Travel internationally with infant

12 tips on how to travel internationally with a baby

Traveling with an infant is already an adventure -- and traveling abroad with one is an even bigger feat to tackle.

Knowing the rules, researching and prepping ahead of time and packing the right things can make (or break) your first international trip with a baby. If you're in the know, you can take advantage of all the options afforded to traveling families, from bassinets on the plane and security shortcuts to special infant fares and other perks.

Covering everything from booking and documents to travel insurance and even jet lag, this guide provides everything you need to prepare for an international trip with your baby.

Want more travel news and advice from TPG? Sign up for our daily newsletter.

Get your baby's passport

Before you get too far into planning a trip abroad, you'll need to get your baby's first passport.

While you're at it, make sure everyone else in the family has a valid passport, too. Remember, U.S. passports for children under 16 expire after five years, not 10 years like adult passports. Also, make sure everyone's passport isn't nearing expiration. Many countries require three or six months of validity to enter, which effectively means that child passports are really only valid for 4 1/2 years, which go quickly.

Once your baby gets their passport, it's valid for five years. (Photo by goodmoments/Getty Images)

When getting a passport for your baby, here are the main steps to follow:

Get their birth certificate.
Find out where to apply.
Make an appointment. You'll need to go in person and bring your baby with you.
Take their passport photo. It can be difficult to get a photo of your baby. Rules for photos state that the child/baby should be looking directly at the camera with a natural smile or neutral look. If you can manage to get the baby's eyes to stay open, that's typically enough for their first passport photo. The background should be white and the size 2 by 2 inches with no filters. Within that size, your baby/child's head needs to be 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. If you're struggling to get everything just right, the ItsEasy App can help you crop and size your photo to the correct dimensions.
Gather the paperwork. Fill out Form DS-11 and take your baby's birth certificate plus photocopies of each document. Bring a couple of photos, a valid ID for each parent, a photocopy of parental IDs and the fee (you can pay by check). Fees are currently $100 for the passport and $35 for processing.
Attend the appointment in person with both parents present. If only one parent can go, fill out and bring parental consent form DS-3053 plus a copy.

Get your baby Global Entry

If you already have Global Entry, you won't be able to use the service as a family if your little ones don't have it. So, get a start on your baby's application. Or, if this is something your whole family wants to do, apply simultaneously, making expiration dates and renewals easier to complete for everyone at the same time.

Do note that with TSA PreCheck, kids 12 and under won't need to have their own number to accompany parents through these special security lanes -- but that's not true for Global Entry, which you use to return to the U.S.

Check with your doctor

Check with your pediatrician to see when your baby can start flying.

To give you an idea, TPG talked to Dr. Jenny Yu, medical director at Healthline, to find out when it's typically safe for babies to travel. “While babies typically develop their immune system around 1 month, most pediatricians would recommend waiting until 3 to 6 months for travel,” she said. For premature babies, it might be a little longer.

Also, with international travel, it's important to factor in any additional vaccines they might need, especially if you're traveling to emerging countries. Start by checking with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for recommendations on which vaccines both adults and babies should get, then talk with your pediatrician to see what is best for your family, baby and travel situation.

Other important questions to ask your doctor should be if your baby can wear sunblock or mosquito repellent and how to keep your baby and your whole family safe from tropical or waterborne diseases, COVID-19 and any other possible infections, which can depend highly on your destination.

Pick the right destination

(Photo by Mayte Torres/Getty Images)

Whether it's a far-flung visit to Asia, a trip to visit family in Europe, a Caribbean escape or an African safari, you can travel anywhere with a baby as long as you and your family feel comfortable doing so. Choose a destination that makes you feel joy, not anxiety or stress at the thought of getting there and enjoying it with your baby.

Consider things like the activities you want to do, and if the destination is a place that feels welcoming for families. Also think about logistics, like the language barrier, climate and local transportation, when deciding if that particular destination is right for your family.

