? about flying with bottle fed infant

Well I just went on a flight with Ella to San Fran.. where are you flying from, Wgtn? Customs at Akld was quite thorough.. they do make allowances for babies but security is tight now. You can only take 100ml bottles of liquids onto the plane. I would go with the sachets as they are sealed and who knows, you could be smuggling drugs in your formula can.. I know.. over the top but that's how it is now!! Plus the can would be bulky to carry around with you.

I saw a few mums on the plane carrying a bottle of water to the kitchen on the plane for them to heat for formula, just be aware there is no microwave on the plane so it might take a while to heat it up. So ask for it to be heated earlier than you need.

Hope this helps.

what I did and it worked well for us. Is take the sachets, to get the milk the right temp we got them to mix cold water with hot water (I think it was more cold than hot as the hot was boiling for 200mls I did 140 cold 60ml hot) as for the airports they will heat it for u in the cafe. I wouldn't think the airlines would let you take a huge can of formula and if they DID LET YOU it would have to be sealed.
Where abouts are you going? Makes a difference on what to take etc...

btw i have ella used to warmed or cool bottles so reheating wasnt an issue but sure they would on board the plane if you asked. We got awesome treatment both flights!

prebook the basinette - they have asheet with it but we took on a blanket just in case. Apparently they will guarantee you a basinette if bubs is under 5 months old when travelling. Put it up and try to use it if possible. I also got extra pillows straight off to put under my arm for while feeding. And they bought me water in a bottle in case i needed it while feeding...knew which ones were mothers!!!!

Edited by Bombshell

When we flew back from CHC the ladies on the plane took our bottle and sat it in a jug of boiling water, took a couple of mins but came back and it was perfect.

Another option is to take a small amount of cold water and have them place boiling water in it. Would take trial and error to get it right temp.

We also have the avent dispenser that holds 3 lots of bottles, so easy as you measure it as you put it in and it has a small slot to place in bottles....no mess.

 

we had a basinette with Jake at eight months when we went to thailand. Jake was a chubba bubba and fit okay, but he hated basinettes in general so didn't sleep so well - didn't l;ike being confined.

Also, don't forget that the baby will have to seat-belted on your lap for takeoff and landing -- that was the part I found the most difficult about flying when Emma Rose was little, as it didn't matter if she was sleeping or what, she still had to be in the seatbelt. Made breastfeeding a bit of a mission as the seatbelt kept getting twisted up and was a real nuisance! So if you have Baby in a sling, just be aware that you will need to take him out of it and hold him on your lap for takeoff and landing.

I know, the seatbelt thing totally sucks -- it's not like it's the right kind of seatbelt to actually offer them any protection anyway, as it's just a loop that clips on to your seatbelt. Such a pain!

There are people to help you with the luggage and stuff at the airport -- I went up to one of those information desks and asked for someone to come assist me, when I came back from the US last time (Em was 6 months old). They got one of those airport hospitality people to come get my luggage off the carousel and take it through customs with me. I felt SO guilty because the guy they got was about 90 years old! But strong as an ox -- my suitcases were totally overpacked and he didn't seem to have any problems hefting them here and there... Plus it was nice not to have to try to wrestle suitcases and baby at the same time. So don't be afraid to ask for help!

Auckland are really anal about strollers now. I was allowed to take my twin one to the plane but when I got there the lady boarding us packed a tanty about how we shouldn't have been allowed it (so I packed one right back, you better believe it! but they do have loan strollers that the check in desk can arrange for you to get you to the plane.
I use the Tommee Tippee formula dispensers, they're brilliant. We were lucky with all of our recent flights that the gremlins were due a bottle right on take off so I heated it up extra hot before we boarded, then it had time to cool while we got organised etc. then mixed it and fed them on take off.
We always board last, they ask people with kids to board first but then you're sitting on the plane for 1/2 hour waiting for everyone else to board and by the time the planes ready to leave you're already ready to strangle the kids. And the bassinettes take up to around 11kg, we put Maya in one at 20 mths when we went to London, but she was on the small side. She was too long for it but she hung her legs over the end.
As far as airlines go, it's luck of the draw on the day whether you get helpful staff or not helpful staff, we've always flown Qantas, and they've always been hopeless but I put up with it until I flew Emirates at Xmas and they were brilliant and I vowed never to fly Qantas again. Have also flown Air NZ and they are great in my recent experience.
Good luck!

Emma, customs in the US didn't care at all! When we got here, no one x-rayed our bags, didn't look through them, nothing! Auckland airport checks much more thoroughly.. I expected it to be the other way around!

We just came back from Aust the other day, when we were going thru to check bags in on way over got a very helpful security person who asked a couple of questions & then asked about liquids I said I have bottles of milk, water & juice for anastasia & water for me - he said "drinks for the baby did you say" yes i said, & thanks for the tip. had no prob going thru customs just declared what I had. I took formula last year in a plastic container with no probs either.
While you are waiting at the airport most cafes will heat up bottles for you & also most of the parents rooms at the airports have microwaves that you can heat bottles/food.

We flew Emirates to Sydney and will again when ever we get the chance they were fantastic with service, help & room to move. No problem getting bottles heated or extra milk etc
Hope your flight goes smooth