Long haul flight and international travel with baby

[helvetica01]

My husband and I are considering taking our baby on a holiday to east Asia when she's a bit older. We were thinking when she's 18 months, but someone's said it's easier when they're younger, like

At various points have travelled long haul with my 3 kids aged at various points 4 months, 6 months, 9 months, 14, 16, 17 and 18 months. If breastfeeding, younger is a million times easier. Secure food source - little need to worry about baby’s food hygiene. Also when younger, less mobile - so not crawling/toddling to touch all manner of dangerous things and also more sleepy so easier for grown ups to ‘do’ or ‘see’ stuff whilst baby naps in sling and much lighter to sling a small baby than toddler (prams rubbish in more off the beaten track places). Also, for any plane journey, breastfeeding on take off and landing helps equalise ear pressure so no screaming from that and also smaller babies fit the bulkhead cribs but at 18 months you either buy them a seat or have to entertain a wriggly toddler for 13 hours on your lap! Basically - take the baby, not the toddler if you want to see anything and enjoy it (unless you have a very unsettled colicky only in which case maybe not)!!!!

PS mine are now 5, 10 & 13 years so also check more up to date responses for bulkhead cots etc

@helvetica01 thanks for this! So the baby is 3 months now and is not the easiest... the colic is strong with this one, and she cries easily when hot, cold, tired, excited, etc.

She's showing signs of improvement though, so perhaps we ought to take her at 12 months (spring) rather than 18 months (autumn). Anything before 12 is not feasible as it's winter and too cold, and same for in between as it's summer and too hot!

Maybe 12 months is just as tricky as 18 though, given she will be sort of walking, weaned, and pretty heavy too?