Book tickets

Depending on how old your baby is, you have some options when flying abroad with them. Here are a few to consider:

Lap infant: If your baby is under 2 years old, they don't need their own seat. They can instead sit on the lap of a ticketed adult. For international travel, some airlines charge 10% to 30% of the adult ticket price or just the taxes and fees for a lap infant, and some airlines don't charge anything at all. This table shows the costs by airline to buy your baby a lap ticket. Make sure to check on luggage policies when traveling with a lap infant. Most airlines allow for a stroller and car seat checked free of charge. You may also be able to check or carry on additional baggage, too, but more on that later.
Bassinet for lap infant: Many airlines have bassinet options, especially aboard larger aircraft that fly internationally. See if you can select this option while booking or call the airline for more information on securing a bassinet. Bassinets are usually free, but given to those who request them first. Ask for one right after booking to ensure you'll be assigned a seat with one when available. In most cases, bassinet weight limits max out at 20 to 24 pounds, so they're best for smaller babies and newborns.
Extra seat with car seat or restraint for babies 2 years and up: If your baby is older than 2 years, you must pay for their seat. Many airlines have discounted tickets for children. If the child weighs more than 44 pounds, they won't need any additional restraint system within their own seat. If they weigh less than 44 pounds, see the information on a certified child restraint or car seat below.
Additional seat with car seat or restraint for babies under 2: If your baby is less than 2 years old, you can still book them their own seat. In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration suggests that children under 44 pounds wear an FAA-approved harness (such as the CARES harness) or certified child restraint to help keep them safe during turbulence, takeoff and landing. Make sure to check your car seat to see if there is an FAA-approved sticker on it.

It's worth noting that car seat, bassinet and harness options and policies vary wildly by airline and class of service. For more information on these policies by airline, read this article on 23 airline car seat and bassinet policies around the world.

Note that when booking seats for your family on an international flight, there are areas where kids and babies are not allowed to sit, like exit rows. Malaysia Airlines doesn't allow babies in its first-class cabins on A380 and 747 aircraft. Some international airlines such as AirAsia, Scoot and IndiGo also have kid-free and quiet zones where families with babies and children under a certain age (usually 10 or 12) aren't allowed to sit.

Additionally, if your baby is closer to 2 years old, you might want to compare the price of a lap ticket to the price of getting them their own seat. Sometimes, the price difference may not be that much, and it could make the flight more comfortable for the entire family.

Organize documents, including visas and COVID-19 forms

Passports aren't the only documents you'll need for international travel these days. Check to see if you and your baby need a visa to enter whatever country you're visiting. If you're traveling without your partner, look into completing a Child Consent Form.

Have proof of vaccines, complete any health forms and entry forms and take those COVID-19 tests if required to enter the country. Be clear on if your baby or children need to wear masks during the flight and plan accordingly. While babies 2 and up need to wear masks on board U.S. airlines, international airlines have different rules. For example, Iberia only requires children 6 and up to wear masks. Presently, British Airways has made masking up for all passengers a "personal choice" when not required by international law. We expect these rules to continue to rapidly evolve.

It's worth checking what documents you need for the trip when booking and again before traveling to ensure that you have everything you need as rules and regulations frequently change, especially in this era of pandemic travel.

Understand luggage rules

Check luggage requirements before packing and flying. (Photo by freemixer/Getty Images)

Different airlines have varying rules for how much luggage you can take when traveling abroad, especially when traveling with lap infants or children/babies occupying their own seats. Most airlines allow you to check a stroller and/or car seat. Many also offer additional checked luggage, as well as a carry-on bag or item for the baby.

For example, British Airways allows both lap infants and children ages 2 and up to have a carry-on item and a checked bag in most cases, giving parents a little flexibility when bringing along all those key items babies need. Cathay Pacific allows lap infants two additional bags at 10 kilograms each when flying between most destinations.

If you aren't clear on the luggage rules, call the airline before traveling to confirm so you won't get stuck with any surprises or have to pay additional fees.

Know the rules for breast milk and formula

Thanks to the Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act, all large- and medium-size airports in the U. S. now provide lockable, non-bathroom places to pump or nurse babies in every terminal and at least one men's and one women's restroom with changing tables in each terminal. This may not be the case abroad, so if you're concerned, research your destination airport to see what options are provided when it comes to these services.

You shouldn't have any issues flying with breast milk or formula on your outbound trip from the U.S., as regular Transportation Security Administration liquid regulations don't apply to these special liquids. According to the TSA, "reasonable quantities" of these liquids are allowed, but you must take them out during screening for the security officer to test.

