Flying with 4 month old

Leitrim Lady

Hi All.
Looking for advice/hints/previous experience of flying with a 4 month old.I am travelling to Canada via Chicago next month.Just wondering how the bottle situation works going through security and the buggy too. He's taking aptamil and am wondering if its easier to travel with the premade bottles you can buy or with bottles of water and powder formula.?Don't want any issues at security.The buggy is a travel system where the basinette attaches to the frame.Want to bring the car seat too and that also attaches(separately) to the frame.Is all that allowed for free or Will the car seat be seen as an additional piece of luggage.?

addob

Hi Leitrim Lady,

Well done with the flying! We've flown 4 times now back and forth to Canad with our boy and he's not yet 2. The first time he was only 3 months and it was the easiest!!

Most airlines allow both the stroller and the car seat to be checked in. We check in the car seat in oversize baggage and then the stroller at the gate. You can normally get this back for the layover in Chicago if not get a sling it will help!!

There's no problem travelling with formula. When he was 3 months I had breast milk in bags frozen and they warmed them up so problem, the other times it was powder and water, if anything they just shook a couple of water drops on my arm like you do when testing a bottle.

I have found security kind, forgiving (all the unpacking and packing) and helpful. They are all well prepared for babies and the many bottles that come with them. I found packing all the liquids that he needed (don't forget calpol, neurophen and nappy cream) as well as the bottles and food if I was taking any all together (but obviously in separate bags) helped them understand what was his and what was ours so they could have a look at them individually. I never had a problem.

I've always gone through Amsterdam when I couldn't go direct but I looked into travelling via the USA and the rules are just about the same. Did you get a bassinet seat? It's helpful to give your arms a break!

Just check and double check this information on your airline's website and if it's not clear contact them (I like Facebook for KLM and Air France as they reply quickly) and see if you can get it in writing so it's only less worry at time of check-in!

Happy travelling,
addob

dori_dormer

Im interested in this too! We are flying to portland in a few weeks and our guy will be 14 weeks old.

Anyone one have any tips on navigating airports or hotels with babies? Im very nervous being abroad with him. Do the airlines generally allow you a little extra hand luggage because of the baby?

Would it be better to bring a sealed 1L liquid formula on the plane? or a tub of the powder, an get hot water from the attendant? or bring all bottles ready made from powder? ah!

What things would be handy to have for baby in the heat?

Should I bring fairy liquid, steriliser bags etc?

I really have no idea what Im doing....

bstar

Hi Leitrim Lady the girls already gave you some good advice,

Just wanted to mention about the car seat, I've seen your posts on the Canada forum, so Im guessing this is you moving over? Just so you know your Irish car seat is actually illegal to use here, so if you are moving here I wouldn't bother bringing your carseat as you will need to buy a new one anyway. So its just an extra item to carry that you can't legally use here. They do fine you for it so it does get noticed.

If this is just a holiday scoping out trip before you move over disregard that.

We brought premade formula for dds flights when she was younger. We also use the sling alot in the airports. If you are packing spare clothes for spills, or leaky diapers pack full outfits in sandwich bags so you can grab the sandwich bag to go to the bathroom instead of being able to find a vest and no bottoms etc when you are stressed on the plane.

Some airlines will allow more hand luggage with the baby, like air canada allow the baby a 10kg bag of their own, but it varies by the airline

Loonie

Good advice here. The bottom line though is always check the airline. To mention Air Canada again, I know they only gate check umbrella strollers (I think their specific policy is the stroller has to collapse to 25cm diametre). I met a woman who had to carry her 8 month old through Heathrow because AC made her check her travel system.

We've travelled a few times with young children... It was much easier than I imagined. Bring whatever formula suits you best, we took a mix of water/powder and individual pre made cartons (not the big ones). If you've got some of those little hospital bottles, they'd be ideal. Don't mix the powder before you travel, and don't count on using plane water cause your choices there are dodgy plane water or probably too salty bottled water. But FYI avent bottles will leak if not kept upright, I'd bet they're not the only ones. I put bottles of water in sealed ziplocks so if they did they didn't get everything else wet.

