International flights are brutal.  Adding a small child into the mix can make things, well, interesting.  I’ve taken three long-haul international flights with Jellybean in the past year.  For two of the three flights it was just Jellybean and me flying to/from Boston for my sister’s bridal shower.  I learned a lot about traveling with a young child on those two flights!  And, lucky for us we are currently gearing up for two more international flights in August.  Oh, the life of an expat!

It takes 24+ hours (give or take) to fly from the States to Bangkok, including layovers.  I found the idea of such a long international flight with a toddler to be quite daunting.  Being well prepared for long-haul flights makes things easier.  I’ve learned something new on each of our flights and thought I would pass along what we’ve learned.

Survival Tips for International Travel with a baby, toddler, or young child | airplane, flights, international travel | Life's Tidbits

Here are our survival tips for flying internationally with a baby, toddler or young child:

1. Bring a Carrier (Skip the Stroller)

After flying alone with Jellybean in May, I realized it was so much easier to wrangle a toddler and our stuff by strapping her to my chest.  Having the free hand was an added bonus and helped ensure Jellybean didn’t make a break for an empty plane upon boarding.

2.  Overnight Diapers

The seatbelt sign and ability to get up and around can be as unpredictable and the timing of Jellybean’s inflight naps, therefore diaper changes may occur less frequently when traveling.  If your child is still in diapers I highly recommend using overnight diapers when flying internationally.  A dry baby is a happy baby who might sleep longer – a mother can wish!  These are our personal favorites {tip: go up a size for better protection against blowouts!}.

3.  Skip the Car Seat on the Plane

Car seats are heavy and are just one more thing to shlep through the terminal.  And, unless your child is a car seat napper, they are really more trouble then they are worth.  I have found it much easier to buckle her in for take off and landing.  This allows her to stretch out during the flight and sleep on her seat and on me, or in some cases the free seat next to us … winning!

4.  Pack a Quick Access Bag

This would be the bag you place under the seat in front of you.  All essential items should be in the quick access bag.  The last thing anyone needs on a long flight is for the ‘fasten seatbelt sign’ to be on and your child requiring a snack or their lovie.  For us the quick access bag includes things like: lovie, snacks, iPad (and charger), headphone, diapers, wipes, hand sanitizer, and a couple of small toys {like this and this}.  Everything else goes in the roller bag and is placed in the overhead.

5.  Snacks, Snacks and More SNACKS

Plane food is not the best and if you have a picky toddler/child on your hands you don’t want them to be hangry. Our favorite snacks to pack for flights include: pretzels, goldfish, cheese sticks and raisins.  On our flight back to Bangkok Jellybean refused to touch any of the plane food.  She lived off the snacks I brought with me and nothing else.  Clearly it wasn’t the most nutritious day we’ve had, but we made it through the flight.

6.  Bring a lot of Activity Options

A bored child is a loud child.  It’s really as simple as that.

7.  Pack a Change of Clothes

Drinks spill, food splatters and blow outs happen!  Typically I pack 3 changes of clothes for Jellybean and 1 each for the hubby and myself.  Sometimes we go through all the clothes, sometimes none – but it’s best to have them on hand.

8.  Flight Schedules are Important

It’s impossible to perfectly schedule flight times around naps and bedtime, but the chances of having a smooth journey increase if you start off with a well-rested child.  If it’s possible, book your travel for first thing in the morning.  Second best is a late night flight where bed time coincides, as closely as possible, with when you are taking off.  The kiddo will hopefully be tired and drift off to sleep quickly.

9.  Normal Rules Don’t Apply

Juice not allowed?  Screen time is limited?  Snacks are only doled out in moderation?  Forget it ALL.  Keep that toddler hydrated, entertained and with a fully belly by any means necessary.  It will make your flight more enjoyable, trust me.

10.  Comfort Items are a Must

Does your kid have a favorite stuffed animal, lovie or blanket?  In our case Jellybean has all three.  We pack them all in the carry-on.  They make her feel more comfortable and, hopefully, encourage a nap (or two or three!).

What tips do you have for international flights with a child?

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Becoming a parent is totally life altering.  My pregnancy was spent reading, mentally preparing and buying things all in anticipation for the baby.  After 41 weeks of pregnancy, labor and delivery, my daughter was placed in my arms.  My heart melted and I was completely in love.

I now realize no amount of preparation could have ever prepared me for how much I would (& do) love my child.  There are, of course, the not-so-glamorous parts of motherhood that preparation plays no part in … like getting pooped on!  Believe me parents-to-be, you WILL be popped on.  =)

As we made the adjustment to life with a baby at home, navigating the waters of parenthood and attempting to get as much sleep as possible made the time passed QUICKLY.  Before I knew it the newborn stage was behind us.

