Solo travelling with a baby can be super overwhelming, as its double the work and something you haven’t done before.
So when I did it, I decided to learn from it and to share what I learned so we could help other families that have to go through it.
This way you will feel more prepared and will have a much smoother and stress free trip.
1. Less is more
So what I mean by this is that you shouldn’t take too much carry baggage. You need as many free hands as you can get! Nothing worse than having 3 carry on bags and a baby/toddler to chase around.
So, do yourself a favour a get a big yet compact backpack that you can just have on your back and have your hands free to pick up the baby/toddler or to carry important documents.
2- Easy foldable stroller
Last thing you need is to have an over complicated stroller to fold while also holding a baby/toddler before getting in the airplane.
So, we would always recommend an easy folding stroller, so you can easily fold it with one hand and not worry or sweat too much about it.
The one we have is from Joie, which is a great travelling stroller and super easy to fold. It also comes with a travel bag where you can put the stroller inside before sending it through.
However, I would not recommend using the stroller bag when you’re by yourself as it is an added stress that believe me you will not need.
3. Bring your baby carrier with you
Wearing your baby in and out of the plane is probably one of the easiest options, simply because you will have full control of your baby/toddler while having your hands free to hold your documents and to grab other necessary things (like from the overhead compartment or under the chair and so on)
It also makes it easy for when you are queing to get inside the plane rather than having to run after a wildling that is not ready to settle just yet.
We forgot ours once, and mind you we were together this time, and we regretted it big time! Wearing our little one in and out of the plane makes things a lot easier to carry our hand luggage and just to make the process a lot faster.
4. Always check in your luggage
If you are thinking you only have a small suitcase so you could take it with you rather than checking in, think again.
Think of it this way, when you are solo travelling with a baby you are only one adult with only two hands. Which you will need to hold your child and documents… and yes you can be wearing the baby making it easier to maneuver but you won’t be wearing him the whole time.
So when you are walking around pushing a stroller with a baby/toddler might not be the best idea to also have a suitcase to roll around.
So make things easier for yourself and check in that luggage and have less to worry about while in the airport.
5. Have entertainment ready
We tend to reccomend to tire them out while in the airport, but sometimes even when doing that it doesn’t mean that they will actually sleep during the flight.
So be prepared, and bring along some entertainment. Don’t over do it though, you don’t have to bring all the toys you have at home, but consider things that get his attention the longest.
For instance, for us it would have been a movie or his favourite program, which we tend to download for occasions like these (and we know this is not a popular opinion, but when you are a toddler and have to be sat for a long period of time it can be quite challenging, so think of it that way).
Watching Paw Patrol was our saviour during our last flight just the two of us, seeing that he just wanted to walk around during the specific times you are meant to stay seated with the seat belt on. So we are grateful that there are shows that keep him entertained for longer periods of time.
To sum up
When solo traelling with a baby just make things easy for yourself at all costs, be prepared and plan ahead. But most importantly go with the flow and don’t let what you can’t control bring you down.
Remember that things sometimes can go wrong and that is ok, learning to accept it roll with the punchs is the best motto to have while travelling with kids.
But going back to the previous points, having a good backpack for the essentials is a great way to carry things and still be super mobile to move around grab things and the baby.
Don’t understimate the power of good folding stroller, last thing you need while juggling with everything else is to be stressing with the instructions on how to collapse the stroller.
And lastly, you know your kid better than anyone, so prepare entertainment, that you know will keep him busy for long periods of time, extra points if you get “new” items ( like colouring books, stickers and things of the sort).
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Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed it.
Travel Family Academy Team
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