Long-haul travel survival kit
Many parents are understandably freaked out by the
prospect of long-haul flights with a busy toddler. While drugging
them with cold medicine has its appeal, keep in mind that for many
children the effect is the opposite - they may become hyperactive,
and instead of a drowsy child, you'll spend the flight trying to
control a kid who is bouncing off the walls.
My advice? Request a bassinet seat when
you book your tickets. Even though chances are your toddler will be
too big to actually use the bassinet, it'll score you a seat in the
bulkhead row of the plane, which means no seats in front of you for
your child to kick for the whole light, and a smidge of extra leg
room. You can set up your little one on the floor with toys and hem
them in with your legs, as they can't go anywhere with the bulkhead
wall in front of you. Best of all, if people do glare daggers at
you whenever your child makes a peep, you won't be able to see them
as you'll have your back to them.
Worried about what to pack for the flight?
Here's my list of tried-and-true must-haves for carrying on - both
in your own bag and your child's bag.
Evolu Travel Tower
($39) - While all of the products mentioned here currently
meet airline standards for quantities of liquids and gels
you can take on the plane, this travel tower is
fantastic if you want to take something else but the bottle is too
big. Comes filled with Crème Cleanser, Moisturising Day Cream,
Replenishing Night Moisturiser, Soothing Eye Gel, Purifying Mask,
and Nourishing Hand+Cuticle Cream.
Womama Nursing
Singlet ($80 from www.womama.co.nz
) - Even if you're not breastfeeding, it's so supportive and
comfortable you can skip wearing a bra for most of the
light.
The Herb Farm Holiday Travel
Pack ($21.60) - A handy little
three-pack containing Energise Cream, Lavender & Tamanu First
Aid Cream, and Headache Away Cream (my favourite).
Trilogy Everything
Balm ($36.90) - Really good for
everything, from moisturizing dry skin to rubbing on cracked lips
to smoothing down flyaway hair! I even used it as nappy balm
on my daughter's bottom.
Dr Hauschka Moisturising
Mask
($87) - Air travel dries me right out, so I always take
super-strength facial moisturizer to keep from turning into a
wrinkled hag. Smooth it on, then remove after 20 minutes with a
warm facecloth and you'll feel fresh as a daisy.
Nappies and wipes
if 
they're not toilet-trained - Figure on one nappy per
two-hour segment of your trip (including waiting at the airport and
stopovers). I love Huggies travel packs of wipes as they're great
for cleaning sticky fingers and faces.
Nature
Baby Organic Cotton Long-Sleeve
Bodysuit ($19.95) and Organic Cotton Drawstring Pants ($24.95) -
These are fantastic for wearing on the plane as they're lightweight
and soft against your child's skin. I dressed my
daughter in a set and packed two more sets in her Trunki, just
in case - they fold up to almost nothing.
CARES (AU$89.50
from www.littlegulliver.com.au
) - Forget taking your child's carseat on board. This
innovative, airline-approved harness works with a standard
airline seatbelt to keep your child safely in their seat. All of
the other parents on our flights were seriously jealous.
Play-Doh
- Keeps kids entertained for ages and
cleans up easily. Airplane tray tables are the perfect play
surface.
Julius Alphabet Flash
Cards (Chronicle $29.99) -
These cards kept my daughter entertained for a good long
while. She loved identifying the pictures, sorting them, stacking
them, and even fanning herself with them. Sturdy and
funky.
Only in Dreams,
by Parker Jacobs (Chronicle $24.99) - Great imaginative bedtime
book to help get little ones off to dreamland.
Trunki
(www.childsplay.co.nz
for stockists) - This innovative carry-on suitcase doubles as
a ride-on, which is great when you're in the airport with a
tired child who refuses to walk.
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 3: 2008
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