Travelling with a baby is no easy feat, and if you’re crazy enough to do it, you need to prepare yourself very, very well.
Living in the Yukon without any family certainly makes things difficult when taking care of a newborn. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, the village is our friends. That makes it difficult because friends have no “biological obligation” to take care of a baby and they generally would rather enjoy the short, hot summer days of the Yukon.
So, at six weeks old, we decided to visit my husband Ryan’s family on Vancouver Island.
We had barely left the house with our little noisemaker, Maverick, so the idea of going on a plane to another place seemed rather daunting. However, it was necessary. Why? Because we’re even crazier and heading to Australia in September! So we needed to use domestic travel as an opportunity for a trial run, to adapt with our baby.
Must Do’s
- ID: Bring your little one’s ID (birth certificate or passport).
- Sucking: Bring something for them to suck on (pacifier or bottle).
- Access: Have a stroller that can pack under the plane (a second-hand or inexpensive one, in case it gets banged around).
- Car seat: Don’t expect car seats to be available (bring one with you). Our stroller has a car-seat insert.
- Diapers: Bring a diaper bag that fits under your seat (for quick changes in tiny bathroom stalls).
- Apologize: to whomever is stuck sitting next to you!
First steps
Check flying regulations! Did you know that having a baby basically means you get to take way more stuff than normal (and even liquids) through security? Yes, that’s right, liquids! We double-checked and because your baby needs to eat, you’re allowed to bring liquids. Since Maverick is formula fed, we made sure to have enough bottles made.
What’s even more amazing is that you can bring your stroller through security, right up to the plane, and it is put in a special compartment, so when you come off the flight, it’s waiting for you. This makes things so much easier to transport your immobile little one around after the security check-in.
When we arrived at security in Whitehorse, we were dreading it but everyone made it so much easier. The security people brought the stroller through while I carried Maverick through the security gates. They scanned everything and it went very fast. We figured this must be because Whitehorse is so small. But no! In Victoria, on our way back, we got to go through the priority line and everyone made the previously burdensome security process much easier.
On the plane
Our first flight was, of course, with the fabulous Air North, so it was a rather fantastic flight. However, every airline allows infants under two years old to sit on your lap. This often means you get preferred seating, so you call and get a good seat! On the plane, we got on first, which meant all our bags could fit above us—another advantage of having a baby.
Our biggest fear was him screaming the entire flight. I mean, I’ve been on a 15-hour flight next to a baby screaming, and it is awful. So we planned his bottles during takeoff and landing, to allow him to pressurize his ears. And it worked! He ate as the plane took off, slept on the plane and then ate on the way down. Hurrah!
Either we are the best parents ever or our future international flights will be awful … most likely the latter.
Overall, travelling with a baby isn’t as bad as you think. We’ve been told when they can run around that it gets challenging. But before we get that far, look out for part 2 (when we go on 15-hour flights to Fiji and Australia).
Ask to meet the pilot!
I remember doing meeting the pilot as a kid, going to New Zealand, and it is the coolest thing your little one can do.
