Transatlantic Baby

Nova is about to embark on her fourth transatlantic flight since she got out of the womb.  I wish we didn't have to go back and forth so much, but that's just how it's turned out.

The first flight was on New Year's Eve, when she was just over a month old.  She surprised me by sleeping almost the whole way from Newark airport to her grandmother's house in Galway.  On the next two flights, I traveled alone with her, and honestly it wasn't so bad.  The flight attendants on Continental pretty much ignored us, and offered me no extra help.  Aer Lingus was a different story, with the flight attendants all offering to hold her and walk up and down the aisles, or sit with her if I needed to go to the toilet.  

Each time, I've brought a little less with us.  This time Nova's equipment will consist of a stack of disposable diapers, a small towel, a blanket, a change of clothes, some cotton wool, a teething ring, baby tylenol and bum ointment just in case, maybe a toy if there's room.  It all weighs about as much as my laptop and all the miscellaneous paperwork I'm carrying along.  A car seat might be handy, and I understand why people would bring one, but it's just so cumbersome.  Travel also must be much harder for people who bottle feed.

The main thing I've eliminated since the last flight is our changing kit, which I at first thought was great.  Now I've realized that we just don't need it, the towel or shawl will do for a surface, and serves a half-dozen other functions.  

Soon the pile of stuff will grow again as Nova needs more toys, but it's OK.  I really should get her a frequent flyer number.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
April 17, 2008 at 4:31 AM
Unknown said…
I salute you travelling with disposable nappies! Each time I've flown with Kiko he has, ahem, developed "bowel issues", it's been horrible! And when I was bottle-feeding him it was a nightmare too because not only are the bottles cumbersome, they make you taste the formula water. I had to take enough for a 30-hour journey and kept stressing I would run out. It is amazing the difference in attitude between staff of different airlines, isn't it? I love Singapore Airlines, they are so great about kids. Yeah for jetset babies!
April 28, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Unknown said…
Duh, I meant "travelling with cloth nappies"!
April 28, 2008 at 12:58 PM
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