Flying With Kids
Stressed to fly with kids?
Hi! I’m Kendall, certified Baby & Toddler Sleep Consultant with Sleep Serenity. I’ve also been a flight attendant for almost 7 years and have traveled extensively with and without kiddos.
Having kids doesn’t mean you can never travel! But going in those situations prepared can definitely make it go smoother and less stressful.
Here are some of my recommendations and thoughts to help you and your family with travel.
Getting through Security:
Place all breastmilk, formula, powder and water in a clear bag that’s easily taken out at security
These items have to be checked separately from your luggage so you will need to be able to access them quickly and easily when going through the security checkpoint at the airport. According to the Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority (CATSA) and the US Transport Security Authority (TSA), you ARE allowed to bring water if it's for formula through security!! As long as it's in “reasonable quantities” (TSA’s words, not mine!) and with the rest of the formula items.
Note:
Within the USA, mothers DO NOT have to be with their baby in order to carry breast milk through security with them. In Canada, you have to be traveling with an infant (0-24 months) in order to be able to carry milk.
Opt for a non-metal baby harness to go through security.
Harnesses with metal attachments such as sling rings and similar wraps will have to be taken off as they set off security screening machines. Instead, opt for non-metal baby carriers to be able to wear your baby easily while going through the detectors. To save time, remember to keep the pouches in your carriers empty.
Ensure that your stroller is able to be completely emptied out once you reach security.
If you are traveling with a stroller, you will have to remove the baby and walk through with them while the stroller is scanned or checked, along with all items in it.
Note:
Children under 12 do not have to take off their shoes.
For U.S. citizens:
You can skip the TSA line by signing up for CLEAR.
Clear is a secure identity platform that uses fingerprints and iris scans as the identity verification step, instead of your ID card. It’s available in the U.S. at over 51 airports. Members go through a separate security lane with dedicated kiosks rather than waiting in line for a TSA agent to review their license or passport. At the time of writing this, membership in CLEAR is $189 USD/year and kids follow for free! The great part is they offer a free two week trial! A perfect amount of time to see if it’s worth the money for you and your family.
At the airport:
Bring stickers to keep public automatic toilets from going off while your child is using them.
If you don’t have stickers, post-it notes are an affordable, easy option. In a pinch, a wet paper towel placed on the sensor will do the trick.
Let kids run around and get some energy out while inside the airport before a long flight.
Sometimes airports even have kid’s play areas where they can run and climb around. Be aware of others, but it's a good idea to let them burn some energy before they have to sit still for a few hours. Try not to use screen time until they’re on the plane.
Use the boarding first policy for kids if you have a lot of baggage you need to place in the overhead bin. By the end of boarding, the overhead bins are usually quite full and you might be forced to check some of your items. But if not, don't feel the need to hurry on the plane. It takes around 45 minutes to load and close the boarding doors. This is time your child could be using to walk around in the airport and not be still in a seat! You can always until the last boarding group is called to get on the aircraft. Or If you have two adults, one could board with the items and the other one can board later with the child. Just stay near the plane and don’t miss your flight completely!
Transportation:
Everyone will have a different priority of what they need at their final destination. Depending on where you're flying and what kind of aircraft you're on can play a role in determining whether you need to bring a carseat, a stroller or just a carrier as you navigate the airport and your final destination. Remember that international destinations, outside North America, also have different regulations on airport security.
One option is to bring an infant car seat with an attachment as a stroller, or if you have an older child, a car seat caddy, in lieu of a full stroller. These are handy options as you can detach the car seat to use on the plane, or if not, gate check the item for free. Gate checking is when you leave baggage on the jet bridge, just before entering the plane, and pick it up after you exit the airplane, instead of going down to baggage claim. It is equally possible for you to bring a full stroller if you are so inclined. Airlines generally give passengers the option to gate check strollers and carseats for children.
Remember that most taxis and Ubers do not have car seats on hand, so it will be important to have your own if you’re needing to use these modes of transportation once you arrive.
If you choose to bring a full stroller, opt for one that folds up easily. On larger aircrafts you can sometimes place them in the overhead bin if it isn’t too bulky.
If you want to have a larger stroller for your destination, you will probably have to gate check it on the jet bridge.
Be mindful of international destinations, however, as you might not get your gate checked items until you’ve cleared customs. This is where I like a small, foldable stroller to have to place your tired baby or toddler in while you wait in those long lines.
On the Flight:
Practice wearing headphones long in advance of the actual plane ride.
