International Travel with a Baby

Whew! We just traveled from the Midwest to Okinawa, Japan. I have to say, international travel with small children is not for the faint of heart, but it most definitely can be done. Travel with kids is tough. Travel half way around the world is a whole other ball game.

We kept really low expectations beforehand, and when it goes well, you may be pleasantly surprised. Once you arrive at your destination, it will all be worth it. I lost sleep for months over our upcoming international travel, and it was all for nothing. Simply put, it is what it is. Now that we are here in Japan though, I wouldn’t trade our challenging travels for the world. Here are a few things that I learned on our journey to the other side…

1. Pack lots of food and snacks, plus some.

I’ve read many times not to over pack, and while you shouldn’t take too much, it is very important to pack smart. Our travels took us nearly 3 days, and we were without access to quality food for our son for quite some time. When your child is hungry, it is possible food will be unavailable from the airline or available for purchase. If your child eats solid food, pack lots of easy to eat food for your baby or toddler.

Most importantly, remember to pack formula, even if your child is breastfeed and even if your child is on cow’s milk. If you breastfeed and become sick and your supply becomes compromised for any reason, it’s important to have a quality formula that your baby will tolerate. The same goes for cow’s milk. You may not readily have access to it. Always take a small can of powder formula as a backup. Then no matter what your child will always have access to nutrition.

Know that if you take a bottle or sippy cup with you, it is not safe to wash it in an airplane bathroom. The water is treated and not safe for drinking. You can take it to a flight attendant and ask to rinse it with bottled water.

2. Pack a carry on with enough for 2 days. Like I said before, I’ve been warned not to over pack, but packing smart goes a long way. If you get delayed what will you do? We were delayed and it resulted in our travels lasting 3 days, rather than 2 days. Before we departed, we packed one carry-on piece of luggage that contained 2 days of clothes, pajamas, and toiletries for each family member.

More at TheMilitaryWifeandMom.com.