Any advice for 12hr+ flight to Kathmandu with 2 month old baby (Qatar/Bangladesh Airline?)

[PadmeP]

Hubby is really keen to take new baby to Kathmandu to meet his family at the end of October when baby will be 2 months old! I'm really nervous and just don't know if I have the parenting skills (this is my first!) to handle it. Apart from not being totally expert on the breast feeding yet (and usuing nipple shields - how on earth am I going to steralise everything, especially if their are restrictions on handluggage, I know nothing about whether we need to get an infant ticket, a compatible car seat (would I really want baby in a car seat for a 7 hr flight though?!), or a full adult seat. Also, what about immunisations? We'd be staying in fairly civilised areas of Kathmandu and its not a malerial zone at that time of year but I still worry. Does anyone else have any advice for travelling to 3rd world countries with a tiny baby?

Also which airline? We usually travel with Qatar Air (6hr + 5 hr flight time) with a 2/3 hrs transfer in Doha but the terminal is really crowded and the que for the loos is gigantic, and last year when I travelled with really bad morning sickness and tried to order a specaial meal, they completely forgot about it. So I'm really scepatical as to whether they would give us any help at all. It's almost worse to get the "okay" from the airline that they will help and then find out on the day that they don't! The other alternative is to save £400 and travel via Bandladesh with a 7 hr transfere - I have no idea what the airport in Dhaka is like though and don't really have very high hopes for the airline, but £400 is a lot of money! Anyone got any experience with them?

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My best advice to you (if you can afford it!)would be to pay the extra and fly direct!! Request a bulk head seat and a baby carseat - don't yake your own as you probably won't need it in Nepal. At least then you'll have a choice of that or your lap for your baby to sleep in. Airlines normally charge around 10% for infants - and don't forget to get a passport!!!!!
I took a mini travel steriliser to India, but you can get sterilizing bags which are just as good, however you do have to rinse the bottles in boiling water afterwards which was more hassle for me. For the flight - just sterilize bottles before you go, but you'll probably find your baby will sleep through the flight!!
Don't think your baby will need jabs or malaria tablets, but check with your GP or nurse.
Go, and have a great time - your child's feet won't even touch the ground!

Ask you GP about immunisations. We took our children to Central America last year, and travelled round the country by bus with them. They were 5, 3 and 16 months. They needed typhoid, hep A and tetanus boosters, as well as the BCG. You can get the BCG at birth if you ask for it and I think you would probably be recommended it. If you are breastfeeding you will be passing on a lot of your own immunities, but I would think protecting against TB would be a good one as it is passed on int he air, not through water or anything.
Apply for a passport now, because it can take a couple of weeks to come through.
We didnt have to sterilise and you dont have to worry about solid food. I dont know if though there are any traditions locally about things to do with children - I know my friend in Central America had to fight local customs (just in their town, apparantly) of giving tiny babies slivers of sweets when they were first taken into a house as a welcome - so maybe you should talk that one over with your husband in case there are any local things which you might not like to do, so that you can prepare in advance for that.
A travel steriliser sounds like a really good idea. At least a teeny baby is easy to travel with - doesn't need entertained and I am sure if you are staying with family you will get plenty of help.

Let us know what happens, I'd love to hear about your trip (dh has been to Nepal back in 1989 just before I met him, and still raves about it, one day we will try to go as a family. He loved Kathmandu)

We flew to Singapore with a 6 month old last year and asked for a bassinet, (some airlines call them skycots). We had to hold dd for take off and landing and during any turbulance but it was a handy place to put her (and all our bits and pieces) for the rest of the flight. We paid 10% of the ticket price for it but the main advantage is that you get the bulkhead seats which have lots of leg room.

WRT the sterilising, this is a really ignorant question, I'm sorry, will your ILs have a microwave? Lindam do microwave steriliser bags that hold 2 bottles so would be plenty big enough for nipple shields etc.

I agree with chickibud about trying to fly direct if you can, don't know what the flights to Nepal are like though. Could you check out other airlines, or is Quatar the only option? I rang the airline direct to book dd's bassinet and to order the child's meal for ds. I also rang them back a couple of days before we left to confirm it all again. £400 is a lot to save - is Dhaka likely to be any worse than Doha to hang around in?

On the other hand, is there any reason why you have to go at the end of October? Could you leave it a few more weeks? You may be pushing it to get a passport for your dd by then anyway, and gp's often require several weeks notice for travel jabs if your dd will need them. I'd check the Nhs direct or a travel advice website for info on jabs, etc for your dd as she will be so tiny.

I wouldn't travel Biman Bangladseh if that is what you are suggesting. My experience on a couple of occasions was of delays, cancellations and missed connections which meant I got home 36 hours after I had planned to. This was a good few years back now, but i wouldn't be too surprised if its similar. If you are ever going to splash out a bit on an airfare do it when travelling with your babe - a direct flight with an airline that won't muck you about will mean you can focus on looking after your baby - thats enough to worry about when you are a new mum and feel that everyone is watching you! Maybe ask his family to help out financially if cost is a big concern??

Good luck, you will be fine!

by the way Dhaka airport wasn't too bad, but it is miserable when you are there for hours on end with no information. It is a small airport probably built in the 60's/70's - I somehow imagine Doha to be more modern than that. But the loo's might be similar?!

Dhaka airport was the worst stop over I've ever had (plane delayed 24 hours). That was 15 years ago though, so its probably changed quite a lot!

If you're bottle feeding make sure you allow for delays, sam with nappies.

When my dd goes on a plane its fantastic and easy. She goes in a basinet thing and sleeps non stop - something to do with the aircraft drone and the movement.

Have a great time. Will be very jealous - would love to go back to ktm.