You can look up rules to see what's allowed when returning from your destination. For example, the United Kingdom allows breast milk past security in containers up to 2,000 milliliters. You can also take formula, milk and bottled water for the baby, but the baby must be present. In the European Union, you can take breast milk and formula through security and when flying as long as your baby is traveling with you.

Your airline may also provide clarity on these types of rules. Cathay Pacific, for example, states that breastfeeding is allowed during all phases of the flight, using an electric pump is allowed once electric devices can be switched on and travelers can even bring along suitably packed dry ice to refrigerate expressed milk, assuming it's declared during check-in.

According to some airlines, if you're taking a large breast pump along, this may count as a medical device and not be part of your carry-on allowance, but these regulations often aren't very clear. Contact your airline for more information and print out the rules in case you have any issues during security screening or boarding.

If you're traveling from a very obscure destination within an emerging country and you can't find answers about bringing breast milk, it may be best to have a Plan B in place, such as bringing along enough formula in powder form to last you for the flight or planning to pump or breastfeed in flight.

Should you want to ship your breast milk abroad, options are available for you depending on your destination, such as Maven Milk and Milk Stork.

Book accommodations

When booking accommodations in your destination abroad, take things into account like baby necessities, baby-friendly items, the option to do laundry and the availability to heat, cool and store milk and formula. Choosing a vacation rental instead of a hotel may be the right idea if you need more space, a kitchen and laundry facilities.

If your baby is eating solid foods, make sure there are restaurants or supermarkets nearby where you can get exactly what you need. Doing a little pre-trip research can help you feel confident and comfortable when traveling with your baby regardless of which hotel or home rental you choose to stay in.

Pack strategically

Packing with a baby can seem precarious, but it doesn't have to be. Just make sure you have enough of everything you need to get through the flight, plus a bit extra in case of delays or cancellations. For an exact list of everything you need to pack, see this article on how to pack -- and prepare -- for travel with a baby.

For extra-long flights, try to have everything to help your baby comfortably nap on hand, like a lovey, blanket, pacifier and more. Have changes of clothes on hand for the whole family in case of a messy situation, and enough layers for a plane that may be hot or chilly. A baby carrier can be key, too.

When packing for a trip abroad, the most important items to remember are everyone's passport, visa and key documents, plus anything essential that you know you can't get in another country. Babies live all over the world, so you can easily get items like diapers, wipes, formula and more anywhere. However, you may not find the exact brand you want, or if you're going somewhere rural or far-flung, like on a safari in Africa, you may want to bring enough for your entire trip.

For example, Enfamil, a popular baby formula brand, is found all over Europe and even in the Caribbean and Latin America. However, it may not be available in Africa or Asia, so do your homework.

If you're traveling with items that need to plug in to charge, like a breast pump, baby monitor or nightlight, bring converters if necessary. You can always rent baby items abroad, too, rather than lugging everything along with you. It's possible to preorder diapers and wipes in many destinations, as well.

Strongly consider travel insurance

Things happen. While getting the flu abroad may not be a big deal for an adult, a sick baby can be scary and stressful, especially if you're in a foreign country. Having travel insurance that covers accidents and emergencies -- and COVID-19, too -- can set your mind at ease and save the day if something happens.

Before travel, note where the nearest hospital or health care facilities are, as well as any international hospitals where staff may be more likely to speak English. Know exactly how to use your insurance, like what numbers to call or what to do if a situation arises. Check if any of your credit cards have travel insurance that may cover you and your family if things go awry.

Plan for jet lag

Jet lag is never fun, but there are ways to lessen its effects. (Photo by Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images)

Jet lag stinks. Jet lag with a baby might be even worse. There are things you can do to make jet lag a little less stressful, though, especially when traveling abroad to very different time zones.

First, give yourselves a few days to adjust, planning big events later in the trip. Limit your baby's naps when possible. If your baby takes a five-hour nap, they definitely won't be sleeping through the night.

Shift mealtimes, naptimes and bedtimes to the new time zone as quickly as possible, getting daylight during the day and darkness at night, so internal clocks begin to adjust for the whole family. If the time zone difference is small, you may want to keep your baby on the original time zone to minimize disruption, especially for a shorter trip.

For more tips on combating jet lag with a baby in tow, read this guide on surviving jet lag with your baby.

