Traveling with a baby is a very sensitive issue. Especially during air travel, you have to keep your baby under constant supervision. The problem most parents face while traveling on a plane is how to feed their babies. It’s easy if the baby is breastfed, but if they are bottle-fed, you have to pack their formula with you.
While packing the formula for your baby, you have to follow a few simple steps so that you don’t face any kind of problem down the line. These steps include choosing the right kind of bottles and formula as well as the correct way of packing them.
Let’s take a look at the steps regarding how to pack formula for air travel to have a nice and enjoyable flight for both you and your baby.
Packing Formula for Air Travel: Some Easy Solutions
As stated, traveling abroad with a formula-fed baby requires more detailed preparation. So, you must ensure you know how to pack powder formula for air travel properly. Below are the steps you have to follow to do that.
1. Using disposable bottle liners
In the airport, you will most likely be unable to gain access to any sterilizing kit or a microwave. In that case, disposable bottle liners can be quite handy. These liners enable you to clean up in the minimum amount of time and also allow you to pack fewer bottles.
2. Choosing the correct formula
Traveling by baby formula on a plane can be quite tricky if you don’t bring the right formula with you. Yes, you can bring a bottle with a premixed formula in it, but you will face difficulties bringing them along with you due to various weight restrictions. So, it will be easier for you to pack the formula in a travel formula container before boarding the plane.
You can use both canned formula or tetra pack ones. Tetra packs are more than enough for a trip that takes place during the weekend, while the cans are suitable for trips spanning the whole week.
3. Packing sectioned formula dispensers
Sectioned formula dispensers allow you to compartmentalize a certain amount of formula powder inside of it. As a result, you don’t have to go through the trouble of measuring the correct amount of powder each time you are feeding your baby. The only thing you need to do is to empty one compartment into your bottle at the time for feeding; that’s it. They can also be used to store cereals.
4. Cleaning the bottles with sterilizer bags and brushes
Although you won’t likely have access to a microwave in an airport, that doesn’t mean that you won’t have one where you are going. In that case, take microwave sterilizer bags with you. Not only can you clean your bottles with them, but you can also clean other things such as breast pumps, nipples, sippy cups, and pacifiers. They also don’t take up much space in your luggage.
You can also pack bottle brushes with you so that you can clean every nook and cranny of the bottles.
5. Packing a cooler bag
While learning about how to pack formulas on a plane, you also have to learn about how to preserve them as well. Otherwise, the formula will be ruined and you will face severe problems feeding your baby especially if it is a long flight. So, to avoid getting into such predicaments, pack a cooler bag with you. They are especially handy if you are carrying premixed formulas.
6. Packing a little Extra
You never be too sure with babies, especially regarding their food. So it won’t hurt you to pack a little bit of extra formula with you. In case the bottle nipples get damaged during the flight, pack a few of them as well.
7. Putting everything in the Carry On
One of the most common questions parents ask is, ’Can you bring baby formula powder on a plane?’ Not only are you allowed to bring formula in your carry-on, but I also encourage you to do so. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, you will need the formula ready whenever your baby gets hungry. Second, in the unfortunate case that your luggage gets lost, your baby won’t go hungry if you put everything in your carry-on.
How much formula can you bring on a plane?
Unlike other liquid substances, the TSA rules are somewhat relaxed when it comes to formula. You are allowed to bring more than the usual 3.4 ounces of formula. Also, the water you are carrying to mix the formula can be more than 3.4 ounces.
What water to use for formula when traveling?
Water is a must when making formula for babies, be it when you are at home or when you are traveling. Usually, tap water will do nicely when making formulas. But if you are not satisfied with tap water, you can bring sterilized water with you as well.
Final thoughts
Fulfilling your baby’s needs is paramount for you as a parent. This is even more true when it comes to feeding them. So, you must learn how to pack formulas for air travel before you are planning to travel on a plane with your baby. Not only will this make the tedious plane journey easier for your baby, but it will also make the journey more enjoyable for you and all the other passengers on the plane. The last thing you would want is for your baby to be the source of other people’s annoyance. So, pack sensibly so that everyone can have a nice trip.