About two weeks ago I attempted my first solo flight with BB. We both made it back to the ground, relatively unscathed. BB has flown a lot since she was born, but she is a full blown toddler now and flying with a child has taken on a whole new level of terror. But, I have to say, my solo flight with her went sooo much better than I thought it would. I was prepared for an absolute disaster, and she was actually such an angel. So maybe my first tip is, set your expectations low, like rock bottom low, so you only have room to go up!

Here are 12 tips that worked for us. Happy travels!

1

Talk it UPPPP

In the weeks before my first solo flight with BB, I got her obsessed with airplanes. We bought airplane toys, airplane books, and we pointed out every single airplane in the sky. I wanted her to be extra excited for our plane ride. It worked like a charm. She was in toddler heaven at the airport looking at all the planes out the window and she was so excited to get onto the airplane. We chose an aisle seat, so we were able to watch the other airplanes out the window before we took off. This was HUGE and wasted so much time once we boarded the flight.

2

Plan ahead

A calm mama = a calm baby. Frantic packing and scrambling to the airport does not exactly exude an atmosphere of calm. So, plan ahead and pack ahead so you can be in a state of mama zen on the day of your flight.

3

Timing is everything

When you book your flight, if you have some flexibility try to pick the time of day when you know your baby is happiest. For us, that is the morning. Also try to time your arrival at the airport perfectly. I do not like to have a ton of extra time at the airport. I want to check my bags right at the 1 hour deadline, go through security, get to the gate and board relatively quickly. The less time I have at the airport with the baby, the better. If being rushed stresses you out, add in some extra time.

4

Curbside checkin

If your airport has curbside check-in, I would recommend using that. My mom was able to drop us at the airport, so I had her hold BB while I checked our luggage and her carseat. If you do not have an extra hand to help with checkin, I would suggest doing a trial run and attempt to carry everything (luggage, baby, and carseat) before you get to the airport. If you have too much to manage, rethink your luggage and maybe consider renting a carseat when you get there.

5

Be hands free

I check everything through to the final destination except the Ergo carrier and my backpack. People have very strong preferences about which is best, using a stroller at the airport or baby-wearing. We have done both and I have a VERY strong preference for baby-wearing. Here is why… if you go the stroller route, you have to take baby out of the stroller and get the stroller through security. Some strollers fit through the x-ray machine, but if they don’t, they have to be searched and it takes forever. With BB in the Ergo, all I have to do at security is take my backpack off and my phone out of my pocket and slide them through the x-ray machine. We have TSA pre-check so I do not have to take off my shoes and I can wear BB right through security. The Ergo does not set off the x-ray machine.

6

How to dress

Comfortable, obviously. But you also want to wear pants with pockets! The goal is to be able to get from checkin to gate without having to set down your baby or reach into your backpack. So, you will need to access your boarding pass and baby’s, your ID and ID for baby, and your phone. I wore these lululemon pants with side pockets and put my phone in one side and our boarding passes and IDs in the other. I also find it easier to have paper boarding passes while traveling with the baby. Speaking of baby identification, here is what works for MOST airlines: a passport or a copy of the baby’s birth certificate.

7

Bag of tricks

We try really hard not to let BB watch TV or use electronics. This has been pretty easy for us for the first 16 months, but plane rides are the first time I have wanted to stick an ipad in front of her and sit back and relax for the remainder of the flight. But hope is not lost for entertaining a toddler throughout your flight without electronics! It just comes down to simple math. Take however long your flight is, and fill that time with activities you know command your tots attention. If you have a 2 hour flight, add a half-hour before takeoff and 15 minutes after touchdown, and you have 165 minutes that need to be filled. The goal is to fill that time with space saving tricks. A toddler’s attention span is pretty short, so fill that bag up with tricks galore. Here are some “tricks” that work for BB:

• Stickers: BB loves stickers. I stick one on each hand and she spends 5 minutes trying to figure out how to get it off.
• Post-its: I do not know if BB enjoys anything more than pulling every.single.post-it off one at a time and sticking it in random places. If you pick the window seat, let them post-it their hearts out all over the wall.
• A magic drawing board: no mess and hours of fun.
• A new awesome toy: you know your baby and you know what type of new toy they will go bonkers for. Nothing commands a toddler’s attention like something with novelty.
• I SPY: BB loves this game. We do “I spy” during takeoff and landing when you can see things on the ground from the window. She is obsessed with cars so I think I said “OMG Blake, I spy a car…” about 1,600 times on our flight.
• Noodles: if you have watched my insta-stories, you know BB loves dry pasta noodles (so random, but trust me and just give it a try). I bring a small amount of them in a tiny tupperware container. She likes placing them one by one into an empty water bottle. I brought the smallest version of the Swell bottle, because she likes the noise it makes when the noodle drops into the bottle. Usually, the more random the toy the longer it holds their attention. Get creative, mama.
• Books: BB loves books but she has to be in the right mood for it. I bring one of her favorite books on every flight just in case the mood strikes.

8

What else do you need…

Pack light! BB is 24 lbs, so carrying her alone is hard work. I wanted my backpack to be as light as possible. I checked my computer and everything else I would usually have in my carryon. The only things in my backpack were essentials for the baby.

• A change of clothes for baby and a spare shirt for yourself, just in case (I also bring a wetbag in case so you have something to put the blowout clothes into) + extra socks (this might sounds weird but BB’s socks always get filthy when we fly…she loves to pull her shoes off at inopportune times)
• Diaper kits + a few spare diapers
• Tricks
• Snacks + water (I also pack a ziplock bag for the trash after snacktime)
• Disinfecting wipes for mama and baby’s hands
• A pacifier and a pacifier strap + an extra pacifier or whatever security item your child loves
• An extra ziplock bag so you can *attempt to clean up your aisle when the plane lands

9

Snacks

Once you have gotten over the crumbs and the mess, food on a plane is the BEST way to keep a toddler entertained. Pick foods you know your tot loves AND snacks that take a long time to eat.

10

Diaper plane kit

I always change BB’s diaper right before we get on the plane, but if you do have to change a diaper on the plane, you want to be prepared. Most planes now have a nice sized changing pad in the bathroom. You can also use your seat, but I find it easier to use the bathroom. For your diaper kit, all you need is a large ziplock baggy, a diaper, and a handful of wipes. I packed TWO of these kits in my carryon. Think through how long your flight is and how many time you think you will need to change a diaper, and that is how many diaper kits you should have. The flight attendants do not want you to throw the diaper into the trash in the bathroom. So when you are done changing the diaper, throw everything into the ziplock baggy and then throw is in the larger trash outside the bathroom. This also scores points with the flight attendants, and we can all use a flight attendant on our side while flying!

11

How to go to the bathroom on the plane

Ok, so you are prepared for diaper changes and every other thing, but what if mom needs to use the facilities? I put BB in the ergo and wore her with me to the bathroom. I read other tips like (1) befriending a person in your aisle and asking them to hold your baby (wasn’t comfortable with that) (2) hold your baby in one arm (not coordinated enough for that) and (3) if your baby can stand let them stand on the floor in the bathroom (sounded like germ city to me). So, baby-wearing won.

12

If all else fails, fake it til’ ya make it

On the inside you might be screaming, crying, and counting the minutes until that flight lands, but from the outside you look like super mama who has everything under control! If I can do it, so can you. You’ve got this mama!