Travelling with a 2 month old

Hello to all of you world-travelers out there. Have any of you traveled on a long-haul flight with a 2 mo. old? We're first-time parents going to the U.S. for CNY and are gathering advice/suggestions for this trip. Our little one will be about 9 wks old by that time.


I'm BF so that makes things a bit easier, and we have also reserved bassinets on all flights except one (we will have to hold him). How did your baby react to the time difference/jet lag, and what did you do to help remedy it?


Thanks in advance.

dani r,


is the non-bassinet flight a short one? if it's long haul, think you really want to get a bassinet.

The flight is only about 5 hrs. (GZ to Tokyo) there weren't any bassinets available. I guess my husband and I will have to swap him back and forth. I'm hoping he will be easy to handle at that age.

2 months - definitely a piece of cake if he's breastfeeding. I did one at 2 months - and it wasn't so bad. Everytime she opened up to cry - it was stick my boob in her mouth - and she sucked. I DID have sore boobs - because she did fuss a bit, but I didnt' have major problems aside from that.


For me- I always just changed schedules cold turkey. I know some moms "adjust" gradually - but I just started her on her regular routine as soon as we got there. At 2 months, not much of aregular routine, but as much as possible, limit day time sleep to extend nighttime sleep.


Good luck! It'll be fine. 2 months is much easier than 2 years - or even 10 months...when they start wanting to walk around...

I traveled with my 2 month old son to san francisco too. and i guess you are taking the same flight as what i did before (Northwest with stop at Tokyo right?) Shouldn't be a problem at all. They sleep all the time and flight from GZ to Tokyo is shorter than you think so it shouldn't be a problem not having a bassinet. You and your husband can alternate.


Good luck

btw, we are traveling again to the US this CNY... i wonder if we are on the same flight ;-) My son is now 3.5 years old!

It will still be cold at that time and the temperature can be quite cool on certain flights. I wore a heavy duty wrap (like M&S) and tucked baby inside with the lapbelt loosely round him. That way you can BF to your hearts content and he can doze in comfort. Even if they don't fuss, definitely BF on takeoff and landing for the sake of their ears. Above all, enjoy, it's a piece of cake at that age.......

Travelling with a baby under 1 year old is the BEST time to travel once you have a child. The amount of luggage and hand carried luggage is a pain, other than that, I wish I can magically turn my two kids back to 2 months old for the long haul flights. THey are 3 and 1 now... a NIGHTMARE on just a 4 hour flight. I am planning to wait at least 2 years before taking them on a long haul flight.

Agree with above - after 6 weeks and before starting solids at 6 months is the best time to travel with baby - especially while breast feeding.


A baby sling is great for keeping baby with you and having the required baby seat belt on - even the air attendants and other passengers commented on how comfortable baby and I looked and what a great idea it was.


In the carry on diaper bag, pack an extra t-shirt for you and hubby - just in case baby is sick on you, so you can change.


Ask air attendant to bring your meal separate from hubby - so one can eat, one can hold baby. (If you order a vegetarian or special meal this happens anyway). Also be sure you have a bottle of water, so you stay hydrated with all the breast feeding!


Bring a blanket from home that smells like home (ie, use it in the crib for 1-2 days before travel) for hte bassinette.


Bring a large large muslin or light weight cloth to put over the bassinette to keep the bright lights out so baby can sleep.


Now, normally at home, we would NEVER rock the baby to sleep or carry the baby until he falls asleep. But on the flight, be considerate to other passengers. I would walk up and down and bounce baby in the sling until asleep, then gently put in bassinette - magic!


Good luck, enjoy the trip, expect your relatives to want to hold baby all the time and throw your schedule out the window. So you need to find some balance between keeping them happy, letting them help, and keeping to your schedule and rules.

When you come back go right into GZ schecule but still expect 5-10 days of jet lag, but it really isn't so bad.


Have a great trip!!!!

Thanks so much for all this great advice! Kmom, we're actually on a JAL flt. from GZ to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Hawaii. :) I know the NWA flts, we've taken more than our fair share of those.


I really like the idea of a wrap and/or sling for the baby, he likes to cuddle anyway, and good suggestion re: the meals, I didn't even think of that. Actually, re: the slings, where in HK can I buy one? We have an Ergo carrier, but he's too small for that right now, and was looking into a ring sling or an Ultimate Baby Wrap (stretchy material).


Yes, I've come to realize that our routine (as uneven as it is right now) will go out the window. I just can't wait to see our parents (and one grandmother/great-grandmother to baby) with our little one for the first time. It will all be worth it. :)

In HK you can get Mayawrap slings from La Leche League (www.LLLHK.org) and a cheaper version from BFMoms (www.hk-bfmoms.com). If you have a bit of turbulence on the flight, sometimes it's easier to just leave baby in the sling rather than try to put into the basinette, because you are supposed to take them out of the basinette during turbulence.


I have found jetlag to be much easier with younger babies who are still having several daytime naps, because it's easier to let them adjust gradually than if they are old enough to only need one nap. Get him out into as much natural daylight as possible when you get there, that sometimes helps.


Have a good laugh if the flight attendants try to offer you baby food jars, huge nappies, even "fun packs", which has happened to me on flights with small babies before!