Holiday with infant


sachokphantom

Member
Mar 26, 2010
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singapore
Hi Bro and Sis, I would like to ask some advise. This is year, I would like to give my wife a surprise holiday and the place I choose will be Australia. I also will be bring my boy and will turn 16 mths then.

Since this will be his first time taking flight, is there any prevention I need to take extra precaution? I asked my guru(Google) but could not find much information. The only information I was given is that I am not allow to bring his milk powder on flight?
And this time I want to take my family for 12 days trip and the place I am taking them is Alice Spring.

Also for the first time I'll be renting a camper van through out my holiday. Will it be fine to do so with a 16 mths boy?

Pls share your thought if my idea is workable.
 

Hi Bro and Sis, I would like to ask some advise. This is year, I would like to give my wife a surprise holiday and the place I choose will be Australia. I also will be bring my boy and will turn 16 mths then.

Since this will be his first time taking flight, is there any prevention I need to take extra precaution? I asked my guru(Google) but could not find much information. The only information I was given is that I am not allow to bring his milk powder on flight?
And this time I want to take my family for 12 days trip and the place I am taking them is Alice Spring.

Also for the first time I'll be renting a camper van through out my holiday. Will it be fine to do so with a 16 mths boy?

Pls share your thought if my idea is workable.


Here's my few cents :

Flight :
1. Hydration for baby is allowed (ie. water) - carry a small bottle of it at least for baby hydration and milk. You can get water (hot/cold) from the stewardess too. But better to be prepared. At most, drink up the water at the chkpoint.
2. Milk powder and food for baby is allowed (or at least close one eye). I don't know about the very uptight Aussie customs though for milk powder.
3. Also bring either small sweet or baby biscuit that your child is familiar with in case he needs it to 'pop the ears' during take-off or landing.

During travel
1. Try to adapt your baby to bottled baby food before going (ie. Heinz, etc) and baby cereal; At the worst, you can get him to eat that. And its easily available.
2. Pram can be useful (for him to sleep)



Gd luck and enjoy
 

Thank you for the information. :)

Here's my few cents :

Flight :
1. Hydration for baby is allowed (ie. water) - carry a small bottle of it at least for baby hydration and milk. You can get water (hot/cold) from the stewardess too. But better to be prepared. At most, drink up the water at the chkpoint.
2. Milk powder and food for baby is allowed (or at least close one eye). I don't know about the very uptight Aussie customs though for milk powder.
3. Also bring either small sweet or baby biscuit that your child is familiar with in case he needs it to 'pop the ears' during take-off or landing.

During travel
1. Try to adapt your baby to bottled baby food before going (ie. Heinz, etc) and baby cereal; At the worst, you can get him to eat that. And its easily available.
2. Pram can be useful (for him to sleep)



Gd luck and enjoy
 

I know Australia is very strict on importing food unless it is properly sealed. I think you can check out at their immigration website. Just bring what you need onto the fright and finish it before you check out. Bring some toy for him to play on the flight and try to feed him or make him sleep when taking off and touching down. Prepare some medicine (flu, fever, etc), and bring more clothing as the temperature difference a lot during June. For baby food you can get in at the supermarket ( biscuit, puree food) so no need to bring extra unless your child need special food.
 

I have brought my daughter on many trips when she was 1year old(in 2009) to when she's 5 years old this year, not once was her milk powder or water was not allowed on flight. I just put all her food and drinks in one bag and declare it at the checkpoint

For our trip to Melbourne in 2011, her milk powder was allowed at the Australian customs checkpoint. however our instant coffee was confiscated because it contains creamer. The product was made in Malaysia, and the Australian customs didn't allow any diary products form that country
 

Hi, many of the bros have already given great inputs and take the usual precautions. All I can remember, when I brought by kid to Australia many years ago (10+ yrs), was they were very strict with foodstuff. I carry an unopen can of milkpowder and was cleared at customs. A fren that I met on the flight, his opened can of milk-powder was not allowed thru by the customs and was confiscated. Maybe rules have changes so best to confirm.

Have a good trip.
 

Traveled to aust a couple of times. Nio prob with milk powder.
 

I've brought my kids to Australia several times when they were toddlers. The customs were usually lenient on baby powder n infant food. Airline wise they usually allow small quantities of water through the security check if you are traveling with an infant n they believe that the water is for the infant's use. The strictest were actually the Japanese security who will ask you to sip the water to prove its not some nasty chemical.

I've not been to Alice Springs but it sounds like it can be quite desolated from town to town. Bring along lots of emergency medicines as medical help could be inaccessible. Make sure you hydrate yourselves sufficiently. Bring sunscreen, hats n the lot. The Aussie sun can be very strong as the skies can be very clear, especially in the arid regions. Bring enough milk powder for the entire trip too as you probably will not find the same brand as yours in the supermarkets there.

Hope it helps.
 

Been to Gold Coast when my daughter was 3 years old a few years back. Best to bring milk powder in its orginal packing unopen; like in a small can of unopen milk powder and check-in into the main luggage along with the baby medicine. Please them in clear plastic bags. Have some extra in small clear container n empty milk bottle for the flight. Normally, if they see kids, Milk powder and medicine in clear plastic bag, the security will let you off. Good Luck n Have Fun. :):angel::thumbsup:
 

Let's see what I can recall.


