As I kissed my husband goodbye at the airport + headed off into the brave unknown of literally flying solo with a 4 month old, I broke out in a cold sweat, it felt even scarier than childbirth! I was plagued by a plethora of ‘what ifs’…’what if he cries all the way on our long-haul flight’, ‘what if I can’t juggle him & the mountain of baby baggage’, ‘what if he gets sick on the plane’ etc. etc.
This wasn’t just any plane journey either, we had 20hrs of travelling time ahead of us including all flight changes. Dublin to Namibia via Ethiopia + South Africa, sheweee, what was I thinking!? To quote The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: ‘Everything will be ok in the end, and if it’s not ok, it’s not the end.’ (now my mainstay motto). In the end, low & behold, we made it, I live to tell the tale! Believe it or not I actually enjoyed the ride, here’s how: 7 survival guide tips…
1. Baby sling to the rescue!
Our trusty Ubuntu Baba sling was a God send. Especially when the buggy went missing mid journey on our first stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This turn of events turned out to be a blessing in disguise, it forced me to use the sling. It was so simple to slip him in & out when on/off boarding + with its sturdy back support I was more than comfortable wearing him for long stretches as a time while walking around airports. The only problem was when I needed the loo! He often fell asleep in it and at one point didn’t even wake going through security. Ubuntu Baba’s slogan ‘to a happy now’ couldn’t be more true, it helped us relax + take it all in our stride.
Top tip: find a super comfortable sling you feel confident using, one that’s easy to get on & off + has good back support.
2. Ask for help
9 times out of 10 you won’t have to, usually I got offered help first, but don’t be scared to ask, everyone was more than willing to lend a hand. I soon found out having a baby onboard was the best ice breaker, which leads me to my next tip…
3. Chat to people
…once you get chatting to others it helps pass the time. Connecting with fellow travellers makes the journey so much more enjoyable. Other travelling moms with their little ones in tow was a bonus. Babies love other babies/children, they were the perfect distraction + kept Emmett entertained.
4. Pre-arrange a bassinet with the airline
Phone the airline ahead of the journey to request a seat with a bassinet. Ethiopian Airlines couldn’t guarantee me one as the flight originated in LA, but I always ended up seated in one of the front rows of seats with a bassinet clipped in front of me on the wall under the TV screens. The air hostesses were very accommodating and once everyone had boarded seated us accordingly. This meant when Emmett slept I could lie him down in front of me which gave me some freedom, instead of having him on me all the way. A major stress reliever!
5. Aisle seats are handiest
Travelling with a baby made me acutely considerate of others. I didn’t want us to be a nuisance so an aisle seat where possible was key.
This didn’t happen on the first leg of the journey from Dublin to Addis Ababa, luckily the plane was full of friendly Irish folk. We were seated between two patient, relaxed young ladies, one of which went above + beyond helping me out & making us feel comfortable. I really wish I’d taken her details to thank her. Her name was Frankie, a student living in Dublin. She just made the introduction to our long trip so much easier than I believed it could be, so young & yet so understanding of the extra effort it takes for a mother travelling with a young baby. Thank you Frankie!
6. Minimise carry on luggage
A decent size backpack should suffice. With your hands full, the less you need to juggle the better.
7. Feed on take off + landing (to help ease baby’s ear discomfort)
Try sync feeding time with take off + landing. Easier said than done I know. Fortunately the majority of the time it was easy enough to get him to feed at these times which thankfully prevented having a screaming baby on my hands.
With my confidence boosted I’ve already booked our next trip…but he’s grown somewhat…flying solo with a 1 year old will be a totally different ball game – eeeeekkkkk!