Baby Globetrotter

Yep that's my Daddy snoozing away behind me! What is the in-flight movie? Baby Mo is nearly 8 months old and he has been on 12 flights. He is a little globetrotter!

I know new mommies can be scared of traveling with small children but I am here to tell you that it is not that hard. On a recent flight, Clayton and I even saw a man traveling alone with his 2 month old son. I was so impressed! If he can do it, anyone can!

Here is my secret to successful traveling with a baby: be organized and be calm. For goodness sakes, be calm! On a recent flight from Arizona, a young woman said to me, "You are the most laid back mom I've ever seen." I beamed with pride!

Since I have become so adept at traveling with the baby, I figured I would share a few tips on how to make the situation painless. Jennifer's tip about earplugs and chocolate for seatmates is great but I have yet to make time to get those just before a trip. Preparing for a family flight means frantically running circles around the house for the preceding 24 hours but preparation is key! Here is my checklist:

One day before flight:

• Wash diapers and wipes (if you are a cloth diaperer)
• Pack diapers (if you are a 'sposie user)
• Make fresh batches of food (if you are a homemade baby fooder)
• Buy enough food (if you are a store-bought fooder)
• Make sure your ice packs are frozen to transport baby food (Note: The TSA will relax your liquid allotment for baby food but tell them when you go through security that the bag in question contains baby food. Since you will have a baby in your arms, they won't give you too much grief. Now, if you were carrying baby food sans baby, that may be a different story.)
• Pack feeding supplies including bottles, bottle brush, spoons, bibs, and sealable bowls or cups
• Pack blankets and towels (I don't want Baby Mo using hotel linens or even the linens at family's homes that were not washed with baby-friendly products)
• Pack at least 2 outfits per day since, as we all know, sh*t happens

Day of flight:

• Make sure baby is well fed
• Pack food in travel bag with frozen ice packs
• Book early flights so baby will be sure to sleep on the plane after being awoken early to catch the flight
• Pack diaper bag with the following: diapers, wipes, wet bag (if applicable), small toys, hooter hider (if you're nursing), burp cloth, blanket, bottle, food, bib, spoon, tissues, pacifier for ear pressurizition, and any medicine you think you might need.

During flight:
It does get tiring to hold your baby for the duration of the flight and I do miss sitting there with a good book and zoning out but here is the silver lining: you get to cuddle with your baby sleeping on you for a few hours. I would say that is more of a golden lining actually!

Fellow mommies on the move, did I leave anything out?