinets. KLM, for example, does offer them, but TUI does not. Additionally, there is no guarantee that a bassinet will be available at the time of booking. After making your reservation, contact the airline to check if you can reserve a bassinet.

A big advantage of these bassinets is that your baby has their own space to sleep. Additionally, it allows you to move around more easily without a sleeping baby in your arms. The only downside is that you have to take your baby out of the bassinet during turbulence, even if they are just settling down for a nap.

Try to maintain a normal routine - flying with a baby

Traveling and flying with a baby can be exhausting for both you and your little one. The disruption to their routine and exposure to numerous new stimuli can be overwhelming. Therefore, try to maintain your baby’s regular schedule as much as possible. This means sticking to their usual times for eating, drinking, playing, and sleeping.
However, it’s equally important to be flexible. If you can’t stick to the routine, don’t stress! If your baby needs an extra bottle during the descent, go ahead and give it to them. Play with your baby if they are unable to sleep (endless rocking won’t make anyone happy), and focus on staying as relaxed as possible. You can easily resume the structured routine once you reach your vacation destination.

Ask for an extra seat - flying with a baby

If there are empty seats on the plane, they are preferably given to families with small children. However, you need to ask for them!
You can request this during boarding from one of the flight attendants. There’s a good chance that after takeoff, you’ll be allowed to move to a row with an extra free seat.

Build a fort - flying with a baby

If there are no bassinets available on the plane but you have managed to get an extra seat, build a little hut for your little one! With a large muslin cloth, you can easily create a tent on the extra seat. This way, the stimuli and light stay outside, and your baby can fall asleep more easily.

Bonus tip! Bring enough diapers and clean clothes. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to search for extra diapers halfway through the flight. Additionally, it’s handy to bring one or two sets of clean clothes for yourself as well; accidents can happen when you least expect them.

And finally, perhaps the most important tip: stay relaxed yourself ♡. Young children are incredibly adaptable. They don’t find flying scary yet but adjust to their parents’ energy. A relaxed parent equals a relaxed baby (unless, of course, something is truly wrong).

Have a great flight!!

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