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Original poster

Going on holiday for the first time with baby!

8 replies

Amberc · 14/09/2008 14:36

Hi all,

We are taking our 3 month old baby to Cyprus for a week and we are pretty nervous. It's a 4.5 hour plane journey for a start! Has anyone got any good tips and does anyone know about taking formula through departures. Also worried about making up formula with tap water/bottled water as I don't know about the mineral content babies can/cannot have. Please help!!

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YumeeMumee · 14/09/2008 15:03

Make sure you have a drink to hand for baby when taking off or landing so that their ears can deal with the pressure change and take a bag of small toys/books and bring them out one at a time but hopefully s/he will be exhausted by all the excitement of the airport etc that they'll be sleepy on the plane!

Re: bottled water...you'll need to look for low sodium varieties and avoid those with a high mineral content - Evian or Volvic [I believe] are ok and we usually go for Evian abroad. Can you take ready-made cartons? The DoH recommend this or to use boiled but cooled bottled water.

Check that the sodium level is less than 20mg a litre, and I believe that it is best to avoid using bottled water that is labelled as 'natural mineral' water, or 'spring water'. Before using bottled water, make sure that the tamper-proof seal is intact! Ideally, get bottled water that is produced by a recognised international manufacturer eg Evian. Most of these manufacturers will include an EU safety mark on their label, or a mark to confirm that they belong to the International Bottled Water Association. www.babyworld.co.uk/information/baby/safety/summer_safety_q&a.asp#the_go

Not sure about taking formula through departures - we took ready-made cartons and was made to taste it but that was over a year ago. Prob best to check with your airport.

Also, have you all got your EHIC card?? Including baby?!

Have a great hol!!

PictureThis · 14/09/2008 15:03

Hi, you can buy ready made formula airside at the airport. If you choose to carry some through security then you will have to taste it which means you will have to use it within an hour of opening it.
Feed your baby on take off and landing (helps to regulate ear pressure).
You can use bottled water to make feeds just make sure the levels of sodium are less than 20mg/litre, ideally less than 10mg/litre. Obviously boil the water as you would as home. hope this helps

Original poster

Amberc · 14/09/2008 15:06

What is an EHIC card?!!

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YumeeMumee · 14/09/2008 15:23

European Health Insurance Card - it's free

www.nhs.uk/ehic/pages/about.aspx

Everyone who is resident in the UK can apply for a card and it's valid for up to five years.

Presenting the EHIC entitles you to treatment that may become necessary during your trip, but doesn't allow you to go abroad specifically to receive medical care and it's NOT an alternative to getting proper travel insurance.

giantkatestacks · 14/09/2008 16:46

I would try and get her used to sitting on your lap facing outwards for the take-off and landings - ours doesnt like it at all and so went mad when strapped to me with the lap belt. a really small thing but something i hadnt considered before the flight.

angel1976 · 15/09/2008 05:26

My DS has done 3 plane journeys so far (12.5 hours each!) and to different time zones and he's only 6.5 months. He did his first flight at 4 months. My advice to you is:

It's only 4.5 hours of your life, it's not a big deal if he does cry through most of it (he won't most likely, my DS slept pretty much most of the first flight, he was more difficult travelling at 6.5 months!). Just keep telling yourself that!

The air pressure thing might not affect your LO. I wanted so badly to time his feed to coincide with the take off but mis-timed it as the plane sat on the runway for ages the first time (I bottlefeed). And it didn't affect him and I didn't bother this time and he was fine.

So far there's been good advice about formula! If you can, take a travel kettle with you and as long as you boil any water you use, you should be fine. What I did was I took powder formula with me in little milk powder containers and no problems going through customs. Don't take those ready made cartons, you have to taste it or throw away. The plane should be able to give you hot water (Check with the airways). If you check in milk powder (for use on holiday), you will have no problem. I was worried Boots might run out of the formula I use so didn't want to reply on it but they were really well stocked to be fair!

At three months, your LO will be sleeping loads so you should have little problems! Good luck and enjoy...

Original poster

Amberc · 15/09/2008 08:58

Thanks ladies my LO does not sleep loads and is a screamer but hey ho - not much I can do about that. It's a night flight so maybe he will sleep after all. Let's hope so!!

OP posts:

debinaustria · 16/09/2008 21:18

HI Amber - thought I'd have a read because we'll be flying back to the UK in a couple of weeks so good advice about sitting on lap facing forwards. Ethan likes to do that on me as his head is cushioned on either side by boobs!! but he's usually looking at something - I'll take his mirror toy - then he can look at himself. He noticed "that other baby" in the mirror today for the first time and was really laughing at himself. Hope you have a lovely time in Cyprus.

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