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Traveling by airplane with kids is always an adventure in itself. There's a lot of planning that needs to be done, especially depending on the ages of your kids. My older son flew for the first time at three weeks old. And once kids require a ticket, they can start earning those frequent flyer miles.
Choosing Between Lap Seats and Ticketed Seats for Infants
For kids under 2, the first decision to make is: Do you want your child on your lap during the whole trip? Or do you want to buy a seat for them? On a longer flight, it might be good to buy a seat for your child and have them in their car seat in that airline seat, especially if you want to sleep or during meal times. For shorter flights, it's often okay just to have them on your lap, depending on how wiggly they are and if they will tolerate being held for the duration of the flight.
Opt for Direct Flights to Minimize Stress
Another thing to keep in mind is looking for direct flights. Even as adults we sometimes get stressed if there are connections because we worry about what if there are delays and will my luggage make it to the second or third plane. Direct flights help so you don't need to think about what you're going to do with the little ones during a layover.
Handling Layovers with Young Children
If there are no direct flights, you will need to consider the length of time of your layover. You will want to make sure there is enough time to get to your next flight without having to sprint through the airport with your kids. But you also don't want to be sitting in an airport for hours with them. Some airports have kid zones, where there are activities for kids to do while waiting. You can also walk the terminals, people watch, check out all the airplanes, or just sit by the windows and let the kids watch the planes take off and land.
Guidelines for Bringing Food and Baby Supplies on Flights
Depending on the age of your kids, you will need to check with the airlines on what you can bring along, especially in terms of food. A canned formula is usually okay. Breast pumps are considered medical devices if you need to have one along. Liquids and some foods are approved but may be screened by the TSA. Check with the individual airline to see what is okay.
Managing Medications Through TSA
The same goes for any liquid medicines. Most medications for younger children are in liquid form, and they need to be transported in the original bottles with the prescriptions on. Even so, the TSA may pull the bottles and do additional testing on them. I had that happen to me often when my kids were little and they needed antibiotics or reflux medicines. The TSA will actually take a sample of the liquid and run it through a machine to make sure it's not flammable.
Vaccinations for International Travel with Kids
If you are traveling internationally, one question parents often have is what additional vaccines the kids might need depending on where they are traveling. That's a great question, but not one your general pediatrician is going to be able to answer. For us, there is a travel clinic associated with the health care system we work with, and they know all of the requirements for all over the world, and they also have the vaccines needed. General pediatric offices do not have the vaccines for international travel. If there is no travel clinic, you can always check with your local health department.
Passports and Travel Documents for Kids
Also, don't forget even as babies everyone needs their own passport, and there are often specific rules depending on the country you are traveling to. Plan way in advance to get that passport done as it can take weeks to get.
Traveling by plane is doable with kids. Parents do it all the time. Whether your travel is domestic or international, be sure to check the airline's website and local guidelines to learn what you need to get to your destination efficiently and safely with all your kid's gear.
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