Why I’m Writing This (aka: I Survived and You Will Too)
Flying international with a baby sounds like something only the brave, the delusional, or the severely sleep‑deprived would attempt. I was all three.
When I took my first international flight solo with my 7‑month‑old, I had no idea what to expect. I imagined crying (hers… maybe mine), judgmental stares, and complete chaos.
What I got instead? A surprisingly smooth flight, a baby who slept most of the time, and… diaper blowouts at the absolute worst moments. Every. Single. Time.
So if you’re Googling this at 2 a.m. wondering if you’re insane for even considering it, welcome. You’re in the right place.
The Biggest Thing I Learned: Babies Aren’t the Problem
Here’s the plot twist no one tells you:
Your baby is probably not the issue.
Mine slept, ate, and generally vibed her way across international time zones. The real stress came from:
Logistics
Overpacking the wrong things
Underpacking the right things
And realizing mid‑flight that you also need a change of clothes
Lesson learned.
Airport Survival With a Baby
Carrier vs. Stroller (You Can Do Both)
I used a baby carrier through the airport and checked the stroller at the gate. This combo was clutch.
Carrier = hands free, easy security, baby naps
Stroller = sanity saver for long terminals and layovers
Feeding Your Baby on an International Flight
Feeding was one of my biggest anxieties — and also one of the easiest parts.
Formula Feeding on the Go
We used Similac ready‑to‑feed travel bottles, and I will shout this from the rooftops: they are worth it.
No measuring. No water math. No panic.
Just open, feed, survive.
Breastfeeding While Traveling
If you’re breastfeeding, flying can actually work in your favor — feed during takeoff and landing to help with ear pressure.
Diapers, Blowouts, and Why You Need Clothes for Yourself
Let me be clear:
Bring more diapers than you think you need.
And also:
Bring a full change of clothes for yourself. Not just the baby. You.
Because diaper blowouts do not care about international airspace.
If you’re preparing for international travel with a baby, you’re probably doing what I did…
Googling. Overpacking. Panicking slightly.
Somehow your suitcase is full but you’re still convinced you forgot something important.
After flying internationally alone with my seven-month-old (and surviving multiple mid-air blowouts), I’ve learned exactly what’s worth packing and what’s just taking up space.
Let’s save you some stress, back pain, and unnecessary baby gear.
Must-Have Carry-On Essentials (Do Not Check These)
These stay with you at all times.
Diapers (More Than You Think)
Bring enough for:
• The flight • Delays • A surprise extra blowout or two
**For a 17hr flight, I brought 12 diapers for my 7mo. old.
Trust me. Babies love chaos.
Wipes
For:
✔ Diaper changes ✔ Spills ✔ Your hands ✔ The tray table (gross)
You will use them constantly.
Extra Clothes (For Baby AND You)
For baby:
• 1–2 full outfit changes
For you:
• A clean shirt & pants (minimum)
Because blowouts do not respect personal space.
Feeding Supplies
Depending on how you feed:
Formula feeding: • Pre-made travel bottles (lifesaver) • Extra nipples
Breastfeeding: • Nursing cover if you use one • Burp cloths
(I’ll be adding a full breastfeeding while traveling guide soon!)
Baby Carrier
Absolute MVP.
Hands free. Baby calm. Airport life easier.
Pacifier or Comfort Item
Helps with:
• Ear pressure • Sleeping • General baby happiness
Bring a backup.
Because babies throw things.
Must-Have Checked Luggage Items
These don’t need to be with you on the plane but are helpful once you land.
Diapers for a Few Days
You can usually buy more at your destination just bring enough to get settled.
*Note: Indonesia did not have swim diapers at the time! If you travel to a hot climate, bring a stash!
Baby Toiletries
• Baby wash • Lotion • Diaper cream
Stick with what your baby is used to if possible.
A Few Favorite Outfits
You don’t need 14 outfits for a week.
Babies live in diapers or pajamas. Esp if its hot out, let them air out & be free as the wind blows!
Small Blanket or Sleep Sack
Familiar sleep items help
Nice-to-Have (But Not Required)
These are helpful but not essential.
• Compact stroller (if you’ll walk a lot) • Portable sound machine app on phone • Baby sunscreen (depending on destination) • Lightweight baby towel
Great but you’ll survive without them, babies adjust in new places.
