Cuddles & Chaos

Coming to you live from my kitchen while my 14-month-old plays with blocks until he falls asleep.

That’s right, 14 months old.

Since Anakin was born, many of our friends and family have had babies as well! With first-time parents comes a million questions—the same million I had, too!

One of the biggest questions I’m asked is how you travel with a newborn. toddler? As you can see from the title, Anakin has been on 35 flights. My husband and I promised each other we wouldn’t slow down, and that Anakin would need to keep up.

Going anywhere with your newborn for the first time is terrifying. If we go out to dinner, will he scream the entire time? If we’re on a plane, what if everyone plus the pilot has a cold? Going anywhere with your toddler is a downright handful. They want to touch (and lick) everything.

Let me take you back to two months postpartum, I didn’t recognize my body. My stomach was so squishy it felt like a bundle of marshmallows. Anakin couldn’t hold up his head and relied on me and my husband every second of the day.

I jokingly said to my husband, “Mama could use a vacation!” He booked a trip to Atlantis. I was in pure excitement until I woke up at 3 a.m. to breastfeed and rethink how the hell this trip was going to work.

I did what any parent would do, I googled 15 different searches, with the same phrase, written 5 ways. “Travel Essentials for a Newborn”. The results were overwhelming, to say the least. My favorite was “add one extra layer to the newborn then you would wear”… What if I’m always hot?!

Allow me to break it down for you, as I wish it had been for me:

What should I pack for the baby?

• Stroller bag. There are a ton of different versions, just make sure you get the biggest one, you’ll thank me later (I get into why this is useful in the next section)
• Clothes for all weather
  • Sweater, blanket, and socks. Restaurants are always cold. No matter where you’re going.
  • There was an obscene amount of onesies and bottoms. We had to throw out four pairs of onesies because of diaper blowouts.
    • Pro-tip: keep your diaper bag stuffed with extra clothes
  • Even if where you’re going isn’t terribly hot, be prepared. The sun is the strongest through the clouds and it will burn them easily. I was advised by my pediatrician not to use any type of sunblock until 6 months, so I relied on:
    • Long sleeve swimwear. We bought this, and it was amazing. I never needed to worry if he was getting burnt. If you don’t like that, I would suggest getting at least a long-sleeved rash guard top and swim shorts.
    • Full-brimmed beach hat (if it’s cold out, then a nice warm beanie)
  • We had a really hard time finding swim diapers for his size. They don’t really make them that tiny. We ended up just putting his diaper on him and then putting one of these over it.
• Fan! If you’re going somewhere hot, I highly suggest a little baby fan to go inside the stroller. We got this one but it died pretty quickly and wasn’t that effective. If I got another, I’d get a metal one.
• Stroller bunt. We used the JJ Cole bunt. But any brand should be fine. If you’re going anywhere cold, this is a must! It is super warm and you won’t worry if they’re cold while you’re walking around with them.
• Way more diapers than you could ever think imaginable. The same goes for wipes. At Atlantis, you can’t walk to the grocery store. The concierge will bring it to you, but it’s insanely expensive. And sure, hotel shops sell them, but they are also expensive.
• Pool float. This was super enjoyable and allowed another layer of sun protection for him
• Sound machine. Anakin has always loved this; it is a true gem when traveling!
• Portable camera. We’re insane and bring our next camera everywhere. I can actually enjoy myself on vacation knowing I can keep an eye on him at all times. (This is more true at someone’s house or an Airbnb. No real use in a hotel)
• Toy of some sort. For a newborn, anything that rattles and they can bite on. For a toddler, anything they can work on for hours (Legos or blocks). We also pack Anakin’s favorite animal pillow. We even bring it onto the airplane because he sleeps on it there.
• If you are bottle-feeding, bring your pump and bottles. Check the plugs if you’re going out of the country.
  • Pro tip: Airports let you check in milk or formula for babies. You can keep it in an ice pack or cooler bag.
  • Pro-tip: make sure your hotel has a fridge!

How can I prepare for the airport?