Looking back through non-sleep deprived eyes, it’s easy to identify things I should have done (before and) after my baby arrived.

5 Things I should have done after baby arrived | Life's Tidbits

 

1.  Asked for and/or Accepted Help

There is a reason they say ‘it takes a village’.  While we might like to think we are super woman, hear me roar and all that … the truth is you now have a baby and simple things, like finding time to shower, become a little bit more difficult.

Family and friends want to help out after a new baby arrives, but asking for or accepting their help may be difficult.  I found myself not wanting to put people out by asking for help.  What I failed to see was that I wouldn’t be putting them out, and people are very happy to help!

If someone offers to help, ask them to bring over a meal, pick up a cup of your favorite coffee (coffee is an essential food group when sleep is so limited!), hold the baby while your shower, help you tidy up or just come over and keep you company for it little while.  Believe me, you will be glad you did!

2.  Nursed in Public

I know, this is controversial (for some) and people tend to lean one way or the other … there doesn’t seem to be a middle ground from what I’ve seen online.  In any event I was petrified to nurse in public and I’m not entirely sure why.  I’ve seen SO many moms nursing their babes and don’t think twice about it.  If I hadn’t been so petrified to breastfeeding in public then we probably would have gone out more (see #3).

3.  Gone Out More

Most of our trips out of the house were only for short periods of time.  In part this was due to having a winter baby and not wanting her to get sick at such a young age.  The other part was the fear of being in public.  What if she cried, pooped or wanted to eat (see #2).  The unknown variables were overwhelming to me and so we spent much of our time at home.

Little did I know the older and more mobile my daughter got the more difficult going out would be.  In retrospect, going out in public was not as daunting or difficult as I thought.  Though as luck would have it, be aware your baby will absolutely poop right as you are ready to leave … so be prepared – hehehe.

4.  Had Newborn Photos Taken

As I mentioned before despite all the research I did on newborn photographers, I never actually booked anyone prior to Jellybean’s birth.  After delivery newborn photos didn’t seem all that important.  I convinced myself all the pictures I was taking were enough, but the truth is they weren’t.  We have very few photos of the three of us during the newborn stage and had we done newborn photos there would have been plenty of cute shots of Jellybean and our little family of 3 (plus the fur baby makes 4)!

5.  Taken Time for Myself

I really struggled with the idea of being separated from Jellybean for the first several months.  Sometime after the 8 week mark my husband insisted I go get my nails done and spend sometime with a friend.  I somehow managed to tear myself away from Jellybean and headed to the nail salon.  After a little pampering and some girl talk I went home feeling rejuvenated!

So, what do you wish you had done after baby arrived?  Any lesson learns for those who are expecting?

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Jellybean’s 2nd birthday is fast approaching, not to mention the holidays, and the brainstorming of gift ideas has officially begun.  When it comes to buying presents I often feel like I don’t have enough options OR I’m totally at a loss as to what to buy.  Trying to decide on the perfect second birthday gift has actually made me think a lot about the things Jellybean has really loved over the past year.  Some of them we bought for her, others were gifts and a few we just enjoyed using at a friend’s house.

So if you, like me, sometimes draw a blank here are some of my favorite gift for a toddle who’s 1 to 2 years old …

Christmas, Hanukkah and birthday gift ideas for a toddler.  Perfect for 1-2 year olds  |  Life's Tidbits

  1. Corn Popper // I will admit this toy can be a tad bit annoying.  The constant popping noise might be annoying to us ‘adults’, however the kiddos love it!
  2. Magnetic Drawing Board // Perfect for a toddler who loves to color or one who’s just starting to build those motor skills.  Jellybean found this gift particularly entertaining when we were on vacation and on those morning’s when I’m running late and she has to sit in the bathroom while I shower.
  3. Radio Flyer Scoot-About Bike // I wish we had known about this bike earlier.  It’s great for scooting around the apartment and outside the little toddler bike posse is pretty darn adorable.
  4. Little People // Perfect for learning to play pretend or you know just chuck the different farm animals around.  Haha.  Oh the life of a toddler!
  5. Take-Along Shape Sorter // Great learning toy for colors, shapes and fine motor skills.  Also the perfect size to fit in the diaper or carry-on bag when traveling.
  6. My First Chair // This is probably in the top 5 favorite things Jellybean loves, and I’m a huge fan as well.  She loves to sit in her chair for snacks, tv, playing with a toy and often sets up all her ‘babies’ for tea or story time.
  7. MegaBlocks // Great for building, stacking, counting and identifying colors.
  8. Laugh & Learn Tea Set // Love the songs on the tea pot and it’s pretty adorable when Jellybean asks if I would like some “mor’ tea”.
  9. Chat & Count Cell Phone // This toy is great when you are on the go.  It fits in a purse or pocket.  It’s my go to toy for trips to the store, doctors and trips, especially, on the airplane!
  10. Jumbo Triangular Crayons // My daughter is not gentle with her toys and these crayons have held up really well over the months.  While Jellybean didn’t love coloring at 12 months, by the time she was 18 months it was one of her favorite post-nap activities.

