Overseas Travel with Baby

Hi,
We are off to Fiji in the next 4 weeks and its our first time travelling with our 8 month old.

Does anyone have any tips? Ideas of things to take? handy tips getting through customs and screens? what you can take onboard for babies? Tips for when there? etc etc?

Take something on the plane for the baby to suck/chew on. I'm not sure what you can get but anything to help baby with the pressure in ears during takeoff/landing. i always remember all the little kids crying during take off and landing.

Try to request a bassinet, they're a god-send. DS was about 10 months when we went to Raro and he still used one.

See if you can take the stroller to the gate - makes life a lot easier and most airliens are helpful with this.

Auckland fast tracked us through customs, as did Sydney when we went there with the wee one. There is also a family line.

If FF they generally let you take water/bottles etc through, just declare. Although Raro was really weird and confiscated our sunscreen and a thing of food on the way home? Also just be warned if you are FF it can take the airlines a while to heat bottles so try to make sure you let them know early. We took a thermos of hot water with us which was easier.

Air NZ did have a range of Only Organic food on board to choose from for baby.

JoJames wrote: Some kind of baby carrier helps heaps with the annoying standing in lines, though with wrap ones like mobys you have to take it off when going through the metal detector then its a bit of pain to re wrap.

Oh yes ditto this! Taking our Moby was a godsend! Although, I never got asked to take it off

Oh take a few favorite quiet toys on board with you. It will help to entertain.

spare t shirt for you. In such a confined space you will get food, baby goo all over your t shirt and if you don't want to look like a wreck going thru immigration on the other side it is quick to change in the loo before descent.

I also take disposable changing mats. You can get them at countdown. Those toilets are manky and with so much food and stuff in the baby bag I hate to put a change mat that has been used back in. Then again I used disposable in all public bathrooms as I have a bit of a phobia issue. lol.

Also if you are changing baby put loo seat down as have lost stuff down there before as the change table is right over the loo.

Take extra bottles even if you are breast feeding. With dehydration I would run out of breast milk on the descent when I really needed it. If FF then take extra as you go thru it.   

I also dressed them in PJ type clothes. Save the good itchy ones til you get to your destination. Then you don't have to change in close quarters too when you want them to sleep.

Good luck. Luckily it is a short flight. We lived in the middle east and would come back to nz 1-2 times a year. I travelled with ages 3 weeks to 7years so I completely understand. This age is not too bad to travel with. I think 12-18 months is the worst.

We have just been to Fiji with our 3 kids, our youngest was 6 months when we went. The bassinet on the plane was a GODSEND!!! The extra foot room that comes with those seats is also really handy.
We got fast tracked through all queues at the airports which was awesome. But it also payed to get to the airport 2 hours prior to check in, so that you don't get flustered!! We took an umbrella stroller to the gate which was really handy as well.
Be prepared for a heat wave as soon as you get off the plane. Our kids didnt go to bed until after 9pm the first night (their bedtime is 7pm) as it was too hot and they wouldnt settle. They played in the water fountain in the shopping mall at denarau until 8.30pm!!
Lilah also didnt sleep very well at all during the day, and really badly at night for the first week, so rest up well before you go
Have an awesome holiday!!!

Awesome thanks heaps ladies!