Traveling with a baby.....

[Laur_250]

Think this is the best place for my question as its mainly feeding related!

Going abroad to greece in May 09 when Reggie will be almost 10 months.

I currently breastfeed though will be cutting down and gradually stopping once i start BLW at 6 months.

So assuming by the holiday i will be BLW and bottle feeding, what and how do i take for him to feed for on the plane (3.15 hour flight) and for the rest of the week?.............

I suppose pre-made formula would be easier? Will it be allowed on the plane if its fluids with the new regulations? What about taking enough to last a week? And if im BLW can i just give him food over there and just take the milk?

I have no clue about how this will work so if anyones traveled with a baby tips would be greatly appreciated so i can plan what to do xx

 

[daftscotslass]

If you'll be using formula at the time I'd just take water and the powder. They might get you to taste the water. If you take cartons be prepared to open them which is a bit of a pain if you'd wanted to keep them sterile. The two times we've been away we've just taken the tins of powder as the water was fine where we went (Holland and Croatia).

If you're doing BLW just take some simple finger foods (like toast/bread/pitta/fruit) and he should be fine with them.

 

[Sage]

Depending on what formula you use you'd probably be able to take just one carton. At 10months though you'll prob be fine with nothing for the flight? Or maybe a milk feed in the airport and some snacks on the plane? Im sure somewhere in the airport you'd be able to buy some fruit? or take a packet or organix crisps with you? Its so much easier when they're older you haven't got to constantly worry about feeding every 3 hours.

Kys only just turned 11 months but if we were going on a 3 hour plane journey id prob bring a small drink for him (an unopened bottle of baby juice as he wont drink plan water) some organix crisps. then id make sure we have some food in the airport because he'll eat anything off a normal food menu now. you could always bring a jar of food to. theres loads of options you'll be fine I'll stop rambling now!

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks girls. Im confused.....when do they stop drinking milk? As is formula?? And at 10 months will he still need it as his main food source or can he have other drinks and food?? Will I need to take formula over with me?? I dont have a clue about anything other than breastfeeding at the mo!xx

 

[Urchin]

they still have formula up to 12 months old, but won't need so much, maybe 2-3 bottles a day.

I would take cartons and sterilised bottles if tou wanted for the plane. And a drink.

I would make sure he's thirsty for take off so he's sucking and it will help his ears.

Food over there will be fine. Maybe take a couple of back up jars? Take a few things like the organic savory biscuits etc which my help.
Personally if you're only going for a week I would take all the nappies you will need, or it can be a right pain finding them there.

 

[Sage]

Thanks girls. Im confused.....when do they stop drinking milk? As is formula?? And at 10 months will he still need it as his main food source or can he have other drinks and food?? Will I need to take formula over with me?? I dont have a clue about anything other than breastfeeding at the mo!xx

You'll be surprised what a difference 6months will make!! By 10months he'll still need to intake a pint of milk a day but that can be as little as two bottles and milk on his cereal for breakfast! He will def be on 3 good meals a day by then id think I would take a sealed box of formula over with you, as its normally impossible to find your brand abroad. As for food id take some jars just in case but if you decide to only feed him home cooked meals just bring a bowl along with you to dinner and make sure you pick something off the menu that he likes and scoop some in his bowl!

By 10months he'll prob be happy eating whatever you have!

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks thats good to know! The thought of him eating and drinking seems alien to me at the moment but like you say, by then he will be compeltely different to now! They have a buffet reseteraunt so for meals we can choose him out veg and fruit that he can eat hopefully. And I will take a milk depending on what he is on then i suppose.

Bythe way what age can you stop sterilising bottles??

And i'll definately take lots of nappies, im gonna get some of the swimmer ones too. He's never been swimming before and im worried about leakages!! Anyone have any good tips there??xx

 

[purple13]

i've done BLW with connor, and he's normally on 5 breast feeds a day now - he's cut down massively (although they've increased again atm due to his cold and my mastitis). if you're planning on dropping bf-ing in favour of formula then, as urchin said, take some cartons for the plane - you might find that you don't need bottles, connor drinks everything out of sippy cups these days. then pack a big container of formula in your hold luggage for whilst you're away. or if you want to consider continuing bf-ing, then you don't have to take anything

our national obsession with sterilising is one of my ongoing bugbears - its actually not ever necessary if you wash up properly. just make sure the water is really hot (ie. you need to wear marigolds-type-hot) and you'll be fine.

i use huggies swim nappies with a wetsuit over the top. the nappies on their own are good enough, but i really rate the wetsuits - its double protection against leakage, but also keeps them warm if the water's chilly.

 

[Laur_250]

i've done BLW with connor, and he's normally on 5 breast feeds a day now - he's cut down massively (although they've increased again atm due to his cold and my mastitis). if you're planning on dropping bf-ing in favour of formula then, as urchin said, take some cartons for the plane - you might find that you don't need bottles, connor drinks everything out of sippy cups these days. then pack a big container of formula in your hold luggage for whilst you're away. or if you want to consider continuing bf-ing, then you don't have to take anything

our national obsession with sterilising is one of my ongoing bugbears - its actually not ever necessary if you wash up properly. just make sure the water is really hot (ie. you need to wear marigolds-type-hot) and you'll be fine.

i use huggies swim nappies with a wetsuit over the top. the nappies on their own are good enough, but i really rate the wetsuits - its double protection against leakage, but also keeps them warm if the water's chilly.

Thanks! TBH im really unsure what to do at the moment, when he starts BLW at 6 months it seems weird that i'll then have to start giving formula too so im considering carrying on bfeeding as although its awkward sometimes it involves no buying milk/bottles, etc! Then i suppose i could bfeed until he stops needing formula I think i'll just see how i feel at 6 months but at the moment i really enjoy breastfeeding so it might not change.

And thanks for the wet suit tip, im definatly gonna get him to wear them over the swim nappies as his nappies can be really explosive sometimes!! xx

 

[Magic Monkey]

We went to Spain when Ella was 8 months and we took water and powder seperately for the flight, because as DSL says they may make you open cartons and I didn't want a load of opened cartons! We took a bottle for take off and one for landing to help her ears and she took a bit from both (I also took a spare and an emergency carton for poss delays). Baby foods and drinks are exempt from the rules on liquids, you can take as much as is needed for the flight.

When there we took a tin of formula and a travel kettle. We then bought baby safe bottled water and boiled that up to make the feeds. Guidance on sterilising from HVs says you can stop at 6 months, we actually sterilsed on holiday as it was difficult to was up properly in a hotel room bathroom! So we bought the travel bags from Boots, you just fill with tap water and then stick everything in and hang them up somewhere for 30 mins. If I was going again though I would just take disposable bottles for the week to save all the hassle! Ella only has 3 bottles a day now, but I woould take spare as she does occasionally have an extra one some days!

We went in a hotel and gave Ella bits from the buffet, like veg, bread rolls etc. We were just careful to make sure that we avoided anything that was a potential for food poisoning like meats that had been out a while etc.

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks thats useful to know too.xx