Things You Probably Don’t Need (Save the Space)
Learn from my overpacking mistakes.
Too Many Toys
Baby will be fascinated by:
✔ Water bottles ✔ Boarding passes ✔ Your face
Bring one or two small toys. That’s it.
**Note: Depending on which airline you travel, most international flights will offer an age appropriate goodie bag for youngsters.
Excessive Baby Clothes
They don’t need a fashion show.
Comfort > cute.
Giant Diaper Bags
Bigger bag = more stuff you don’t need.
Stick with something manageable.
Bottled Water for the Whole Trip
You can buy water after security and at your destination.
Save the luggage weight.
Pro Tips for International Travel With a Baby
✔ Dress baby in easy-change outfits- NO buttons! ✔ Keep essentials in easy reach ✔ Pack outfits in zip bags for quick changes ✔ Wear dark colors (just trust me)
Quick International Baby Packing Checklist
Carry-On:
• Diapers • Wipes • Extra baby clothes • Extra clothes for you • Feeding supplies • Baby carrier • Pacifier/comfort item
When we decided to move to Indonesia, life was already in full chaos mode.
You know, normal stuff.
My husband was on disability leave after a dirt bike crash that left him with three broken (okay, shattered) limbs and I had just given birth to our daughter. We were exhausted, emotional, and figuring out how to keep a tiny human alive.
So naturally… we decided to move across the world.
Because why not?
The Moment We Decided to Move
I was excited. I was anxious. I was probably running on three hours of sleep.
The thought of moving internationally with a newborn and an injured husband felt equal parts thrilling and absolutely insane.
Our first calls were to our parents.
They were, understandably, devastated at the idea of us leaving the U.S. with their brand-new grandchild. But like the amazing parents they are, they supported us 100%. That support made the decision feel a little less like we were ruining everyone’s lives.
My second call was to my Indonesian-American friend to get all the “gossip” about Indonesia.
As a brand-new mom, I was in full protective mode. In my American brain, I was moving to what people casually label a “third world country”. Indonesia in fact, is actually a developing country with a massive economy, and malls bigger than anything I’d ever seen, and better food than I was prepared for. It just has a severe lack of waste management infrastructure.
But that’s another fun story for another post.
We also spoke with the VP of Global at the husbands company, who gave us some advice I’ll never forget.
He said the decision had to be up to the wife because she’s the one leaving her routine, her support system, her comfort zone and you have to be a team.
(Translation: If mom’s not on board, nobody’s going anywhere.)
Once we committed, it was officially go time.
Passports, Vaccines, and All the Things No One Tells You About
Before the husband could even leave for Indonesia, we had to get our daughter’s passport.
Fun fact: it takes both parents to get a baby’s passport.
So that became top priority before the husband left.
Then came the vaccinations.
Lots of them.
For international travel, we had to go to special travel clinics to make sure we were all up to date and had everything required.
And even after the husband left in June, our daughter and I didn’t head to Indonesia right away.
We had to wait until she received her six-month vaccinations before we could join him.
So while the husband started his new life overseas, I stayed back juggling a baby, packing a house, working, and counting down the days.
When the husband finally left, he hugged me and said:
“Don’t show up with a toddler.”
Meaning, he was already sad thinking about how much she would grow in the months he’d be gone.
It was hard on all of us emotionally.
Big moves aren’t just logistics… they’re feelings too.
The “Look See” Trip (AKA My First Mother’s Day Without My Baby)
The company offered us a “Look See” trip to Indonesia so we could explore the area, find housing, and meet other expats.
But first, we had to fly from the Rocky Mountain Region to the East Coast to drop our three-month-old off with my parents for a week.
Yes.
Over my very first Mother’s Day.
If you’re wondering if I cried, the answer is absolutely.
But what made that week possible (and honestly really special) was our family village back home.
While my mom was still working during the day, my grandmothers, sister-in-law, and aunties all rotated watching the baby.
They even journaled the experience, writing down little moments, feedings, and memories for me to read later.
Cue the tears.
Knowing she was so loved and cared for made being away just a little easier.
And as hard as it was, the trip ended up being incredibly helpful. We found a place to live, met other expat families, and learned quickly that support is EVERYTHING when living abroad.
