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  |  Parent  |  Parenting  |  A survival guide when travelling with baby
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A survival guide when travelling with baby

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  • Skycots/bassinets (usually for babies up to 12 months who aren’t occupying a seat) should always be booked in advance.
  • For older babies and toddlers, special seats can sometimes be pre-booked. BA has infant seats for those under two, which sit up or lie back, while Virgin provide infant Skychairs for children between six months and three years.
  • Most airlines provide kids’ meals if booked in advance, but take your own baby food – cabin staff will heat it up for you. However, don’t expect instant service the moment your baby opens her lips for that ‘Gimme dinner NOW’ wail. A friend advised me, ‘A couple of weeks before you go, get your baby used to cold food and milk.’ Wise words too. Every time I’ve asked a crew member to warm baby food, it’s been heated to boiling point and plonked in a dish of ice cubes for 20 minutes – while my infant roars the roof off.

    • On the day of travel, dress your baby in light layers which can be peeled off or bundled back on again as temperatures fluctuate. If the top layer gets splattered with cheese and broccoli bake, you can always strip it off to reveal the spotless garment underneath.
    • Pack with care: naturally, you’ll remember nappies, wipes, baby food and formula, if required (ready-to-drink formula in cartons is a lifesaver on long journeys), plus a spare outfit in case of nappy explosions or accidents. Keep extra supplies of all the above in your hand luggage, in case of delays. This is not the time to attempt to wean your child onto a slab of pepperoni pizza because all baby supplies are in your suitcase.
    • Most airlines will allow you to keep your buggy with you until you board the plane.
    • On take-off and in-flight, ease the pressure on painful ears by offering your baby a bottle or dummy to suck.
    • Older babies or toddlers will not want to sit neatly on your lap. They’ll go rigid as a plank if expected to do so. A friend admits: ‘Our flight to Pisa was a nightmare. We’d deliberately chosen Italy as a short-haul destination, as Rosie was only 15 months old. But she was trying to writhe out of our arms while we were still on the tarmac. My partner and I spent the whole flight walking her up and down the aisle.’
    One other thing: Don’t keep apologising to child-free passengers. They hate you anyway. Saying you’re sorry when your offspring pings his plastic spoon over the seat is not going to create a beautiful friendship. Oh, and if it still goes belly-up, cheer yourself up with the thought that, in 16 years or so, your baby won’t want to go on holiday with you anyway.
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