International Travel with a Baby
Now that we have done a few trips with Dallas I’m starting to feel like a pro when it comes to traveling with baby (don’t get me wrong, it’s still a challenge, I just feel much more prepared)! We just recently got back from our first international trip with baby (to Cabo) and there’s definitely a lot more that goes into international travel. So many of you were curious about the process, what we brought, etc., so I put up a question box on my Instagram for you to ask any questions and figured I would answer them all in a blog for you!!
So let’s get into it!
Q: Would you recommend buying baby their own seat for a longer flight?
A: Honestly, it would be nice of course, but every time I am booking for a trip with Dallas, I see the ticket price and can’t bring myself to pull the trigger for a baby lol. Unless the ticket was reasonably priced! In our experience, even if we get lucky and have a whole row to ourselves, he ends up sleeping or playing on our laps.
Q: Did you need both his passport and birth certificate?
A: DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: It is a hit or miss. Sometimes we were asked for proof (so either his birth certificate or passport) but sometimes they didn’t ask a single question. I would bring birth certificate just in case!
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: They didn’t ask for his birth certificate, only passport!
Q: What supplies did the resort provide? Did you call them in advance?
A: We were so surprised at how much the resort provided for us! They provided a crib, changing table, bottle warmer, bottle washing supplies, baby soap, sanitizer, AND a diaper pail. It’s definitely not typical for hotels to provide that much though, so you definitely want to call in advance to see what they are able to provide.
Q: Did you bring a car seat for getting from the airport to resort?
A: We did not! We called ahead and the resort picked us up with one. It was very clean and new! I will say, whenever we rent through a car rental company, those car seats are always so dirty and hard to install. But we honestly would rather have that than bring our own! We already have so much stuff we travel with as it is!
Q: Tips for washing/sterilizing baby bottles while traveling?
A: We brought a travel bottle cleaning kit as well as travel size soap. Then, I brought a portable water heater to boil the water so I could clean/sanitize the bottles!
Q: Did you bring Dallas’ stuff on a carry on? Did it all fit?
A: Okay this is a crazy story….we checked all of our bags but on the way there one of the bags was too heavy (the one that had all of Dallas’ stuff), so we moved some of his things over to my suitcase including his sleep sack, diapers, and formula. Dallas’ bag then ended up getting lost for two days, but since we had moved those things to my bag we still had the necessities for him!! God was looking out for us that day for sureeeee. I don’t know what we would have done if we didn’t have those things. So long story short, I HIGHLY recommend putting baby’s stuff in a carry on or divvying out their stuff in each suitcase so if one gets lost you still have some things!! If it doesn’t all fit make sure you put the necessities in the carry on and then additional clothes, toys, etc. can go in a checked bag!
Q: Do you have tips for diaper changes on the plane?
A: I like to pack a gallon ziploc in our diaper bag with a few diapers and a small thing of wipes in it. That way, when you have to change baby’s diaper you can just bring that little ziploc to the bathroom instead of your full diaper bag. And of course be sure to change baby’s diaper right before boarding!
Q: Did you still follow Dallas’ nap schedule?
A: A few days ago we started doing 2 naps a day at the same time everyday and capping them (1.5 hours in morning, 45 min in afternoon) because that is where he is at developmentally now (he was napping too much with wake windows and 3 naps and wasn’t sleeping at night!). BUT on vacation, we used the huckleberry app the whole time to keep track of where he was at with food and sleep. He went to sleep on the dot for every “recommended” nap time!
Q: How do you keep baby entertained on the plane?
A: You can read my “Survival Guide To Flying With A Baby Blog” for more of my thoughts on this BUT… you just have to go with the flow. You can try to plan the flight around nap time, but almost every time we travel, it never lines up perfectly and sometimes you will have an awake baby the whole flight so just be prepared and it will be great!! To keep him entertained we have a couple toys, we entertain him ourselves just talking to him and playing with him, OR if he’s really fussy, I play a kids show like Cocomelon! He can’t hear it but just looking at it helps him to be entertained.
Q: Did you bring baby food other than formula?
A: Yes! We put his Little Spoons purees into pouches (easier to eat on the go), froze them, and brought them in our suitcase!
Q: Did he ever get sick from the water?
A: Nope! I was sure not to let him drink any water there to avoid him getting sick. For bottles we used bottled water from the resort and then I sat with him in the bath to make sure he didn’t drink any of the bath water!
Q: How many diapers did you bring?
A: 2 full packs and almost went through all of them!
Q: What was the process like for getting baby a passport? How long did it take?
A: Make sure to go asapppp because it takes a couple months to get. Make an appointment at your USPS to get it done but make sure both mom and dad are present!
Q: How was the heat with baby?
A: The weather was super nice (but not too hot) while we were in Cabo, so we didn’t really have to worry about the heat with Dallas. But when we were in the sun we always had a hat, swim top & bottom and sunscreen on him! We like the Blue Lizard sunscreen.
Q: What are your must-have baby travel items?
A: This list has all of my main must-haves, but I go a bit more in depth in my Baby Travel Essentials blog!! I would also highly recommend bringing a slumber pod for nap times!
Q: Did Dallas need any additional shots?
A: Nope!
Q: What travel stroller do you recommend?
A: The Zoe Traveler Stroller is the best!! It’s small enough to fit through the aisles of the plane and in the above head storage. It also folds up super easily which is so handy when going through security!
I hope this answers all your questions and helps you feel more prepared if you have any big travel plans coming up!! My biggest advice is to pack baby’s things in a carry on and then honestly just go with the flow. Each new experience as a parent is a learning opportunity and there are bound to be obstacles or things don’t go exactly the way we wanted. In those moments just remember you are doing your best! You’ve got this mama!!
XOXO, TAY