Bottom line

Planning and taking an international trip with a baby can be simple and create memories for a lifetime if you prepare just right. With a little bit of extra research, you'll be armed with everything you need to know, do and bring to make your trip abroad smooth and hassle-free.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

9 Tips For International Travel with an Infant

Thinking about going on a vacation overseas with a young baby? Your friends and family will say, “You’re crazy.” We say, “Go for it!” International travel with an infant isn’t easy, but it’s simpler than you think. Although your little one won’t remember the experience, you’ll always treasure your memories of baby’s first trip.

Get a quote for the OneTrip Prime travel insurance plan, which can cover children 17 and under for free when traveling with a parent or grandparent.

1. Travel before your baby becomes mobile.

Many new parents think they should wait nine or even 12 months before going on a big trip. But traveling with a squirming, crawling baby, or a toddler, is much more challenging than with a babe in arms. At three to six months, your baby is less fragile than a newborn, but is still easy to wrangle and sleeps a lot. Plus, airline seats are free for infants in laps.

2. Consult your pediatrician before planning a big trip with your baby.

Your doctor can advise you if your baby’s old enough and well enough to travel, and if any extra vaccinations are suggested. Your doctor can also offer suggestions for keeping your baby healthy on the trip, including medications to pack. Don’t listen to well-meaning friends who advise dosing your baby with Benadryl or similar medicines to get them to sleep on the plane. In many cases, these medications make babies restless, instead of drowsy.

3. Get a travel insurance plan that covers children for free.

Chances are you’ve experienced that nightmare moment when your baby wakes up screaming at 2 a.m. with a 103-degree fever. Now imagine you’re in a hotel overseas when that happens. What should you do? Who do you call?

If you have travel insurance, you don’t have to panic. Call the Emergency Assistance hotline from anywhere in the world, and our multilingual experts will help you obtain emergency care, medication or whatever else you need. Emergency medical benefits and emergency transportation benefits can cover the cost of a medical evacuation or medical care if your little one experiences a covered medical emergency while you’re overseas. And last but not least, trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for your non-refundable, pre-paid trip payments if you have to cancel or interrupt the trip for a covered reason.

Best of all, you don’t have to pay any extra to protect your little one. Both the OneTrip Prime Plan and the OneTrip Premier Plan cover children aged 17 and under for free when they're traveling with a parent or grandparent.

4. Choose a baby-friendly destination.

One of the hardest parts of traveling with an infant (or young children) is that insidious feeling that people are judging you. Are plane passengers annoyed by your baby’s babbles? Is his crying going to wake up the people in the hotel room next to yours? Avoid the stress by picking a destination where you know you’ll be welcomed.

Possibilities include resorts that advertise family-friendly amenities, like Club Med’s Baby Club Med with activities geared for infants. Key things to look for: vacation nannies, rooms with kitchenettes, baby pools, baby- and toddler-friendly food, and baby gear (like bathtubs and bottle warmers) provided on-site.

5. Don’t forget your baby’s passport and paperwork.

If you’re traveling internationally with your baby, she needs a passport. Make an appointment at your nearest passport acceptance center for a time when your baby will be calm and alert, because for the passport photo she must be looking at the camera with eyes open – and not screaming. Read the passport requirements for minors first.

Also, if you are traveling as a single parent, or with a grandchild, niece or nephew, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends carrying a notarized letter from the child's other parent(s) that gives permission to travel overseas with the child.¹ Other countries may require that you carry this letter, a birth certificate and/or proof of guardianship in order to gain entry.²

6. Pack more than you need.

When it comes to international travel with an infant, there’s no such thing as over-packing. If you think you’ll need 10 outfits, pack 15. Remember that basic baby items such as formula or diapers may not be available where you’re staying, or may be prohibitively expensive. The Transportation Security Administration will let you bring bottles on board, but read the guidelines for traveling with children first.

Now, you do have to set realistic expectations for the amount of gear you can carry — especially if you’re traveling solo. A simple baby wrap might be better than a bulky backpack carrier. And if you just can’t schlep the stroller, car seat and luggage, look into renting baby gear at your destination.

Read more: Packing Checklist for Flying With an Infant

7. Pack clothes and toiletries for

yourself in your carry-on.

