how to travel with your baby part dos

"Can I just say how refreshing it is that you don't have a giant stroller?" says my favorite barista Alicia.  See, I have this little umbrella stroller that I bought at the Walmart for fifteen bucks.  Mainly because it was neon green and had an eye on it.  Not to say, that I don't greatly covet the fabulous Bugaboo Strollers.  (Go big or go home right?!)  I've even tried to convince my husband that we should purchase one.  

Silly me. 

For as much as I am "hoarder" I am also a big minimalist when it comes to baby stuff.  Especially when travelling with my baby girl.  I'd like to tell you about my latest travels with the lovely Aiko.  Which, in all reality went so WELL!  After my slight fall apart on the last flight (here) I was determined to make the next four a happy memory.  I contribute it to these lovely guardian angels. 

My Nameless Guardian Angel, who was also traveling with her father.  She held Aiko the ENTIRE flight from Denver to Iowa.  She played with Aiko and got her to sleep.  I never even asked her name. 

Lynn, who fed, held and watched Aiko, while I tried to figure out what we were going to do, since they just canceled our flight out of Cedar Rapids. 

Leslee, who was there to let us go ahead of her in line even thought we all had been waiting an hour anyway.  She helped carry bags, and kept a positive attitude when the airline decided to put everyone in a hotel.  She walked with me through the shady streets to find some baby food.  It was so nice to eat dinner with someone who felt like home.

Last, but not least, my little sister Hannah.  She really does a lot for us and luckily, she came to Iowa with us!  Aiko just loves her Auntie. I often wonder when Hannah will just throw in the towel and say "No, I don't want to change that adorable baby's diaper anymore!"

All these ladies made traveling so much easier and pleasant in fact.

So what have I learned on these last four flights?

1. Keep a positive attitude, no matter what.  Babies can feel your stress.  So, my flight back got canceled.  I had just turned in my rental car, driven 2.5 hours to get to the airport, packed just enough food for my baby for the flight home and I just decided to check in my bag with all my extra stuff.  Now, they were trying to get everyone onto different flights.  My wouldn't leave until the next day.  It was kind of overwhelming. Lucky for me, my lovely angels above were watching out for us.

2.  Don't be afraid to let people help.  I'm not usually one to just let complete strangers hold my baby, watch my bags (at the airport nonetheless) and then feed my baby, but for some reason I did.   Those lovely ladies touched my life and I hope to pay it forward someday. It also kept Aiko happy.

 

3.   Keep your baby's belly full!  Always pack extras.  This makes it a little harder for me as I make all her food from scratch. I've found that if you just put all the food in bottles ahead of time and then add a little water it's SO much easier.  She doesn't need to be spoon fed all the time.  Also, the airports let you take as much food as you want...at least I got 4 bottles full of food plus my extra in containers.  They'll just check it all one by one.   I also recently decided that it is worth it to buy these...even though they are ridiculously expensive they are ever so practical while traveling.

 

(See how the nipple is orange? Peaches, Sweet potatoes...all have been through that puppy)

4.  Be sure to get there somewhat early.  Sometimes, you have to make 20 bathroom runs.  Baby pooped?  Oh, now you need to pee?  Or they will have to check each bottle of baby food you brought.  Or you will have to wait 10 minutes while they let everyone behind you go before they check your baby food one by one. 

5.  Pack it light.  I am a pilot's daughter.  Not only do we have strict military like table manners we also learned to pack like a commercial pilot.  You don't put your elbows on the table and you must always chew with your mouth closed.   You MUST roll your clothes in tight rolls and stuff your underwear in your shoes.  (Or in my case, my bras, you can't put much in size 5 shoes.)  For the week I was gone I had my cow bag (which is a duffel bag with wheels), diaper bag and Aiko's car seat.  I'm not as organized as my dad, nor can I pack it in like him.  

Here's what I packed in my cow bag.

5 outfits for myself and baby (we visit laundromats)

underwear

1 pair of shoes (I try to take shoes that don't need socks)

extra baby food making items (I make her formula out of chia seeds, millet and dates so they are dry ingredients)

extra diapers and wipes (I always buy more at our destination)

1 extra swaddling cloth

jewelry

phone charger

essential oils

bathroom items (we have a bag that's filled with all the necessary items in the appropriate TSA approved sizes)

an obscene amount of tampons (she always visits when I travel)

(wearing the Moby) 

We were gone for 7 days (8 if you count the extra surprise hotel stay) and you may be wearing the same outfit twice...but who cares.  Your baby isn't going to care either.  We seem to have a ton of pictures of Aiko wearing this same giraffe print. Although she seems to care that we are matchy-matchy.

6.  Traveling isn't a fashion show.  Yeah, so I don't always look the cutest when actually traveling (like in the air), that's because, I am traveling with a baby, by myself.  

