Travel Series - Part 3 - Stress Free Long Haul Travel

I know the thought of travelling with children can be stressful, and sometimes, quite frankly terrifying! So I have decided to do a travel series with all my top tips, advice and essentials, walking you through every step off the planning and preparation, the travel, the holiday and return travel, as well as how to reset on return.

So if you’ve got the urge to travel with your kiddos, but are feeling overwhelmed, please read on. My travel series is a comprehensive guide that will give you the toolkit you need for staycations, short-haul, and long-haul travel.

Preparations for long-haul travel

A long-haul flight is greater than 6 hours in duration. Once you have kids, pre-planning can make the entire holiday experience calmer, so that you can be in the moment and enjoy your trip.

Pros and cons of a long-haul flight

If you are planning to travel long-haul, the benefits are that you can choose from so many wonderful holiday destinations. As there are so many countries with warmer climates throughout the year, you could even opt for some winter sun during the U.K. winter.

Travelling further afield could potentially incur greater costs, longer flight durations and jet lag to contend with due to different time zones. However, with some pre-planning, you can truly have a wonderful holiday experience.

If you are travelling from the UK, there are many desirable long-haul destinations. Cancun, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, The Maldives, Mauritius, India, South Africa, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, USA-Florida, New York, Las Vegas are just a handful of options to research.

If you feel like a long-haul flight feels a bit too overwhelming with your bubbas, you could even consider a mid-haul flight which is between 3 and 6 hours in duration. Again, there are plenty of stunning destinations to research such as Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Greece, Egypt, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Dubai.

Planning for the flight

Once you have decided on your desired destination, you can begin to book and plan for the flights. There may or may not be options for day and night travel. If you are able to be selective about your travel time, it is worth considering whether a daytime or night time flight would be best suited to your family, especially taking into consideration your little one’s sleep patterns.

Do bear in mind that a long-haul flight is of a significant duration, and so you may prefer to take a night flight. Your little one will then have sleep pressure, melatonin, and darkness on their side, making it easier for them to sleep. If flights are unavailable at night time, or you prefer daytime flights, you could try and encourage your little one to nap time during the flight at their normal timings, even if they are just quick cat naps; it will take the edge off any overtiredness during travel.

Often, airlines will provide bassinets and allocated seating with extra leg room for families, especially when travelling long-haul, but I always urge you to clarify and confirm this on booking.

It is also worth noting your mode of travel and duration to the airport as well as from the airport to your place of stay on holiday. If you have a significant travel time to and from the airport, you may need to factor in car breaks for stretching for babies as well as toilet breaks for children. Potential naps can also be offered during this time if the timings align.

Consider any potential jet lag

Travelling long-haul will likely entail time differences. You can approach this in one of 2 ways. You may want to go with the flow and adjust to the new time when you reach your destination.

The second option is to start adjusting your child to the new time zone ahead of time in the week before travel. Travelling West is typically easier on the body clock than travelling East from the U.K. If you are travelling West, younger children can continue their awake window followed by a nap in the week or few days before travel and keep this pattern going throughout the flight until reaching your holiday destination. If you are travelling East, in the week before the flight, you can gradually wake your little one slightly earlier each morning and also plan a slightly earlier bedtime every day too.

Packing for the flight

Depending on whether you have babies, toddlers, or school-aged children, you will need to think about what they may require during the flight. So it’s easier to pack a rucksack with their essentials and keep this handy. Please do bear in mind that you are in for a lengthy flight duration and so it is worth packing plenty of extra clothes, sleepwear, food, and entertainment for the kiddos. And don’t forget to pack a change of clothes for you too, just in case! Here is where making lists can truly help you get organised.

BABIES:

Print off my What to pack in your nappy bag - Essential checklist below

·         Extra sleepwear, including their sleeping bag and comfortable clothing

·         Favourite teddy/comforter/dummy if they use one

TODDLERS & SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN:

Of course, some items may overlap with babies and so you may still want to print off my What to pack in your nappy bag - Essential checklist. Don’t forget to also take:

·         Snugglies

·         Entertainment such as books/toys/iPad & headphones/music playlist/audio books/Yoto Mini Player

·         Hair ties

Packing for the holiday

Write down a list of what your bubba will need for the holiday so that you can start getting things in order. The satisfaction of ticking of your lists will help you feel more organised and prepared for travel. Always remember to pack essentials at the very top so that they are easily accessible when you reach your destination. It is likely that the first thing your bubba will need on arrival is a little snooze, so keep bedding and sleepwear within easy reach.

BABIES:

·         Preferred toy(s)

·         Bath toys and a bath thermometer

·         Favourite blanket or comforter

·         Travel blackout blinds

·         Portable white noise machine

·         Baby monitor

·         Familiar bedtime stories

·         Sleeping bags, if used

·         Bedding/sheets from home can help ease the transition

·         Travel cot (get your little one to have a few sleeps in this beforehand to ease the transition)

·         Pushchair

·         Pushchair sun shade – UK’s favourite baby sun and sleep shade 

(Coupon Code – SDREAM10 FOR 10% off) - www.snoozeshade.com/?ref=SDREAM10

·         Sunscreen/sunhats

·         Dummy

·         Medication

·         Feeding supplies

·         Nappy supplies

·         Swimwear and swim hat-UV protected

TODDLERS/SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ADDITIONALS:

·         Night light

·         Sleep Training clock

·         Sunglasses

·         Entertainment/toys/books

·         Rucksack for them to carry with their favourite things

·         Snacks

·         Swimwear and swim hat-UV protected

Print off my What to pack in your nappy bag - Essential checklist for feeding and nappy supplies below.

Planning to stick to routine or go with the flow whilst away?

This is such a personal decision and is yours to make. You might want to consider time differences when making your decision. Of course, many sleep consultants advise sticking to your little one’s current routine whilst away, which can help them to sleep and adapt to the new environment.

However, I truly believe that the holiday is for you too, and so it is absolutely justified to go with the flow whilst away, and let routines and timings slide a little. I promise that you can get things back on track afterwards. So have a think about what sort of schedule will suit you and your family best. Do remember that you and your bubba may feel the effects of a long-haul flight on the day of arrival and possibly the day afterwards too. This is just something to take into consideration when planning your getaway and itinerary.

What if your little one normally attends nursery on the day of travel?

If your little one attends nursery, you may want to spare a thought about the day of travel ahead of time. If you have an evening flight, you may or may not want your bubba to go to nursery on this day. It depends on so many factors, such as your schedule, to-do list on that day, and your child’s personality and temperament too. Having an active day at nursery may help your little one sleep during the flight if you’re travelling later in the day, or overstimulate them and make them overtired, which could potentially make the flight harder. Like I say, it truly depends on a number of factors.

So there you go, I hope my tips for preparing for a long-haul flight lessen the stress and help you plan ahead. Don’t let a longer flight duration put you off. With some systematic planning ahead, you can have the most amazing getaway.

Stay tuned for the travelling to your holiday destination-staycation/short-haul/long-haul articles, coming soon!