International flight with baby

[Shazzer]

Hi All!
Just wanted to update this thread after our trip!

First off, the flight to and fro went really well with our little one (hurray! ). He was a model passenger (I'm sure to the delight of those who sat near us!) and proved to be an excellent traveller.

We reserved window seats both ways and I do highly recommend that compared to the middle block as there's a bit more privacy in your own little corner rather than having to share the row with other passengers.

We travelled Malaysian Airlines and the bassinet was just the right size at 72cm which was his exact length at that time but he fitted in alright. There's a safety harness that has to be zipped up at all times while the baby is inside but it was comfortable.

We took a morning flight and so Baby just went through his normal morning routine and had his morning and afternoon naps. Meal times I followed as usual. But he didn't sleep much after that and perhaps had about four hours of sleep before we landed in Singapore. Coming back was on a late night flight and that seemed easier as Baby slept for the most part of the journey.

Our little one occupied himself with some new toys I got him (I confess I bought him a toy cell-phone - the ones with blinking lights and lots of different dial tones and funky music as he had shown lots of interest in my mobile and had even made some calls himself... ) Other than that Daddy took him on his shoulders (Baby's favourite place) and walked around the plane.

We were loaded to the gills with diapers and baby food and all sorts of emergency food rations. MAS did have diapers and baby food as well.

A note on airport security concerning bringing fluids on board the plane. We transitted in Stockholm and then Zurich on the way back. Basically, no bottles of water allowed on board UNLESS it's for the baby. This means that water inside a baby bottle or sippy cup is allowed through. So, we just poured out the water from the bottles into Baby's travel cups. Surprisingly my thermos flask with hot water was allowed through! Zurich confiscated my baby wash as it was 200ml.

To save time and the hassle of having security rummage through your handluggage, just place all liquids (including toiletteries, medication etc) in one place or then in a clear plastic bag which you can pull out in one go.

BTW, if you ever are on transit in Zurich, they have the BEST baby facilities I've ever seen at an airport!!!! We were in Terminal/Gate E and the Nursery (next to the Business lounges upstairs) was just FANTASTIC! WOW! It was huge and divided into sections with a play area (slide, merry-go-round, rocking horses) lots of toys, books, pillows etc. Excellent changing facilities and even a kitchen with a dining table to have a proper meal!

Baby had some jetlag upon arrival in Singapore and was catching up on sleep the first few days but after that he was on a roll!!. All in all, we had a much needed holiday - a blast really! The little one saw lots of coconut trees, ate sand on the beach and went for lots of warm dips in the sea....... Thanks again for all the good tips and travel advice! We're raring to go for another trip!

[Xochiquetzal]

I'm glad your trip went well! You have such a good little man there that I am not too surprised he was a model passenger, though.

[RA]

Shazzer, wow you had a great trip didn't you?

Our trip (the travelling) was a bit aaarrrgh... from Kuopio to Helsinki we used the train and she developed a fever on the way and her nose began to run and then later on we noticed she was teething. She cried... no ... screamed practically all the way from Kuopio to Helsinki. We went to see a doctor when we got to Helsinki before we got onto the flight to Amsterdam then Nairobi. She was okay on the flights, thank god, she slept through both of them, but she was very tired then and it was a night flight. So, we didn't have to use the new toys we had for her on the flight and I saved them for the trip back. They didn't give us any hassle about her food or water on the flights. The flights were not full so she didn't have to sit on my lap on the flights and she had space to sleep. She wouldn't have fit into the bassinet.