True story: My husband and I took our 4-month-old on a short vacation to Rio Bueno, Jamaica. We made it through two flights, a long customs line and a bumpy bus ride, no problem. Then we arrived at the resort and made a beeline for the pool bar. Traveling with an infant’s not so hard! we thought, clinking our Red Stripes. Then, I looked down and saw a big, damp stain on my navy dress. Yep — I was the victim of an unnoticed diaper blowout.

Fortunately, I was able to dash to our hotel room for a quick change of clothes (me) and diaper (her). But what if I’d been on the plane, or otherwise in transit? Try to anticipate your possible needs as a parent, so you can avoid baby-caused disasters.

8. Defend your baby from germs — but don’t freak out.

The thought of your baby crawling around on an airport floor or touching a plane tray table probably makes you squirm. But that’s just what babies do — you can’t stop them! What you can do is carry appropriate defenses. Pack a blanket for floor playtime, wipe down hard surfaces on the plane, and wash baby’s hands as often as you can. In fact, one parent found hand-washing to be the magic distraction for an 11-hour international flight with a toddler: “He pumped the foamy soap, squealed with delight as he lathered up, rinsed and walked back. Walk, lather, rinse, walk back, repeat.”

9. Ask for help.

A friend was traveling solo to England with her infant son when he got violently airsick on the plane. She felt awful, but the Virgin Atlantic flight attendants were as kind as could be. They helped her clean up her baby, get him the fluids he needed, and even arranged for assistance with her luggage when she landed.

Now, you can’t expect flight attendants to solve all your problems when you’re taking a long international flight with baby. “We do not have diapers, wipes or extra clothes on the plane,” writes flight attendant Leisha Poage. “The best we can do as flight attendants is to provide you with trash bags for the dirty clothes.”³ Nor can you expect them to hold your baby, serve baby food or have special snacks. But flight attendants, gate agents and hotel staff will do their best to help in a pinch — you just have to ask. You’ll be surprised by how gracious most people are when they see you’re traveling with a baby.

The Essential Packing Checklist for Flying with an Infant
International Travel Insurance Benefits
Travel During Pregnancy: What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

5 myths about traveling with children

Personal impression

Last year we took off and landed more than 30 times, vacationed in 10+ countries and cities, rejoiced at success and scored bumps, and finally understood life and travel with a small demanding, but always smiling. We are an active family: Vitya, Julia and little Mia, who recently turned 1.5 years old.

June 29, 2018

AUTHOR: Yuliya Krupenko

Friends, we remind you that we have a super convenient application for iOS, which is available in the App Store

Download, try and leave your feedback!

Yuliya Krupenko

fb insta

Communications Manager at BlaBlaCar

We often face the fact that people who love to travel stop doing it with the birth of a baby. Sometimes these are rational and quite logical reasons related to health, but more often - only fear and uncertainty. We have combined their doubts into myths, and using our own stories as an example, we want to tell how it all happens with us.

Myth 1: Traveling with a small child is always a wagon and a small cart of things

Of course, there are more things to do when traveling with a child than without him. You can’t feed a very small child in the nearest coffee shop, although this would simplify a lot. You never know when a change of clothes will come in handy or an order will come in to give out another toy.

We flew with backpacks, large and small suitcases, strollers. After many failures and successes, we realized that it is worth taking with you, what to buy on the spot, and what you can do without.

On most trips, our luggage is a suitcase the size of hand luggage, a backpack to walk around the city with it, and a stroller. Sometimes it seems that going for a walk in the park at the other end of Kyiv, we take more things than in Barcelona. Most of the space is occupied by clothes and shoes, then hygiene items and children's things. Somehow they carried one toy for half a suitcase, we try not to allow this oversight anymore.

Vitya and I can forget our toothbrushes, and have already returned home with new ones more than once, but we make a list of things for Mia very carefully, and in order not to miss anything, we check everything that we took, one after another.

Myth 2: Traveling with a small child means giving away all the money in the world

Traveling with three is obviously more expensive than two. But even here there are nuances.

Until the age of two, a child flies in the infant category. In economical airlines like Wizz Air or Ryanair, the cost of such a ticket is sometimes two or three times less than usual, and in traditional ones, like Air France, such small children travel almost for free.

