How To Survive a 20 Hour Journey With a Six-month-Old

I just embarked on a harrowing journey. Traveling from Oslo, Norway to Miami, Florida with my six-month-old daughter. It was two flights, 12 hours of flying time, and one layover in Sweden. We had to get up at 5 am and our layover was so short it might involve running.

It was also the first time she had flown. And the first time we had taken her on any sort of a trip. But it went surprisingly well. Shockingly well. I might not even miss that much sleep worrying about it on the way back.

My fellow-mom groups had given me a few tips and tricks to make the trip smoother. Here are the top five dos and three don’ts I learned along the way.

Do — get a direct flight

This was a swing and a miss for us on the way to the U.S. We had booked a direct flight, but it got canceled. The additional stop not only made us get up at the crack of dawn, but it made me stress about the short layover. Even if this costs more, a direct flight would reduce stress, which is well worth it.

Do — have them suck on something

This was advice from all the mommy groups and my daughter’s pediatrician. Babies need to swallow in order to equalize their ears from the pressure on takeoff and landing. My daughter did fine with a pacifier, but if they’re not actively swallowing it can make their ears hurt. Cue screaming baby on a plane.

Do — get a paci clip

This one we wish we had, but didn’t. Within a couple of hours at the airport, she had dropped every pacifier she had. In puddles, on the floor of the bathroom, on strangers. Places you can’t ignore, with no places to clean them off insight. Next time, we’re attaching the paci to her.

Do — bring small toys

A rattle, a stuffed animal, and several other small toys were lifesavers for our daughter on the flight. If possible, have your child play with one for a couple hours, then bring out the next one (and put away the first) for as long as your flight lasts. Throwing all the toys at them at once might make them bored with their options and cranky by the end of the flight.

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Do — use your baby at every opportunity

This doesn’t sound like great parenting, but it is. We need more legroom because of the baby. We need to board sooner because of the baby. We need to cut the customs line because of the baby. A lot of the hassles at an airport can be expedited when you carry a crying baby with you. Even if your baby isn’t crying, don’t be afraid to use them as an excuse. It’s hard to say how long a good mood will last.

Don’t — Overpack

This one was a complete failure for us. We tried to pack light, but as our first trip with the baby, spending six weeks abroad and packing for two different climates, we couldn’t do it. We ended up with eight bags in total and still had to buy stuff when we got to the U.S. We’re planning on making a list at the end of our trip of all the things we didn’t use. But getting the bags through the airport and into a rental car were so much of a hassle, I regretted our packing skills (or lack thereof) immediately.

Don’t — try to do too much in one day

You never know what will happen when you’re flying. A plane could be delayed. The customs or passport lines could be miles long. Someone could get sick on the way. Instead of burning the candle at both ends trying to race to your final destination, land, and spend the night at an airport hotel. Then, tackle everything else the next day. I know it sucks to use an extra vacation day, but it’s worth it to save on stress and exhaustion.

Don’t — stress in advance

Speaking of stress — try not to worry too much in advance. Flying with a baby can go a multitude of ways. It could be smooth sailing, or it could be a nightmare. But, either way, it will only last one day. Our first trip with our daughter was a 20+ hour day. It was long, but it did eventually end. And now we’re enjoying ourselves on a beach in Florida. Regardless of how the trip could have gone, worrying about it in advance wouldn’t have made anything different. Plus, babies can sense when you’re stressed. Don’t make your child stress with you over things neither of you can control.

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Traveling halfway across the world with a baby is an adventure. Whether your child is a pro-traveler or it’s your first time setting out together, listen to the pro-tips of your parent groups, prepare yourself, and try not to worry.

You and your precious baby will get there eventually.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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