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Hi all. I have read topics regarding infants travelling but thought this could warrant its on own thread. If it doesn’t, apologies. I’ve posted topics on various forums, but I really do appreciate the help from members on here. In January we will be flying on QR to Sydney from LHR. 90,0000 one way redemption. We will then be flying to Fiji and onto New Zealand before going to Kl and Singapore and then back to Manchester. We will be away for 7 weeks in total, and we will be staying in hotels and with family in NZ.
Like everyone on this site, we love travelling. We know it will be slightly more difficult with a 5 month infant but we are trying to prepare as much as we can. I would be lying if we don’t have In back of our mind that we will encounter someone who criticises us for taking a baby on board and makes a comment such as “I hope that’s not near me”. She is generally extremely chilled and wife is organised. I generally deal with the flights and hotels. She is in the charge of the dummy.
This is what we have So far:
We will be taking the train down to Kings Cross and arrive in London at around 15:00 on 20th Jan. It appears on the date we are travelling there will be engineering works on the Elizabeth line, so we will have to take the Piccadilly line to T4. Apparently the first or last carriage may be quieter (I can live in hope). I’ve booked Crowne Plaza on free cancellation. I see the Hilton is rated quite highly and we could take the bus there, but think we may just stick with just walking on the T4 walkway to the CP. Our flight is the A380 at 08:35 on the Sunday morning so we won’t bother with breakfast in the hotel.
We have bought a silver cross clic as apparently we can take it on the aircraft. If we can’t it’s not a massive deal, but it’s less clunky than the one we have at home. We also have a baby carrier.
Our infant is bottle fed, which makes it a little more difficult. We have no experience of going through security with formula, but compared to Manchester security, I’m sure we won’t be made to feel like a criminal.
I reserved the bassinet and our seats are 10A and 11A respectively for LHR to DOH and DOH to SYD. I know Qatar is famous for its aircraft changes, but I just hope we will have a bassinet as I assume that’s a game changer.We haven’t visited the lounge at Doha before but the reviews for the new lounge seem to state that there are plenty of showers available. We only have 2 and half hour connection, so I’m hoping not long after takeoff, our baby will sleep then.
When we arrive in Sydney, we will either take the airport train to Circular Quay or take a taxi. We always prefer to use public transport, but not sure if that’s always going to be practical now. We have booked the Intercontinental on points and having contacted them, already got an upgrade, think we will stick with this hotel as a base.
After 4 days in Sydney, we will fly upto Brisbane and take a car to Noosa (Avis), before going back to Brisbane and then flying to onto Fiji (all inclusive for a week).We have looked at Cozee go 3 in 1 bassinet. This seems a good idea that someone on here informed me of as we are not subjecting her to various cots for 7 weeks.
Also, we have the amex dining credit (will maybe post in the specific forum), but ideally we could do with eating at a restaurant in Wellington and using the overseas 2023 dining credit).I could go on, but that’s the jist of it so far. Most of what we have so far is from help and advice from others, so I thought posting a topic like this could only give us a few extra pointers. It will obviously help anyone else who is in a similar-ish situation.
Thanks in advance.
RichMake sure you have plenty of baby stuff in hand luggage in case your checked luggage goes AWOL.
If your stroller folds to the size of a cabin bag, then they should let it on board. They’ll ask ‘is it like a yo-yo?’. Say yes. Might be handy to have a picture of the stroller folded next to a cabin bag, so you can show them.
Take plenty of spare nappies, vests and baby grows in your hand luggage, and baby food, as you never know how long until you are reunited with your luggage. We once were delayed massively going to Dubrovnik, and thankfully we had plenty of supplies in our hand luggage; another parent was panicking because they had run out of nappies, we gave some of ours, but our daughter was quite a bit bigger than her child, so not sure how much use it was for them!
For long journeys, we used to use the Aptamil milk that comes in a carton, as you don’t have to worry about it going off. It’s a bit of a hassle if you take fresh milk, and have to keep it in a cooler bag, and have it warmed.
T4 Hilton is just a bit further along the walkway.
We bought all these baby travel things and in the end what worked best was just sleeping with us in the bed. Although with inflation we made a profit selling some of the stuff on ebay after 3 years…
On the plane we just had to hold him.
That’s a long trip & lots of flights/transfers so my advice would be to reduce amount of luggage as much as possible. Every item you take needs to fit on 1 luggage trolley & in the boot of 1 taxi/hire car.
