Flight with a 7 month old - advice please

[SkyeBorne]

Hello,

We are planning to visit family in the BVI next year when our baby will be 7 months old. My partner and I both love travelling and looking forward to our LO joining us for the first time.

I am after some advice please. It’s a long flight for a first holiday and if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s to visit LO’s grandparents. I would choose somewhere nearer for a first go!

It’s a flight to Antigua, then a hopover flight to Tortola. The only fear I really have is if LO cries the entire flight it would hurt my heart but also upset a lot of passengers!

Any tips with a baby on the plane? She is EBF so I’m hoping the boob will help her with ears on takeoff and landing.

The return flight includes a 7 hour daytime layover. Does anyone know if you can book hotel rooms for the day? I’m thinking this would be a good idea to have a proper sit and lay down with little one.

Thanks for any tips and advice in advance!!

I had to fly with a 2 month old (to visit dying relative).

My top tip would be to stay calm and relaxed. My little one was EBF too and was absolutely fine. When I got up to get off the flight some people around me expressed surprise at seeing him as he had been so quiet and chilled throughout they didn’t know he was there.

A few tips

• If possible book a bassinet seat which means baby can lie in bassinet/baby seat on the flight. So you can out them down for some of the flight
• Take a sling/carrier. Useful to carrying baby off plane as often the pushchair is not at the gate but at baggage reclaim. It's also useful for carrying baby around the plane and having your hands free during the flight
• Is it a day or night flight? On night flight I took babies sleeping bag and pjs to keep a bedtime routine. My twins both slept for over 8 hours a recent night flight
• Yes feed for take off to help with ears
• Make sure you have calpol with you in hand luggage incase of any ear pain or anything else.
• As she will be 7 months and starting to wean I tend to order some baby food pouches from boots to collect in the airport to take on board.
• Take a change of clothes for you as well as baby. On a rough landing one one of my DDs got travel sick 😫. Also take extra nappies in case of any delays.

As PP mine have all been fairly good on flights (minus the sickness). And actually the movement and white noise tend to soothe them.