Some things I learned about travelling with a 9-month-old in a plane: (oh, please keep in mind that our flight was a measly 1-1.5 hr flight. What worked for us really only worked because we had a shorter flight, I think. Kudos to you parents who have done the overseas trek!!)
1) Dress them super-cute. The cutest outfit you can find. And add hair clips. Oh, maybe that's just for girls. Perhaps a bow-tie for the boys? I'm convinced, the cuter you can make your baby, the more favour you will find with airline agents, grumpy customs officials, and security personnel. I've never been more doted on! The lady directing the customs line let us up to the front. And did you know, they have a special security line for families?! And that US security personnel are actually pretty friendly? I suppose the chances of you being a threat to national security are slim to none when travelling with a baby.
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| Kiyomi, demonstrating tip #1 and #2 |
3) Make friends with your seat-neighbours. If your child can smile/clap/kiss/high-five etc. on demand, have them demonstrate said skill as soon as possible, to win over the neighbours. We had an elderly woman in the row behind us play peekaboo with Kiyomi for a long time. It really saved us from having to occupy Kiyomi for the whole flight time. There are also these, if you want to be really nice!
4) Pack toys. Lots of toys. Dispense said toys as slowly as possible for the entire duration of the flight. Most tips also say to pack new toys, which will keep your child occupied for longer. I was too cheap to buy new toys, so I hid a few of Kiyomi's a few weeks back, in hopes that she'd forget about them and that they would be more interesting to her on the trip.
5) Nurse the baby on takeoff/landing. The airline attendants will come by to tell you the takeoff and landing position for the baby, which is not a nursing position. We flew Air Canada, and we were told to hold her in a burping position, with her facing back over our shoulder, head firmly cradled with one of our hands. I'm not quite sure why they think this is better than having your child securely fastened to you in a carrier of some sort? Anyway, I was scared that the air pressure change would affect Kiyomi, so I ignored their directions and nursed Kiyomi on takeoff, both flights. I don't know if that's what helped, but Kiyomi didn't seem to notice any air pressure changes. On the landings, we adopted the official baby positions, and Kiyomi seemed okay.
Other gear we brought along (gosh, SO MUCH STUFF to carry through the airports!), that was indispensable:
1) Phil & Ted's Traveller crib. We started having Kiyomi nap in this a few weeks before, just so she could get used to the feel. The first time we put her in it, she cried for a while, but after that, she was fine. Then, when we actually got to NY, she slept overnight really well in it, but cried for her naps. Toward the end of the trip (maybe 3 days in?), she settled in and got used to it. I don't think it was the crib that bothered her, as much as it was the new room and new smells/sounds of a busy city.
Sidenote: The travel crib I really wanted wasn't for sale in Canada at the time.
2) Onya Outback baby carrier. We love this thing! And Kiyomi loves being worn. I researched a lot of carriers (Boba, Beco, Ergo, etc.) before settling on this one. The two features that make it stand out from the others are the fact that I can cross the straps across my back (good, because I have a tinier torso that makes it awkward just to have the straps going just over each shoulder), and that you can use it to convert any chair into a seat for your child! We were feeding Kiyomi in our laps, originally, and then decided we would take the time to strap her in, and it made a world of difference. It was MUCH easier to feed her with her strapped onto a chair (ha, that makes me sound so...restraining?). We also love all the pockets and the nap hood. Love it all!
3) Car seat. We only used it to ride in the taxi to and from the airport, but, safety comes first, so we lugged that baby around.
4) Maclaren Quest stroller. Everyone I know who has one of these raves about it. And now, I wholeheartedly agree! It's built well (get the 2013 model, not the 2012, apparently), folds easily, reclines fully (so key for having Kiyomi nap on the go), has a LIFETIME warranty, and steers really well, even with one hand. The only drawback is that the shade is smaller than the one you get with other umbrella strollers, so we had to use another blanket to "extend" the shade and give her more privacy while napping. I discovered a little too late that I could also use the stroller for changing her diaper. That was after spending the first 4 days copiously lining various changing stations with paper towel before laying down our change pad. I might be a slight germaphobe. This umbrella stroller is a welcome addition to our home, where previously, the only stroller we had was the honking Britax B-Ready.
Overall, it was a fun trip. Our schedule revolved around Kiyomi, of course, but we got to do a lot of shopping, and Kiyomi was a trooper through the ridiculous heat wave and lack of air conditioning. As a mom who is still on maternity leave, it wasn't as relaxing for me (I mean, I have our daily routine down pat, so it's much easier to be at home), but the other people we travelled with enjoyed their trip.
Can I also just say that I love Muji and Uniqlo and why can't they just bring these amazing Japanese stores to Canada already??
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