Tips for holidaying abroad with 6 month old

[BringMeThatHorizon]

We're going to Italy tomorrow (city break not beach) and I'm working myself up into a real stress about it. Any useful tips on what to do/take/how to manage routine etc?

DS is 6 months (turning 7 months while we're there) and he's a terrible sleeper. Naps are 30 minutes max and overnight he's up every 2 hours still. We bought a Silver Cross POP to take instead of our big heavy pram. We've tried him in it a couple of times and although he seems happy enough, he looks really slumped down and like it would be uncomfortable for his back, so I'm worried about him being in it too much in the day and that his sleep might be worse than it is already. He will go in the sling but not for long stretches only if he's sleepy. If he's not ready for a nap he just screams until we take him out.

He's also got a cows milk allergy so both him and me are dairy free, and I'm also avoiding soya until we've gotten to the bottom of allergies. I love cheese and creamy pasta so am a bit gutted about this, but also worried things will get lost in translation and I'll end up with a poorly baby on top of everything else.

How do you keep baby's of this age entertained on a plane?! He just wants to be moving at the moment and screams (very loudly) if he's forced to stay in one place for any length of time. How on earth am I going to keep him sat on my lap for the whole time the seatbelt sign is on without everyone on the plane being deafened?!

We’re in the Algarve at the moment with our 5.5 month old. She’s FF so I can’t help with the allergy issues I’m afraid; we did Click and Collect at Boots for her formula to avoid it counting in luggage weight.

Re stroller we’ve been using our BJ City Mini GT, and have made a mini Sleepyhead type thing to help with naps - she likes to rub her nose against something when nodding off. See attached picture (you could achieve the same thing with a rolled up blanket maybe? Support for sitting up then reclined for napping?)

We took her Sleepyhead for night time so she’s had no issue with a different cot.

Routines have been tricky to stick to, but we’ve kept to the same food and milk times (early weaned due to reflux).

Naps, she only ever does exactly 32mins 4 x a day at home, but she’s surprised us this holiday by having the occasional hour long nap. All happen in stationary buggy as they do at home. What has changed is that all the swimming, fresh air and playing with Daddy has shortened her awake time right down to 1.5 hours max, so she’s been napping a lot more frequently. Bonus!

She is exactly the same as your LO re being still; she’s desperate to be on the move so we were dreading the flight. We kept her moving around in the buggy right up until boarding, then did a lot of ‘standing’ on our knees and carrying her up and down the aisles on the plane so she was fine. She didn’t sleep, but that’s only because she can’t sleep on people - she needs to be covered up and in darkness. That’s just her though; all of the other babies on the flight were lulled to sleep by the noise and motion.

Good luck - hope you have a lovely time!

Forgot picture!