Flights are a great time to use screen time but your kids won’t be able to watch a show without them, so it’s best that they’re comfortable and used to wearing them beforehand. Bluetooth headphones are great but opt for the attachable cord in case you want to watch something on the plane’s screen too. It is recommended that you download shows in advance onto your device directly as you might not have the option to access WIFI in the airport or on the airplane.
Bring a large water bottle to fill up past security, along with your toddler’s smaller one.
A thermos or water bottle is useful to have for travel as you won’t have to constantly seek out water at the airport or try to flag down a flight attendant. Keep in mind that flight attendants aren’t always allowed to fill up water bottles because they only have a certain amount of water to hand out. So it’s nice to carry a little extra.
Electrolytes in water
Adding some electrolytes in your kids’ water is an easy way of preventing dehydration on a busy day.
Diapers
If your toddler is in the middle of potty training, or close to that age, it's a good idea to place them in a diaper for the flight. Lines for the lavatory are sometimes long, the seat belt sign could be on when they need to go, or they simply could refuse to use the large, loud public toilet. Better safe than having an accident on the airplane!
Stock yourself up with a few new, never before seen toys for the plane ride.
This will keep your young child interested in playing for longer. I personally don’t like to spend too much on these new items for flights,, so your local dollar store might be your best option!! Make sure to only pack easily-cleaned things though and nothing you care about too deeply in case it gets lost.
Bring a breathable cover and portable sound machine.
These are super helpful items to help your child take naps on the go. Traveling is exciting for babies, full of new sights and sounds! They might be tempted to stay awake to see everything! If your baby is young enough, placing a breathable nursing cover over them and playing white noise can help them relax enough to have a nap. If they’re older, the nursing covers are great as an on-the-go blanket.
Nursing, feeding, snacking or just sipping on a drink during take off and descent.
This helps kiddos with relieving pressure in their ears. The chewing or swallowing motions allows the ears to be released more slowly and can lead to fewer painful moments in children too young to understand what’s going on. If they won’t eat or feed, even a soother or pacifier works just as well.
Dress everyone in layers!
Sometimes it’s freezing on a plane or at the airport; sometimes it’s hot and sometimes it’s a mix of both! You can’t control the temperature (and neither can the flight attendants!) so dress for any kind of temperature to help ease some of the stress. Packing these extra clothes in the outside pocket of your carry-on bag is a helpful tip so you don’t have to dig through the whole suitcase.
Pack an extra set of clothes (and underwear) in your carry-on for everyone.
Spills, blows outs and accidents happen and so do unexpected delays and cancellations. It’s always good to have a backup pair of pajamas or clothes on hand in case something happens.
Toys
I wouldn’t pack ALL the favourite toys that can be easily lost on a plane but I would definitely bring at least one special comfort item. New things are scary and it’s helpful for kids to have some sort of security going on a new adventure. It can also help with those naps on the go.
International flights:
Bassinets reservations on long haul flights
Most larger airlines have bassinets for young babies to utilize for those overnight flight times. Depending on the airline you can reserve ahead of time or they are handed out on a first come first serve basis. Check with your airline in advance.
Sleep and preparing beforehand:
Your child might need a little extra attention, guidance, and affection during this time. Be patient and know that it’s a new experience for them and sleep might get a little off balance if they’re overexcited.
Ensure they try and get a good night’s sleep beforehand, and any naps on the go are extremely beneficial to keeping them from getting overtired during the day. Try and keep naps at the same time they would normally be, as much as possible. Flexibility goes a long way on a travel day.
Look at what your flight time is and try to get them on a schedule for the flight beforehand. This ensures naps and bedtime are at easier times for you during your travel day.
If you have a super early flight, put them to bed a bit early the night prior. This will help them be less tired the following day.
Get on track the best you can once you’re in the new time zone.This might mean a later than normal bedtime, an awkward extra nap to bridge the gap until bedtime, or not letting them sleep in too much in the morning. Don’t expect sleep to be perfect for a few days as they need time to adjust. If needed, hold them in the dark in the morning until ideal wake up or try contact naps during the day to help them get adjusted. Also, getting out in the sunlight to help kids adjust to a new circadian rhythm is extremely helpful.
Talk to toddlers prior to travel day about what will be happening.
Read books and show them pictures about going on an airplane to get them excited and to not be surprised when they arrive.
Expect the worst and hope for the best!
Going into a travel day can be stressful, but being prepared with knowledge, travel hacks, and some patience and humour can go a long way!