Brought my daughter to NZ for 2wks when she was 16 mths, and OZ for 10 days when she was 34 mths. Of course in between there were other trips but I guess the Australasia part of the world is more important for u.

But first, flight. Most of the problem with the flight will be the taking off and landing. To counter the ear pressure problem, we get ready a bottle of milk and just gave her during the takeoff and landing. Works kind of like us sucking on a sweet.

Another thing about the flight is eating. I really must applaud SQ - before we even asked, they came to us and asked us which one of us wanted to eat first. Basically, unless you have a bassinet, it will be impossible for both parents to be eating at the same time. Even with the bassinet, it's still not convenient to have the tray in the way in case one of you needs to care for the kid.

Other thing about the flight is changing diapers. It is not easy on a flight. We made one last change right before boarding (or even after boarding, just before takeoff while others are boarding is fine). Then past the midway mark, we made one change on board when the line was clear- and hope and pray we don't need another.

NZ and OZ are really child-friendly places so you shouldn't have a problem wherever u stop to grab a bite. The local produce is fresh fresh fresh. But yes, milk powder... We were told that milk powder can be brought in as long as it's in a sealed tin - unopened. So that's what we did - and we had no problems at all. For the flight, we brought a container with few partitions to hold enough for 3-4 feeds.

Feel free to ask me regarding any other specifics, I'd be happy to clarify.
 

We've travelled with kids since the first was 6 months old.

Some things to take note, esp for Oz:
- get a bottle ready for take off/landing. Fruit juice is good. Start feeding once plane is wheels up or about 5 mins into descent. This takes care of ear pressure and saves you embarrassment of an inconsolable crying baby.
- Sunblock. Alice spring you'll need it and apply on baby. Yeah you too :) Kids burn easily.
- Baby powder is easy to get in most large supermarkets in oz. if you kid isn't fussy, it's better to just buy some fresh milk. It's great and made locally. Aussies have kids too :)
- baby seat if you're driving. This is the law. Rent one with your car.
- diapers can buy locally if you're not fussy. They have most of the brands we have.
- if your kid is like ours and is rice addicts you'll need to plan ahead and look for Chinese, Vietnamese restaurants
- bring a GPS or one on iPhone. It tells you where all the supermarkets and restaurants with rice are
- some kids get car sick on long rides. Bring barf bag if not sure.
- you get discounted airfare for younger kids, don't pay full fare
 

- if your kid is like ours and is rice addicts you'll need to plan ahead and look for Chinese, Vietnamese restaurants
- bring a GPS or one on iPhone. It tells you where all the supermarkets and restaurants with rice are

I think it is really troublesome to eat rice at resturants overseas... If you need rice/porridge for the kid, I think it is much easier to cook some and bring it along for lunch.

Almost all the chinese resturants I have been to in Ang Mo countries is not nice/ too expensive for me.

Go Angmo place must try Angmo food I feel as that is what they are good at.
 

dniwkh said:
I think it is really troublesome to eat rice at resturants overseas... If you need rice/porridge for the kid, I think it is much easier to cook some and bring it along for lunch.

Almost all the chinese resturants I have been to in Ang Mo countries is not nice/ too expensive for me.

Go Angmo place must try Angmo food I feel as that is what they are good at.

You might want to take back that remark about gg Angmo place must try Angmo food. The best Chinese restaurants are actually in London Chinatown and not in HK, China, Taiwan etc
 

The Chinese restaurants in Australia outside of the Chinatowns in big cities like Melbourne n Sydney mostly are of average to below average standard. London has a few good Chinese restaurants but I won't go so far to rate them best in class.
 

esoeij said:
The Chinese restaurants in Australia outside of the Chinatowns in big cities like Melbourne n Sydney mostly are of average to below average standard. London has a few good Chinese restaurants but I won't go so far to rate them best in class.

Well having lived in London for 4 years during my undergraduate days I can safely say for my taste buds they definitely beat what HK has to offer price for price. Maybe I am biased but I would say pre handover, many chefs actually decided to leave HK for Britain so that explains the quality of chefs and Chinese food in London.

I have tried the ones in Hawaii, San Francisco, Sydney, Perth, HK and of course China, Singapore and Malaysia. Somehow the ones in London still beat them hands down.
 

I guess tastes are quite subjective. I enjoyed the Chinese food in London very much too, especially the roast duck. But I reckon the best Chinese restaurants today, especially for fine dining, are now in Hong Kong n prob Singapore.
 

esoeij said:
I guess tastes are quite subjective. I enjoyed the Chinese food in London very much too, especially the roast duck. But I reckon the best Chinese restaurants today, especially for fine dining, are now in Hong Kong n prob Singapore.

I suppose you could be right. Been awhile since I had fine dining here or in HK though.

Oh I sure miss the roast duck in London except for Wong Kei. Hahaha.
 

Thank you bros for all the information given. After much read up from here and google some info, I think it might not be a good idea to take along my baby to Alice spring therefore we will proceed to Brisbane instead. Bro Dniwkh, I really love your family portrait. How I wish I could take my family photos like yours. :)

Bro Mog Wai, thanks for the information, I'll PM you if I need more details. :)