12 Experts-backed Tips to Travel Internationally With a Baby 

Traveling with a baby is already an adventure, and taking them abroad can be pretty challenging. In fact, many parents suggest modern couples to travel as much as they can because once the baby comes in, traveling fun would just be limited to dancing around the baby. 

But that’s not completely true. Couples can enjoy a robust traveling life even after having kids. While, yes, you need proper planning weeks before your international trip. And honestly, half the stress of traveling with kids is reaching the destination. Once you’ve reached it, it all falls into place without you realizing how it happened. 

Here are eight experts-backed pieces of advice on how to travel with an infant and keep your sanity intact. Read on. 

1.PREPARE! 

A quick outing with a baby requires 15 minutes of planning, so a long trip, especially to a foreign country, needs you to prepare well. Make a list, check it twice, and keep making additions till the last date since parenting is all about flexibility.

2.Avoid Overpacking

Parents’ temptation to bring everything along is understandable, but they do not. Avoid overpacking. It can literally make you go nuts along the way when you will have to unload the entire stuff to find one thing. Keep things that you can’t do without, and have the rest shipped to you later through services like Baby’s Away. Instead of taking the entire playroom, pack a few of the toys that will keep the baby engaged and entertained during the trip. 

3.Arrive Early at the Airport 

Arriving early at the airport not only reduces traveling stress but allows your little munchkin to take their time to walk around and get comfortable before they get on the journey. However, don’t be desperate to reach too early since the excess time at the airport can make it hard for you to handle your kids, leading to tears and tantrums. Getting half an hour early would be a sweet spot. 

4.Take Flights During Nap Time

Regardless of whether you’re taking a long-haul flight or a quick jaunt, always prioritize scheduling your flights during the baby’s nap time. If you’re planning to catch a red-eye flight, choose a slot that is close to your infant’s bedtime. 

When you ensure that your baby’s sleep isn’t disrupted, it makes the journey more pleasant and peaceful for not only you but the other passengers as well. 

5.Book Tickets Carefully

For international travel, there are some airlines that charge 10% to 30% of the adult ticket price fees for a lap infant. However, some airlines don’t charge anything at all. And before you book your tickets, make sure to check the luggage policies for traveling with a lap infant. 

Most airlines allow you to carry a baby stroller without any cost, and you may also be able to carry additional luggage as per their policies. 

6.Work When They Sleep

If you’re working professional who wish to get some work done during flight hours, it is best to work when the baby sleeps. You can also utilize this time for reading a book or reading online articles. 

Oftentimes, you may find trouble accessing to certain online blogs, especially those in PDF formats. Thus, if you use a MacBook, you should know how to rotate on mac to be able to view the PDF file properly. 

This will ensure that you have a productive time while ensuring that your little one sleeps peacefully next to you. 

7.Keep a Medical Kit 

Although keeping a medical kit is a travel essential, it becomes a necessity when traveling with kids. It’s normal to catch a cold, fever, stomach bug, or headache during traveling. Hence, it is advised to have your own medicine, prescriptions, and other medical supplies at the ready. 

Otherwise, you might find yourself wandering around looking for a medical kit. Or, what you can do is just keep a few of the baby essentials, such as baby Tylenol, a baby thermometer, baby Benadryl, and ibuprofen. 

8.Gate-check a Stroller

If you don’t want to bring your day-to-day stroller, whether that’s a Nuna stroller or another brand you love, due to terrain – you can gate-check a lightweight umbrella stroller. It’s FREE, at least on most of the airlines. While you may not consider buying a light stroller for travel, many airlines have changed their gate-checking policies and allow only light items to be checked.

If you don’t want to bring your day-to-day stroller due to terrain – you can gate-check a lightweight umbrella stroller. It’s FREE, at least on most of the airlines. While you may not consider buying a light stroller for travel, many airlines have changed their gate-checking policies and allow only light items to be checked. 

Since gate-checking a stroller doesn’t count in your checked baggage, it makes traveling easier and more convenient for parents. 

9.Prepare for the Worst on Plane 

When taking your kids on a long trip, always think of the worst scenarios and prepare accordingly. For instance, if your flight got delayed and you had to spend a hungry and miserable time in the terminal. And that, too, with a baby who’s constantly crying. It can make you go crazy. 

To tackle such situations, you could ensure to have your iPad loaded with kid-friendly content and other informational resources, enough diapers, snacks, and a change of clothes for your kid. While it may sound like a travel bribe, iPads are truly a mom’s best friend in an airline. 

10.Baby Carriers 

Nothing could be a better invention than baby carriers, especially when traveling with an infant. Not only does it provide comfort and safety to your child, but it also gives you the peace of mind that your little one is with you. Besides, it leaves you with free hands for carry-ons and strollers. 

Baby carriers also provide comfort when visiting beaches, museums, or other places where strollers aren’t allowed or are hard to carry. Besides, they allow moms for discreet breastfeeding. If you’re looking for options, you might want to explore baby carrier seat at Wildbird or other reputable shops for some unique choices.

11.Look for VIP Services 

It’s normal to get stuck in curbside check-in, expedited lines, or pre-boarding. Taking VIP services can make the entire experience of traveling much easier and more enjoyable for you. When you opt for VIP services at the airport, a staff member greets you on the curbside, gets you checked through security formalities, and you enjoy a mini-adventure of the golf cart, which is en route to the airport gate and they walk you to the plane.

They might even offer help with carrying the stroller if you feel like asking. This can take away the stress for a while and prepare you to take the flight.

12.Plan for Jet Lag

Jet lag is common if you’re a travel enthusiast or have to travel for your work. It can cause daytime fatigue and leave you feeling exhausted. And when traveling with a baby, the experience can be super irritating. 

Thus, it is vital that as soon as you land on your destination, give yourself a few days to adjust and take time to rest properly. Apart from shifting mealtimes, naptimes, and bedtimes, it is advised to get daylight during the day and darkness at night so that your internal clock adjusts to its natural rhythm and you feel refreshed. 

In the End…

While short trips are easy to manage, long international trips with your baby can be challenging without preparation.   

Thus, the next time you plan a trip with your child, make sure to consider the above-mentioned tips to make your travel easier and more enjoyable.