Flying with toddler

Last year I wrote about Flying with Baby, when I took my 10 month old on a trip to LA. Well in this part of 2015 year she is 2 and we took the obligatory Australian family holiday to Fiji, most fortunate were we! I'll talk about the Fiji trip separately, but here is some flight and flying info that may assist you from our experience, though I must admit I almost did not post about this at all as toddlerhood is such an individual stage and I warn you, all or none of this advice may help you!

This time we flew Sydney - Nadi on Fiji Airways economy (the old 'Air Pacific,' now a code-share with QANTAS). Our daughter, being 2 yrs and 1 month old had her own seat, even if she was under 2 I would be highly doubtful of making this trip with her on our lap.

Our daughter is a busy little bean that eats and sleeps well, and attends daycare 2 days a week. Partially toilet trained, she still enjoys the odd cows milk bottle and tantrums are part of daily life (screaming and crying, lying on the ground, refusing to follow simple directions).

We booked our trip as a package through Flight Centre Randwick though if we were to do a repeat trip we would book our own -  flights and accommodation separately (service generally underwhelming, a few unnecessary mistakes made and slightly more expensive).

It was a bit of a surprise to discover we were booked on a 6.30am flight, meaning we were up at 3.20am for our cab to the airport. Surprisingly, this was not such a bad idea as we let our daughter sleep to the very last minute, then whisked her off to the airport in her pyjamas and dressing gown.

The benefit of flying this time of morning was check-in and immigration was an absolute breeze. Not taking a stroller, we got hold of a QANTAS courtesy stroller easily at check in and walked quietly and relatively easily to the gate.

Once we got to the gate the first tantrums started so out came the iPad with headphones (and free airport WiFi) for ABC kids. We got our fill because there are no personal entertainment systems on Fiji Air 737 flights (Important! I almost feel like repeating this for emphasis!) We had not really prepared by downloading video onto the iPad so we sort of lost out with that one.

The flight departed on time and was full. It's a 4 hour trip, with a 2 hour time difference between countries - I'm honestly not sure I could do any more than that with a toddler this age. After lulling myself into a false sense of security (she slept for the first half hour of the flight!) the rest of the flight basically pushed our little family to the very edge of frustration - I'd love to say there some magical somethings that made it all easier but deep breaths, deep breaths, cuddles and distraction... that is all!

It only lasted half an hour!

 As the mum I basically got no time at all for anything on the flight. I packed 2 books and 2 magazines, and probably got 15min in total to glance at the inflight magazine. Be prepared to focus... On keeping your child (and possibly partner) on an even keel!

Mealtime kept the little one busy but Fiji Air food (Sydney - Nadi) was probably amongst the worst I have ever had, and no seperate toddler meal - bring your own food if your little one is fussy (our daughter got hooked on the rubber omelette, we were happy to also give her mum and dads).

One thing is you can take comfort in is the plane is packed with fellow families, and kids are playing up all around (sorry honeymooners!). Also, try and use the bathroom / change nappy before you get on the plane, the toilet queue on this flight was the longest and most ridiculous I have possibly ever seen.

One reprieve? At the very time when Carys was melting down under the seat in front of us the mum turned around and offered her a strawberry Chupa Chup. Now, this goes against all of my parenting instincts but I had a silent happy child for the following 20min. I'll be doing that again, no judgement at all!!

Did I medicate? No. I don't feel strongly either way about this, I just didn't have the time before the flight to consider it and make arrangements. If the flight were long haul... I'd be looking in to it!

Arriving at Nadi, it is only a short walk through the terminal to immigration and exit, so no real worry about a stroller. Although hot in the airport, immigration was quick enough, and we quickly changed her out of pyjamas and bare feet into a dress and sandals inside the terminal and onwards we went.

Flying back home Sydney - Nadi with a 6.30pm departure was an excellent choice for traveling with our 2 year old and I'd happily do it again without much worry (but with crossed fingers just the same!) Just over a 4 hour flight, we took off, ate (much better food this time, a Fijian vegetarian curry) then our little one shortly fell asleep for the rest of the flight home.

A quick note that Nadi Airport is undergoing renovation (completion mid 2016) and there is currently very limited food options upon arrival. Also, use the ATM there, it may be the first and last one you see on your trip (and much of Fiji is a cash economy, particularly if you wish to buy crafts from villages).

