Travelling with an infant - to Aus :)

Hmmmm, have flown with Maya about 2 dozen times, so I guess I'm pretty good at it, although we are taking the twins and Maya to Sydney in Jan and I am terrified!

Anyways...if you want to take the carseat on the plane you have to pay for a seat for bubs (charged at the child rate). Otherwise bubs can cost anywhere from 10% of the adult fare to free depending on the airline and the deal. We always fly Qantas and here to Sydney Maya was free (until age 2) but when we flew to London we had to pay 10%.

If you don't take the carseat you are given a special seatbelt that clips baby on to you and they have to stay in it while the seatbelt sign is on. Some crew will say they have to be upright facing forward but thats a lie - you can breast/bottlefeed during takeoff and landing to help bubs ears if you want to.

Airlines vary in whether they will let you 'reserve' a bassinette - some have a policy that the basinettes go to the youngest babies on the flight and they won't confirm whether or not you can have one until you check in. Others will let you reserve it for a fee, and some do it for free so it pays to check. Also, the weight limits for the basinettes vary, and it pays to take your own sheets and blankets etc. as they're not always clean

Most airlines allow for a baggage allowance for bubs and then in addition to the baggage allowance you are allowed one piece of 'equipment' -carseat, buggy,portacot etc. If you take more than one they include it in your weight allowance.

And if you have a folding umbrella stroller you can take it right up to the plane (some checkin staff will say you can't but they're wrong) but the big prams and buggies have to be checked in so I found a front pack was good when Maya was smaller just to get to the gate and back (it can be a long walk).

Oh and take a spare change of clothes for you as well - just in case bubs powerchucks on you, otherwise you will be sitting in gross clothes for a long time

Sorry about the novel - and I know I have repeated some of what other people have said, but tried to remember everything that helped me...

Thanks Becca.1 I have been keepuing an eye on the specials to go to the uk (we are also going to Usa on way back so looking at that too) so I will delve deeper if there is a special too good to resist. Not going till april next year so a little more time - although son was working out how long it was till christmas and the went away and its only 8 months -= thats nearly a pregnancy worth and if it goes as quick as this pregnancy at times feels like it has it will be here before we know it..

Jax.... This is the childs seatbelt that we have mentioned...

It loops around bubba and then you put your seatbelt through the back.
Any questions just pm me

Trish

• Make sure you have double of what you think you will need with nappies and drink.
• Make sure you 2 get sleep before you go.
• If you are taking the carseat on the plane with you, ask when you check in if you can have a row of 3 seats to yourselves.
• Have fun and get hubby to do the nappy changes!!!!

Since the weather will be relatively warmish, what should I pack clothes wise ? Any recommendations ? Anything I should buy that I might not already have - thinking rash suit or whatever ?