Of all the parts of traveling with a baby for the first time, flying was the one I had thought about most. I expected it to feel complicated, but it ended up being one of the easiest and sweetest parts of our trip.
Our daughter was four months old for her first flight, and we kept everything as simple as we could. A morning flight, a few familiar things from home, and plenty of time in our arms ended up being all we really needed.
By the time we landed, I already felt so much more confident about doing it again.
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A Slow, Simple Morning
We chose a morning flight, which ended up being such a good way to start our first travel day together. We woke up around our normal time, got ourselves ready, fed her, and headed straight to the airport. There was no trying to squeeze in an extra nap or rearrange her morning around the flight. We simply treated it like the beginning of a normal day, just somewhere new.
I think keeping the morning familiar helped all of us. Traveling with a baby already comes with so many unknowns, and having a quiet, uncomplicated start made everything feel a little less daunting. We let her sleep when she was tired, eat when she was hungry, and trusted that we would figure out the rest as we went.
Through the Airport
The airport was one of the parts I had built up most in my head, and it ended up feeling surprisingly calm. I wore her in the carrier through bag check and security, which kept her close and made navigating everything so much easier.
We packed our Doona into its backpack travel bag and kept it with us until the gate, mostly to protect it from getting damaged. From there, we just wandered the terminal until it was time to board. She was perfectly content taking in all of the new sounds and people from the carrier, and I remember realizing that the part I had expected to feel the most overwhelming really did not feel that different at all.
Settling In
Once we were on the plane, I nursed her during takeoff, hoping it would help with the change in pressure and keep her comfortable. She was completely content and, not long after we were in the air, fell asleep in my arms.
It was the first moment I realized the flight might actually be easier than I had imagined. We had spent so much time thinking about how to prepare for it, but once we were there, she mostly just needed what she always needed. To be fed, held close, and comfortable enough to fall asleep.
A Few Hours in the Air
The rest of the flight passed much more naturally than I expected. She slept for a while, and when she was awake, she was happy sitting in our laps, looking out the window, playing with us, and being bounced as we walked around the plane.
We had kept our diaper bag simple with just the things we knew we would actually use, like diapers, burp cloths, a blanket, and a change of clothes. She wore a cozy footie for the flight, which kept her covered while we were traveling and made it easy for her to nap whenever she wanted.
At four months old, she really did not need much entertainment. Everything around her was new, and when that stopped being interesting, she was perfectly happy being held by us. It made those few hours in the air feel surprisingly cozy.
Almost There
As we started our descent, I nursed her again and she stayed perfectly content through landing. Just like that, the part of the trip I had thought about and prepared for the most was over.
Walking off the plane with her felt a little surreal. Her first flight had been easier and so much more enjoyable than I expected. More than anything, it made me excited for all of the places we would get to experience with her from here.
Looking Back
I think a combination of her age and being prepared without overcomplicating things made our first flight go as smoothly as it did. At four months old, she was still perfectly happy being held, nursing, sleeping in our arms, and watching the world around her.
If I could do it again, I really would not change much. I would choose a morning flight, wear her through the airport, keep our bag at our seats simple, and nurse during takeoff and landing. Most of all, I would worry a little less.
Flying with a baby certainly looked different than the way we traveled before, but it did not feel like we had to give that part of our lives up. We were simply learning how to bring her along with us, and that made the experience feel even more special.
Looking for more? Read our full guide to Traveling With a Baby: Finding Our Rhythm Away From Home.