Coming back was the nightmare. I was alone with her and all the flights were full all the way from Nairobi to Kuopio so I had to carry her all the way. She slept from Nairobi to Amsterdam but in my lap so I was pretty tired. But she was fine so that was okay. The airline staff helped me to check in and to carry out stuff so that was great. Only when we got to Finland did I realise we were back to the DIY land. I had all our luggage...alot.. 14 kgs overweight.. on a trolley, N in a sling and pulling her stroller 'coz the young lady decided at that precise moment, that Mamma should carry her and not push her in her stroller. At the check-in, the lady just sat there behind the counter and watched me try to put my suitcases in for weighing. There were plenty of young men in the line behind me, but each one looked the other way when I decided to try and look for someone to help... an old lady (probably over 60) who was checking in at a different airline came to help me, bless her. Anyway, I got my luggage through, but the lady at the counter said that I couldn't take my stoller to the gate and when I asked why, she said she could see I have a sling so you can manage quite well. I was so I told her I'd travelled alone with my baby for 14 hours and carried her almost the whole way and if I couldn't take the stroller upto the gate then since she was so cheerful and full of energy I'd like her to carry my baby up to the gate! She let me take the stroller It was a nice welcome back home

Moral of my trip: never travel alone with a 1 and a half year old and if you have to, make sure s/he has his/her own seat.

[Shazzer]

RA!!! Welcome back!!!

Even under the best of conditions, taking a longhaul flight with a baby/toddler is quite a stretch, so I can only imagine it must have been quite a challenging episode... Well done dear...... HUGS!

Motherhood is a bit like driving for the first time, isn't it? It's exciting, nerve racking, you cruise a little, stall a whole lot more, there's always surprising twists and turns to take, oh and of course back seat drivers And little by little our measure of confidence increases and we are less in a state of blind panic (or at least we learn to look less like a deer caught in the headlights)

At least that's how I feel each time I take on a new experience with our little one. Mummy is also taking baby steps

But I bet the trip was totally worth it wasn't it?! As I recall, you mentioned something about visiting Tanzania as well. I'm sure N must have enjoyed being around the doting gramps, aunts, uncs and cousins! It must have been lovely to be back in Kenya.

Thanks for the tips from your trip! Good to know what to prepare when travelling with a toddler. Have a good rest and hope to see you next time you're down in Helsinki.

We're flying again soon - this time to Norway for a short vacation to meet the family next week.

[sahboo]

Motherhood is a bit like driving for the first time, isn't it? It's exciting, nerve racking, you cruise a little, stall a whole lot more, there's always surprising twists and turns to take, oh and of course back seat drivers And little by little our measure of confidence increases and we are less in a state of blind panic (or at least we learn to look less like a deer caught in the headlights)

At least that's how I feel each time I take on a new experience with our little one. Mummy is also taking baby steps

oh so true!!!...couldnt have said it better myself..

[Shazzer]

Hi, just wanted to double check. Are fruits/veg considered as plants in the strict sense of what comes under forbidden items to bring across borders? Generally, I've always gone through customs with the odd apple or banana with no problems but I've a nagging feeling that all fruits should be discarded before entering the country?

Thanks!

[Rosamunda]

The only place I have ever been to that confiscated fruit and veg was Australia. We took apples to N.Africa a couple of weeks ago and brought back fresh dates and nuts through France to Finland. No problems.

[Shazzer]

The only place I have ever been to that confiscated fruit and veg was Australia. We took apples to N.Africa a couple of weeks ago and brought back fresh dates and nuts through France to Finland. No problems.

Oh yes, Australia has been the strictest so far. The woman in front of me had her entire stash of foodstuff thrown into the bin - no questions asked!

I suppose I'll be quite safe bringing them along to Norway?

[Wheely]

The Sydney Airport customs is a real sight at times. I once saw a chinese lady who was trying to bring in some dried fish under her clothes ... you can see all kinds of things there. I have to admit I once did a naughty trick taking something in the country but I did know it was harmless but also that they would have stopped me otherwise ... But the best one I heard was an Indian lady who managed to smuggle a live chicken on board from Bombay to Dubai ... well ... until the chicken escaped during take off!

But back to the point - that is I wanted to ask a question.

What have you done about baby food when traveling?

I am quite fussy about my daughter's food and since we have some trips ahead I do not know what to do. Do I take a whole lot of jars with me or do I trust the local baby food? And as for hotels ... it may be an idea at least for beach holidays to have a place with own kitchen facilities? We are traveling soon to Estonia and Spain so I would be interested to hear about at least these two countries.

