Travel tips

The thought of taking your baby or toddler away – and knowing what you need to take with you, can seem daunting, especially if its your first child. So here are some of the travel tips that we’ve found helpful  - hopefully you will too.  

Journey tips

 For Babies: 

If you’re flying, you should speak to the airline in advance to let them know, you’ll be travelling with a baby. The old saying, “if you don’t ask you don’t get”, has never been more true than in this situation, some of the airlines will be incredibly helpful if you ask for consideration in advance. (Unfortunately, as with anything in life, that doesn’t always, work with all of them all the time though!)  

Ask for extra legroom or even if they have a spare row of seats – sometimes they do if the flight isn’t full.

Some airlines offer benefits such as organic babyfoods, pre-booked allocated seats with sky cots or bassinets or even, if you’re really lucky, designated flight attendants to care for families.

If you can’t get a bassinet or sky cot, which charter planes rarely have, ask for a bulkhead seat. Bulkhead seats have extra space between your feet and the bulkhead, which will be a godsend.

Even if you are lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the journey they will be heavy after a couple of hours. No matter how light your baby is, they won’t feel it, if you have to hold them in your arms through a whole flight. 

Strictly speaking you are not meant to take carrycots on planes, but some airlines will turn a blind eye, if they are collapsible. 

Essentials are no use to you in an overhead locker if you’ve got a crying baby in your arms , demanding attention. Keep what you need in a small bag under your seat. 

Try and book flights, which coincide with your baby’s sleeping patterns.

Any inconvenience with the times or prices will be more than worth it if they sleep through the flight, trust us! 

Try to give your baby a bottle at take-off and landing to prevent their ears’ popping. 

Babies can fly between 2 and 7 days if you have a letter from your GP, but generally it’s best to wait until they are at least two weeks old. If you have had a caesarean section, you won’t be able to fly for ten days. 

Don’t be embarrassed or apologise too much if your baby cries. People will just have to cope with it – why do they think they’ve got the option of headphones! And the more stressed you are, the less likely it is that you will be able to calm your baby down.  

For Toddlers:

The key to a successful flight with a toddler is keeping them entertained, boredom and confined spaces are not a good combination with toddlers, especially when they’ve learned to walk.  

Bring along some new books and toys that your toddler has never seen before. If you can gift wrap them, then all the better.

Put plenty of wrapping paper on and it’ll keep them entertained for ages – although not so much that they can’t get in to the gifts and it sparks a tantrum. 

Mild sedatives are sometimes suggested for a long flight with toddlers, but be aware that they don’t always have the desired effect, sometimes they just make toddlers grizzly, a far cry from the peaceful sleep you were expecting. 

Pushchairs are allowed on the plane for free and you can take them right down to the plane steps. 

Suncare tips:

Keep your baby or toddler out of the sun, especially between 11am and 3pm If your child is outside, keep them covered in suncream – ideally factor 50+ - and keep reapplying it regularly.

Try and attach a parasol or sunshade to your baby or toddlers pram or pushchair – although this is no substitution for suncream. Keep your child’s head covered with a hat whenever they are out in the sun. 

Your destination

Unlike the UK, locals in almost every other country in Europe or Asia love babies and toddlers, so expect lots of cooing and indulgent glances, which will be the perfect antidote to any disapproving glances you may have received on the plane! 

If you are breastfeeding a baby, your breast milk should be enough to keep them hydrated. If they are bottle fed, formula is not as hydrating so you may need to supplement it with drinks of water. Boiling water for ten minutes and then putting it into the fridge to chill slowly, should be enough to sterilise it.

Would you also like to share your travel tips and advice?, If so Babyonholiday would like to share these with other travellers if you send the tips and advice to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  we will publish them on our site for you.