Short haul flight with newborn

[lmev]

Hi all,

FTM here. We're planning on joining DH's family on a week's holiday at a private villa in south of France 9 weeks after our due date. Feel it's too far to drive, so we're looking at flying but I can't work out how to easily do this while also taking everything we'll need with us (car seat? Uppababy Cruz with carrycot for sleeping? etc) What options are there if we left our carrycot/buggy at home - there's a travel cot at the villa, but presumably we'd need somewhere to 'put' DD during daytime naps? Lots of questions, sorry! Has anyone done something similar in the past or have any ideas of how to minimise complications? Has anyone flown with their carrycot/buggy?

Thanks so much!

I am also planning to fly with a newborn but so far no practical experience.

From what I researched you can take stroller free of charge and one more item (car seat).

Then you can pay for extra items which for Ryan air is about 10 pounds so it is not worthy buying items at destination.

What I am planning to take- stroller and car seat as free items
pay for my bedside crib- I am getting Chicco next to me which is foldable and comes with travel cover, can be used for overnight sleeping and also moved around for daytime. Baby will be familiar with it as she will be sleeping it is at home also.

What I still need to find out whether I can take stroller + seat= folds in 1 piece and also carrycot and if it will count as 1 item or 2 items.

I dont neccesarily need carrycot as the seat is newborn suitable but would be nice to have.

Other thing to think about is that people say the stollers can get damaged in the holds and manipulation so many are choosing to take cheap buggies as travel stroller, that might not work for newborn. ALso some travel cover to protect from dirt.

I think that the main thing you need to look into is the baby's passport. If you're two weeks late and have a short hospital stay you might struggle to get the baby registered and get a passport in time.

Leave the buggy at home. Use a sling if you have one.

Leave everything else at home. The villa has a travel cot. Use that.

I've flown to Australia twice with DD when she was under 1 year old and only took a sling to carry her in.

Why burden yourself?

Enjoy your break.

We went to Italy when DS was 4 months. Took the buggy and car seat "free", then put the carrycot (it was a hard-sided one) in a large holdall as another piece of luggage, filled with light things like nappies and muslins. We also bought a pop-up bassinette with an inflatable mattress, which all folded down into a little bag about 20cm square, so easy to pop in a suitcase.
Take a sling regardless, as you don't always get the buggy back until the luggage carousel, and you can always use the buggy like a trolley of sorts if you have baby tied to you.

Passport is the key thing though!

We took the car seat and buggy for free (Ryanair I think) and used a travel cot at the destination. As the uppababy vista is safe for night time sleeping you could use that for daytime naps?

It's actually much easier logistically and practically travelling with a newborn than with an older baby, especially if you're breastfeeding.

I'd also look into something in case your baby suffers with their ears 'popping' on take off/ landing. I've been on flights and heard babies who are obviously in pain from it and it's heartbreaking! I know how painful I find it sometimes, and I understand what's going on so would hate to put my baby through it with no way to relieve the pain.

Sucking is meant to help, so a carefully timed dummy or feed (well, as much as you can time a feed with a newborn!) may work.

I know it won't affect all babies, but thought I'd mention it as something else to consider.

I;ve flown several times with small babies, from 3 weeks upwards. Remember at that stage babies can sleep anywhere, in a pillow nest on a couch, on your bed with pillows around the edge, even on one occasion in a bath lined with duvets!
I'd fly with the full buggy if possible, check with the airline. And remember that its at that stage they are at their most portable, you'll be fine.