Baby’s First Flight: My Cross-Country Adventure with a 6-Month-Old (and All the Things That Saved Us)
- Chardá Bell, IBCLC, CBE, CD
- Apr 3
- 6 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Jump Ahead:
Whew! We did it. We flew with our 6-month-old baby girl across the country—from sunny California to Washington D.C.—on a nonstop flight, but it was first class, for a 4-day, 3-night trip. Let me tell you, it was giving Black Mama Magic meets Carry-On Chaos…but we made it. And not only did we survive, we actually thrived (with only a few minor hiccups, because let’s be real—it’s still flying with a baby).
I wanted to share the full scoop: what worked, what didn’t, and some tips from me, a mama and a lactation consultant, to help the next brave parent flying with a little one.
✈️ The Flight: First Class, First Baby, First Time
This was our very first time flying with baby girl, and I wasn’t about to play around—my hubby booked us our typical first class for that little extra room, a more chill environment, and quicker boarding. I don’t regret it one bit, worth every single penny. We flew nonstop for 6 hours. I brought her car seat (Cybex Aton G without the rotating base—LOVE the seat, hate the stroller, more on that later), but honestly, I ended up holding her most of the time not using stroller.
The key: keep the routine as normal as possible. I gave her a dose of gripe water right before boarding and nursed her during takeoff and landing. When she finished nursing too soon, as she often completes her whole feed in 5 mins, that pacifier came in clutch!
And yes, screen time was unlimited. We don’t care about screen rules in the sky—we stayed ready to vibe with Gracie’s Corner, Elmo’s World, and the occasional clip of Marc Lamont Hill (she’s a scholar like her Dr. daddy, what can I say) as long as we needed for our sanity while being stuck in a vessel 30,000 feet in the air with a bunch of strangers.
👶🏽 Things That Were 100% Worth It
Let’s talk my MVP's of travel. These items came all the way through:
Noise-canceling baby ear muffs, total lifesaver. They blocked out the excessive noise and kept her calm and sleep for about 5 out of 6 hours, she only woke 2 times for about 30 mins each time simply to nurse which were dream feeds anyway.
Pacifiers (plural!) + clips – Don’t even bother with the electronic sterilizers. I brought multiple binkies like 8-10 and 4 clip-on holders. No drama.
Mina Baie diaper bag – Organized, stylish, and fits under the seat. Love! Thanks to my cousin for recommending it.
Gripe water by Mommy's Bliss (nighttime version) – Bye bye, tummy bubbles. Hello rest thanks to the chamomile.
Artipoppe denim baby carrier – Chic AND comfy. Perfect for airports, boarding, walking, bungee jumping, just kidding, it's truly my daily carrier. I know there was a bit of controversy with this carrier but what company doesn't have some shit attached to it these days. I just buy what serves me and my baby best unless it's harmful to others. The carrier is a bit pricey but it was worth the splurge as I use it daily.
Frida electric nose sucker + saline spray – TSA-friendly and worth it for dry plane air or crying fits, hopefully not. Thankfully, we didn't have any tears during our travels.
Wearable pump + Manual pump – Pumping on the go, no problem. Always bring a backup manual pump! I took one cup of my Lansinoh Discreet Duo for the plane and Baby Buddha 2.0 for the hotel. I didn't end up pumping since she exclusively nurses at breast, but I used the Haakaa once. She's not a fan of bottles but will take it if necessary. The ones we like are NUK natural, Pigeon and Lansinoh. Ola baby tiny cup as well as the straw cup.
Little Sleepies footies – Buttery soft, zipper access, and cozy for flights. Footies can fold over to be open or closed, our baby loves her toes out!
Baby Paper – It’s crinkly. It’s magic. She was obsessed.
Window spinners & mini bubbles – Light, fun distractions that you can do together.
Nursing cover – Great for privacy or blocking light if she’s sleeping. I use a muslin fabric one with adjustable strap
Travel dish/bottle set by Momcozy or Dapple – Compact and helpful for solids or pump parts.
Travel bowl set - Foldable & compact.
Electric nail file by Baby Frida – Safe and fast. No nicks while traveling.
Ola silicone bib + 1 jar of baby food per day of travel (only foods they've already tried) – Foldable and mess-free.
Water Wipes XL – These huge wipes doubled as sponge bath cloths. Game changer.
🙅🏽♀️ Things I Could’ve Left Behind
Pacifier sanitizer – Didn’t use it once. I had enough binkies and holders to rotate. Sanitized everything once we got home.
Cybex Ezy Twist V2 stroller frame – The worst. Hard to click the seat in, adapters popped off multiple times. Company didn’t help either. This stroller is now on permanent travel-only probation. My daily fave is the UppaBaby Cruz V2 plus this insert since our baby is on the smaller side for age.
Logistical recommendations:
Take a red eye if possible, it's cheaper and aligns with your baby's sleep time.
TSA precheck and CLEAR will save you time, headache, and overall stress reduction.
Let your baby at least see the toys but not play with them for more than a few seconds to gauge their interest and initial response to it to decide whether to pack it or not.
If your baby is over 6 months they may qualify for the flu or COVID vaccine since they can't wear a mask; check for illness outbreaks, like on the rise cases of measles and plan accordingly to take extra precautions.
Ask your pediatrician for travel tips, I asked mine and she had good ones I hadn't heard before, she has 4 children and traveled with all of them. While we have 6 children, this is the first one we've ever traveled with as a baby.
Pack half the toys in the baby's suitcase and the other half in your diaper bag.
Also, figure out how to install your car seat without the base before you travel. I practiced at home, and it was super helpful once we got the rental car.
🏨 At the Hotel: Little Hacks That Made a Big Difference
- Turo car rental – Easy, affordable, and more flexible than traditional rentals. More convenient to get around than ride shares & public transit. Plus I could nurse in the car if we were out & about.
- Call ahead for a crib – Don’t assume one will be ready. I called as soon as I landed.
- Buy diapers and wipes on location – Save space in your luggage, most places will have stores with these items.
👩🏽⚕️ From the Lactation Consultant/Mom Brain
Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding on takeoff and landing helps baby’s ears adjust.
Keep your feeding/pumping supplies simple and light. Wearables are great, but always have a backup manual option just in case.
Don’t overpack baby clothes in your carryon—just a few Little Sleepies, a bib or two, and wipes that can double as bathing cloths will do the trick.
Let go of expectations. Whether baby watches videos the whole flight or naps the entire time—it's all a win.
My Final Thoughts
Was it a lot of work? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Yup!
So, if you’re planning to fly with your little one soon—you got this. Pack smart, stay flexible, and give yourself (and your baby) all the grace. The adventure is part of the journey—and baby girl and I? We’re just getting started, next trip is in 3 weeks!
Want to know how we packed? I'll make a part 2 post about that, airport attire, planning vs. execution. Below, a few pics and how to carry it all. I miss the days when we just had our carry ons!
One diaper bag (does not count towards your carry ons)
Pump and milk cooler lunch bag (does not count towards your carry ons)
My purse which also held more baby stuff (LV Neverfull bag)
Hubby - LV Backpack and fanny pack
2 LV Duffels (checked these)
1 rolling luggage by LV, (carried on)
I wore her, put the diaper bag and milk cooler bag in stroller/carseat. Pushed it to the gate, checked the stroller and carseat in our gate check bags. He wore his backpack and pulled the rolling luggage and held my purse. Easy peasy!
Follow our adventures on our family YouTube channel:
Comments