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jax 
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 Topic: Travelling with an infant - to Aus :)
Posted: 24 August 2006 at 11:26am |
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So... it looks like we might be taking a bit of a holiday closer to the end of the year, to visit a couple of my brothers in law and their families, who live in Sydney. My question is, what would those of you who have travelled by air with an infant, suggest we do? I mean, tips, hints, etc... what to pack, ANYTHING really LOL Just off the top of my head though:
* What did you do about feeding bubs while 'in transit' with formula and bottles etc?
* Did you take a capsule or carseat with you, or rent one over there ?
* What about portacots ? Did you take one with you or rent one ?
* How was bubs on the plane, and could you heat bottles etc ? Did they sleep at all ?
* Adjusting to time differences - how did bubs go with that ?
Sorry if this post is a bit rambly, I'm sure I'll get things a bit more together once we sort out our dates and know if we're actually going to go or not !
Edited to add: Erin will be about four and a half months by the time our holiday comes around, we want to go at the end of November.
Edited by jax
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Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 11:34am |
We took Andrew to Brisbane at 3 months.
*What did you do about feeding bubs while 'in transit' with formula and bottles etc? Took the formula onboard and the bottles - filled with filtered water already as well, got the airline staff to heat it for us.
* Did you take a capsule or carseat with you, or rent one over there ? Capsule with us, he sat in it for the trip over and back.
* What about portacots ? Did you take one with you or rent one ? We arranged with my aunty and uncle before we left and they arranged this for us as well as a pushchair so we didn't have all that extra luggage. And we took the front pack.
* How was bubs on the plane, and could you heat bottles etc ? Did they sleep at all ? He was great, the airline staff did that for us. he slept, I just made sure that he was sucking a bottle for the decent so his ears didn't get sore. And the plane has a change table in the toilet to change them.
* Adjusting to time differences - how did bubs go with that ? No problem, we flew in the afternoon so he didn't really notice anything going over. Coming back we arrived in NZ at 1am and he didn't want to sleep but mum and dad did, so we but him in between us for a bit, he went to sleep and so could we (we moved him to his cot).
Ring the airline you are going with about a seat for Erin as you don't actually pay for a seat you get one if the plane isn't fully booked. We flew Freedom and they were really helpful. When we flew back to Palmy they cut us in front of the customs line so we could get out fast as Andrew was crying - so try that one. They will x ray everything you take on board including the car seat so don't put her in it until you board the plane or even on the plane. And remember to take heaps of photos.
Edited by mummy_becks
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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jax
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 11:42am |
Thanks for all of that, I will be printing this out or at least writing some of it down for reference !! 
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Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~
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toniellis
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 11:46am |
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Do you need a passport for babies?
I know you used to have kids on your own personal passport but I heard they changed it?
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Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6)
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 12:02pm |
yep u need to get erin her own passport 
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 12:12pm |
Yeah andrew has his own, valid for 5 years. i got my first passport at 5 day old!!!!!
Also as she is formula fed find out if it is sold in Oz then you only need to take over with you enough for the plane trip and until you get to a supermarket, also same with nappies. They have Huggies really cheap over there. We even stocked up a bit as they we selling the bulk bags for $16 so we were really lucky.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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my2angels
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 1:01pm |
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We just took bottles of boiled water and sachets and one of those little containers that hold formula on the plane and put the tin of formula in the luggage. Just make sure you take more formula onboard than you think need because anything could happen. The stewards are really good about heating up the bottles but they do it in hot water so sometimes you need to remind them to check it or it will get to hot, I just asked them to heat the water before I mixed the formula cos that way if you need to cool it down a bit you can add some of the boiled cooled water from another bottle if that make sense. Kobe only slept on take of and landing for some reason so we took heaps of books etc... to keep him busy on the plane.
We brought nappies and formula over there and didnt take our carseat as we had a rental car and they provided a carseat for something like an extra $10. If you are staying in a hotel/motel they are able to arrange pushchair hire and also portacot hire and some even have both they supply free of charge. Pushchairs etc are added into your luggage weigh allowance so if you dont have to take them over then you will have more room for shopping! Dont forget to pack a baby monitor if you use one and some of her own blankets so the smells are still the same. Kobe was fine with the time difference, in fact he went to bed early but slept till the same time, I think the heat helps with the sleeping.
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kasbee
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 1:26pm |
Well Jax i'm glad you asked that question because we are going to OZ in Feb next year and although Ryan and Katelyn will be older then Erin i still wonder how we are goin to do it. We don't have to take anything but the pushchair because the family has all the other stuff we need over there. I'm abit unsure about the flight not sure how they will cope with it, hopefully it will be all good.
