Flying with a baby? My holiday experience (also with toddler)

Do you really enjoy your freedom and do you prefer to go out? Are you afraid that flying to sunny holiday destinations will no longer be an option if you have a child? Let me tell you my honest story. I now have experience flying with a baby, but also with a toddler and older ages.

Flying with a baby

We flew to Turkey with our son, who was just six months old at the time. A flight of less than four hours, during which he was allowed to sit on our lap. When boarding you see the looks of ‘a baby on board; As long as it works out’, but I have to admit that it turned out 100% better than expected. Immediately upon boarding, we asked the stewardess if he could fix his bottle so that we could give him a drink during takeoff. This reduces the risk of ear pain. He then went to sleep (where we used the table for support, so that our arm did not become paralyzed) and during the descent we also performed the trick with the bottle. While he was awake we entertained him with peek-a-boo games and some cuddly toys that we had at hand in the diaper bag.

Flying on a plane with a toddler

So we boarded the plane with our toddler in good spirits to fly back to Turkey for the holidays. For those who are not familiar with the term toddler; that is a child aged 1 to 2.5 years… Then you call him a toddler (that is the age up to four years). We already had good experiences with a toddler; We went to Tenerife for a week before corona. And that went surprisingly well. We had a suitcase full of toys for the road, not to mention an iPad in a brightly colored, protective child’s case. His ears weren’t bothering him and he enjoyed the view of the cloud cover.

Flying with a toddler

In short: with those positive experiences under our belts, we dared to fly with a toddler… Well, that turned out to be a completely different experience. And that is precisely why I want to share it here. On the outward journey the crying was limited to just after takeoff, after which he was fighting sleep (we flew at 6am and he had been wide awake since 1am….) The return journey was a different one. story… Mister was not in a very pleasant mood during the holiday (sleeping and eating – two quite essential things – were already very difficult). And he didn’t feel like it at all during the flight either. That resulted in a lot of crying, or rather screams. Nothing helped.

Everyone was looking at us…

And then there you are… in the aisle. Baby in the arm and still trying to comfort. Then sit back down: Bumpa video on. Offer a bottle. Making funny faces. Looking sternly. More cuddling. Stroking his hair. We tried everything, but he kept crying very furiously for a long time. At such a moment you really feel like everyone is watching you. That’s tough. Although now – a few days later – I can laugh about it. What was that? Well, when you get out you are told by people that he has ‘good lungs’. Whether I dare to do it again next year… I’m sure: he’ll be two then and he’ll need his own chair.

Learning lessons for flying holidays with a baby or toddler

What have I learned from the three times I have flown with children now? I list my points so that you can benefit from these learning lessons when you go on a flying holiday with a baby or toddler.

• MOST IMPORTANTLY: Children can cry at any time. Don’t worry about that. And yes, even if you stand there in the spotlight of the airplane aisle with a crying child, it will also end… Let those people watch. How would they feel in your situation.

But of course there are also some practical matters so that you are well prepared:

1. When choosing your flight, pay attention to the times, taking into account your child’s naps and biological clock. Our return flight was in the middle of his active time, so it is already more difficult to get him to sleep. If you have the option to book more spacious places, that is certainly recommended.
2. Make sure you have baby food on hand; This way you can let him or her drink when taking off and landing. But you also have something to nibble on during the flight. Did you know that you can take baby food on board? Then you always have food at hand, even in the event of a delay.
3. Secure the pacifier with a pacifier cord so that it cannot end up under the seat. This prevents a lot of searching in such a small space. And even in the event of a crying fit, you can easily have the comforting nugget in your mouth.
4. Make sure you have entertainment on hand. We made a separate bag that we put in the diaper bag with, for example, books and a few cars. Even the shape sorter came along. He played with it quite quietly, especially on the outward journey. The advantage was that he could do that in the front row where there was plenty of space (our family was there).
5. Download your little one’s favorite children’s series. If you’re going to fill your tablet or smartphone with in-flight entertainment, make sure you download a few episodes of your little one’s favorite children’s series. Bumpa was also able to provide a few moments of comfort here.

Do you have doubts about loss of freedom?

Do you have doubts because you are afraid of losing your freedom? Do you think traveling is no longer possible? In that case, also look at your situation now. Are you using that freedom sufficiently? If you would like to have a child, be sure to look at the experiences of travelers with children. There is also a lot possible. In short: try to form a complete picture. You form that image based on your own wishes and the experiences of others (such as with this article). Be sure to read: Afraid of losing yourself due to the arrival of children | 3 tips!

Are you unsure about your desire to have children?

May 7, 2024 /For doubters