I hope there is something here that may help you if you are traveling with your toddler, and wishing you the best of luck and the patience of a saint! Most of all, Fiji is absolutely worth it, particularly now the Australian dollar is losing value against the greenback, making Bali trips and similar more expensive. Look into it!

Bula Fiji!

Flying with Baby

Recently I took a 2-week trip to LA with my 10 month old daughter, Carys. It was quite an experience! Lots of newish Mums ask about my experience flying, so I thought I'd include my thoughts and any helpful info I picked up here. I hope there might be something here that may assist you!

Let me say straight out that I think the following really helps:
- The age of your baby (Carys is not yet crawling so it was much easier to deal with)
- Being as prepared as possible (so as the mum you are acting cool and the baby hopefully syncs with your aura of calm!)

My information is based upon the following:
- Traveling with a 10 month baby girl who is (now) exclusively bottle feeding and is happy eating solids (that I usually prepare for her myself)
- Traveling alone with my daughter, so no extra assistance
- A 14 hour Sydney - Los Angeles return flight, flying QANTAS Economy.

So I think I will do it all in order of the whole experience.

BOOKING
- When I booked my ticket a friend advised me to call the airline straight away to ensure they understood that Carys would be traveling as a baby and we required a bassinet. At this point you also make food arrangements for the baby and can ask questions about checking in prams, car seats as luggage.
- On QANTAS you cannot reserve a bassinet online and you should not assume that one will be allocated, you are (currently) unable to achieve this online - you must call.
- QANTAS also have no bassinets in Business Class and this is common across a number of airlines (so if you are thinking of upgrading, check first).
- I believe other airlines such as Singapore Airlines allow you to book a bassinet online.

Also, it's really good flying on an A380 - lots of extra standing room compared to the 747 we came home on.

Q. Do I need to fly Business Class with my baby?
A. I don't think so. I have flown Business Class before and I would actually be more stressed worrying about the baby screaming and disrupting others with the more expensive seats. There was more space at the bulkhead where the bassinets are located, we were well looked after and I would rather save my Business Class trips for other occasions. Face it: You might have a better reclining seat in Business Class, but sleep itself may remain elusive (even if it is just you keeping an eye on your sleeping baby).

THE AIRPORT - BEFORE THE FLIGHT
These experiences are based on flying with QANTAS from Sydney Airport (Kingsford Smith Airport).

QANTAS are happy to check in your pram and carseat free of charge, you can check their baggage allowances (including babies and children) here. I had my pram packed up in a Bugaboo Comfort Transport Bag which I had loaned from a friend, it was excellent and also allowed for me to pack a few extra nappies etc. in there too. As we planned to do alot of driving in LA we also took our baby carseat, just zipped into an unpadded carry bag. It traveled fine and had no damage. Some people 'buy their baby their own seat on the plane' then use their carseat to place the baby in during the flight. I did not do this, but there was a lady on our LAX-Syd flight doing it. I would definitely call the airline ahead to check about this as apparently there are only certain rows of the plane where this is possible.

Q. Why did I take my pram?
Mainly because my daughter sleeps very comfortably in her pram and as a familiar item it may pacify her. I was right! In the first few days of jetlag, she would sleep in her pram more than any travel cot or other space. It was a godsend and completely worth it as QANTAS let you check it in as luggage free of charge.

After checking in my luggage in and collecting my boarding pass QANTAS loaned me a free stroller to wheel Carys to the plane. It was excellent - I just had to hand it in to the crew when boarding. I also had my Baby Bjorn strapped on and at my daughter's age (10 months) this was vital for keeping things cool (also because I was traveling alone and needed both hands). I popped her in the pouch through immigration and security checks and it was just so much more convenient than struggling with my own pram at that point (I saw others trying and yes, dare I say it there was frustration and even tears, particularly at LAX). At close to 11kg Carys is almost too big for her Baby Bjorn but it was well worth the effort, and made it very easy to get on the plane, up the aisle and into the seats without much fuss.