As for housing, here we always put comfort above money, even when we traveled together with Vitya. To search for accommodation, we use Airbnb and Booking, we find baby-friendly apartments in the center or near it, we ask you to put a separate bed for the baby, as well as a chair for feeding. In most cases, there are cribs, a chair - less often. Before booking an apartment, we always read reviews (especially negative ones), and ask tenants the so-called “parental questions” about the noise level, temperature in the apartment, the presence of a blender or heater, and so on.

On Booking.com, we have already upgraded a profile with genius status, which gives good discounts. Airbnb also has a referral program that gives you $15 credit if a friend booked a place through our recommendation.

Wizz Air periodically sells tickets for certain routes from Kyiv or Warsaw. Once every few weeks they have 20% for all destinations, then we sit down and arrange purchases. We have a list of places we would like to go, but if Wizz Air offers tickets to Rome for ridiculous money, then why not reconsider your plans?

We renew travel insurance every year. This is a small item of expenditure, but an important and mandatory one. We insure at AXA, one of the top insurance companies in the world and in Ukraine. Insurance costs about 145 hryvnia / month. When we go to a new city, we make sure to check where the nearest clinic or hospital is located. So, for example, we learned that in Barcelona we lived 20 minutes from Sant Joan de Deu, one of the best children's hospitals in Europe. Before the birth of our daughter, by the way, we were not interested in these issues.

Myth 3: When traveling, a small child is always hungry

Sometimes it seems to us that Mia eats much better and more correctly than we do. A varied diet for a baby is very important, regardless of where the family is at home or on a trip. For the first year, our daughter was breastfed, and this is convenient for everyone: the parents are on the move, and the baby is full and calm. Unless long dresses are a temporary taboo.

Now Miya is eating normal food. We spent a transitional period of several months in Ukraine, limiting ourselves to trips only to visit our parents in another city. Now, when traveling abroad, we take as many portions of food as are enough for +/- two days, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. At first glance it seems that this is a lot, but a few jars and tubes take up no more space than a cosmetic bag. On the plane, Miya drinks milk or porridge, depending on the schedule. By the way, thanks to this, her ears practically do not hurt, and sometimes, to the delight of parents, the child falls asleep.

Upon arrival in a new city, we empty the nearest supermarket, buying baby food, hygiene items (diapers, wipes, etc. ) for all the days of the trip. The cost of children's products is rarely much more expensive than in Ukraine, so here we do not overpay.

You can heat up food or milk in almost any establishment by asking for a glass of hot water or even a special heater. For Europeans, such requests are an absolute norm, because even in institutions there are many more families with children than in our country.

Myth 4: The little one is not interested in traveling

You know, a small child may not be interested in his own apartment or on the playground, where he visits every day. If you want your baby to constantly smile, laugh and be busy - everything is in your hands, and it doesn't matter if you are in Kyiv or Paris.

We are constantly changing the scenery, even if we are just waiting for a flight. Every airport has nurseries, escalators to ride back and forth, armchairs to sit and watch cartoons, and a few favorite toys in your backpack. On the plane, my daughter is always smiling, especially grandparents - that's why she has fun there too.

We adjust Mia to our needs, but we don't force our rhythm on her. If she wants to stop to touch the horses, we stop and touch. If a sandbox is seen on the way to the sights, well, we stop and dig a hole.

Myth 5: Traveling with a small child is difficult and stressful

This is perhaps the most common myth we hear and read about on a daily basis. Yes, organizing a trip involving a small person is always more difficult. You need to take everything and not forget anything; you will not be able to fall asleep if the baby is not sleeping yet; and if he gets sick on a trip, then plans change instantly, because there is nothing more important than his health.

A small child is a separate person with his own mood, desires and principles. Mia is only 1.5 years old, she doesn’t speak yet, but she can show what she doesn’t like, choose a toy she likes or hide on her dad’s shoulder if she doesn’t like a passerby. She has her temper tantrums, but sometimes we need to let off some steam.

We understand that everything depends only on us, and we make the trip comfortable for everyone: we run together in parks, explore the streets and quarters, send postcards to friends, try different foods and try not to freak out if something doesn’t go according to plan. We educate in ourselves and our baby a taste for life, and not just for food, and it seems that we are doing quite well. We show that there are no boundaries, and all thoughts about difficulties are, in fact, the same boundaries, only in the head.

