Flying with littles is a challenge. It isn’t even just the act; it is the anticipation, the unknown and the uncertainty of flights. Here are a few tips for the moms traveling to the airport with littles!

1.  Proper stroller: I love my Baby Trend 2 in 1 Expedition Wagon stroller, but if you don’t have a large car waiting for you at your destination I would go for a cheap umbrella stroller. You can check it at the gate with most airline carriers; just beware that they are not always kind to your stroller so it might get damaged or scuffed. None the less, I promise that when you need to move quickly between gates or need to shuffle through your belongings, you will want to have a safe place to strap your child. If you don’t have a stroller, then the last resort would be a baby carrier. The key is safety; you need to have the ability to keep your kid secure and close when you are distracted in the busy airport.

2. Snacks: You can bring anything frozen on a plane! If you want to bring yogurt or Pedialyte pops just make sure they are frozen solid. Having snacks that your kid is familiar with will ensure that they don’t get an unexpected tummy ache and they also relieve the pressure to find food at all of your stops. Due to labor shortages even large airports are closing their restaurants as early as 7pm and nothing is harder than having a hungry kid. I suggest putting everything in ziplocks so that you can reseal and repurpose the ziplock as needed. I put dirty diapers or used baby wipes back in the ziplocks super often to contain messes and spills alike. Stay away from luncheables and foods that can be spilled in one fell swoop. Nothing is more tragic than a full meal on the floor and no replacement.

3. Carry on: I am NOT type A. I have two kiddos and one of them gets motion sick. I have calculated my diaper bag to an extreme. I have tested it through the trials of lost luggage, car sickness and plane sickness. These are a few non-negotiables. Dress your child in a short sleeve with a sweat suit on top. Changing pad. Gallon Ziplock: washcloth, baby wash, sanitizing wipe, hand sanitizer. Spare set of clothes for every person flying (including you, mom!), deodorant and contact stuff/meds. Set of pajamas for the kids. extra bottles, formula, socks, hat and blanket. It’s more bulk than you would think, but I have yet to be stressed and stranded even with all the chaos of flying.

4. Entertainment: Most families might find a tablet useful, but my kids get motion sickness, so we have to stay away from screen time. Our favorite activity is stickers, I buy all sorts of puffy fun stickers and really take the time to pretend-play silly games. My daughter loves putting stickers on her parents! You can use them to do sorting and matching too. Our second favorite game is modeling foam. It isn’t messy like playdoh and the scent is negligible. We make models and she loves to pretend to make food. The last thing that we enjoy are little figurines, whatever types your kid is into. We get them new for the trip and it will buy you some time simply due to the novelty.

5. Documents: I take a copy of my kid's birth certificate and medical insurance card wherever I go. I keep my ID/Passport in the same area. It is especially important when you travel just to make sure that you don’t run into any ticketing issues, especially if your child is utilizing any lap-child benefits.

6. Family Restrooms: At each layover, we “regroup” in the family restroom. They are usually extra large and you can easily navigate your stroller into the room. We usually reorganize our bags after the flight, get each person situated and then embark on the next leg of the trip. Being able to take a minute away from the hustle and bustle of the terminal to reorganize and refocus will help you stay efficient and keep you from having to manipulate crowds when you are trying to change your kids and freshen up.

Whitney B