Long Haul Hot Holiday with 6m DS - advice please

butler_helen

Evening all,

I was going to post this in the travel board, however I think I'd get better responses here as the travel board seemed focused on actual holiday booking... which I've already done

We are going to Antiga for 10 days in March, my baby will be 6m, so I am thinking ahead for what we need. We have 23kg hold luggage, 10kg hand luggage, a pram and food limit for him. So plenty of space. Although it's a 10hr flight which is a bit daunting!

What I want to hear are all your tips for traveling with a little person, I've no idea what to take on the plane, so far I have: food, small toy and grobag. That doesn't seem enough.

what happens at the airport, do I get to the gate and then give over my pram? Is it that easy?

I won't be steralising bottles but I will be bottle feeding him whilst there, so no problems with food, except it using the weight limit up!

If you've taken a small person away, what volumes and types of clothes didyou take? one friend said 'loads of vests and nappies for the day, nice clothes for the evening', another said 'three outfits a day plus swim nappies and nappies'.

I'm getting so confused, so all advice and tips welcome. We are flying from Gatwick and staying the night before if that helps.

lavandergirl_2

Book a bassinet if you can.

Muslin and a few pegs can be used as a light barrier in the bassinet while baby sleeps.

Check seatguru.com for infant amenities of your airline

Make sure baby drinks a lot to avoid dehydration. Parents too.

Feed during take off and landing. Start when the pilot announces for the cabin crew to take a seat.

What milk will you be using? Be aware that airport security may ask you to open and taste any liquid milk and food.

Put one nappy in a nappy bag. Make a few. Saves from faffing and trying to find nappy changing items.

Consider a sling as an alternative means of transport.

Noisy toys, like vtech ones, may annoy other passengers. Be creative- use flight magazine, sick bag, airline cardboard.

Extra clothes for you and baby in the hand luggage. Baby might get sicky.

Relax. Enjoy and have fun. antigua is lovely.

Norman_Castle

I read this thread expecting something 6 meters long. What's a DS?. I'm guessing its your son. Surely typing son, is less effort that typing ds in capital letters.

duchy

The big one for me is never pack anything you truely can't do without if your checked baggage goes astray

thorsoak

Norman_Castle wrote: »

I read this thread expecting something 6 meters long. What's a DS?. I'm guessing its your son. Surely typing son, is less effort that typing ds in capital letters.

You obviously don't read this forum very often!

DS = son
DD = daughter
OH = other half

etc etc etc

onlyroz

The biggest problem I found when travelling with a weaning baby was with feeding, in particular sourcing decent baby food and heating it up. The slop in a jar is unappetising at the best of times, and serving it cold straight from the jar is even worse. So if you know a brand of food that baby likes take plenty with you, and a travel kettle to produce hot water to heat it up, otherwise you'll be stuck with serving cold bland goo.

And when you get off the plane ask the cabin crew where to collect your buggy. Sometimes it will be there straight from the plane, or it could be put on the luggage carousel, or it could be stuffed into a random corridor that you might or might not pass when exiting the plane.

peachyprice

butler_helen wrote: »

If you've taken a small person away, what volumes and types of clothes didyou take? one friend said 'loads of vests and nappies for the day, nice clothes for the evening', another said 'three outfits a day plus swim nappies and nappies'.

Three outfits a day? Serioulsy? All you'll need for the daytime is vests and a nice big hat (and nappies/swim nappies obviously) and not much more for the evening if it's still going to be warm after dark. Pack clothes that are loose and won't make him sweaty, babies get heat rash very easily.

If you're going to be using bottled water to make up formula make sure you use a baby safe one like Evian, some contain high levels of minerals that can upset babies tummies.

Counting_Pennies_2

We travelled around the world when ds was 8 months old. Everything you really need is out there to buy if you forget you just have to adapt. You could contact your babymilk supplier and ask them what their milk is branded at in the country you are travelling to.

It might be worth taking some food pouches with you and milk powder. One suggestion would be to contact boots airside in the correct terminal and request they reserve the baby milk and food jars and pouches. That way you will not have to taste the items and you manage to sneak an extra bag on the plane

I would suggest taking a baby sling or a back carrier. We had a back carrier that we took on board as one persons hand luggage quota and it was invaluable as you don't get your pushchair back often until your luggage.

I too would suggest buying a maclaren type pushchair that folds into an umbrella and choose one that folds flat so baby can recline fully.
You can buy one of those liners to keep baby feeling secure. Much better than your pram being ruined. You might find the umbrella type is more convenient not only on the holiday but in the future at home

Make sure baby has some milk or mush to swallow you have just taken off and during descent. If you want anything heated up give the hostesses at least 30 mins notice and not so close to landing.

I also found it handy buying evian and boiling that up for milk powder

In terms of clothes take with you a few days outfits and sleep suits and a portable airer (Lakeland do a good one) and some hand wash

Have fun this is the best age to fly with a baby

laurahester

I dont have any advice and will be watching this thread with interest as we are hoping to go to Antigua in May when my DD will be 9 months. We usually stay in Galley Bay but as that is adult only we are searching for a different resort. Can i ask where you are planning on staying?

bloolagoon

They sleep a lot (normally night flights). Just have cloth books/toys and be prepared to pass Bubba between adults for sleep.

It passes quickly.

butler_helen

We are staying at the Jolly Beach, my parents have been before so we know it's ok for families.

I'm not planning to wean until we come back, so he will be 6 months 2 weeks old when we start anything other than milk. Or at least that's the plan!

Thank you for the ideas, we are buying a new pram to travel with. I'm thinking the maclaren xt - has anyone used this?

I will definitely check with boots for baby food, I hadn't thought about water though. I was planning to buy a new travel kettle and take sterilising tablets. However he shoves anything and everything in his mouth in the UK, so we don't sterilise. I'm not that confident abroad in washing his stuff in their water etc.

Nappy wise I was thinking 10 nappies a day and 30 swim nappies - seems a lot by volume but I'd rather not have to go hunting for such a basic item.