Travelling internationally with a three month old!

When we indicated that we were going to Singapore and India to meet friends and family with our three month old, everyone told us we were crazy to be traveling with such a young child!! Barring a colleague of mine at the Bank- he indicated that between three months and a year is probably the best time to be travelling- the kid isn't mobile, he typically doesn't have demands beyond basic food and hasn't quite figured out his love for the video games! As long as the child remains fed and you are oblivious to fellow passengers' stares at the occasional cry at the oddest time- you will be in good shape.

The journey itself can be tiring under the best of circumstances. A 19 hour flight to Singapore, another five hours to Delhi and then a five hour drive to Jaipur where my parents live- that is a lot! I managed to read The World is Flat, watched two senseless Hindi movies on the plane, watched A Beautiful Mind for the umpteempth time, and discovered incredibly novel ways to amuse the baby. The wife didnt have that great a time though. Her plans were foiled time and again by our son who would choose to start squirming just as she would get settled to do something- either eat or read or watch a movie or just take a walk around the plane. This is where I think the men and women are wired very differently. While I would get a little impatient with our son's timing or lack of it, my wife was unfailingly patient with all his needs. She ate when he slept, watched a movie when he slept and fed him when he was awake. It was much tougher on her than me but we did some learn some golden rules of travelling internationally with an infant and here are the 10!

First- travel Singapore Airlines. Not for nothing is this the best airline in the world. Very prompt, very polite and very infant friendly- diapers, toys, wipes- you name it and they have it. Best of all, they do it all with a smile!!
Second- be thick skinned about fellow passengers who've never had babies. What you learn with infants is flexibility and anyone who gives you a stare for his occasional cry, just ignore it.
Third- carry his favorite toy. A lighted head with some music is an unbelievable toy at 30,000 feet when nothing else seems to work.
Fourth- whenever he cries, feed, feed feed. Over-eating is better than hunger pangs or possible dehydration.
Fifth- when taking off or landing, have him suck something so that his ears dont 'pop'.
Sixth- forget traveling light as you have a million contingencies to plan for.
Seven- be prepared that he will fall a little ill. Nothing alarming- big timezone shifts and climatic changes get to the best of us. He needs time to adjust, and he will. Do not panic.
Eight- Carry the medical kit for both you and him, you might need a few tylenols yourself.
Nine- Be patient and flexible with everything. Have an hour's cushion with everything you do.
And ten- maintain your sense of humor. Its the one remedy for all unplanned emergencies.

We had a wonderful trip and right through Christmas and New Year, I hope to keep posting my observations from my Asian sojourn. It was relaxing, instructive and as always, a lot of fun!