Travelling abroad with a 4 months old baby

[June2009]

Hi there,

We're planning to go away for a couple of weeks in October (thinking Cyprus) and I'm trying to get my head round what to bring and how we're going to do stuff like sterilising her bottles etc.
Also whether we should book the baby a seat and bring our car seat with us or notpay for a seat and have her on our knees for the trip.
This will be her first flight and it's around 4:30 long.

So here we are, I'm after some advice and tips please

Hi,
I travelled to Cyprus when DS1 (now 16) was 4 months old. All my other children (have 4 now) have always travelled from a very early age and DS2 aged 6 months travelled to Malaysia when he was 4 months.

Ref sterilising bottles, I used to take the tablets you get in strips (from mothercare or most big supermarkets) for use in cold water. Saves worrying about taking too much stuff. If you are self catering and have a kitchen you should have a large bowl you can use (takes a minimum of about 30 mins to sterilise) but even if in a hotel you can do them in the bathroom sink.

Don't pay for a seat for LO. Its a waste of money. Depending on who you are flying with book a skycot/bassinet as with an infant (under 2 years) you should get the bulkhead row so extra space/legroom and the skycot if they have them. Even if they don't have skycots/bassinets, its a really short flight and you can manage. If you are planning on driving a lot wherever you are going then maybe think about taking a car seat.

Ref her sleeping, maybe think about getting a small travelcot. I got a really good samsonite pop up travel cot which is perfect up to around 6 months. It fits into a really small bag which you could easily take hand luggage so you can lay her down at the airport.

Good luck x

Hi! Can't help but just wanted to say - we are going to tenerife in september with DD1 who will be 20months and DD2 who will be 5 months! We havn't paid for either of them to have a seat and its a similar length flight. We are going with family though so should be able to get help when needed. BUT I don't think a 4 month old will be any problem flying. I am far more worried about how my toddler will react than my 5 month old. I think its early enough for them to be pretty easy.

thanks for your messages, mumoverseas did you have the pop up bubble which is 3kg/6pounds or the smaller one (delux) which is 1kg/2pounds?
We saw them in the shop when we bought our travel cot but they were much more expensive in the shop than I just saw them online for. They sound perfect actually so thanks for that.
I'll have a look into the sterilising strips, sounds ideal too.

jenny we have friends there but we're still going to stay in a hotel and do quite a bit of driving so we'll need a seat too which is why I'm wondering maybe we could pay for the seat one way only or somehting and leave the car seat there. (there is a car we can borrow there so we wouldnt be renting one out.)

Are they still funny about liquid at the airport? Not sure what will happen with formula milk?? We usually have a prepared bottle in a thermos or boiled water in a thermos to make up a feed :S
Maybe we can take these premade sealed milk cartons for the trip. I can see this being a nightmare with hand luggage, I think we need a private jet ;)

Book accommodation with a cot so you don't need to take one yourselves. Agree not worth booking a seat for the baby: at that age, she;ll prob sleep for much of the trip, especially if you go in the evening.

Make sure you get travel insurance for the trip and do you have a passport for your dd already? If not, worth already applying now so you're not in a rush at the end.

June, not sure which one we have but it is very light. Will go and dig it out later, just off out shopping now. To be honest, I was about to ebay it so if you are local (I'm in West Sussex) maybe you would like it? It was used once! I'm terrible for buying things and never using them. Also bought a travel cot which I never used

Airport security are still very anal about liquids. Ref premade sealed cartons, you can't take them through security as the idiots make you open them and test them. You can however buy them airside in Boots and it may be an idea to phone ahead and order some to be put aside.
I recently purchased a brilliant powder holder in mothercare. It has 3 sections which are large enough to hold enough for a feed so I take that filled up with enough for 3 feeds and an empty bottle and then one bottle of made up milk (which they will make you taste) It is easy enough to get boiled water when you get airside or if not, I've used mineral water which is ok.

You will be fine. Good time to go at 4 months just before you get weaning established.

Let me know if you are interested in samsonite travel cot

do it asap before she is any bigger

she will be fine on your lap - she can swap between you and dh to give each of you a break

take lots of clothes for her and a clean top or two for you in yr hand luggage as she will sick / poo / dribble milk on you during the flight

we went away when dd was still small enough to sleep in the carrycot, so packed that in a holdall with all our clothes in it (iyswim) and sent it as hold luggage - you could do the same with a moses basket. We also checked in the wheels the carrycot fitted on so we coul duse it as apram when we got there iyswim.

If she is too big for that most hotels will have travel cots if you let them know in advance.

No help re sterilising though, dd was bf.

ANd if you have a sling def use it round the airport after you've checked the buggy.

(NB you have ages before weaning need be an issue, guidelines are 6m now)

Another suggestion for sterilising. You can buy microwave sterilising bottle bags. (only useful if you have a microwave in your apartment of course )
They can be used up to 20 times I think so you would need a few. They're very cheap and in the jojomaman catalogue so you would get 10% off and free delivery using the mumsnet discount code.
We used them in Spain when DS was 5 months and it saved a lot of faffing around. HTH
Have a great holiday.

we toos ds to ibiza in June when he was 12 weeks old, but was bf but did have ebm from a bottle, and I just used to boil the bottle in hot water for 5 mins, but those microwave bags are great.

