Taking a long haul flight with your toddler soon? Here I outline the basics of how to international travel with a toddler – solo. Yes, solo, you can do it! Just follow these recommendations below to ensure you’ll breeze right through.
Be Minimal
Travel with the bare minimum because you’ll already have your hands full being the only one the trip.
For the plane you will need
baby carrier to wear baby
the car seat, that clips into a travel stroller
puppets
activity books
snacks
drinks
diapers and wipes enough for a change every 2-3 hours
a change of clothes
over ear head phones to use the plane’s entertainment (and or bring your own screen)
saline spray
vaseline/aquaphor/petroleum jelly – dryness in the nose and on the skin creates discomfort and fussiness. Feel free to use as well it’s just a fail safe way to stay hydrated on a plane.
Snacks on the plane
and of course, make sure you bring water. I would recommend a water bottle that your toddler is already familiar with. I bought a special one a few days before the journey so my little one would get used to it and excited by it.
Be prepared
Dress comfortably. And I will note that compression socks are a game changing for ultimate comfort during a long flight.
Go Ahead and buy the extra seat
I saw this recommendation on the blog trips with tykes and let me tell you, take it to heart. Just do it. After traveling long haul with a toddler on my lap I can tell you it’s not easy. So please, get a seat for your baby. Pay the extra money, it’s worth it especially for a long haul flight. After that experience and even though funds were tight, better believe I paid those extra dollars for my toddler to have her own seat on the flight back!
Plan your layover (if you have one)
If you have a layover map out the terminal for play area, find the baby changing rooms, play area etc. It will help to stay organized. Being organized will energize you. And it will help you feel that you’ve got things under control.
Check your attitude
This is sometimes a daily reminder for worn out parent but, ENJOY the experience with your toddler! Get excited for that little bundle of energy rather than apologize to the people around you. Show appreciation for the people around you as well. I believe it helps their mindset and makes them want to be helpful to you.
I remember that I hated traveling in a flight with children before I had mine. But, I would like to think that, if I had seen the parent more engaged with the child it may have given me more sympathy if the child was acting up.
It seems more often than not that people generally favor children, especially toddlers! They’re just so adorable! So there you go, ready for your international travel with a toddler – solo.