• This may sound like overkill, but I leave a piece of paper on top of my luggage with a list of items I remember leading up to the trip to remember. The day we leave, I see the list on top and check off each item. Do this if you feel like you’ll forget something important. Example: remind yourself to bring the stroller bag and any attachments your stroller may need
• Understand that it will not go as planned. It just won’t. On our trip to the Bahamas, we thought we were being really clever by packing the stroller and car seat in the stroller bag (mentioned above). We ended up lugging it through the airport while other parents passed by carelessly pushing their children in strollers. Rookie move.
  1. When booking your flight, if you’re going on a longer one, you can request a bassinet. Even if you don’t plan on using it, you will be seated in a way better seat with more room.
  2. Invest in a fanny pack or wristlet—anything that you can keep on your person to easily take your license or passport out.
  3. Practice packing your stroller and car seat into the stroller bag before your trip. Another thing you will thank me for.
  4. Pack all your items into the car (or car service) with the baby packed in last. You will be grateful for the free hands
  5. When you are unloading all of your things, use your stroller to hold your bags. Try to stick with one backpack and one diaper bag. If you’re traveling with another person, that leaves you both hands-free. Check your bag. It’s worth $30. Trust me. I’ll get to this later.
  6. With the baby in its car seat (it should always be able to attach to your stroller), cruise through the airport like you own the place—with no care in the world.
  7. Reach security. This is when it takes a bit of maneuvering. You will need to take everything out of the stroller, put the car seat through the belt, and push the stroller through. I’ve done this alone before, and it is totally doable. Stay calm and don’t let anyone rush you.
     • Pro Tip: Leave the baby in his car seat as long as possible. Unload all of your items onto the belt, take off your shoes (invest in TSA Pre), and when your hands are free to take him out, put the car seat on the belt and push the stroller in (security will usually push it for you). Walkthrough with the baby: Expect your stroller to take a bit longer as they do special security tests on it. Put him in first, then get your stuff.
  8. You are through security (give yourself a pat on the back. We’re focused on small wins here, kids!)
  9. If your baby is older, grab a bottle of whole milk, banana, and some easy snacks for them to munch on. If they’re too young, skip this. But get yourself something yummy!
  10. Walk to the gate and get your stroller tag. Don’t actually put this on your stroller. Remember, you have the stroller bag so loop it on the outside straps.
      • Pro Tip: If your seat is shitty, bring the baby up with you and tell them you really want to sit in the aisle seat because you’re nursing and don’t want him to kick other people. Everyone pities a new mom.
  11. When there are about 10 minutes before pre-boarding, it’s time to put your training into practice. Pack up the stroller and car seat just as you rehearsed! Again, take the baby out of the car seat last. More free hands. (Are you seeing a trend?). Fold up the stroller attachment (the wheels usually come off to make it smaller), and then take the baby out and add the car seat to the bag. Tighten the loop.
  12. You will have to walk the stroller bag down to the ramp. This sucks. It’s heavy. You’re lugging a baby and then this heavy ass bag. He’s tipping to one side, and for some reason, no one is offering to help you. You got this. It’s a short walk and soon you will be in your seat. Leave it at the end of the ramp, it will be brought to the bottom of the plane for you.

What do I do on the airplane?

Newborn:

• They are SO EASY IT’S INSANE. I say this now after having gone through this over 20 times of as a newborn compared to the over 10 times as a toddler. You won’t think this through until you’ve done the same, so I’ll explain:
• If your baby cries when you’re not moving (totally common), stand in your seat and sway the baby. They might fall asleep. Wait to sit down until you have to.
• Try to hold off nursing/feeding the baby until right before take-off. When they drink it prevents their ears from popping, keeps them super calm, makes them sleepy, and keeps them safe from germs.
• I spent half the flight to the Bahamas with Anakin suckling at the very tip of my nipple because that’s what made him happy. Despite my chest being on fire and being hunched forward for 1.5 hours straight.
• If they cry, it’s no big deal. Walk around with them. Everyone loves babies. They will all say hello to him, keeping him distracted. Pretend you’re home with them and simply rock them to sleep. They feed off your energy. If you’re calm, they are calm.
• If they’re crying won’t stop, throw them on the boob again or give them a bottle. A rattle or a teether. Anything to distract them.
• When it’s time to change them, just remember that I, like many other parents, have changed their huge toddlers in the same tiny stall you’re standing in now with your 9 – 12lb cherub. You can do this, they fit I promise. Put down the changing pad and just get it done quickly.

Toddler:

• Welcome to the thunderdome! Just kidding. Anakin is truly an angel and a fantastic flyer but I think it may be due to the below:
  • Cheerios, Cheerios, Cheerios, Banana, Cheerios. That girl you grew up with down the street isn’t your best friend. Cheerios are.
  • Don’t let them run around the plane. I’ve seen many parents do this, and it’s just not feasible. You let them down once, and that is all they want. And truly the last thing they can really do is
  • Bring a toy and a book
  • Walk around the plane holding them.
  • Distraction is KEY. If they cry, “WOW! Anakin look!! Did you see that dog?” Crying seizes.

How to keep the same schedule (and your sanity)?

• This was a hard one for me and still tends to be. We’ve taken Anakin to Paris, California, Arizona, etc. All different time zones. You have to be flexible. Because frankly, you have no choice.
• Try your best to stick to your routine. Now, I don’t mean “he always naps at 10 am, he must nap at 10 am, which is really 7 am PST.” If he wakes up at X time and then naps for 3 hours, stick with that. Try to focus on the intervals more than the actual time.
• Request a crib or a pack-and-play. Fill it with all of his packed toys. Set up the sound machine and camera. Make him feel at home.
• If feeding is something you time, continue to do this when you’re away if you’re nervous he isn’t eating enough. It will give you peace of mind. Also, in the heat, they get dehydrated very easily. They can only have their milk/formula if they’re too young for water. Feed them double time.

And lastly, just remind yourself:

I created a human being. I birthed this human being. I am amazing. I can do this.