He spend the entire holiday in nappies during the day, and sleep suits with no feet during the night with his gro bag as we had air con and room was nice and cool.

Plane was fine he just sat on my knee and fed on breast for take off to stop ears hurting. journey was only 2 half hours though.

we hired a cot over there and it came with lovely clean laundry
Enjoy x

Thank you for your messages,

Microwave bags sound good to me too.

Baby does not like the baba sling (yet? I keep trying every now and then, hoping...)
I'm tempted to buy a baby bjorn...maybe we can go and try one at babiesrus.mothercare

mumoverseas I think dh has already ordered the samsonite cot! (no messing around ;)

jk we applied for the passport yesterday as it goes, thanks i had not thought of the insurance...

I'm slowly putting a list together

right, well we have booked everything now so ...got my list:

• samsonite travel cot (& dummies & bedding)
• changing bag (mat/wipes/baby oil)
• nappies
• bottles & formula
• cleaning brush
• sterilising tablets and microwave bags
• closer to nature tomee tippee bottle steriliser
• bumbo seat
• pram (car seat and frame)
• Passport
• baby clothes

Is there anything obviously missing?

I'm half considering bringing one of them foamy pads that you stick in the sink for baths.

You can buy sterilising bags. Plastic bag with tablet in it for cold water. Come in boxes of 7 for your week away. I think they are by a company called oasis but you can get them in bigger boots or ebay.

If you're taking the sterilising tablets and microwave bags why are you taking the Tommy Tippee Steriliser as well?

I's also leave the Bumbo at home - takes up far too much room.

leave the bumbo

if you have a microwave then leave the steriliser and use the bags

sunhat
suncream
towel or mat to put her down on
rattly toys
insect repellent (dab on a muslin and tie to cot / pram)
shadey thing for pram
travel wash or green soap for emergency laundry when she's pooed on all her clothes

Hi,

following this thread with interest as we're off on our first family holiday next week with our 13 week old son.

Just one thing I noticed you might need is that European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) - although you probably don't need it if you do go to Cyprus. You can do it all online - took literally 5 minutes to do and the cards get sent to you within a matter of days.

Here's the link:
www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

Thanks for that link, I was not aware of it.

Well we're back from a week in france and after buying sterilising tablets, tommee tippee single bottle steriliser, steriliser bags for cold water, microwave steriliser a travel kettle that plugs in the car etc bags and other bits and bobs we realised we could just bring our own steam steriliser and kettle with us. It took less space and all it needs is a plug, which all hotel rooms have!

i took a small flask and a bouncy chair.
We were able to stay on the beach all day as i could make up bottles with boiled water and DS1 sat there as happy as larry just bouncing... I could have sold his bouncy chair and covered the cost of my hols. Put him under a shade and he was fine all day.
Took his nappies off and washed the chair thoroughly every day. It was one of the really thin ones with a solid wire frame that came in 4 bits,so i could put it in the suitcase.
Had a really restful holiday

thanks alypaly, thinking of taking the bouncy chair as well now...

Do you know wether I can make a feed with mineral water directly or do I need to boil it first?

just called boot sin T5 and they said they store aptamil and infacol.

You can use the EHIC card if you go to Cyprus (but it is NOT valid in the northern part of Cyprus).

I would also be seriously looking at getting some travel and healthcare insurance from an insurance company.

aah thanks, I completely forgot about this card
(and yes we've sorted out the insurance).

also realised that Ive not thought much about the way back and really not sure wether larnaca airport has any kind of baby food.

Hi

I have found this site so interesting after reading everyones blogs, its so helpful.

im travelling alone with my new born to see my family abroad, and i was confused as to what to bring? as i always forget something when its just me! but now i have my bundle of joy to think about.

My friend told me about this company called traveltotsuk.com they were amazing, very effective and knowledgeable, and best of all i had to contact the manager because Lillie is allergy to wheat so we needed allegry milk, & this was not on the site & she added it to my parcel asap!

She was amazing (kim) and a private maternity nurse to boot! so i got free advice as well as having all lillie's basic needs direct to south africa on the day i landed! it was in my hotel room waiting for me! i was so happy and releaved after stressing it wouldnt get there!

I enjoyed my holiday thanks to this wonderful site, travelling alone was scary as my husband couldnt come with us but i had eveything i needed waiting for me, it was brilliant.

I would recommend to everyine on here!!!

Think ill be taking more holidays in the future lol

Have a look at the site, if it helped me it can help you:

www.traveltotsuk.com

Timberley x

You can use bottle water but not any mineral water, you have to be carefull. Evian is fine for babies and is widely available. Otherwise asked the local what they are using.
You put it directely in sterilised bottles no need to boiled it. Unless you use the same bottle for yourself and drink directly from the bottle. Don't leave it open too long too, 1 or 2 days max.