Bassinet I’d say yes for a single centre holiday but no for yours. Just make sure you only book hotels that can provide one (which is most these days). Is your little one used to sleeping in a pitch black room? If so then I’d highly recommend a bassinet cover. Likewise a sunshade/blackout cover for the stroller so you can try & do naps on the go rather than heading back to accommodation 2-3 times a day.
Have you thought about what you will do in the evenings when little one asleep? If you don’t have a suite/interconnecting room then make sure you’ve got an iPad/headphones to while away the time between their & your bedtime!
Prioritise simplicity/ease over cost when considering transfers but remember for taxis you’ll need a baby seat.
By baby carrier do you mean a sling? If so then get yourself & baby used to it in advance. They are game changers for keeping hands free.
7 weeks is a long time to take enough formula for especially if not weaning yet. Do you use a brand that’s easily obtainable overseas? It’ll be made with localish milk regardless so may well taste quite different to what they’re used to so probably worth trying to mix brands a bit before you go so they are used to variety.
In my personal & professional experience kids are very adaptable/resilient but you do need to ensure some routine around sleep & food or it’ll be miserable for everyone.
Good luck & enjoy. In some ways it’s a great stage to travel as you don’t really have to worry about child centred entertainment all day & they will still fit in a bassinet + it’s cheap/free! It’s a shame little one won’t remember any of it but it’ll great to talk about with them when they’re a bit older.
Some products that helped us when we travelled to Singapore/Bali with our 8 month old:
Baby Jogger City Tour 2 stroller…folded up so could bring it on board for our long haul flights.
SnoozeShade universal stroller blind.
Aptamil ready-made cartons for the journey.
Joie Savvy Baby Carrier.
It helped us greatly that our flight times were mostly at night so he slept pretty much all the way through.
Bassinet was hit and miss. He slept mostly with us on board. One of the bassinets was lie-flat and he did sleep in for a while. Another one wasn’t flat and he didn’t like it.
We were apprehensive about flying with a baby but on balance I think it went better than expected. Hoping the same happens for you!
For the plane, get ready made cartons. You can take them through security if they’re sealed.
Just a specific comment on the train from Sydney Airport to Circular Quay. There are lifts in the stations at both ends of the journey, and you won’t have to change trains. I think the IC is a fairly short walk from Circular Quay, but somewhat uphill. You’ll need either Opal cards or a credit card each for contactless payments, in which case keep using the same ones to take advantage of daily / weekly price caps for combined travel on the train, light rail and ferries.
Since there is an airport surcharge for boarding, or leaving, the train at the airport, and the airport isn’t all that far from the Sydney CBD, the extra cost for a taxi may not be as much as you’d expect for the two (or three) of you. Having said that, we also always use public transport, and plan to take the train ourselves when we arrive in Sydney in a couple of weeks, after a long flight and with large suitcases, albeit no infant.
I have 2 so it’s a little different but I would consider some sort of taxi from King’s Cross to the Crowne Plaza for sure to start with, the tube can be quite unpleasant to LHR .
I’d be thinking about taking a car seat to be honest – public transport in all those places will be tricky and taxi seat provision for that young will be non existent e.g. in Singapore no one offers one for a baby who can’t sit up. Not familiar with your buggy but ideally one that would attach to it.
You can pre order the ready made formula and anything else you need to Boots airside. Take way more onboard than you can imagine needing. But there is no problem going through security with it. Ours were on Aptimal and they also do these little pre measured tablets which were great to be able to carry 2 weeks worth.
Generally try to carry as little as possible which is easier said than done but you can wash things / buy things as you go along if required
The main thing is do not worry about anyone else, take your time with everything e.g. security and if the baby cries then so be it, you’ll be doing your best and getting stressed won’t help anyone
It’s the perfect age to do it IMO and you’ll have an amazing time 16 months old I can tell you is *not* a sweet spot for long haul travel 🤣
Not really any advice. You don’t seem to need it – you have most bases covered. Just some jealousy as likely wont make it to Oz in 2024. Well maybe one thing; your clothing is the de facto emergency backstop in case of drool, vomit etc so take more spare t shirts in hand luggage than you think you’d possibly need and a plastic bag for “used” ones.
Feed at take off and descent, you may need to strategically do smaller feeds around the flight to get the timing right (i.e. to make sure your baby actually feeds at the required times). Helps the baby’s ear pressure, one key reason for distressed babies on flights. Pre sealed and pre mixed formula is allowed through security, plus boots Airside click and collect is a game changer on the way out.
I’d seriously be reconsidering your public transport plans. With one parent handling the baby and pushchair that’s a lot of luggage for the remaining parent to be carting around on/off trains etc.