PACKING FOR THE FLIGHT
Well I thought this was the hardest bit, but I'd say with confidence:
- Pack one nappy for every 2 hours on the plane (we packed 9, and used 7 for a 14 hour flight). They seem to, ahem, go more up there!
- Pack your own food as well. There can be some OK stuff in the little kids food pack but it's good to already know what you have on hand and feel prepared. I think it really depends on each airline and the origin from which you are flying - it can be hard to forsee what they are going to give you (I got a whole lot of Gerber stuff in jars on my LAX - Syd flight and it was so cumbersome, I was glad I had brought along my own food pouches in flavours I knew Carys liked). Fun! 
- Formula both ways was fine, ignore anything you read on the internet about having to drink it infront of security or the like. I just took my own bottles with water already in them and the formula in a seperate dispenser, all packed in a large ziploc bag so it was easy for security (and myself) to access.
- Some airlines give out a little toy, not QANTAS. I took 5 or 6 toys and my iPad, it seemed to be enough. I found board books particularly helpful. I was worried Carys would get bored on the flight but the change of environment alone means lots of curiosity!
- I dressed Carys in a zip onesie with a singlet underneath for the flight and took 2 others as spares. This was enough and the zip made it much easier to access for nappy changing. These also doubled as pyjamas in LA, where it stayed warm at night.
- Bibs, bibs, bibs. These will really save you from difficult clothes changes on the flight. I took 4 for the flight (using 3) and I found it really helped.

THE FLIGHT

The little bean had a friend on QF11 where we had a bassinet and spare seat on an A380, happy days!

Believe it or not my experience on the flight was the easy part! I got to sit down, food (even wine!) was brought to me, and other passengers wanted to hold or play with Carys a bit, giving me a little break from time to time (but don't rely on it). I kept her on her Sydney Sleeping / Eating Schedule until we arrived in LA, and I started to deal with the time change then.

Q. Could your daughter fit in the bassinet?
A. Yes, but only just. It was very snug but Carys seemed to like that! Maybe it made her feel snug and secure. QANTAS provided a lambswool blanket for her and I draped muslin over the top for privacy and that seemed enough. If I had put her in her usual sleeping bag she would not have fit in the bassinet. This may be different on other airlines.

My one tip for the flight is to take snacks. Carys is not a big snacker outside normal eating times but some finger food seemed to help pass the time. Our seat mate brought these mini rice cake snacks along for her daughter and Carys very much enjoyed them! They also don't seem to make alot of mess. I recommend the apple flavour as they don't seem to stain hands or clothes like the others do.

GETTING OFF THE FLIGHT
The best tip is as you are leaving the plane you say to the people standing at the door 'I need assistance.' By asking for assistance I got through immigration express both ways and at Sydney they put us on a golf cart (which Carys loved!). They also collected our luggage for us (including pram and carseat) and walked us to the airport exit both ways! 

JETLAG

Yes, we had jetlag! Trying to get Carys to do her daytime sleep.

Jetlag happens and from talking to others it is definitely different for each baby. My only tips at this point is extra snacks and have extra milk available (for 2-3 days Carys had extra bottles, and then there were other times where I would have to make her a bottle and pour it down the sink!) So be prepared for wastage, or have your boobs ready!

I also found taking my daughter's unwashed bedlinen helped her adjust to her new surroundings at bedtime. As tempting as it was to keep everything crisp and clean, I did see her rubbing her head into her cot sheet and I think it helped that it still 'smelled like home.'

Also, underschedule the first few days of your trip. As exciting and tempting as it is, you may feel disappointed or that you are not getting everything out of your holiday activities because of the little one's adjustment. Be easy on yourself, it will change and behaviour may be grizzly!

Q. Did I deliberately keep my daughter awake / wake my her up to help her settle in to the new time zone?
A. Yes, at times, I particularly tried to keep her awake from 3pm in the new timezone so she had a better chance of sleeping that night. I do have her on 'a schedule' here in Sydney so I tried to nudge her on to the same schedule, LA time as gently as possible. I found it took a few days.

ENJOYING THE TRIP
Yes, I did, but of course it was very different to any travel I have done before. I think you just have to do less, and approach it with less expectation. It was great to come home to my non-jetlagged husband so he could help out with Carys at the end of it all. And for those of you in Australia - as I have heard before, the jetlag is worse coming home. Really. If I was traveling with my husband I would have been tempted to send him home 3 days early so there would be someone in the house without jetlag - I found the first few days back in Sydney really quite hard.

So phew there it is! I might add to this in the future, and wishing you happy baby travels!