Leif: World Traveler

Leif is only 5-months-old and already is quite the world traveler! He has a passport, has been out of the country, has been to both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and has traveled by plane, ferry, clipper ship, train, subway, taxi and bus. He is now living proof that you can travel with a baby. (I have even traveled with him by myself.) I scoff at people that say you have to get all of your traveling out of your system before kids. (Maybe I am being a little cocky, but I think it is just the fear of the unknown that keeps people tied to their house.) So, before I forget all of the lessons I have learned on our travels, I am writing them down here. Feel free to add suggestions in the comments!

Travels with Baby: A How-To Guide
(Remember that these are only suggestions and you might find a better way to do things.)

Getting a Passport
-Go to your Post Office. They have all of the forms necessary and can take the passport photo. Check the times of availability, since they might not have the staff to do passports all of the time.
-Get the traditional passport book if you are planning on going over seas. (~$60) Get the passport card if you are only planning on traveling to Canada and Mexico. (~$20)
-Allow 6 weeks for processing. (We received Leif's passport only a week before our trip. We were cutting it a little too close.)
-A passport is good until they are 5-years-old.

Plane
-Babies fly free if they sit in your lap. You can do this up to the age of 2, but from what I hear from parents of older kids, you might want to buy them their own seat once they are busy toddlers.)
-When you are checking in make sure you confirm with the airline that you will have a baby with you. Surprisingly, there was not an option to include a baby with some airlines. I had to let them know face-to-face at the airport.
-If you chose to buy a seat for your baby, you can install your car seat it that seat. In "the unlikely event of an emergency" a car seat is the safest place for your baby. (If money weren't a factor, I would buy a seat for Leif.)
-Request the bulkhead seat. Most airlines set those seats aside for people traveling with kids, wheelchairs, etc. You will get significantly more leg room. (Our first flight was in a normal seat and it was a little tight especially when the person in front of me decided to recline.) You can also request this seat at the last minute at the gate counter. I have lucked out every time I tried this!
-Pack light!! When I traveled alone, I checked one rolling bag and one car seat. I gate checked a stroller and carried on just a diaper bag. (Car seats and strollers can be checked for free!)
-Visualize (or even practice) carrying everything, plus baby, before you get to the airport. I had a baby in a front pack, car seat in the stroller, diaper bag hanging on the stroller, pushed the stroller with one hand and dragged the rolling bag behind me with the other hand.
-Arrive at the airport early! It is much better to not feel rushed so you have plenty of time for unexpected diaper/clothes changes.
-Take the family lane in the security line. You'll get through quicker and be surrounded by other passengers that understand your situation. Also, you can bring liquids as long as they are for the baby. Just let the security people know what is in the bag (expressed milk, formula, water, liquid Tylenol, etc.) And don't let them push you around! Stand your ground when if comes to the needs of your baby. You don't have to dump out anything!
-Do a diaper change before boarding since the changing tables on the plane are a little tight. Also, if you need to change a diaper on the plane, make sure you do this before your final decent. I got stuck in my seat at the end of the flight. Leif had a very dirty diaper and I had to wait until we landed to change it.
-Go to the bathroom before boarding. If you are traveling alone, also bring a front pack so you have the ability to go to the bathroom in flight.
-Get a snack and a drink for you while on the plane. The complimentary drink service was not enough for me. (It also is nearly impossible to use the tray table with a baby in your lap. Put a snack and a water bottle in the seat pocket with the Sky Mall catalog.) I needed a large bottle of water available to me. I always get dehydrated on planes and this was especially true since I'm nursing.
-Pre-Board! You can get on the plane before anybody else, so you aren't stressed with a ton of passengers squished around you. (Make sure you are ready to board early, I missed pre-boarding on one of my flights because of a diaper change. So, I had to cram in with all of the other passengers.)
-Nurse/Bottle on take-off and landing. Leif didn't seem to be bothered by take-off, but the decent definitely messed with his ears. Sucking will help to pop their ears. If they won't take a bottle or nurse, have them chew on something or suck a pacifier. (I introduced a pacifier for the first time in desperation on a flight. Leif didn't know how to use it and just chewed on it. But the chewing still settled him down.)
-Don't stress out about bothering the people around you if your baby is crying. I have never had a negative response; most people either ignore it or give me a little smile or say something like "I've been there." People are pretty understanding when it comes to babies.
-Have a new toy ready to entertain when the baby gets bored.
-Hang on to your baby tight during landing! Mostly landing was fine, but one of my flights had a very abrupt ending. They won't let you wear your baby while seated, so hang on! I never felt like I was going to drop Leif, but definitely felt like I needed to hold on tight. (Again, this would be where a car seat would be the safest place for your baby.)
-Wait in the jet way for your gate checked items.

Subway
-Wear your baby in a front pack! A stroller is going to be big trouble with the turn-styles and you probably won't have space for it on the actual subway. I traveled with an umbrella stroller folded up, so my back could have some relief during the rest of our day.
-Be careful of the gap between the platform and the train car.
-Grab a seat as quickly as you can. If there are no seats available, ask somebody (politely) if they would give up their seat for you. I wasn't gutsy enough to stand up, but I have seen people standing with their babies.

Train
-Again, a front pack is easiest. A small umbrella stroller can work, but is a little tight, and you'll have to fold it up once you are seated. It can also be a little tight on the train platforms where there are sometimes very narrow paths around stairs.

Ferry
-Probably the easiest form of travel I have been on! Just walk on with a stroller, front pack, whatever. Plenty of space to move around while riding also. The only thing that can be a little tricky are the stairs. Some are a little steep.

Clipper Ship
-We rode one of these from Seattle to Victoria. Basically the same as riding a plane, but with more space and less hassle.
-Check your bags and just carry on your diaper bag.
-Check your stroller when you board.
-Find a seat on the shady side of the boat.
-Use the family bathroom for diaper changes.

Taxi
-Have a car seat that is easy to install. (Gracco makes one that is as quick to install as buckling your seat belt.) And don't assume that the taxi will have a latch system; know how to install it by just using the seat belt.
-Have your wallet easily accessible. (Taxis take cards which can make things easier on you.) Don't forget to tip, especially if the driver helped you schlep all of your stuff!

Bus
-Have your money easily accessible before you get on the bus.
-I've never brought a stroller on a bus, I just use a front pack. But when I have seen strollers on busses, it looks like folding it would be best. I have also seen bus drivers insist that the stroller be folded. But I think it all depends on the driver and how crowded the bus is.


This all might sound like a lot of work, but it really is quite doable. I definitely plan on taking Leif on many more trips. I hope you found this useful! Let me know any other tricks you have.

Happy Travels!!