Claire was absolutely AMAZING!!!! She only cried when she was in her car seat because she wanted out. Otherwise, she was playing or "performing" for her audience (the sewing club and the older couples flocked to her). On the way home, she got a little fussy because she was so tired, but I nursed her and she fell right asleep.
I thought I'd compile a list of all things I found helpful.
I TRAVELED WITH A VERY AVTIVE 9 MONTH OLD. She prefers to be crawling and playing. She does not nap on me often.
1. Promise yourself to "go with the flow". Being worked up the entire travel day will help you none. Your top priority should just be to keep the babe happy. No matter what.
2. TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Babies under 2 can get a ticket or travel as a "lap baby". I strongly suggest going as a lap baby. Make sure you call the airline prior to your trip and make sure they document on your boarding pass that you are traveling with a child. We flew southwest. I was told to bring Claire's birth certificate to the ticket counter to prove she was under 2. They gave me another boarding pass with one for her.
3. TRAVEL SYSTEM: My sis didn't have a car seat or stroller, so we had to take both. I packed the base in my large suitcase (we got 2 checked bags for free) and clipped the car seat into the stroller to push around. When we got to our gate, I went and spoke with the flight attendants. They tagged the stroller and seat for me to gate check. IF YOU HAVE A LAYOVER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TELL THEM YOU WILL NEED THE STROLLER AT THE LAYOVER DESTINATION. IF YOU DONT SPECIFY, IT MIGHT GO ON TO THE FINAL DESTINATION. On our flights to Georgia, there were plenty of seats, so I got to take the car seat on the plane. I thought she might sleep in it, but she didn't. It was mostly just a hassle. During the layover, I strapped her into the car seat (in the stroller) and pushed her around while she napped. It was her only nap. On the way home, they planes were way full so there was no room for the car seat. *When we got off the plane, we waited right outside for our things.
3. WHAT TO PACK FOR ENTERTAINMENT: I put a few of Claire's toys away about 2 weeks before we left. I wanted them to be new to her. We had a book, a light up/singing toy, Sophie, a stacking toy, among other things. She mostly just played with the peanut bags, the people around us and the tray. Southwest had free wifi with TV shows. We watched Mickey twice.
4. WHAT TO PACK FOR FOOD: I took a few pouches for her to suck on during landing and take off. She is not an on demand nurser, nor does she take long, so I needed other options to help with ears. She had mums and gerber cookies and a water bottle. I also took puffs and yogurt melts, but they slide away and were easily thrown. Don't forget snacks for mama! You'll be hungry too!
5. WHAT NECESSITIES TO TAKE: Food!!! Antibacterial hand and face wipes to wipe her off as often as possible. I had Wet Ones to wipe off all surrounding areas. Seriously. I tried to wipe almost everything she touched.
6. WHAT TO WEAR: If you're a nursing mom, a piko top with a tank top under was so wonderful! It completely covered the babe and kept me modest. Comfy pants and easy slip on shoes are a must as always. I put Claire in a buttoned romper. It was the easiest to change her diapers and I didn't have to keep up with any pants. Keep the baby shoeless if possible so you don't have to remove those. Take an extra outfit for all!
7. WHERE TO SIT: I spoke to the staff before boarding and they suggested sitting as close to the engine as possible, and sitting by the window. On flights that I knew had a few extra seats, I put my bag in the middle seat to keep others from sitting. Claire loved to sit by herself!
I hope this was helpful in someway! Just stay calm and be amazed at how much attention your baby gets!
(Playing around at the gate.)
(She loved sitting by herself and waving to everyone around her.)
(Popping up after nursing to say "hi"!)
(This is how she rode around the airport.)
No comments:
Post a Comment