Relocation teams. Other families. People who already survived the chaos.
I can’t stress enough how important that network is.
Juggling Mom Life, Work Life, and an International Move
Somewhere in the middle of all this madness, I also went back to work after maternity leave.
Because why not add that to the mix too?
I returned to work, went on the Indonesia trip, and then came back to work for one final month before officially having to quit my job for the move.
So yes, I was:
✔ A new mom ✔ Working full-time ✔ Packing up a house ✔ Planning an international move
No big deal.
(Okay… it was a big deal.)
It Takes a Village (And Ours Was Basically a Small Army)
Once we got back, it was full speed ahead.
The company connected us with a relocation team that basically saved our sanity. They handled packers, helped sell our house, and took care of logistics I didn’t even know existed.
Meanwhile, the husband was shipped off to Indonesia ASAP, now in a boot.
Back in the Rocky Mountains, our friends stepped in like absolute superheroes.
They fixed up parts of our house, helped sell two of our three vehicles, dirt bikes, and everything else we weren’t taking.
After the relocation team packed us up and the husband was enroute to Indo, I moved into my coworker/best friend’s one-bedroom house with our daughter and our dog.
And yes, she literally slept on the couch for a month so we could have the bedroom.
THAT is friendship.
From there I cleaned the house, finished selling what we didn’t need, and packed our travel bags while surviving on Starbucks’ Skinny Vanilla Lattes with Spinach Egg White Wraps and adrenaline.
You’ll hear me say it a lot on this blog, it really does take a village.
And ours showed up in every possible way.
A Special Shoutout to a Real-Life Milk Angel
I also have to give the biggest shoutout to one of my amazing friends who was an overproducer of breast milk.
I was still breastfeeding at the time, and while we were on our “Look See” trip, she helped supplement my baby so I could go without constantly stressing.
If you’ve ever breastfed, you know how emotional and stressful that can be and having that kind of support was truly a blessing.
Seriously, moms helping moms is a whole different level of love.
The Cross-Country Road Trip From Hell (I Mean… Heaven )
My mom flew out to help, and together we loaded up the truck and drove from the West side to the East Side.
Three days. One baby. One dog. One very full truck.
We stayed in Best Western hotels (dog-friendly, clean, super nice & highly recommend for road trips).
Every single night, my mom and I unloaded and reloaded the truck so nothing would get stolen.
On night two, I got incredibly sick; vomiting, weak, and basically useless. Months later turns out it was appendicitis, which is another story in itself!
My mom, being the legend she is, took over everything.
She drove the rest of the way. She loaded and unloaded the truck. She did it all.
Meanwhile, our baby girl contributed to the adventure with several MASSIVE blowouts requiring emergency pit stops.
She quickly made it clear she was going to keep travel interesting for us.
(Car, plane, train…no one was safe.)
What I Learned From All of This
Looking back, the company made the logistics easier but our family and friends made the impossible doable.
This was when I finally learned how to ask for help.
Something I was terrible at before becoming a mom.
But when you’re moving across the world with a baby and an injured husband, you realize:
Now is not the time to pretend you’ve got it all together.
And honestly?
That village saved us.
Why I’m Sharing This
I started Kilometers with Kids to show families that:
✔ You CAN travel internationally with kids ✔ You CAN survive big moves and big adventures ✔ You don’t have to do it alone
Yes, I traveled internationally alone with a seven-month-old. Yes, my husband was in a wheelchair at the time. Yes, we had just sold our house and moved our entire life overseas.
And no, I was not okay.
Two weeks before having my daughter, my husband shattered three limbs in a dirt bike crash. Shortly after that (because life loves good timing), he was offered a job in Indonesia.
So we did what any calm, rational people would do…
We ripped the bandaid off and moved across the world.
Which meant my first-ever international mom trip was solo with an infant.
Shockingly? My daughter was an absolute dream traveler.
Me? Slightly unhinged.
Here’s everything I wish I knew before boarding that plane.
1. Your Baby Will Probably Be Better at This Than You
I expected screaming. Crying. Chaos.
Instead, my daughter slept most of the flight like she was in a five-star baby spa.
No tears. No meltdowns. Just vibes.
Babies are weirdly adaptable, sometimes way more than adults.
So if you’re panicking about how your baby will handle it… there’s a good chance they’ll be totally fine.
