PopTherapy - Jemima Doley June 2015
We booked our flights with trepidation and a mix of emotion; on the one hand, a relaxing holiday to Thailand was exactly what we needed…on the other, the fear of flying to a foreign country with a small (and feisty) baby was pretty darn terrifying!! I am happy to say that our first overseas holiday as a family of three went extremely well (and I can’t wait to go back)!!
For those of you that read my earlier post on travelling with a baby, we’d taken Dash on several domestic flights around Australia, and all had gone swimmingly, but at the time, he was quite young (barely five weeks for his first flight!) and things were a lot simpler. Now he is nine months old, and seriously on the move!!
Here are some of my tips for your overseas adventures with your little one!!
Getting around
Rather than bringing our usual pram, which is quite bulky, I bought the Yoyo Babyzen, which is a lightweight stroller which is small enough to store as cabin baggage when it folds up (and surprisingly easy to fold up!!). We were able to take Dash through the airport in the stroller, which made things way easier (and freed me up for duty free shopping!!).
Mosquito Protection
I was super nervous about Dash getting bitten by mosquitoes, as Dengue Fever can be carried by mosquitoes in Thailand (but luckily in coastal areas, Mozzies aren’t so bad). I used this citrus based mozzie repellent, which studies show is just as effective as DEET, but without the harsh chemicals. My doctor advised this was fine for a nine month old bub, but it’s always worth checking with your doctor about any insect repellents for small babies….it seemed to work, and Dash managed to stay mosquito bite free the entire time without us covering him in nasty chemicals.
Out and About in the Sun
Little Dash still needs two naps a day, or he becomes particularly feisty (he’s already a feisty guy in general!!). I was worried he wouldn’t nap in the stroller, but luckily the lovely team at Fly Babee had sent me the new Fly Babee Sleep Easy Coverto road test. The cover clips over your stroller (see photo below, and in the top photo!) and blocks out 97% of light!! This meant that wherever we went, we could pop this over the stroller and Dash could have a nap distraction free!! It’s also UV protected, which meant we could go for walks on sunny days without worrying about him getting sunburnt. It’s 100% breathable and is made of a light mesh fabric, which means it’s nice and cool inside, and safe for baby. This also doubled as a fantastic mosquito net, which was another added bonus. We’ve used this baby on walks, in restaurants and cafes and he goes to sleep every time – this is my new absolute favourite baby product!!!
Little Dashy was sound asleep under his Fly Babee Sleep Easy Cover!!The Flight
The flight from Sydney to Bangkok is 9 hours – a very long haul with a little bubba!! Luckily, the flights turned out to be fantastic with our new Fly Babee Sleep Easy Cover, which clips over airline bassinets, and forms a small tent which blocks out 97% of light. All the bright lights and people moving around the cabin were a massive distraction for Dash, but he was able to sleep for 6 hours with the Fly Babee (pictured below)!! Once the cheeky little fella settled in and we covered him up, he was out like a light, and had a big sleep. This was fantastic, as it meant Lachy and I could actually relax and watch a movie.
That cheeky Dash slept 6 hours on the flight underneath his Fly Babee Sleep Easy Cover!!
Nappies/Wipes
Nappies and wipes were easy to find. Tesco seems to be everywhere in Thailand, and we stocked up on Mamy Pokonappies and wipes, which seem to be Huggies of Thailand!!
Food/Sterilising
I was quite nervous about how we would feed Dash overseas, now that he is eating solids. I decided to pack enough sachets of baby food to last the trip (this was no problems taking through customs at the airport) to save worrying about what to feed Dash – this made feeding when out and about nice and easy, and we didn’t have to stress about the risk of tummy bugs. In addition, we also gave Dash fresh bananas every day, which he loved!! Our doctor advised us to be safe, that it’s best to give little babies fruit that comes in a peel only (like bananas, mangoes and lychees) and to avoid anything that’s been washed in water. By the end of the trip, we loosed up quite a bit, and he was also eating rice and bits and pieces of our meals (he even gnawed on his first chicken bone – who knew what a great teether they make!!)
I also packed a can of formula (it can be hard to find your usual brand of formula in Thailand, so it’s easiest to pack your own if you can) and a set of bottles.
For sterilising, we used Milton tablets. I bought a plastic tub to keep in our hotel room which we could make up the Milton solution in, and bought a bottle brush and dishwashing soap to clean the bottles beforehand. You make up the Milton solution, and can add items in over 24 hours, and items stay sterile until you remove them. It was really handy and meant we could also easily sterilise dummies and plastic toys. We used bottled water for Dash’s formula to be safe also. Dash was fine the whole trip and had no tummy problems (phew!!).
We found Thailand to be the most wonderful place to travel to with a bubba. Travelling with baby Dash was honestly like travelling with Madonna – everywhere we went, people would come up to say hello and to give little Dash a cuddle!! Dash loved the attention, and made so many new friends in Thailand.
We can’t wait to return to Hua Hin for our next holiday – this was truly a magical trip!!
Have you travelled overseas with your baby? Do you have any travel tips? I’d love to hear them!!
