The flight out to Tallinn with Ingrid yesterday was a disaster. Minutes after we got on the plane, she decided she didn’t like that place at all and burst into tears. The requirement to sit strapped in and facing forwards didn’t help her mood either. She was so upset she couldn’t even breastfeed without choking (try drinking while you’re crying!). After an hour she fell asleep. When it was time to strap in for landing I had to wake her again and of course she then cried again.

I was prepared for a rerun of the same performance on the flight back, but I got the exact opposite. She set off to charm everyone around her. There were a few whimpers as I woke her for takeoff. But after that she ate happily, played quietly, smiled at people around her, and didn’t even fuss when a stewardess wanted to squeeze her irresistibly chubby legs.

Who knows – maybe the first flight went wrong because she had to get up at 4 that morning, or because it was the first one. I fervently hope that future flights will be more like the second one!

Things learned:

  • You can never have too many muslins.
  • A sling is great for getting around, but not great for taxi rides.
  • You will neither need nor have time for any entertainment (like books or magazines) when flying alone with a baby.
  • Nappies take up lots of space. For any trip longer than a day, take enough nappies for the flights and buy more when you arrive.