Tips for Flying with a Newborn & Toddler

Our trip out West for Christmas break was the first time flying with two kids and let me tell you-It's a lot harder and different than with one! Each way we had one four hour flight, a layover, and then an hour flight. The four hour flight was the hardest, because we all were getting restless and ready to be at our destination.

During these flights I took some notes on tips that I thought would be helpful to someone else who may have to fly with a newborn and toddler in the near future!

-Dress baby in dark clothes in case of blowouts to prevent staining. Baby E had a blowout flying there and one on the flight back. I brought a plastic bag for the soiled clothes and washed them out later. I intentionally put him in dark clothes and they didn't get stained, even after the poop being on it for several hours!

-Dress yourself in dark clothes in case of spills or other matter (poop) getting on your clothes. This saved me because on the flight out to our families, Baby E was being the messiest eater and I had breast milk all over my shirt! Thankfully it was dark blue and you couldn't really tell from afar! Also if a blowout happens on you, it won't stain as easily.

-Get on the plane first and let your toddler play and get their wiggles out. In my last traveling tips post for a two year old I suggested to get on the plane last. Well with a newborn in tow we decided to get on first and get our stroller and kids situated. This also gave B time to explore before we had to take off!

-Bring lots of snacks! Of course we needed to keep B and ourselves happy with food. Plus it was great to bribe him with fun snacks like fruit roll ups because we normally don't eat those at home!

-Bring headphones for toddler and yourself. The long flight we went on had TVs to watch and this kept B's attention span the longest. Sometimes they offer headphones to buy, but it's better to be prepared!

-Wear easy to nurse in clothes. You definitely want to be easily accessible for the baby, so I found it easiest to wear a shirt that didn't require an undershirt. I wore a cardigan over it to layer and to help cover up.

What tips do you have for traveling with two young kids?? I'd love to know!

You may also like my post How to Travel Smoothly with a Two Year Old.

Linking up with Thoughts for Thursday, Thinking out Loud, Penny's Passion