Your top tips for overseas travel with babies and toddlers
In less than a month we are off to Phuket for 10 days.
DH and I have been to Phuket twice before (without kids).
We've travelled overseas to NZ with DD1 when she was 11.5 months old (arrived home on her 1st birthday).
Given the above, we know slightly what we are in for, but other advice/experience is always welcome.
So, does anyone have any tips or experiences they'd like to share? Any advice for the longer flight time will be great too!
we are off to bali in 6 weeks and ive been wondering the same.
one tip i did hear was to pack snacks for the kids that they are familiar with as they most likely wont like/understand that the country you are in have different foods.
Be prepared in case the kids get travel sickness with the bags you can get from the chemist, we got caught out with dd2 and she was sick in the middle of the airport! We had a favorite book and little toy for the kids to settle to sleep with both on the plane and in their room.
Pack a good insect repellent (the travel doctor had them for kids). Phuket had heaps of mozzies when we went. Also it doesnt hurt to get a mozzie net that you can place over the cots. This saved dd quite a few bites in the Philippines. I think we got us from Aussie Disposals.
A good sunscreen you trust from here, you never know if they will react to something different overseas.
I was planning on taking some snacks, but I was mainly thinking of the plane trip. I'll take some for whilst we are there too.
I think I'll be relying on the iPad during the flight a lot!
I'll look up those tips on pin interest. Thanks!
Insect repellent - Will make sure to pack some
We've already got a kit in case one of the girls get an upset stomach.
I have done UK twice on my own once with five month old and once with 13 month old and 3 year old.
Biggest tip don't stress think of it as solid time you can spend just keeping them happy. They pick up on tension so much if you are relaxed they will be.
Feed or have something to suck on for baby and toddler on take off and landing (helps avoid ear trouble).
Don't take too much stuff on plane - less is more you don't have much room and is amazing how interesting they can find the safety card and other things on plane if you engage with them about it.
Practice going on plane at home explain how it works toddler will be fascinated. Take a pillow the tiny ones on planes are not much cop.
Consider if you really want a bassinet if one is an option, personally I think over 6 months are more hassle than worth - you have to sit in bulkhead seats and these the arm rests don't go up so a toddler can't lay across your lap. You have to get baby out of bassinet any time turbulence as well as take off and landing and one trip that was practically whole trip. Bulkhead seats trays come from side and eating with baby on lap in them virtually impossible at least in normal seats the tray comes down in front so is a bit easier.
Agree about the bassinet. We went to Thailand with dd 3 and ds 9 months and he spent most time on my lap due to turbulence, but dd couldn't sleep because she couldn't lie down.
At check in ask for extra seats around you if possible. We we to USA with dd 4 and ds 20 months and on a ten hour flight had four of us in three sears. Very squishy!
iPad is the only entertainment we needed lol but also had crayons and colouring in and stickers. They get entertained by people going to the toilet etc. snacks we essential such as small packets of chips or pop corn, squeezy veggies/yogurt and muesli bars.
I really enjoyed the flight because it can be quality family time. The airports can be more stressful because of time pressures and security etc.
The bassinet isn't an issue anyway, apparantly there aren't any on our plane cause we are going via Perth and apparently the flight isn't long enough.....
Pack a spare top for yourself and your husband too. Fact: Flying for hours with poop on your top from a poo-splosion before even getting on the plane is yuck.
Great idea Meow! I'd planned changes for the girls, but I hadn't thought about what could end up on me (although I can't understand why, I'm with them every day lol).
I was going to say what Meow has - PACK SPARE CLOTHES FOR YOURSELF!!!! Clothes, not just a shirt. We've travelled a few times with ours and every single time DD2 will get travel sickness - plane, boat, train and bus. There is absolutely nothing worse than not being able to clean yourself up. Whenever we travel now I pack an entire change of clothe for myself plus an additional top. Hopefully you won't need it, but it will be invaluable if you do.
The only other suggestion I have that others haven't covered is you can buy from D!ck Smith, Tandy etc headphones that work on the plane that are specifically for kids - much better for your big girl than trying to use the plane ones that will constantly fall off
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Your top tips for overseas travel with babies and toddlers
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