Marianne

[Rosamunda]

I think you'll find you can buy baby food in both Estonia and Spain. All babyfoods must meet strict EU requirements (they are ALL pretty much organic) so your choice whether you fill your suitcases with them when you leave Finland or whether you dive into the nearest Carrefour supermarket in Spain or Stockmann in Estonia when you get there (where they probably cost less than in Finland anyway). Ever heard of globalisation If you think your baby can't survive for more than a week without home-made soups then yes, I suggest you go for a self-catering option. But then -IMO- it isn't so much of a holiday.....

[Shazzer]

I am quite fussy about my daughter's food and since we have some trips ahead I do not know what to do. Do I take a whole lot of jars with me or do I trust the local baby food? And as for hotels ... it may be an idea at least for beach holidays to have a place with own kitchen facilities? We are traveling soon to Estonia and Spain so I would be interested to hear about at least these two countries.

Marianne

I think a lot depends on how long you'll be away for. If it's just a couple of days, then I might use the commercial jar foods. I'd suggest bringing enough jar food from home to last while giving you time to shop around to find what's on offer at the local supermarkets.

And of course it also depends where you'll be heading. I think you might find quite similar selections in Estonia and Spain. Unlike in Spore and Malaysia where commercial baby jar food is not the preferred choice, the selection was very poor and most of the brands they carried had added sugar and other ingredients I wasn't too happy to introduce to baby at that point.

The other option is making baby food from scratch and I would then suggest bringing along a small slow cooker/crock pot. Do you have one? The smallest sized one is tiny enough to fit into your hand luggage and makes two portions. We actually brought that with us when we stayed at a beach resort in Malaysia. It was extremely useful! If you set the temperature to high, the porridge/stew would be ready in 4 hours and the best thing is that you can leave it in the room to simmer without having to worry that it dries up or gets burnt. Just chuck in your ingredients and you'll have a warm, ready meal when you get back.

So, if you think you'd have more peace of mind and enjoy the holiday more, then lug the little pot with you! I actually also went to the hotel kitchen and asked if they could help me cook my baby's food - ingredients all washed, cut and measured for them. They were so obliging and we got a lovely, well-cooked meal for Baby from the hotel kitchen! So try that if all fails - hotels do pride themselves in going in the extra mile.

Good luck and tell us how you managed with baby's food away from home. Have a good holiday!

[scoobymcdoo]

It also depends on what age your baby is going to be when you travel. If you can introduce her to finger foods before you go then excellent, she can just eat what you eat mushed up a bit if needed. Take a few emergency jars just incase. It will be an excellent opportunity for your baby to try new foods that they may never try at home. A few days of 'unusual' foods is not going to be a big problem.
Get her used to bananas as well as they are a fab easy meal if needed.
For me, a holiday does not include cooking.

Hannah...40 flights with Sophie, 13 countries and numerous international ferries in 2 years.

[Shazzer]

Hi, we just came back from our trip to Eastern Finland on Finnair. It's a domestic flight I know but didn't want to start a new thread so will just tag it on here.

Funny though, the flight attendant didn't allow me to breastfeed our 13 month old during takeoff eventhough he was strapped in securely with me. I explained that it was to ease with the cabin pressure on child's ears but she insisted it was Finnair's policy that no breastfeeding allowed during takeoff and landing. This was news to me. Anyhow, all went well and eventhough I had some popping in my ears, the little kiddo seemed fine and was busy peering out the window. Anyone with a similar experience? Come to think of it, this is our first flight on Finnair with baby if I'm not mistaken.

[Wheely]

Hi,

That was the strangest thing I have ever heard.

I flew Finnair from Spain to Finland and breastfed during both take-off and landing. No such comments were made.

I would contact the airline itself and enquire about this and possibly ... make a complaint!

Marianne

[RA]

We've flown with Finnair when N was a baby and I breastfed her during take-off and landing. No problems there and no one forbade it. Shazzer, can you call the airline and ask them about it? That's a very strange policy, especially since this country is quite positive about breastfeeding. I don't even understand why they would have such a policy. Lots of questionmarks here.