Taking baby milk /food on plane & sterilising abroad Post Reply

[AliB144]

Hi everyone

We are flying for the first time with a 9 month old and just looking up what the regulations are about taking baby milk and food on the plane. (British Airways)

The flight is only a few hours (Spain) so not too bad but i will need milk and i lunch time food. I am thinking of taking ready made milk cartons and some ellas type pouches.

Has anyone got experience with going through security and the allowances? I am reading on BA website that the rules are more relaxed for baby milk and i guess the food has to be sealed? So think i can take the ready made cartons which are 200ml i think.

Also, once we get there, do i make milk with powder (which i guess i have packed in suitcase?) and what water do i use? Boiled tap or bottled?

I guess i have to take our steriliser with us.. agh!
Any advice on flying /holidayingwith a baby is much appreciated.

[lemonzest]

First thing to say: relax, hopefully it will all be a lot more straightforward than you fear We have done 20+ flights since our 2 year-old was 3 months, and these are some top tips:

*Always take more nappies and changes of clothes than you expect you need. Bear in mind possible delays, as well.

*Take a spare top at least that will do for you/your partner in case of poonami. We've never had to put that to the test, but a friend recommended it.

*Good if baby can be drinking/sucking on take-off and landing to help with pressure change.

*Pampers are called Dodot in Spain. Huggies are Huggies and Johnson's stuff is Johnson's...!

*I don't really have anything useful to contribute on the milk question, but I'd be surprised if you were made to open sealed baby food. I've always got yoghurts and compotes through with no problem. Always have to sip the water, though...

*You can buy stuff in Boots after security most places. And many of them you can pre-order baby stuff if required.

*Someone has definitely said to me that formula is more expensive on the continent. To get the brand you want anyway it might be best to take it with you anyway? Others will be able to advise what to do re: sterilising and water. I really don't have a clue what I'm talking about, but people had mentioned to me about microwaveable sterilising bags, which might be easier than taking a steriliser, if you have access to a kitchen?

*Always good to take a sling if at all possible. You usually can choose to check in your buggy with your suitcase or take it to the gate (we've lobbed our Bee+ in the hold everytime with no protective bag with no issues - with the hood and any liner/footmuff/raincover in the luggage. Worth pointing out, if you plan to try it with a similar buggy, that you need a tag for the seat and the chassis. Especially if travelling to Madrid ) You get your buggy back at the bottom of the stairs when disembarking the plane or, more commonly, on the luggage carousel/weirdly shaped luggage section. So potentially a fair bit of walking, and useful to have both hands when wielding passport, changing bag etc.

Have a wonderful break!

[txmum]

Hi - Well done for your first trip abroad with baby. Its actually much easier than you're fearing. I'll answer your questions below:
1. Food and security. We always bring Ella's pouches along, and they don't seem to have an upper limit on quantity, but they do make you open exactly half of them and taste them, so really bring only what you need on the flight, and pack the rest in your hand luggage. I would also recommend packing more than you usually would need for a meal, as I find them handy for settling down an antsy baby. We've been travelling with our LO since he was 4 months (almost 2 yo now), and my strategy has always been to feed him when he starts getting wingey. Works a charm!
2. Milk - if you bring liquid milk, same rule applies to food. You have to open half of what you bring. When we were still doing formula, I would get two bottles ready with powder for the flight, and bring an unopened can in the luggage. I would then make them up as needed with bottled water. Do NOT open the formula can in the air, as they are semi pressurised, and formula will go flying everywhere!
3. Water - its all down to personal choice, but at 9 months, bottled water is fine. If you'd prefer to boil it, then that can easily be done in a microwave.
4. Sterilising - Medela sell steam sterilising bags that can be used in a microwave, and are much easier to pack than the whole steriliser!
And for a few unsolicited tips...
Gatwick is much friendlier to families in security than Heathrow. They will send you through the special assistance line, where they have all the patience in the world. Its awesome.
When you arrive in Spain, make a grocery store run and buy some dish soap and some laundry soap. You'll end up needing both!
Bring extra clothes for little one on the flight. He/she WILL find a way to leak/explode shortly after takeoff!
Feed one bottle during takeoff and one during landing. the sucking helps them to clear their ears. Also bring a dummy, tied to a string for them to suck. It helps if they finish the milk before the takoff/landing is finished. My LO wouldn't even consider the dummy except for on flights. The string is so you don't lose it!
One more tip on the food...if you're at the airport anywhere near mealtime, you might try feeding the little one before you go thorugh security, so you don't have to bring as much through, and they've recently been fed. OR you could plan to feed them immediately after with the opened packets.
Hope you have a great trip!

[AliB144]

Lemonzest, thanks for taking the time to type all that out! Really appreciated and some great advice there, some stuff i hadn't even thought of.

Thanks again

[AliB144]

TX mum, thank you! SO helpful!!!

[zaza107]

Boots sterilising tablets work fine, take up no room at all and you don't need a microwave. If you're staying in a self-catering place, it will have some sort of container that you can use (we often used the largest cooking pot, or whatever plastic container they had around). If you're staying in a hotel, I'm sure they can lend you some sort of container for your stay. Re water, if you have a kettle you can boil tap or bottled water.

My experience with security is about the same as the others'. If you smile and are nice they seem to be sympathetic and don't always require you to open half of the containers, and will generally let you open the bottles rather than the tetrapack ones if you have some of each. I've never had to taste the food.

It's not that bad, really

[Zaczac]

Another tip, you can ring Boots at The terminal- inside
You can buy ready made milk and anything after security.
You ring them prior to ensure they have whatever you want in stick.
Enjoy

[nvmof3]

You can sterilise by just boiling the bottles in a saucepan of water for 10 mins. Just make sure you get the entire bottle submerged.