So there you have it, our favorite gift ideas for a 1-2 year old.  And, seriously with all the toy choices out there toddlerhood is pretty darn fun on a birthday or holiday!

What are you favorite gifts for toddlers?

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Before having a baby my favorite thing to buy parents-to-be was baby clothes.  They are so cute, tiny and just down right adorable.  I could easily spend $100 without even trying … my husband would probably interject at this point and mention this is an addiction I’m still battling.  But, have faith, I have limited sed addiction to my own child’s wardrobe for the time being.

Having a baby changed my perspective a bit on baby gifts and I have steered myself towards choosing necessity items off the baby registry and/or putting together some of our favorite gear for the expecting parents.  I don’t expect everyone to love everything that we did, however I found it extremely helpful when veteran parents recommended or gifted us their favorites.

Go-to gift bag items …

Baby Shower Gift Ideas | Life's Tidbits

  1. Onsie/Outfit
  2. Nuk Sippy Cup
  3. Bright Starts Lots of Links
  4. Burp Clothes
  5. Wubbanub
  6. Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads
  7. Book {favorites picks: this, this, this and/or this}
  8. Snack Catcher

Some additional items I sometimes include …

I like to add everything to a cute baby shower gift bag OR arrange them in a pretty basket.  Either way, the gift is a mix of things the parents can use immediately as well as items for a few months down the line.

For more ideas check out this super cute baby welcome basket my friend put together for me!

What are you go to baby shower gifts?

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Seriously, my daughter is a toddler (where does the time go?!?! Jellybean, please stop growing up so fast) and I have yet to share her adorable shabby chic nursery!  While a few things have changed since she was born, like lowering the height of the mattress and the addition of toys, her shabby chic nursery is finally making its debut.

Brainstorming ideas for Jellybean’s nursery began before I even knew if we were having a boy or a girl.  I settled on a nautical theme for a boy and shabby chic theme for a girl.  You can check out the Pinterest board here.  Despite my favorite color being purple I was drawn to pale pink accents for the nursery.  The hubby was pretty much on board with whatever made me happy.  His one request once we found out Jellybean was a girl was to keep the pink to a minimum … fair enough, fair enough my love.

Picking out the wall color was a huge undertaking.  I’m fairly obsessed with gray walls and finding the perfect gray is, well, challenging.  It couldn’t be too blue or purple or tan … I had to have (what I consider) a true gray.  My sister and (soon to be) brother-in-law came into town for a weekend and spent at least an hour at Benjamin Moore with me looking at samples, pontificating and eventually settling on the Harbor Gray sample. If they weren’t there to assist it is possible the nursery would still have sampled gray colors all over the walls hehehe.  I was worried the Harbor Gray would be too dark for the room so the sales associate suggested I get it at 75% or 50%.  I am fairly certain we went with the 75% …. and it was total perfection.

I love how the room came out.  It’s absolutely what I envisioned!!  I ran out of time and energy before JB was born and didn’t fill the frames.  I’m ashamed Jellybean is almost 20 months old and I am yet to fill the picture frames, but at the same time I kind of like them empty.

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery - Wicker Elephant Hamper | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery - Vanity Tray | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery - Ikea Bookshelves | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery - Wooden ABC's | Life's Tidbits

Light Pink, Gray and White Shabby Chic Nursery - Vintage | Life's Tidbits

  • Bookshelves – Ikea
  • Frames – Hobby Lobby {painted the same white color as the trim}
  • Crib – Bratt Decor
  • Dresser & Nightstand – Consignment Store
  • Rug – Pottery Barn Kids {no longer in stock – similar}
  • ABC’s – Etsy {painted pink}
  • Elephant Hamper – Home Decorators
  • Sheet/Bed Skirt – RH Baby&Child
  • Curtains – Pottery Barn Kids
  • Light Switch Plates – eBay {painted the same white color as the trim}
  • Shade – The Shade Store
  • Vanity Tray – Hobby Lobby
  • Glider – Storytime Series
  • Barrette Frame – DIY {gift from a friend}

 

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