Tips for long airline travel with Infants

Thank you so much for your reply. My confusion how to manage her food and water hygiene. Should I need to take any special step like only use bottled water for grinding batter something like that initially until she become comfortable to India?

 

Truly useful post. Thank you ramyaramani!
Also sharing a few unexpected contingencies I faced during my travels from Britain to India.


1. I had been carrying a couple of tetra packs of liquid infant milk for my daughter in my hand baggage which was confiscated at the security check point.
( Obviously I couldn’t convince them that I was not a suicide bomber in disguise carrying liquid bomb in tetra packs, without opening them. Opening was not an option since it has to be refrigerated if not being consumed immediately.)
Fortunately airports here have shops beyond the security checkpoint that sell the same product.


2. I fly emirates which is quite mother n infant friendly. Flights provide newborn milk ( only SMA and only newborn), pre sterilised disposable bottles, pureed food ( veg n fruit) for older infants, moisturisers, wipes, nappies, new baby blankets not to mention a play area and baby strollers for use within the Dubai terminal.

Lest I begin to sound like a commercial for Emirates, I ll describe a serious hitch I experienced while traveling in one of their airbuses.

My travel agent had booked a bassinet seat. What I got was an economy bulkhead seat in the middle row, towards the rear of the plane. There was another lady with an infant next to me but just enough space and fixtures for a single bassinet. (Generally , elsewhere , there would be space for two bassinets in the middle row.)
To make matters worse , the other two seats in the middle row were occupied by a couple who though otherwise friendly found that fixing the bassinet impeded the comfortable positioning of their TV screens( the kind that is pulled out of the arm rest).
So there we were…..two ladies, two babies, an elderly couple and zero bassinet on a 7hr long journey;-|




Learning points

While choosing bassinet seats from seating plans, avoid the ones in the rear of the plane.

Choose window seats- less chance of having to share bassinets.

Choose a time of the day when a flight is less likely to be crowded such as early morning. You might have to drag yourself out of the bed at unholy hours but you will thank your stars on viewing all the empty seats around you.

Feeding infants at take off n landing is also recommended to reduce the ear discomfort associated with changes in cabin pressure.

On long hauls do carry an extra set of clothes for yourself. Traveling with kids who equate mess with fun can make u end up looking like something the cat dragged in.

Finally, anybody traveling to southern India at this time of the year ….do ensure adequate protection from mosquitoes. Dengue viruses are having a gala time there.

 

Awesome Thread with lots of travel info.
Thanks for sharing Ramya.