We took our 4 month old baby to Maui, Hawaii for Thanksgiving week and it was fantastic. I was obviously nervous for a multitude of reasons, but I researched and learned a lot along the way. Let me break it down for you.
Flights:
We flew Aspen to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Maui.
This was the first flight where we purchased a seat for our baby rather than bringing him as a lap infant. Having a seat for him for such long flights truly made a great difference. He was able to sleep in his carseat in his own seat and I could take him out and hold him when he was awake. I highly recommend this option for longer flights if it is within your price range. The other option is to risk it and ask the gate agent prior to boarding if there is an extra seat available to bring your car seat onto the airplane.
Here's everything I brought on board to make this flight feel successful:
Sound Machine : This is a great thing to have on hand with a baby - whether on the plane or traveling via car or hanging out at the beach. It always soothed my son to have a little white noise to cancel out everything else going on.
Blanket: Planes can get chilly. Have a little blanket on hand to keep your baby snuggly and warm.
Bottles, Formula, and Portable Bottle Warmer: We love the portable bottle warmer to make cozy and perfectly warm bottles no matter where you are
Extra pair of clothes : Bring a pair of extra clothes for YOU and your baby. I had to change my entire outfit in the airport and was so grateful to have a dress to put on after my first outfit was completely demolished
Snacks for me: Gotta stay happy and fed mama!
Airplane Pockets: This slips onto your tray table and keeps all of the things you need accessible and organized. It's so nice to not be constantly searching for things under the seat.
This flight went really well aside from the random nausea I had in the middle of our 5 hour flight. My son slept a majority of the way. I changed his diaper in the terminal prior to boarding, had the items we needed prepped and ready so I wasn't doing it on the airplane, and crossed my fingers to hope for the best!
I gave my son a bottle at take off and landing to help with the air pressure changes and eliminate any ear pain. I have done this on every flight we have ever taken and I think it works.
On the return flight, I thought I would be very smart and prepared by booking the bulkhead seat like I always see on instagram so we could get a bassinet and have a joyful return flight full of sleep. This was the worst decision I have made to date flying with my son. The bulkhead seats are by the bathroom, the lights, and the armrests don't go up. Despite asking the airline ahead of time for a bassinet, they did not have one on the flight and we did not purchase a seat for my son on the return flights. This meant I held my 4 month old in my arms in a tiny seat without being able to put up the armrests on a 6 hour overnight flight. Zero stars.
Hotel & Activities
Sleeping Accommodations:
We brought our pack n play with us. I mostly did this out of naivety and being nervous to ask about a crib from the hotel. Most airlines consider the pack n play to be a regular checked bag, so you do have to pay to bring your pack n play with you. The hotel informed me later in the week that it was good we did that because they were completely out of cribs due to a busy holiday week. If you plan to use a crib from the hotel, be sure to call them early and reserve one ahead of time.
My dad had a great trick to get a room with two queens instead of one king for my husband and I. We used the extra queen bed to organize all of my son's items and make a changing station.
Baby Monitor
I bring the Hello Baby monitor when we travel because it does not use WiFi. We use the Nanit at home, but the Nanit does not work in most accommodations due to the added security on the networks. You will need a bluetooth monitor. The Hello Baby is my favorite because it has a portable video screen.
Bathing
This inflatable and portable bathtub was perfect for my 4 month old. We were able to bathe him easily in the hotel bathroom and I felt like it was a very safe option to keep our routines in place.
Feeding
I brought one extra can of formula with us and I'm glad I did. Maui is much warmer than Colorado and my son needed to drink more to stay hydrated and happy. It was also helpful to have extra formula to make bottles whenever I felt like we might need one without having to worry about running out. I filled two pre-portioned baby formula dispensers in the morning and used those throughout the day.
I brought about 8 bottles with us and we washed bottles nightly in the sink and put them on the travel bottle drying rack until morning.
Activities:
We mostly just hung out at the pool and beach. We went on walks, swam in the pool, and enjoyed delicious food. I brought a pool floatie in our luggage so I would feel prepared and have the item that made me feel safest with my baby in the pool. You could purchased one at your location, but you never know what will be available or what the cost difference will be.
Time Change Adjustments
At 4 months, this was not an issue at all. Our son had been sleeping through the night already, and continued to do so on our trip and when we returned home. The very first morning he woke up super early, but was fine after that. Make sure to get outside and be in the daylight to help your baby adjust.
Overall, this was a positive experience and I encourage you to take the leap and travel with your baby! The earlier they travel the more they will get used to it. You've got this!
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