And someone else said, ziplock bags are your friend. I pack one with nappies, wipes and nappy sacks, and seperate ones for clothes for each child. Bag of bottles, bag of formula, bag of snacks (although you probably won't need that one) bag of toys, bags for everything! a few extra for dirty clothes.

Make sure you've got extra everything as well, just in case you are delayed. I was less prepared on the way back once, and got delayed about 30 hours due to a hydrolic problem. We ended up feeding a 9 month old a breakfast of toast and yoghurt from the hotel breakfast bar to make sure our packaged food for the flight lasted until we got home:) I ran out of clean bottles as well but thankfully not formula, and had to wash one in the hotel sink to use with the pre-made formula. I think I rinsed it with boiling water to 'sterilize', but you could always be more organised than me and pack a milton tablet.

Airlines I've flown always allow an extra carry on bag per child, but honestly you don't really want it. Try your best to get along with a backpack per adult, because any more than that and you're going to be trying to juggle luggage and squirming child down a narrow plane aisle, and it gets tricky.

And finally the best bit of travelling-with-baby advice I've ever been given is pack a change of clothes for yourself. If the baby spits up all over you just after take off, you're appreciate it. Thankfully I've not had to use mine yet! I have met people though who needed it and didn't have it.

Leitrim Lady

Thanks for all the tips and advice so far.This is me moving over to the OH so my head is all over the place with things I've to do before we go.Im just looking forward to June when its all behind me and were settled.
Thanks again.

Rosy Posy

IME around 4months is the easiest time to fly as they're not yet mobile and pretty mummy/boobie orientated. Not sure how this works with a bottle fed baby but if you can't feed them maybe a soother for take off and landing to help pop their ears. Definitely bring baby paracetamol- we got caught out without it once when we really needed it and it was a nightmare. The staff made us feel like really awful parents for not bringing it. Also from this experience I always bring a change of clothes for me as well as baby- just something light like a pair of leggings and a vest top- since the time my son vomited all over me and I had to get off the flight wearing a toga constructed from airline blankets! I would recommend a sling as well as stroller as airports can be pretty loud and intimidating for a tired baby. Most airlines let you bring a buggy or a car seat that you get at the gate. Security is generally understanding about extra liquids. They may make you wake a sleeping child to scan the buggy/sling though which is a pain. I know if you're going to the US it probably won't apply but for dori, if you can at all, avoid Heathrow- it's an absolute nightmare and the staff are horrible and unhelpful. Best of luck!

dori_dormer

Thanks! does anyone know if you get your buggy back at the layover airport? It says on some websites that you can only bring a collapsible stroller to the gate? not a travel system? How are you supposed to manage all the airports without your buggy?

Anyone any experience of this?

dori_dormer

Also sorry for hijacking the thread leitrim lady! Ive relocated twice now, but never with a baby - good luck!

Rosy Posy

We always got the buggy back for the layover, with the exception of Heathrow where they sent it to baggage claim and the queue for immigration and security was so long that we couldn't reclaim it and they refused to get it for us so we had to abandon it (did I mention I hate Heathrow). Never had a travel system but we did once bring a tank of a buggy with a toddler seat and limited folding capacity and had the same service. That was about 5years ago though now. Depending on how much stuff you have I would prefer a sling over a buggy so the two adults can push trolleys and pull older kids on trunki cases if necessary.

dori_dormer

Yeah we have a sling so definitely bringing that, Im just wondering if its ok to have him in that for 16+ hours on our trip. or really if hell tolerate it for that long!

I did see a travel fold flat bassinet somewhere, might look into that so he can be laid flat safely in the airports.

Pawwed Rig

dori_dormer wrote: »

Yeah we have a sling so definitely bringing that, Im just wondering if its ok to have him in that for 16+ hours on our trip. or really if hell tolerate it for that long!

He would go nuts being kept in a sling for 16 hours.
Impossible I know but try and keep his routine as normal as possible wrt feeding, sleeping, tummy time, playtime. If some semblence of a routine is kept the baby should relax a little more.

