travel – LAZY MOMMY GUIDE

This has been a topic that I really wanted to write on since starting my blog & for whatever reasons, it is the topic that I just can’t seem to start on. Maybe because it’s such a broad topic and also because I really wanted the insights to be helpful for a mom flying with her baby solo over long haul fights. It feels like a pay it forward kinda thing to me because before we flew for the first time with my 5 month old baby, I did so much research and was so nervous about it. And while I received so much help from various mommies, I wish I didn’t have to visit a bazillion websites to research on what I needed. Thus, this page when I first started my blog. I wanted it to be useful to moms like me who has to fly solo with a baby over long haul flights.

First trip we took was when baby was 5 months old and it was going to be a total of 3 flights over a total of 38 hours (including layovers). Granted that we had Daddy with us for our very 1st trip, I still had to fly solo back with baby to Canada.

Still am clueless on how to possibly transfer all my learning to my blog but here goes what I feel is an important topic:

WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR CARRY ON LUGGAGE WHILE FLYING LONG HAUL WITH A BABY

Diapers – I brought 30 for the 1st trip & realized that was wayyyyyy to many lol. Even with flight delays, he only used 6 diapers and one was because we got it dirty by accident with Ryan’s what I can only call “Poop Explosion” hahaa. To be safe, I would still bring at least 1 diaper for every 3hours of trip so for our 38 hours, i just rounded it off to 15 diapers. With COVID and all the restrictions around flying now, it just plays to be safe than sorry and if that means having less space for my own stuff, so be it. You would think it’s easy to buy diapers in international airports if you do get stranded but international airports are usually huge and while there are many amenities, remember that you are alone with a possibly needy baby
Light Changing Pad – When I was pregnant, I registered for Nestle Baby & me Baby Pack and they mailed it to me. Inside the free Baby pack included samples, coupons and a super lightweight changing pad that doesn’t take any room in my backpack so I used that for any long haul flights with baby.
Blanket for Baby
Plastic Bags/Ziplock Bags – you never know when you need them…like when your baby has a major poop explosion while passing customs lol
Baby Wipes – I love the Kirkland ones from Costco & I use them for everything….not just for wiping his bum bum
Sanitizing Wipes – To be honest, I find myself rarely using them to clean plane areas. Personally, I think it is kind of pointless but it does give me peace of mind to at least have a small packet of it
2 Bibs – I brought Tommee Tippee Easi-Roll Up Bibs as they are easy to clean and dry
Toiletries for Baby – Travel Size Baby Lotion / Travel size Vaseline. Instead of using a specific diaper cream, I just bring Vaseline as it can multitask as a diaper cream, lip balm, for minor skin cuts or even to moisturize your face, hands, and more.
2 wash cloths – again, it can multitask as cleaning the baby or even when you are trying to burp the baby after their feeding. Place it on your shoulder while burping baby so if he spits up a bit of milk, your clothes are safe
Fav Toys – This warrants a post on its own so for now, I will leave it
3 outfits for baby – For this, you would have to gauge what your baby needs. Does your baby get cold easily? Our first flight, I packed so many warm clothes for him thinking he will get cold in plane but turns out, my baby has my body temperament. We are warm blooded animals lol. We sweat in planes so for me, that was a great thing cos one less thicker jacket to bring
At least a change of outfit for me in case baby spits up on me
Baby socks
Baby Formula – Okay some moms would totally disagree with my method. To each their own. Just because this works for me doesn’t mean i think it works for everyone. Do what is best for you. I merely am sharing my experiences. I knew right from being pregnant that me and baby would be flying long haul quite a fair bit so I started prepping baby months before we flew. When he was born, he had a mixture of breastfeeding & formula. I wanted him to get used to different milk so he is more adaptable in the plane.
Baby’s solid food (Canned Baby Food appropriate for their age, banana that can be easily mashed & baby rusks) – We started him with baby food when he was 5 months old (just a week before the flight). We didn’t push for him to try a lot of solids…just the mashed banana and maybe one canned baby mushy food. We did that to make sure he was ok with both types of food so we can give him some on plane if he is interested.
Baby Cutlery & Plastic Bowls – Bring those that are small, easy to clean and dry. We used it to mash and feed him the banana.
Medicine for Baby & Me
Baby Carrier (Tula)
Stroller – Make sure your stroller fits size requirements of gate check in.
Mommy Sanity Bag – Origins Peace of Mind/ Ear Plugs / Halls / some small fav snacks for me
Passports with valid expiry dates
Birth Cert of Baby with Full parents’ names
Signed consent form from spouse (if you are travelling alone with baby)
Travel Insurance Paperwork
Flight Itineraries – you might think that you dun need the printed copies cos everything is on your cellphone but believe me, when all our 3 flights were delayed and i had to make many calls, it was easier to refer to paper copies
Wallet
Cellphone, charger and fully charged power bank
Headphones
Re-sealable plastic bag for Liquid items – Baby formula, baby food and milk or juice if travelling with children two (2) years of age and under are usually exempted from the liquid restriction for most airlines but make sure you check with airlines prior to packing

And REMEMBER to request for a bassinet for your flights so baby has their own space to sleep and rest without paying for an extra seat. There are usually limited bassinets in a plane so make sure you make a request and confirm if they have it for you. If they don’t, that might change what you need to bring on plane. As you can see, Ryan was perfectly happy in the bassinet.