Car seat is probably a good idea, one that be attached with a seat belt for taxis and hire cars. You can also use the car seat additional baggage allowance to pad that bag with excess nappies.
How are you planning to Sterilise? If currently steam sterilising and planning to switch to Milton (far easier when traveling) get your child used to the taste change in advance.
Car seat is probably a good idea, one that be attached with a seat belt for taxis and hire cars. You can also use the car seat additional baggage allowance to pad that bag with excess nappies.
Oh yes – amazing how much more you can fit in that bag! I didn’t take loads of nappies but great for extra little blankets etc
My kids are 4 and 2 now and both of them ALWAYS do a nasty poo on board.
Parents always forget about themselves and as above would also recommend spare clothing for the adults.Also, a stroller works as a good ‘trolley’ for bags and jackets etc especially the gate always being the opposite end of terminal.
2.5 hours in Qatar is not really a lot of time and after a minor delay, disembark and walking to the lounge, we spent no more than 30 minutes in the lounge. We were watched closely by lounge staff reminding of our boarding time.Had mixed experience lately with MH / BA / Air Asia and CX re strollers – some required the bag to cover up the stroller up once folded.
Worth bringing it along if you’d like to take it in the cabin.We’ve found travelling long haul now is more challenging with jetlag hitting all of us in the first 3-4 days.
I think a 5 month old can be slightly less demanding if the little one had enough to eat / sleep / poo – repeat.Good luck !
Yes you need a bag. I packed them in my checked bags coming home on SQ and ended up having to put them in these big plastic bags which is the last thing you want to be trying to tackle during boarding !
I travelled on a short European flight when mine were 8 months. We also got a lighter and more compact mountain buggy nano duo(2nd hand) for travelling only. Did its job. I also got a cover bag for which I paid over £60 when I should have just got one for £20-30. This is handy to store the buggy, car seats and anything else! Make sure to tag the bag. Milk powder wise took the cans, and had some in small containers in our carry on. Security should be no issue. Any coffee shop will be able to give you boiling hot water (get them to mix it with some cold if being used immediately) Minimise what you take on board as much as possible. Most countries have exemptions on taxis driving with babies in the back, so think if you need the extra seat to carry around and you can hire them in the host country.
Next year we are also going via Doha to Sydney, and at 20 months keeping them occupied and getting them to sleep will be the challenges. I’m looking for any product that is a solution to get them to lie down like a sleeping bag.Thankyou all for fantastic advice and insight. Just re-read this thread to my wife tonight and we forgot the pram cover. She will order that tomorrow first thing.
We only have 2 weeks to go now, and I think we are as prepared as we can be. Restaurant reservations, emailing hotels etc etc.
I have no doubt that not everything will go to plan, but I keep going through my little checklist. I may do some sort of trip report (certainly not frogee standard) or I may say a little about each place.
Once again thankyou.
Might be too late. But when ours was 6 months we bought a zoom folding buggy from Amazon. Was only £35 or so and came with everything bag, mosquito cover, sun shade and rain cover. Was brilliant and we used it a ton and even lent it to others. That folding style was much easier but does have to go in the hold on boarding so depends if you want on board.
Ours was on formula too, feeding during take off and landing seemed to really help with any pressure issues.
Agree with the baby sling they are amazing.
Also pack a some of Muslin cloths or whatever you use can be used for any clean up.
Have a fab journey.
Can’t provide any help about babies. But I would echo @Lyn’s advice about the Sydney Airport – CBD journey. For two adults on the train, you are looking at just over $40 due to the stonking airport surcharge. A taxi will be about $50, less if it’s a quiet time, no more than $60 even if the traffic is really bad, and obviously it will take you to the door. No need to tip unless you feel the driver is particularly helpful, in which case usually Aussies will round up the fare a little.
Sounds like a great trip! You’ve planned a lot 🙂 One thing you don’t mention is laundry – if you’re staying in hotels, it’s worth planning where to do the mountains of laundry that a baby can produce (at hotel laundry prices, my son would send me broke I think).
I guess you may start weaning them during the trip, assuming they pass 6 months old there. We found baby led weaning fitted very well with travel – fun to let them join in at meals 🙂 You might also find something like a totseat handy if you’re going places without high chairs.
We travelled with a kid a few months older. Very glad we did! I’d plan a lot less than I would without a kid – seeing one area/museum and having a couple of nice meals in a day felt like a lot! Also bear in mind that you may need to change plans if you have a very different baby by the end of the trip then the start. Ours got a lot more mobile quite quickly, so we had to adapt!