The biggest problem (I would think) will be the pain in the childs ears. Babies cannot equalise so may get agitated during pressure changes.

bstar

dori_dormer wrote: »

Yeah we have a sling so definitely bringing that, Im just wondering if its ok to have him in that for 16+ hours on our trip. or really if hell tolerate it for that long!

I did see a travel fold flat bassinet somewhere, might look into that so he can be laid flat safely in the airports.

When we did transatlantic when our daughter was 11 weeks, we never even brought the buggy it was a 2 week holiday, we just brought the sling. She stayed in it happily in the airport, then on the plane you aren't allowed them in the sling during take off and landing so she was out, but for the majority of the flight she stayed in her sling and slept on mine or my husbands chest. We had a bassinet but she hated it, and it was just in the way more than anything. Oh that was a 9 hour flight then a 2 hour flight, plus layovers and airport time.

I wouldn't worry too much about the routine staying strictly the same really, with the time difference it will all be up in the air for a few days anyway.

Leitrim Lady if your husband will be over there already I'd just get him to pick you up a car seat and he can have it installed and waiting for you, instead of it being something else for you to drag through the airport. I assume you are going with aer lingus (chicago) but incase its air canada how strict they are on the umbrella stroller depends on the person at check in. Some are really strict on it but then at the gate you always see a few who made it through with a bigger one.

Wooha

I'd say check with the lay over airport. In Copenhagen for instance they have buggies you can borrow after security check.

Leitrim Lady

Hey I'm back....
So what's the suggestions on travelling between check in and destination..the chassis of the buggy obviously collapses but the bassinet doesn't.I know it came flat but I don't wanna go flattening it unless absolutely essential.Do airlines really expect a 18 week old baby to be without their buggy in the airports??Its recommended that babies lie flat for the first 6 months!
All suggestions,advice and previous experience gratefully received.We are flying Aer Lingus dublin to Chicago to edmonton....
Thanks

dori_dormer

I bought a stroller for this very reason. One that lies flat. When I called aer lingus to book seats they said they'd only allow umbrella fold buggies up to the gate. Think it'll be handier long run. Our uppa baby vista takes up the whole boot so no room for the suitcases when we are in the car rental abroad.

Ill have a sling for going through airport and the plane anyway. Glad we are only going to France now and not the states!

All airlines I checked out when going to states all said 1 piece fold flat buggy only. Otherwise it had t be checked in with bags. They mightn't be too strict tho.

There's a little lever under the bassinet that makes it collapse pretty easily. Also ours came with a cover for it. I'd definitely be flattening it. If its big and bulky looking they are more than likely to check it and also for it to get damaged.

Leitrim Lady

So I'm now thinking that I'll probably have to put the full buggy in cargo and buy myself a sling to use. But what do I use to put the bassinet in to protect it from being damaged in transit.Ill be driving straight to the airport and will need to have it all packed up ready for transit??
Any suggestions.Hate the thoughts of spending a fortune for something to only use it on this one journey.Next trip in November and he'll be in the stroller part or a cheap stroller...

Xdancer

I travelled with my daughter for the first time when she was 5 months old and bought a stroller that I can recline flat and she was fine in that while we were away. She's nearly 2 and a half now and I still use the same stroller for her when travelling.
I personally wouldn't have brought her pram/travel system with us when travelling by air. I'd have been worried about it getting damaged. Much handier to have a stroller that you can bring right to the plane with you.

dori_dormer

you should ring aer lingus and ask specifically. they might give some leverage on international flights

Leitrim Lady

So Wednesday is the big move day.Decided to use the car seat on the wheels for travelling and not bother with the carrycot part as 4month old baba is a MONSTER in it and it won't be used out there.
Bstar I noticed from other forums u had a baby in Alberta..It's funny how things happen but I've just found out I'm expecting number 2.Loads of stuff going round and round my head.I have IEC visa and partner on LMO and we'll be in Edmonton so I think we're gonna be ok once I get a job(albeit only until I'm 38weeks)..just looking for any advice on getting the healthcare part going.Who? Where?...

