ROSE FAMILY JOURNAL

We are on a trip to visit family and vacation for about two and a half weeks in Michigan and Indiana. While for part of the trip we are staying with family, we are renting a cottage in Ludington, Michigan for one week of the time. This was our first time flying with a baby. Although we took many flights prior to a baby, flying and preparing for a two and half week trip with an infant felt like a massive project.

Over the week leading up to the time we left, we spent many walks discussing the pros and cons of things to bring, the bags and luggage we thought would work best, and all of the logistics. Here is a compilation of what we learned!

What we brought (for baby)

-Stroller and stroller seat (gate checked) (UppaBaby)
-Car seat and base (checked at the counter upon arrival) (UppaBaby)
-Travel crib (Guava Lotus Travel Crib)
-Baby carrier (Ergo 360)
-Sound machine
-Baby monitor (Cubo A)
-Bottles and breast pump plus cooler and ice pack (BabyBuddha)
-High chair for baby that clamps onto a table top
-Activity mat/play center and small toys
-Lots of pacifiers and clips
-A few days worth of diapers and wipes

Everything we thought to bring has been working out wonderful. We struggled the first few nights with creating a dark space for Leah’s naps and bedtime — considering it gets dark so late here in Michigan, like 10:30-11pm! We found a good system after a few days. Our baby also takes good naps on car rides and in the stroller, so we relied on those options a few times while being out and about.

We also wish we would have brought more around feeding for the baby. Our baby turned six months old on this trip and she started eating solids. We had no idea how that would go, but we could have used a bib(s) or a smock to wipe down for when she eats.

How we packed
We decided to fly Allegiant Airlines, because they fly directly from Las Vegas into Grand Rapids. Unfortunately, we do have to pay for luggage other than our personal items and a diaper bag. Also unfortunate that their weight limit for checked bags is 40 lbs. We had a difficult time with excess weight, and ended up checking two bags and a car seat. Our personal items wound up quite heavy and packed, and we brought the stroller with us through security and to the gate — this worked out well. We aren’t thrilled about the extra charges we had to pay, but we were at a point where we just needed to do what was convenient, which is a new priority we seek out us as parents. For baby things — we checked the travel crib, the high chair/table seat, the activity mat, and the car seat. We carried breast milk in a cooler with an ice pack to the gate and through security, which was much simpler than I was stressing about prior to leaving.

Tips we would share to new parents seeking to fly with their baby
-Pack what you use daily or find out if you can rent items at your destination
-Think about what you use or find helpful when you need your hands free (play mat, bouncy seat, pack n’ play)
–Leave for the airport early so you aren’t stressed for time at the counter or through security
-Encourage sleep for the baby wherever possible
-Feed the baby during take off/landing
-If you need to use a car seat and you are going to be gone for a long period of time, you can install your car seat into a Lyft/Uber.

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