This will be our second time travelling abroad with Amalia, and our first time travelling with Abigail!
Amalia officially has her own seat as she will have just turned 2 years old, and Abigail will be 4 months old, travelling on our lap.
Here is my list of things I have done, will be doing and that I found helpful. If you’ve had success travelling with your littles – please share what worked for you so we can all work together, in keeping our kiddos happy while we travel!
Passport
First thing first on your travels, is a passport.
In order to get your baby a passport, you will need a long form birth certificate. These are not the common ones purchased at your baby’s time of birth, so double check that your child’s birth certificate shows proof of parentage of both you and your partner.
Make sure to leave yourself extra room in case of any passport delays.
When our second daughter, Abigail was born, with the knowledge we had on birth certificates, we opted for the long form birth certificate from the beginning. Her birth certificate arrived when she was 9 days old and with the knowledge of how lengthy the waiting time can be for Canadian passports, we went straight to get her passport photo taken and then off to Service Canada to officially apply for her passport! Abigail was just under 3 weeks old when her passport arrived, and she was officially a passport holder!
Toys/Distractions
If you’re travelling by plane, car, or train, your baby will want something to help pass the time, no matter what form of transportation you’re on.
When we drove to New York, Amalia was only 5 months, so she was easier to keep occupied. We had some books, a few rattles & lots of bottle to help her sleep.
Now that Amalia will be 2 while flying to Austria, I will be reusing some of the things I found helpful on our last trip abroad, when she was 10 months old.
Homemade playdough is a tried and true – especially because Amalia loves to eat playdough – but the homemade version is very salty, so it is a quick lick & done, and back to playing with her.
- laminated drawing books & white board markers for drawing
- books
- amazon table tray
- travel car seat to keep her strapped in and happy
- (the MVP) snacks
- iPad
- playdough & cookie shapes
Abigail will be a little baked potato, so I’m counting on her to be the easy one – let’s pray to the lords she enjoys her sleepy flight. I will be packing a cooler, bottles, chew toys (as she is teething) and multiple onesies for those blowouts we all know and love.
We reserved bulkhead seats to allow for floor space for Amalia and Abigail to lay (on a blanket) in front of us. When Amalia was 10 months there was an option for a bassinet – this time the airline was unsure if this option still existed. So I am very hopeful it does! I will report back to you.
Food
Last year when Amalia was on puree’s I packed Amalia’s silicone food containers and would make her dinners there and keep them in the fridge and freezer.
For the plane I brought along the squeeze apple sauce containers as well as her formula. However the plane did supply apple sauces, pureed food containers, milk & more. They were very accommodating for infants.
I will be packing Amalia’s favourite snacks for the plane, ones that she doesn’t often have but loves, to entice her to sit when needed. And also, snacks for us so Mama doesn’t get hangry (lol).
As I was supplementing with formula then, (and again now) I packed formula, pre scooped in a ziplock bag for easy access in my backpack. Then in my carry-on the full tub of formula, as well as an extra in case needed, in our luggage.
I will also have a cooler and my breast pump to pump on the plane and store it while in transit.
I will say – while travelling with babies, you are allowed water bottles through security. Just make sure to tell them ahead of time that you have an infant, or they will toss the bottled water and then feel awful once you explain why it was there – haha (a lived in experience.)
Clothes
Clothes are really different for every person. What I’ve always lived by is that clothes are the best thing to bring not enough of, as you can always shop for more.
I will pack the girls few staple cute pieces for dinners and church, and the rest comfy onesies (especially in my carry on, for the potential plane blowouts.)
Diapers
I’ll pack a sleeve in the carry on & then buy the rest once we’ve arrived to save on luggage space. However, consider packing more if your child is sensitive to new brands or ensure availability of your preferred brand at your destination.
Medicine
God forbid it’s needed, but we all know when we’re ill prepared is when we need the items. So I will have the medicine bag with all the goodies with me in my carry on. Mainly:
- tylenol
- thermometer
Stroller System
We originally were not going to bring a stroller, as we’d have one in Austria to use. But last year the stroller was the MVP through the airport, acting as a buggy to throw all our items in.
So we will be bringing the Uppa Baby Stroller along with the travel bags and car seat travel bag that we purchased last year for our travels. And don’t forget accessories like bug and rain shields!
We are planning to carry both girls through the airport to limit the amount of “ins and outs” needed with the stroller.
Both girls will be snug in their carriers while flying through security and customs, and while walking around Europe.
This is our second time flying with Amalia abroad, and our first time flying with Abigail. I am truly SO excited! I love the vibe and excitement the airport holds, and the sense of wonderment and joy flying gives.
This is such an exciting time in our lives, don’t be afraid just go with the flow! Embrace the joy and excitement of traveling with your little ones.
I will let you know what else I bring and what I would have liked to bring!
Heading on a trip? Share your experiences to help us all learn from other parents and make our journeys even more memorable!
Safe travels, Mama’s <3
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