Travelling with infants and toddlers
Don’t book in advance
Try and book closer to the date of your travel and if possible, keep your dates flexible so you get a booking easily. Though it may seem logical to get the best seats at the most reasonable rates by booking way in advance, the thing to ensure, especially when travelling with infants and toddlers, is that the flight has enough vacant seats.
Book the front row seats
They’re more expensive but worth it with a new-born. Besides the extra leg space, you’ll also be at a safe distance from other passengers. You can board last and deboard before everybody else.
Carry transparent pouches for all loose items
Bag baby supplies such as milk bottles, burp cloths, bibs, medication, clothes, diapers and other things should all be placed in zip locks of varying sizes so you can fish out exactly what you need. This way, even if anything from the outside like passports, documents and food trays come in contact with your essentials, the contents inside are still safe.
Ditch bulky strollers for a baby carrier
Since the carrier is harnessed to your shoulders, your infant is close to you with minimum contact with common surfaces.
Travelling with Young children
Counsel them
Educate and inform them about safety precautions. Don’t make it a heavy conversation but simplify things for them and keep the focus on two or three important aspects. Tell them they won’t be able to play or saunter around at the airport like other times.
Carry a nasal saline rinse
You can prepare one at home or order it from the pharmacy and fill the rinse into a syringe. Squirt it out into one of your child’s nostrils and let it come out the other. Be gentle. This will help get rid of germs and provide hydration.
Pack in a thermometer and a prevention kit
Children will be children and tantrums go hand in hand with being a kid. When children cry sick, check their temperature to know whether they’re unwell or pulling a fast one to get your attention for something they need. Put this into the prevention kit with other things like their emergency medication, a bottle of water, a sanitiser, snacks, a few wet-wipes, and a sanitary kit to use in the bathroom. Avoid taking toys.
Wipe the seats
Carry antibacterial wipes to clean surfaces that are unavoidable like the aircraft seats, the food trays and the handle of the baggage cabin.
(According to advice from experts)