 

(I'm wearing the cover-up that basically looks like a shawl and is Aiko's blanket)

So I wear practical shoes, that are easy to take on and off.  Simple shirts that I can nurse in, and pants that I know are comfy. Plus, I carry Aiko in the Moby everywhere.  You'd think people had never seen a baby before.  I got so many comments...probably because Aiko's little round face just sits out bouncing along.  Like here. I need to keep my hands free and I don't have hips big enough for her to sit on.

 

7.  Make a list of items you need to take.  I usually make mine a couple days before I leave and start packing.  Why? Well, because I like to pack early and then if I forget something I at least have a couple days to think about it and whether or not I really need it.   I'm not really an organized person, truly, that's why I have to start early.  You better believe everything in my list was just thrown in.

 (via Etsy here)

Here's a list of things I took in the diaper bag:

Moby Wrap (well I wore this all the time so we don't take a stroller)

Cover-up/Shawl, which also doubles as her blanket (I also wore this much of the time)

4 Bottles packed with Food.

Extra food

Diapers, Wipes, Changing Pad

Kleenex

Extra Outfit for baby

Phone

Lavender and Frankincense Essential Oils 

(calming and protective oil)

Book for me

2 Baby Toys

Wallet

Now, I'm not pro at this whole baby thing, but I do feel somewhat confident now that I've flown with her.  I'm sure when we have another baby everything I thought I knew will all be garbage anyway.

(Finally home and yes, still wearing that moby)

aiko's first flight

now, you'd think being the daughter of a pilot, i would be a pro at traveling.  i tried to be "cool" about the whole flying-with-a-6-month-baby-by-myself.  having extensively researched flying with babies, i almost had myself fooled that i was ready.

she did pretty well in the airports. people would constantly comment about her chubby cheeks, since that was the only thing you could see out of my moby.  security was easy.  i just took off my shoes and they let me keep her in the moby and we walked through the "old school" security things.  

the first flight she fussed a little, mainly, because i was waiting to give her a bottle until we were taking off (as many of the traveling mama blogs said.) luckily, the guy sitting next to us was very nice and aiko just stared at him the whole time. 

our second flight was a breeze!  she was happy and played in the empty seat next to me, delighting all the people around us. 

i know, she doesn't look extremely happy here but she really was.

the flights home were a completely different story.  the 45 minutes from albuquerque to phoenix were so long.  she screamed the whole time.  i fed her like 4 times, rocked her, we even had an empty seat next to us...but she wasn't having it.  then to make things worse, we had to sit on the runway another hour.  oh, the poor people with us.  my baby isn't exactly a cuddler, so i couldn't console her, she likes to just lay by herself. 

she. was. just. mad. 

i felt that i kept my cool pretty well, until, someone offered to help.  

i just blubbered.  i apparently had been keeping in some pent up stress for a while. it was embarrassing. i don't like to cry and especially in public.  so after rushing straight to the bathroom to cry on the pot, i composed myself and was determined not to let this bad feeling continue on our next flight.  having read all those blogs i decided to ask the desk for some help.  i walked up to the desk and asked how full the flight was (throat cracking) ... the attendant asks me what i need.  

me : this baby is crazy (blubber, blubber)

attendant : he doesn't fly well huh?  (people always assume she's a he)

me : (no speaking) shaking my head no, eyeballs dripping

attendant : ok...

after a few minutes

attendant : okay, i have you to a row all to yourself...well that be okay?

me :  yes  (i try hard to make direct eye contact with her, regardless if i can't see her, so she knows how much i appreciate it.) 

so, i walk through all the people once again, blubbering.  i find a spot against the wall, because in my haste, i hadn't changed her diaper.  i hear people staring (yes hear) and give their little sighs of pity.  ignoring how inappropriate it may seem, i changed her there in public.  and then do you know what she did next??????

WAS ADORABLE!  

she was her happy, adorable self again.

and then...to make this even better, she slept the entire next flight home, through turbulence, the landing (which was EXTREMELY loud this time) and through everyone packing up to go.  you know, when that moment when the seatbelt light comes off and everyone stands at the same time (because it will help you get out of the plane faster.)  

i figure 1 out of 4 flights isn't bad for having a meltdown right?

i felt that in general...we did really well packing ourselves for the necessary.  here's my list!

moby carrier (kept my hands free and she could still see what's going on)

i took my breastfeeding shawl (which my friend made above) aiko actually likes to be covered with it and it's big enough to be like a blanket. 

1 small suitcase to fit all of our stuff (it is possible)

i did bring a bottle full of milk for the first flight which, i don't think was necessary if you are breastfeed. (if you tell security they will just test it and let you through)

diaper bag with her necessaries, changing pads, my wallet and a few toys.  

carseat checked for free!

i debated on bringing the stroller, thinking i would buy one from walmart for 15 bucks, but we just carried her in the moby, which she loved.  

we knew that there would be blankets, diapers, shampoo, blow dryer, toothpaste, wipes and a washer and dryer at annie's house, so we didn't pack a whole lot of clothing or much else.  

but it was awesome.  it wasn't really hard to wheel the suitcase, carseat (part of the time) diaper bag and babe around.  just make sure everything can stack on top of each other!