Thanks to Mia, Vitya and I have the opportunity to be children again. And we enjoy it. And most importantly, she is happy, because we are happy.

Do you want to travel more often?

280,000 subscribers already receive our emails with air discounts up to -85% and travel more frequently. It's your turn!

Like this article?

SHARE WITH A FRIEND:

No comments

Traveling with children: how to prepare for a trip with a child: stories from mothers | 74.ru

Do you often fly on holidays with children? Share your stories in the comments under the article

Photo: Julia Pshenichnaya

The expectation and reality of a vacation with a small child are sometimes very different - in your imagination you are beautifully posing against the backdrop of the sea, holding your daughter or son by the hand, but in reality a disaster occurs that ends no sooner than after 14 days and 13 nights. Often children are very active, inquisitive and they are bored of sitting in one place (how can you sit here, there are so many interesting things around), but we do not deny that there are also calm kids. Correspondent Alyona Zolotukhina talked with young mothers about their experience of traveling with children without helpers - we publish their stories with useful tips and life hacks.

Natalia has been traveling together with her son since the age of three months

Photo: Natalia Simonova

— My son and I have been traveling since the age of three, most often by plane, flying to visit my grandmother, my mother. The most difficult test was when the plane was delayed for two hours - Misha was then about six months old. I had a supply of food for him calculated by grams, and I began to panic that on the plane he would get hungry and start screaming, and I would not be able to feed him. It worked out, he slept the whole flight - this is how he spent time on the plane for about a year.

I have never had a temper tantrum on the plane, I entertain him with books or animal figurines - I have a special travel kit. This summer, for the first time, the two of us traveled by train. My husband does not have the opportunity to take vacations so often, but I have, while I am on maternity leave, I want to see my grandmother more often. Every time before a trip, I don’t sleep well, because now he is older and will definitely behave differently, he will run around and pester everyone, and every time my son surprises me, the trips go smoothly.

The most important thing that I learned from traveling with my son is that there should be a little more of everything: a little more snacks, a little more toys. For example, I take out our travel kit only when we are going somewhere, it does not blur my son’s eyes and every time it’s like a new one for him.

- I went to Tunisia with two children: a daughter - 2. 5 years old and a son - 6 years old. The husband decided to give us a gift (it seems he made a gift to himself). I didn’t like it, for the whole rest I almost never sat down, if only at night, and a couple of gray hairs on my head were added.

Difficulties began even on the plane: the youngest child wanted to walk around the cabin, when it was impossible to walk, they didn't let me - a tantrum for an hour. People looked at me like I was a dead mother. But this is a toddler (the concept is used to unite children 1-3 years old. - Note ed. ) whatever you want. In his arsenal there are not yet sufficient concepts of how to behave in society.

The hotel began to adapt to the time, the children went to bed very early and got up very early - I somehow didn’t take into account what to do with them at 4 in the morning, because they want to eat, and everything is closed. I bought them food in the store on the first day, this problem was also solved. Then the older one caught a cold from the air conditioner (no one ever knows exactly what) and infected the younger one. It's 35 degrees in Tunisia, everyone is by the pool - I'm in a room with two sick children, waiting for a doctor from the hospital.

I tried to look at life positively and I know that I just have very active children and traveling with them is a risk. Mothers who have a three-year-old who plays puzzles for 40 minutes cannot understand what it means when a child stops only when he sleeps and eats. I concluded that a second adult is definitely needed on vacation, so that everyone has the opportunity to relax at least a little and share responsibility.

You need to take a lot of the usual food with you, even if the hotel has food, if suddenly it does not work, and you need to find out in advance about the availability of a baby club and qualified workers there. Because in our hotel, despite the stardom, there was a corner with one teacher who looked like yesterday's student. He is not like children, even carrying coffee can hardly be trusted. Outcome: for 300 thousand tired even more. Don't repeat my mistakes. I think in the future I will take the guys at least one at a time.

Rita has never had any difficult situations with her daughter during flights

Photo: Rita Raim

scolded or worried that she would start crying did not arise. For the first time, Nika and I flew to Moscow in 2015 (she was a year old), sat near the window, a man sat next to us and a woman on the edge. The man asked the flight attendant to transfer him due to the fact that there was a small child nearby. On the contrary, I was glad that the place would be vacated. As a result, the woman who was sitting near the aisle played with Nika, and the man who moved went crazy from the six-year-old child sitting next to him. Nika slept in my arms for most of the flight.