Amouar

Hi All,

A question regarding bringing water through security: We are thinking of bringing a flask for hot water and a flask of cold water in order to mix and get the right temperature of the bottle ( and also to kill potential bacteria in the formula etc) . The flasks that we have are 1L each, do you think that we'll have problems bringing them through security in Dublin Airport?

Rosy Posy

Amouar wrote: »

Hi All,

A question regarding bringing water through security: We are thinking of bringing a flask for hot water and a flask of cold water in order to mix and get the right temperature of the bottle ( and also to kill potential bacteria in the formula etc) . The flasks that we have are 1L each, do you think that we'll have problems bringing them through security in Dublin Airport?

I wouldn't say it'd be a security problem, depending on who you get, but those two flasks are going to add over 2kg to your hand luggage. They will have iced and boiling water available on the plane and IME will be happy to provide you with it as needed. It just seems a bit unnecessary given the amount of kit you'll have. Freshly boiled water on the plane would be more sterile than from a flask, no?

Amouar

Rosy Posy wrote: »

I wouldn't say it'd be a security problem, depending on who you get, but those two flasks are going to add over 2kg to your hand luggage. They will have iced and boiling water available on the plane and IME will be happy to provide you with it as needed. It just seems a bit unnecessary given the amount of kit you'll have. Freshly boiled water on the plane would be more sterile than from a flask, no?

Indeed. Any experience with Ryanair on that point? Do they provide boiled water?

Thanks

Leitrim Lady

This will just show how some peoples brains think...
If a flask is smashed doesn't the glass/mirror stuff inside shatter into sharp pieces.??Security have been known to take umbrellas away as the have point ends and tweezers and nail clippers are also deemed dangerous.They might not let u bring the flasks regardless of the contents...just my mind maybe..

bstar

Leitrim Lady wrote: »

.
Bstar I noticed from other forums u had a baby in Alberta..It's funny how things happen but I've just found out I'm expecting number 2.Loads of stuff going round and round my head.I have IEC visa and partner on LMO and we'll be in Edmonton so I think we're gonna be ok once I get a job(albeit only until I'm 38weeks)..just looking for any advice on getting the healthcare part going.Who? Where?...

Yep we had our 2 year old in Edmonton. I used Dr Bader in the Womens health clinic, in the hys centre, and then gave birth in the royal alex, which is next door to the hys centre. She did my delivery aswell, and was brilliant throughout the whole thing.

It will vary what part of the city you are in which hospital and dr you get referred to. West Ed is usually the misercordia, Central/north or west is Royal Alex, South side is University or grey nuns. All have a good reputation but Royal Alex and University have the newest Maternity areas. If you go to a walk in clinic they will refer you to an OB. They will ask if you have a preference though.

Leitrim Lady

bstar wrote: »

Yep we had our 2 year old in Edmonton. I used Dr Bader in the Womens health clinic, in the hys centre, and then gave birth in the royal alex, which is next door to the hys centre. She did my delivery aswell, and was brilliant throughout the whole thing.

It will vary what part of the city you are in which hospital and dr you get referred to. West Ed is usually the misercordia, Central/north or west is Royal Alex, South side is University or grey nuns. All have a good reputation but Royal Alex and University have the newest Maternity areas. If you go to a walk in clinic they will refer you to an OB. They will ask if you have a preference though.

Thanks for that... Heading over Wednesday.At the moment
We are near mill woods but thinking of moving to a house in elersie(think that's the name!!!)..all south side.Gonna be different compared to home no matter what...
I've a feeling I'll be back to you with more questions....That ok??

bstar

you will get sent to Grey nuns then I think. Its still a good hospital. Ellersie is very nice its a new area so nearly everything is brand new.

Rosy Posy

Amouar wrote: »

Indeed. Any experience with Ryanair on that point? Do they provide boiled water?

Thanks

They certainly have it for tea and coffee. They might have the bad grace to charge you for it.

Xdancer

I used to bring an empty flask through security and then get one of the cafes to fill it with boiling water for me just before boarding. I already had the bottle half filled with cooled boiled water (never had problems going through security with that) and then topped it up in the plane and added the formula.