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Travelling abroad with a 6 month old ADVICE

12 replies

acra95 · 27/08/2025 22:01

We’re hoping to take our baby abroad for a friend’s wedding in November. She’ll be 6 months.

were just looking for your top tips for taking a baby abroad/on a plane for the first time.

also any useful suggestions on what to do for a car seat? E.g. if we book a taxi transfer from the airport to our hotel how do we go about arranging a car seat? Or do we just take one with us? What’s peoples advice on this?

OP posts:
samarrange · 27/08/2025 22:19

It's simplest to take your own baby seat. It's free on every airline. They will take if off you at the door of the plane and give it you back at the foot of the steps. Plus then you have it for any other trips you might make during your stay.

At Palma the taxi drivers have a big cupboard full of seats, and if you reserve online there is usually space on the form to specify the age of the children, but there is many a slip etc.

Surroundyourselfwiththerightpeople · 27/08/2025 22:21

calpol sachets in hand luggage and if you’re not exclusive breast feeding extra bottles/food just in case!

Surroundyourselfwiththerightpeople · 27/08/2025 22:21

Some airlines let you book a travel cot.

acra95 · 27/08/2025 23:18

samarrange · 27/08/2025 22:19

It's simplest to take your own baby seat. It's free on every airline. They will take if off you at the door of the plane and give it you back at the foot of the steps. Plus then you have it for any other trips you might make during your stay.

At Palma the taxi drivers have a big cupboard full of seats, and if you reserve online there is usually space on the form to specify the age of the children, but there is many a slip etc.

Edited

I might be being a bit stupid here but would recommend like a specific seat for this kind of travel? My car seat is a maxi cosi pebble, which feels a bit bulky for air travel?

it does attach onto my pram wheels (instead of the carry cot). Do you think that would be suitable? Or do you recommend any alternatives?

thank you ☺️

OP posts:
theDudesmummy · 27/08/2025 23:25

Take a ring sling. (Obv plus car seat for the plane).

Morecoffeethanks · 27/08/2025 23:40

You can get travel bags for your car seat and you can pad it out with clothes and nappies to give your car seat a bit of extra protection.
I always wore my babies through the airport when they were little, if you have a sling that’s not too padded they often won’t ask you to remove the baby for the security bit (my youngest has just turned two so semi recent experience).
You can take any liquids you need through security for bottles and calpol etc they will just test it at security.
I also always take spare clothes in hand luggage for me as well as the baby because it’s very likely any messes the baby makes will end up on both of us.
We never take much stuff for entertainment and never have take much I wouldn’t recommend getting sucked into spending money on special toys for the plane the baby will be more interested in what’s going on around them anyway.

Hulp13duyu1 · 28/08/2025 01:12

Your car seat gets checked in with suitcases, no need to schlep it through the airport. You don't need it in the cabin, baby will be on your lap. Or just hire with private transfer

Travel buggy through the airport, preferably lie flat for naps at destination. Give this up at the airplane steps.

Sling for landing, buggies often arrive with rest of baggage reclaim so you'll be carrying little one

Breastfeed or bottle for landing.

Few new little toys, fidget spinners with suction for plane window, favourite little blanket or whatever

SheSpeaks · 28/08/2025 01:19

Take your baby carrier/sling with you and either hire a car seat when there or take they with you. They will be most useful for all the travel as well as the most serviceable items when you are there. Check your airline as to what they include for the baby. I always just have them with me on the plane but you can get seats for them if you want or the cot thing, but I’ve only even done up to about 6 hours with them on my knee so no long hauls. Depends where you are going! I’ve never actually checked a bag into the hold thinking about it always just hand luggage so I’m not sure how the car seat travels but you can get special storage bags that protect them for travel.

Btowngirl · 28/08/2025 01:52

Take car seat to check in, they’ll tag it & you drop it off to the oversized baggage check in. Get it back with your cases. Maxi cosi pebble is fine, obv without the isofix base & attach with a seatbelt in the cab. We just took our pebble to Canada no problems!

Do an online order to boots in the departures terminal for any nappies/wipes/toiletries if you’re only taking hand luggage or are strapped for space in the suitcase. Anything you order just goes on the plane with you as duty free then.

If using bottles, Milton cold water steriliser tabs and a big tupperwear to sterilise in your hotel room. Small washing up liquid & bottle brush to clean your bottles. I’m BF dd2 and still like to take Milton for any toys/dummies etc.

If formula fed take a few ready made bottles for the flight, much easier. Can take liquids through the airport for baby.

Use family check in lines at security etc. Don’t board the plane early (it’s offered as a benefit for families but in my experience, it’s not beneficial to be on there longer)

Take a sling. Lots of airlines don’t let even cabin approved travel prams on board now as loads of people have them so it’s a lot of overhead space taken up. Due to this I don’t think it’s worth buying a travel pram if you haven’t already got one. Plus the big pram baskets are a godsend for lugging everything around to the pools/beach.

Mini pram fan for while you’re there to keep baby comfortable in the heat.

Take loads of snacks. Both for the plane and while you’re there, although depends on how close to 6m your baby is as to whether they’re weaned/weaning.

Just in case, take a couple of calpol sachets in the change bag (obv in your suitcase too for the trip).

Mainly, don’t stress. We have flown a lot with our DD’s (3 and 9m) and have only ever had people be super friendly and engaging with them.

RabbitsEatPancakes · 28/08/2025 02:24

Wouldn't ever trust hire car seat. Always take our own- get a travel bag for it and pad it out with nappies and beach towels etc. Pebble is perfect, take the adapters for your pram and you can easily cab about at destination if needed.

6 months is honestly easy for a flight. They're old enough to entertain but young enough that you don't need to worry about meals or them trying to run around the plane.

We always took a blanket at that age and let them have a good crawl around before they get on the plane.
And we always booked the extra seat- sometimes it was cheaper when you include the luggage.

samarrange · 28/08/2025 20:48

acra95 · 27/08/2025 23:18

I might be being a bit stupid here but would recommend like a specific seat for this kind of travel? My car seat is a maxi cosi pebble, which feels a bit bulky for air travel?

it does attach onto my pram wheels (instead of the carry cot). Do you think that would be suitable? Or do you recommend any alternatives?

thank you ☺️

I meant just take your main one. You're familiar with all the clips. Plus it's designed to protect your baby when your gets hit by a truck, so it's solid enough to go in the hold, especially the special hold with the other baby stuff.

Assssofspades · 28/08/2025 20:56

Order things online you may need from Boots to the one past security (formula, baby food, personal care stuff...whatever)

Never had an issue with either of my two travelling, usually fell asleep under two then over two were just excited to be on a plane. Not a fan of tablets for kids but think it's a useful time to have it, for after the fun of colouring etc has disappeared.

They let you take the buggy all the way to the gate or plane steps (definitely don't take a bulky, expensive pram)

Cheaper car seat that you can check in for free near where you check in suitcases, don't use your usual one, it will likely get bashed.

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