Travel Tips!

So I probably bugged out about traveling across the country with out 3 month old more than the average person. I really didn’t want any unforeseen disasters happening in the air or ground that I hadn’t planned for. SO, with the help of my friend Sarah who has paved the way for me in many ways, I put together a little “travel tips” post.

First, here are the things that I packed in my carry-on:

– diaper bag full of diapers and wipes because high altitude apparently gives Bud the crazy poops
– disposable diaper changing pad sheets (arm and hammer) because airport germs creep me out and I didn’t want Bud touching ANYTHING
– Dirty Diaper bags- these look like the little bags that you carry on your dog’s leash for his little treasures. Because I changed him on the fly sometimes, I just put the diaper in the bag and ditched them when I saw the nearest trash can
– an economy size bag of antibacterial wipes… I wiped everything down in the plane including our seats and whenever something dropped that I thought he might touch… BOOM I AM GOING TO ANTIBACTERIALIZE YOU SUCKAAAA
– Johnson and Johnson antibacterial wipes for Bud’s hands and face. These were essential when we were on the ground. People like to touch a baby… especially women over the age of 70 who cough in their hands and then grab your sweet unexpecting baby’s hand that he proceeds to shove in his mouth.
– his reflux medicine and tylenol, but keep these in a separate zip lock bag that’s easy to get to from your diaper bag because you’ll have to pull them out for security
– his Sophie giraffe and Fanny (elephant rattle/blanket) along with another rattle toy
– 2 blankets, in case one inevitably dropped on the airport herpes floor
– 2 nursing covers… because I didn’t want the perv in our row to get a show
– extra footie PJs… again, blow outs were happening in the nether-regions of Bud’s body
– burp clothes
– my clutch with all my IDs went on top along with my sweater

Things I packed in general:

– we had pack and plays at each grandparents house but let me tell ya…. Bud didn’t sleep well in those mothers. He’s used to a crib so we eventually went and got foam cut to fit the bottom of the pack and play so it’d feel like a mattress and he slept much better!
– the Sleep Sheep and Glow Seahorse plus extra batteries… both sleep essentials
– a butt load of clothes, socks, adorable outfits that he was miserable in, and hats. I’d pack HALF of what I packed clothes wise for him because when I got home, my mom had bought him an entire new wardrobe!
– Both grandparents stocked up on diapers and wipes so I didn’t have to travel with those which was super helpful
– Both grandparents also got a car seat base so we didn’t have to worry about checking that

General Travel Tips:

– I nursed during take-off and landing and his ears didn’t bother him AT ALL
– We are on a pretty tight schedule with the little man but I just accepted that the schedule would go out the window on the travel day. When he fussed… I nursed so I didn’t bother the people on the plane.
– Accept that when you fall asleep with your adorable baby on your chest, people in the bathroom line are going to stare at you…. for awhile. I woke up several times to ladies just staring at me like a caveman exhibit at the museum. Sam loved that part.
– Sit near the back of the plane because its louder and the white noise helped Bud sleep a bit.
– You are going to be paranoid about your baby crying, just accept that it might happen and realize you’re probably never going to see those people on the plane again! Bud was such a champ though because there was so much new stuff going on that he was fascinated with, so let them be curious! (hands free curious of course, airport germs give me the heebie jeebies)
– We took out carseat and stroller and just checked them at the gate. This was helpful in the airport when we had a bunch of carry ons (Sam had his carry on plus our camera bag and I had the diaper bag and my carry on of Bud’s clothes, etc). So I actually carried Bud in my Moby Wrap most of the time and we put the bags in the stroller! I will say, we bought cases for both our stroller and carseat and I am so glad we did! The cases themselves were covered in scratches and dirt. So, an investment well spent. However, know that for security, you’ll have to break everything down and have it scanned separately. (USE THE FAMILY LINE at the check point, its awesome)
– Because we’re cheap and didn’t want to buy a seat for Bud, I held him the whole time. Each plane ride I booked Sam and I window and aisle seats hoping that the middle one wouldn’t be taken and we could just lay Bud down there. All the flights were sold out except our very last leg on the way back from Detroit to Seattle and we had a whole row to ourselves! So I laid his blanket down and formed my Moby Wrap into a make-shift Boppy and he chilled in the seat in between us which we all loved.
– I changed diapers in the bathroom because Bud had some serious blow-outs but I wouldn’t do it without my disposable changing pads and wipes.
– Because planes can be chilly and cootie ridden, I dressed Bud in footie PJs and I’d do that 100 times over. The zip up ones made it easy to change diapers and he was warm and comfy.
– Breastmilk and baby food are allowed through security and on the plane, I nursed so it wasn’t an issue but it was good to know.
-If you are nursing, wear super friendly nursing tops. I wore a tank top and cardigan so I could be discreet but could whip it out faster than a Tijuana hooker.

And like anything with a baby, patience and a sense of humor are necessities!