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AnnC
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 1:30pm |
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I am travelling too on a plane when baby will be about 4 1/2 months but it will be to the uk. I took both my other kids on the trip to Uk when they were little - Josh being almost 2 and Brooke being 13 months. I would say with Brooke even though I had my mum with me was the hardest as she had just started walking was a social wee thing (not to mention all the elderly folks who kept calling her over cause they thought she was adorable) still on a bottle and didn't want to sleep when I did. but we made it and on the way back was easier. Make sure you ask for a bulk head seat as there is more room and a bassinette. I found Qantas was excellent with children. (i have flown air nz, singapore and british airways and by far qANTAS was the best)
Yes children need their own passport we can not book our tickets till baby is born cause they have to be registered 'human' and have its own passport.
be cool going on a trip though and don't let the flying part put you off as its a means to get there and home again its hte in between that you will love.
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Ann
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Tastic
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 2:44pm |
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we went to brisbane when bailey was about 5 1/2 months old, we flew yetsrat and werent allowed to take bailey on the plane in his carseat! they gave us a seatbelt that connected to ours, as for bottles try and avoid giving her one just before you get on but give it to her as you take off and then on landing, this helps to 'pop' the ears as they cant do it by them selfs (a dummy does the same thing) with Baileys bottles I just took a couple of sachets and warm bottles in one of the bottle warmers. ohh another tip change them before you get on the plane!! the toilets on the plane are really small and you can hardly move yourself let alone having to change a baby aswell!!!
Sorry about the novel LOL but hope it helps
Trish
We took our carseat with us and just hired a portacot (as they are usally very heavy) an infant only gets to take 2 items on the plane or a max of 10kg I think... we took carseat and stroller.
Bailey was good, he fell asleep on the plane but woke on landing! It took him a couple of days to adjust to the time difference, you just have to be flexible and adjust with her!
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jax
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 5:16pm |
Again, awesome tips / ideas / suggestions ladies... this is great !!
Trish - when you say bottle warmer, do you mean one of those especially designed bags that is insulated for keeping bottles warm?
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Jacquie - Mama to Erin, 13.07.06 - Chief Cat Chaser & Marmite Sammie Eater
Love many, trust few, harm none. ~Anon~
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james
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 6:00pm |
how much is a baby passport 
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nikkitheknitter
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 10:02pm |
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Same as a normal passport...??? I think.
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Tastic
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 10:18pm |
 jax wrote:
Again, awesome tips / ideas / suggestions ladies... this is great !!
Trish - when you say bottle warmer, do you mean one of those especially designed bags that is insulated for keeping bottles warm? |
Yep thats them... they were awesome for our trip!! I also mixed up two bottles prior to getting in the plane.... saves you spilling the water etc
Ohh and since you have a child under 2 you get to get on the plane first and like someone said you get to skip the cue
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Tastic
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Posted: 24 August 2006 at 10:20pm |
james wrote:
how much is a baby passport |
See Prices here:
Edited by tastic
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lizzle
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Posted: 25 August 2006 at 7:34am |
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One other thing I always do when flying - ask for the bassinet. It is on the bulkhead seats and fits bubs up to 8kg. Now, when we went to Thailand we did that, knowing full-well Jake would be too heavy - however, they put us opn the plane, and then told us he was too big - but we still had the bullkhead seats which are a LOT more roomier - Jake crawled up and down the way while Lew and I blocked off each part. Wor od warning though - on overnight flights, the arm rests in this area don't lift up. so you have to build it up with pillows. Short flights like to Aus, it's wonderful as bubs will either stay awake or can sleep in your arms and it isn't so bad.
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james
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Posted: 25 August 2006 at 7:38am |
thanks trish
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my2angels
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Posted: 25 August 2006 at 8:09am |
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Depending on who you fly with you can prebook the front seats where the bassinets are, freedom charge $5 each seat but airnz didnt charge us anything
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daikini
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Posted: 25 August 2006 at 9:23am |
AnnC wrote:
we can not book our tickets till baby is born cause they have to be registered 'human' and have its own passport. |
We are thinking about taking a holiday in Australia next year, so we've been looking at some of this stuff too... Nat's HOD and husband run the local Holiday Shoppe and she told us that, yes we cannot get Xavier's ticket until he's born etc. but that we can still get the tickets for us and the other kids and just get Xav's later on... that way we get the cheaper flights by booking further in advance.
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Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys
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Tastic
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Posted: 25 August 2006 at 9:35am |
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it depends on the flights... I went with Jetstar to brisbane with Bailey and they didnt have the bassinette as it was only a 'short flight'
Check when you make your booking.... ohh and another thing depending on who you go with... ring the company aswell (if you book over the net that is) and get them to reserve your seats. We did and that how we found out there were no bassinettes
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Travelling with an infant - to Aus :)