I have no tips or hacks. I believe that, despite the fact that the child is small, he is the same person who understands everything, who takes an example from an adult, they say: start with yourself. We need to talk and explain. Many parents take snacks and various toys for children with them on the road, now there are so many things to distract. Children who play and scream, in my opinion, are simply ill-mannered, they don’t understand that there are people around and it’s ugly to behave like that.

Rita and Nika often fly together

Photo: Rita Rhym

— Now Nika is eight years old, she knows that I am afraid to take off and land. My daughter takes my hand, calms me down, she feels responsible for me at these moments, talks to me, asks if I'm scared. Nika likes to fly, moreover, she likes to fly with certain airlines. It turned out that she was picky with me: once she was not fed during the flight. She takes headphones with her on the flight, asks in advance to download what she needs, entertains herself or sleeps. Now she is in Moscow and will fly home with my girlfriend - I am calm, I know that tantrums will definitely not happen during the flight.

Yulia traveled twice with small children without help

Photo: Yulia Pshenichnaya

— My first trip with a child happened when Misha was 1.5 years old — we went to Moscow. Our vacation did not coincide with my husband, so I bought a ticket and flew with my son. Before that, I had never been to the capital, it was risky to be with a child in my arms in a metropolis, but I didn’t think about it then. I was in my early twenties and the spirit of adventure never left me. We stopped at relatives, but very distant, the plans were to see all of Moscow. Since I did not know the city, friends and relatives were chosen as guides. We walked with Misha every day for a long time. Without a navigator and special applications. Did I manage to get lost? Managed. I was with a baby in my arms without a stroller, without an assistant. Now I remember, and my hair is on end - how I could decide on such an adventure.

It must be understood that at the age of one and a half, a child eats almost everything from the common table, but he also needs dietary food. We ate in cafes where there was a children's menu, I always took snacks and water with me. The kid already knows what a potty is, but the distances in Moscow do not allow him to take risks. These same distances are another test for mother's arms and back. Misha started walking at the age of 9 months, by the age of one and a half years he moved perfectly, but not as fast as I needed. So he spent most of his time on his hands. Most of all, on this trip without helpers, I was impressed by the kindness and responsiveness of people. Everyone helped the girl with the child, suggested the way, gave way to a place in transport, and even once they took her by taxi for free. We stayed in the capital for two weeks.

Both times Julia flew alone with her children to Moscow. In the photo, the family is on vacation in Turkey, where the young mother had helpers

Photo: Yulia Pshenichnaya

— The next time I went on a trip with two children, for the New Year holidays and also to Moscow. The son was almost 6 years old, the daughter was just a year old. This adventure is not for the faint of heart, I regretted my decision within 30 minutes after we left the house in a taxi. These were disputes, screams, tantrums, requests. The children were either hot or cold, they wanted something all the time - to drink, eat, play, walk, watch, lie down, sleep ... I spent all two weeks on my nerves. We walked a lot, went to parks, to performances in the circus, theater, skating rink. Moscow impressed the children greatly: beautiful, New Year's, in lights and garlands. This time I took a stroller with me, it was easier. What I understood: the most important thing in any trip with children is the mood of the mother, if the mother is on her nerves, then everything will go head over heels. If mom manages to keep calm, everything will go smoothly.

Taking into account the advice of experienced mothers, the editors have put together a brief digest of what to look for when choosing a hotel for a vacation with a baby.

Is it possible to request a low floor room in advance so older children can go down to the lobby/restaurant. A room on a low floor is also good because during the daytime sleep of a child you can run for coffee or lemonade. And if there is a baby monitor, it’s completely decorous to drink coffee in a restaurant.
Is there a refrigerator in the room big enough to hold baby food (not minibar for two bottles) and is there a supermarket nearby with everything you need.
Is there a children's playground, a children's pool, babysitting services, a kindergarten, children's animation, if so - to what extent, how much time it will actually take the child (to calculate their strength).
What exactly will you feed your child from the buffet; if not, then make a list of restaurants with children's rooms, a menu nearby (children, of course, can also be taken from the adult menu, the main thing is that the food is of high quality and not too specific for kids, this can often be found in the reviews).
Learn more