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Our recent trip to India was one of many firsts for our then 10-month-old daughter, Celine. Not only was it her first flight, but it was also a 16-hour overseas flight! Join us as we share our tips and tricks on flying with an infant.
Tip: Do your research
Not sure what to expect, we set forth doing research on travelling with an infant. We looked into general travel tips and what to expect in each of the cities we were going to visit.
Tip: If front seats are already booked. Seats near the back of the plane are a great option too.
Many travel blogs and channels recommend checking in early and trying to book the seats at the front. You get more legroom and a bassinette for your child to sleep. Unfortunately for us, there were 21 children on the flight and someone already beat us to the punch. Instead, we opted for 2 aisle seats in the back of the plane in the middle section of seats.
This worked out quite well for us, as there 2 lavatories close by and the main galley. Also, there was always something going on to keep Celine entertained.
Additionally, as with on our flight back. On flights that are not fully booked, back seats tend to be emptier. Possibly allowing for a whole row of seats for you and your baby, maybe with some shuffling.
Tip: Book night owl flights to coincide with your child’s bedtime.
When booking our tickets we purposely booked for tickets later in the day, closer to Celine’s bedtime.
This worked out perfectly, as she had barely slept all day because she was so excited about our trip. She passed out right before the plane took off, then slept for a solid 7 hours.
Combined with her other naps, Celine probably slept 9 of the 14-hour flight. Which still left 5 hours of time to keep Celine occupied.
Tip: Bring a few of your child’s favourite toys from home.
To keep Celine occupied for the remaining time, we brought a few of Celine’s favourite toys from home.
We found having a few toys she was very fond of, helped a lot in all of the unfamiliar surroundings.
Tip: Feed your baby during take-offs and landings to prevent ear discomfort due to changing pressure.
Along with some of her favourite toys, we also brought a few of Celine’s favourite snacks. ( Baby Snacks / Baby Snacks – Gourmet ). That way she’d have something to eat during take-offs and landings.
Overall our flights went extremely well. Between her naps, toys and snacks, Celine had plenty to keep her busy during the flights. She did get a little bored during the longer flights, but we were able to walk her up and down the aisle, where there were plenty of flight attendants and other passengers who were more than happy to play with her. We even had other passengers come and ask us what our trick was, as she was so quiet during the flight.
Great article! Keep sharing (~.~)