Traveling with baby during Covid
Adjusting to new circumstances:
If you’ve been feeling like it’s about time to jet set out of town before hibernating for winter 2020 (I’m preparing for an ice age freeze over, with the way this year’s going), you may be curious with what traveling with a baby is like during this murky time. And if you’re a single mom, you’re probably also wondering how to go about it solo. I just returned from a mini vacation from Vancouver to Toronto and while my travel and flight experience is still fresh in my memory, here’s how it went for us.
To sum things up, we had an amazing time! My baby E was a rockstar who was fast asleep during takeoff and landing for both flights, yes the round trip! Our departure flight was at 9 AM PST, but because I carried baby in his carrier throughout the airport, he was so cozy that he fell right back asleep into a nap. Our return flight from Toronto was at 8:10 PM EST, he skipped his afternoon nap earlier in the day, so I was also able to breastfeed him to sleep on the plane right before takeoff. I, along with all the other passengers on the plane did not have to deal with any ear screeching baby cries phew. When he woke up mid-flight, he was happy to eat his meal and watched Disney Junior for some entertainment. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better flight experience.
What we did:
My close friends were all thrilled to lend a hand to carry Eli, and it was nice to spread some baby joy. We visited the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, got baby’s first hair cut, hung out at some local Toronto parks and neighbourhoods and went to the Aquarium. Between running around to see friends, eating amazing food and making sure we got our baby naps in, 6 days went by just like that!
Here are some observations and tips if you’re planning on getting on a plane any time soon:
Most airlines are doing no contact baggage drop offs, meaning you can check your bags online and print off your luggage tag by scanning your phone at the kiosk. But if you’re like me and need to check a baby item, you will need to get assistance at the desk.
They will check your temperature before security and they will swab baby’s hands
I walked in and out of the airport with a total of 5 items:
1. Checked luggage2. Checked travel crib: It was a lifesaver, and checking it is free
3. Carry-on Stroller: I purchased a Joolz Aer travel stroller earlier this year and it is God-send miracle stroller and worth every penny. I was able to carry this right on the plane with me and store it in the overhead compartment. It has the easiest push and fold out of all the travel strollers on the market, trust me I tried all of them in the store.
4. Backpack/Diaper bag: Make sure you pack lots of baby food and snacks. I also packed baby toys and books for the flight too.
5. Baby E in my carrier: This was also a lifesaver since he fell asleep on me and felt safe throughout the airport. This also gave me the free hands to be able to be efficient through security.
Pack multiple masks and hand sanitizers. You will be glad you have them handy in your pockets. Especially if you have a baby in one arm and cannot be reaching for each pocket/bag to find it, or in my case if you forget it at home or in the car. I brought a whole pack of disposable masks with me. I definitely had to break open the pack more than once for a fresh mask because I forgot mine.
Rent a car. I was contemplating not doing this because the car rental literally costed more than my airfare. But the car was very necessary. I was able to rent a carseat from them and not have to worry about checking this on the flight (one less additional item to haul around). And I had peace of mind not having to plan around taking public transit or hopping in and out of Taxis during this pandemic with a baby and stroller.
Try to maintain as much of your baby sleep routine as possible. I packed our Stokke bathtub so I could give Eli a bath at night, along with his sleep sack and bedtime books so he could feel the familiar comforts of home. I also maintained our PST sleep schedule, meaning Eli was able to stay up with us big kids until 11 PM EST! 😎
Prior to my trip I was met with some questions of doubt on my decision to travel during a pandemic and how inconvenient it would be for me to do this solo with my son. I can unequivocally proclaim that I am more than glad we went. It was the necessary break I needed from day-to-day WFH life and for Eli- his daycare. Most of us are feeling taxed one way or another this year, and if getting out of our daily routine can give us the breath of fresh air that we need, go on and take those deep breaths girl (with a mask on, of course).