Feed at take off and descent, you may need to strategically do smaller feeds around the flight to get the timing right (i.e. to make sure your baby actually feeds at the required times). Helps the baby’s ear pressure, one key reason for distressed babies on flights. Pre sealed and pre mixed formula is allowed through security, plus boots Airside click and collect is a game changer on the way out.
I’d seriously be reconsidering your public transport plans. With one parent handling the baby and pushchair that’s a lot of luggage for the remaining parent to be carting around on/off trains etc.
Car seat is probably a good idea, one that be attached with a seat belt for taxis and hire cars. You can also use the car seat additional baggage allowance to pad that bag with excess nappies.
How are you planning to Sterilise? If currently steam sterilising and planning to switch to Milton (far easier when traveling) get your child used to the taste change in advance.
Sounds like a great trip 👍🏼.
We went around the World when our youngest was 8 months and eldest was 3 We visited Thailand/Malaysia/Singapore/NZ and West Coast USA.Not sure if already mentioned….
You can get microwave sterilisation bags and they were very handy.
Take a car seat bag as mentioned and fill with Nappies and any other lightweight but bulky items.
When clearing security/immigration head towards the priority lines and catch a guards eye with the baby in your arms 😉
Laundry will be your biggest issue 😕. We used one of these https://www.ecoegg.com/product/laundry-egg/ Would advise testing before travelling to make sure there are no adverse reactions.
Stock up in NZ for Fiji.Have a great trip and enjoy it. Ours changed our outlook on life. Now live and work in Thailand and my kids are 9 & 7…..They have grown up travelling, meeting people and seeing the world.
-My overriding comment would be that it’ll be far easier than you think!
-As mentioned, pre-mixed formula fine going through security, but does add on
to the wait time as they take it for testing (not that you’d be cutting it fine anyway, I’m sure!)
-If baby is a bit niggly on board, don’t make it a case of both of you losing sleep/stressing a little
at the same time: take it in turns so one parents while one watches an episode of whatever series, then
being rejuvenated to take over for next half hour!
-It’ll be amazing.We went to New York with our 6 month old in September and about to go to Thailand (now 10 month old – where does the time go!).
We did have a few snide comments on the plane ironically from a lady who at the end of the flight was so drunk, she fell over!
Sounds like you’ve done a lot of planning but my advise is to hold these loosely. You’ll know from travelling that things just happen (delays, cancellations etc.). Also, don’t underestimate how adaptable your baby is, they will just roll with whatever is happening.
Enjoy!
Any specific recommendations on a travel bag for a car seat? Currently have one if those canvas ones with no padding, need an upgrade.
Hi all. Just would like to thank everyone for such fantastic advice.
We did end up getting the tube, the Piccadilly line from King’s Cross. We had a lot of luggage but took our time and the tube soon emptied once we got out of central london.
The flight went very well from LhR to Doha, I don’t think she cried once.
She only cried from Doha to Sydney when she needed milk, and that was as we boarded. It wasn’t great timing as I could see people thinking “ffs is this going to be all flight”. All the people around commented how they didn’t hear once during the flight. She even did her business in the orchard lounge which we couldn’t have timed better.
We did the feeding on take off, landing etc and even though my ears did hurt, she didn’t seem fussed.We ended up bringing the coziGo bassinet and as we arrived at IC Sydney, we were greeted with what can only be described as a Hospital trolley lookalike. School boy error in realising only certain room types have baths, but they provided us with a bath tub.
Special thanks to the people that recommended click and collect at Boots, the snooze shade, the bag for the pram etc. We just folded the stroller into the bag and took our seats and no questions were asked. We were armed with so many extra clothes, and we just carried Muslins in our pockets on the flight.
Once arriving in Sydney, we just took a taxi which I am so grateful for, as that hill would have been near impossible from Circular quey.
Me and the wife have been awake at 5am this morning but the baby slept for 8 hours last night, so we are hopeful that she is on the right track with her sleeping/feeding pattern.
What is most certainly evident is that I’m certainly not going to be able to do and see things at the frantic pace I like to. We have to take things much slower as we have to stop to feed/change etc.
Lastly, I think we started being more anxious than we needed to be as some people close to us were implying we were mad/stupid etc but people on here were supportive and gave great advice. There will most certainly be hurdles but so far, so good.
Thanks again to the HFP community for on even giving me the insight over the years to make this trip happen, and also for all the advice on this thread.
Having been sat a few rows back (!) I can confirm she was good as gold going to Doha. Sorry I missed you @yorkshireRich and hope the rest of your trip goes well!
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