(You, however, may sweat through your shirt…)
2. Blowouts Will Happen. Every. Single. Time.
Let me repeat this louder:
PACK. CLOTHES. FOR. YOURSELF.
Not just for baby.
Because airplane bathrooms are tiny. And turbulence always hits during diaper changes. And blowouts have impeccable timing.
I swear my daughter saved every major diaper disaster for pre-boarding & landings!
Extra outfits for baby. Extra shirt and maybe pants for you.
Trust me.
3. Baby Carrier = Travel MVP
I brought a stroller. I thought I was being prepared.
I was wrong.
Security lines, boarding, tight aisles, people stepping around you; wearing my baby made everything about 100x easier.
Hands free. Baby cozy. Less chaos.
If you’re traveling solo especially, a soft baby carrier is your best friend.
4. Formula Can Be WAY Easier Than You Think
We used Similac formula, and they have pre-made travel bottles.
No mixing. No worrying about water. No powder spills in turbulence.
Just open and feed.
Absolute game changer for flights and long travel days.
(Of course, breastfeeding works amazing for travel too. I’ll link my breastfeeding travel tips here soon!)
5. Feed During Takeoff & Landing
Whether it’s:
• Bottle • Breastfeeding • Pacifier
The sucking helps with ear pressure and keeps baby calm.
Bonus: it usually puts them right to sleep.
Which is basically the travel jackpot.
6. Forget the Schedule (Just This Once)
Nap times? Gone. Wake windows? A suggestion at best.
And that’s okay.
Travel days are survival days.
Feed when hungry. Let them sleep when they can. Breathe when possible.
Your routine will come back.
7. People Are Actually Really Nice
I expected eye rolls.
What I got instead:
Flight attendants checking on me Strangers offering help Other moms giving the “you got this” look
People love babies. And most people want to help tired parents.
I had one woman just come up to me and ask if I wanted to use the toilet! So unexpected, but I said yes! I figured if she tried to kidnap or sell the baby she wouldn’t get very far 30k feet in the air!
Say yes when someone offers!
My International Baby Travel Survival Checklist
Here’s what actually mattered:
✔ Baby carrier ✔ Diapers for delays ✔ Wipes (more than you think) ✔ Extra clothes for baby ✔ Extra clothes for YOU ✔ Formula travel bottles or feeding plan ✔ One comfort item
Everything else is bonus.
Final Thoughts
That trip could’ve been a disaster.
Instead, it became the beginning of our family’s adventures.
It taught me:
✨ Babies are more resilient than we think ✨ You don’t need to be fearless, just willing ✨ You can do hard things (even on zero sleep)
Hi and welcome to Kilometers with Kids! I’m so glad you’re here!
If you’ve ever wondered:
Can you really travel internationally with kids (and enjoy it)?
Is it possible to explore the world without blowing your budget?
How do families survive Disney trips without stress?
You’re in the right place.
Our Story
Kilometers with Kids was born out of a love for adventure, family, and making memories, even when life feels busy, messy, and unpredictable.
Like many parents, I once thought travel with kids had to wait until they were older. But I quickly learned that with the right planning (and a lot of patience), traveling as a family can be one of the most rewarding experiences.
From international trips to magical Disney adventures, we’ve learned so much along the way, what works, what doesn’t, and how to keep things fun and affordable.
Now I’m here to share it all with you!
What you’ll find here:
On Kilometers with Kids, you’ll discover:
✔ International travel tips for families ✔ Kid-friendly itineraries and destinations ✔ Budget-friendly travel ideas ✔ Disney planning tips and tricks ✔ Packing hacks and travel gear we actually use
My goal is to help families travel smarter, stress less, and create unforgettable memories together.
Why I Started This Blog
Travel shouldn’t feel overwhelming or only for a select few.
I started Kilometers with Kids to show families that:
You CAN explore the world with kids
You CAN do it on a budget
You CAN actually enjoy the journey
Whether it’s your first international trip or your tenth Disney visit, I want to make it easier for you.
Let’s travel together!
I’d love for you to follow along, explore the blog, and be part of this community.
If you ever have questions or want help planning your family adventure, I’m always happy to help!
Here’s to many miles, memories, and adventures ahead ✨
Kilometers with Kids 