April 02, 2012
Traveling With a Newborn
Many adoptions require traveling — very often, adoptive families are matched with birth families outside of their own state, even their own country. While there’s nothing wrong with traveling, this means facing the hurdle of traveling with a newborn, a big “first” for any new parent. So what are some ways you can make this easier on yourself?
1. Get yourself a sling carrier — This allows you to keep your baby close to you and gives you mobility in a variety of positions. It definitely helps to have two hands while traveling!
2. Book the best seat — Aisle seats are ideal when traveling with a newborn. You may have to get up to walk around with the baby if they’re crying, and it helps to be able to move around — this is soothing to them. You don’t want to have to deal with crawling all over people if you have to get up quickly.
3. Liquids for babies — There are a lot of rules about liquids on plans these days, and it is definitely within your best interest to check in with your airline and ensure that you know exactly what and how much you can bring on the flight for your newborn. You don’t want to have to discard anything at security, but you also want to make sure you have everything you need to get you through the flight!
4. Bring a note — Many airlines require that you have a note from the hospital if your child is less than 14 days old. Check in with your airline to see if this is something you need, and make sure to get this from the hospital before you head to airport.
5. Let your baby sleep — Some advise that you wake your baby up during take-off and landing so that you can relax their ears and reduce the pain inflicted by altitude. It’s actually better to let your baby sleep through these stages and to maintain their sleep as efficiently as possible. The longer your newborn sleeps on the flight, the easier it is for you!
6. Pre-flight prep — Make sure to change your baby’s diaper and to feed them before the flight. Especially if you have a short flight, this may allow you to get through the entire experience without having to navigate these issues. Any preparation you can do before boarding is ideal!
More tips on first flight preparations: