Travelling with a 12 week old

[Harriet]

Obviously I don't have a 12 week old baby (yet!)... but DP's brother is getting married near Cairns in September this year.
DP is definitely going, but I am still trying to decide what to do, seeing as this is our first baby and I'm not sure how we'd go.
Does anyone have travel tips for travelling with a 12 week old (ish) by plane ... what to expect, what to pack.... or anything else you can think of?

[onthefly]

Depending on your baby, you may find it quite easy as you don't need to pack or prepare food and they can't move around on their own. If your baby is very unsettled, then it might be very stressful for you, however. Though often they grow out of that by around 12 weeks (again, it really depends).
It might be best to just see how you go and decide later. Even if your baby is a perfect angel in the first month or two, they always change, so you just have to roll with it either way.

[Kazzo]

Yeah, it will depend on bubs. We travelled across America with a 12 week old and she was fantastic. Don't think I would have done it with DD2 though if the chance came up. You should have enough time after bubs is born to decide if you will go or not. Flying with a bubs is ok as long as a you have a way to help pressurize their ears. We either BF or gave DD a few drops of Infants Friend if she did not want a feed during take-off and landing. I think too if your bubs gets use to sleeping in different places and going to different places from birth then you will manage fine too.

[sneakysparkle]

Its much easier with a 12 wk old than a 12 mth old!!
I find flying with babies under about 8-9mths old the easiest actually, you just breastfeed them any time they are unsettled and they generally sleep They dont generally need much entertaining at that age either which is good! You just need plenty of nappies and spit rags for any spills or chucks

All the best!

[human bean]

I flew with DD at exactly 12 weeks and it was awesome, am dreading the Chrissy travel with a wriggling 20 month old! She was BF so all I made sure I had was nappies and a change of clothes, and we just fed on take off and landing and requested a basinette seat. Was lucky to get it on one of the 5 hr trips. If the plane isn't full you can request they block out the seat next to you so you have more room, worked for me most of the time.

Good luck!

[luna moth]

I flew with DD at 5, 6 and 16 weeks.

I wrapped her and fed on takeoff and landing (she's a wrap gangsta) and she slept a bit. At 16 weeks she was going through a bit of a phase of breast refusal, so I packed two dummies, which she doesn't normally use.

We caught public transport to the airport with her in the sling, she's always happy in there. We also packed a mat that we could spread her out on for a kick around while we waited to board. That helped with cabin fever when on board.

Otherwise, just packed nappies, spew cloths, the usual nappy bag stuff.

[berrme]

I flew a lot when both my boys were little. By the time DS1 was 5 weeks on his first flights, 12 weeks the second trip. By the time he was 8 months old he had been to Cairns 3 times, Sydney and Adelaide. DS2 was only 2 weeks when we first flew with him. I have already booked flights up to Cairns for when this next bub will be around 8 weeks old. I have to ring and add her to the itinerary after she is born as I don't have an official name and DOB yet, .
I have found flying with babies very easy. Like the others have said... give them something to suck during take off and landing, take your normal baby outing things on the plane with you and you should be fine. My advice would be to try not to miss out on things that you want to do because you have a baby. If you want to go then go. Babies get used to being out and about if you take them out and about.

[UntoldAngel]

We flew to Cairns via Brisbane with DS when he was 10weeks old and he was fine. He fed on take off and landing and generally slept the rest of the time. We just packed normal nappy bag stuff (however airlines will allow you an extra cabin luggage bag for baby's needs)

I've also flown with him to Melbourne by myself when he was 8months and again he was okay. He was a bit more fidgety, but I only needed to feed on landing (apparently take off isn't as bad on their ears). I just took some toys and a book to keep him occupied.

On all flights, we had a spare seat next to us which was helpful if I needed to put bub down, or lay him down when he fell asleep after our flight got delayed by 1.5hrs.

Good luck and enjoy the holiday

[grub17]

as the others have said love, flying when they are younger is generally easier as they are happy to suck on your boob, dummy or bottle (it helps equalise their ears during take off and landing) and have a kip.

We took a play blanket/map with us when DS was very small and travelling and some toys and just found a quiet corner to put him down and he'd play happily.

I travelling by myself from newcastle to cairns via brisbane return and it was fine... mostly. that was when bub was about 6 months tho.

Our trip when he was 16 weeks down the tassie was carp one part and great the other part.

On one of the trips Ds screamed his head off the whole time and I got pretty stressed but the hostess came up to me and said "oh love don't worry" and the people behind and around me, turned around and said "oh love, we've been there. your'e doing great'' etc. They were all so nice despite a crying baby for an hour! so Even if your bub plays up, most people understand and those who don't can go jump!!!

i certainly 2nd the others' comments about not putting your life on hold cos of a bub. And remember, bub flies free so it's a great opportunity to introduce your new one to the family.

we are planning a tassie trip (from darwin eeeek) with a 12 week old and a 20 month old! now, that scares the bejesus outta me!!! and it's the older one who'll be a toad!!

hth

[Kazzo]

so Even if your bub plays up, most people understand and those who don't can go jump!!
hth

Hehehe, telling people on a plane to go jump. Better make sure you throw a parachute at them first!

[MrsBexie]

I did a trip to coffs harbour when DD was 2 days old for my grandads funeral. She slept in our bed cause she was so little, we had the ergo n infant insert to carry her around in but had the pram as well. We stopped to feed every 2hrs while driving. We took a 54 pack of nappies and 2 packs of wipes JIC.

I also did a trip to canberra over easter. Bris-syd then syd-can ont he way down, tried to feed her takign off and landing so her ears didn't pop but she kept pulling off and was fine! Didn't cry but started whinging once up so passed her DH and she fell asleep! LOL! On the way back we flew direct to brissy and it was just me (DH went home earlier) and she was a little more unsettled but not more tahn normal! LOL!

I way overpacked clothes too! I had access to a washing machine n drier at all times but pack half a huge suitcase for her!!! LOL!

It is honestly fine travelling with a bub, well I found it was!