Taking your child on a trip for the first time is a daunting prospect for many new parents, so what about when that trip involves a long-haul flight?

First-time mum Tanja Takala’s daughter was just six months old when the two embarked on a mammoth 23-hour journey from Melbourne to Helsinki, with a stopover in Bangkok.

Ms Takala, who lives in Melbourne with her Australian partner but is originally from Finland, wanted to take the opportunity to spend time with her family back home while she was on maternity leave.

“I had also heard that the smaller the baby, the easier it is to travel with them, so I thought six months might be a good time to go,” she says.

Before the flight, the nerves started for the new mother who was not sure how her baby would react to being on the plane.

“I was just worried that she wouldn’t sleep at all on the flights, or that she would cry the whole way,” says Takala.

Choose the right place and flight time

Raising Children Network director Derek McCormack recommends planning ahead to make air travel with a baby easier.

“When booking flights, parents and carers traveling with a baby can look into things that can help, such as booking a flight seat with a carrycot and getting a pram at the airport,” he says.

“It can also help to consider timing—if you can, book flights at times when your child is likely to be well rested,” says McCormack.

Sometimes airport staff can offer extra assistance to carers traveling alone with a child, such as an airport trolley or priority boarding.

Ms Takala paid extra to book the “basinet seat” – the seat by the bulkhead with no seats in front – for each flight, as this is where it is possible to have an aircraft trolley attached to the wall in front of the passenger seat.

But her baby ended up sleeping in her arms for most of the flight, which then meant Takala herself didn’t get much rest.

“The first flight was a night flight, because I thought from the beginning that it would be easier, because then the child would sleep better,” she says.

According to the government’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), children must be restrained while seated throughout the flight in the event of unexpected turbulence.

Infants under the age of two can be secured on their carer’s lap with an extra belt that cabin crew will provide before take-off, says CASA on its websitebut the age norms may differ for foreign airlines.

Pack everything you need in your hand luggage

Before her trip, Takala googled “a lot” and read travel blogs to find out what others had done to make long flights work.

She ended up buying a travel stroller, a nursing cover, and a light-blocking cover to help her baby sleep at the airport and during flights.

Mr McCormack says it’s important to remember to pack all the things your child will need during the flight in your hand luggage.

For infants, that includes things like food, medications, toys, diaper changes and a sleep sack or blanket, he says.

If you plan to bring formula or expressed breast milk, check with your airline about any restrictions on carrying liquids.

Takala did not bring any baby food on the flight, choosing instead to breastfeed for the entire trip.

Don’t forget entertainment and snacks

To keep a baby entertained on the plane, parents might consider packing books you can dry clean and age-appropriate toys, McCormack says.

Ms. Takala made sure to pack plenty of toys for her baby and snacks for herself.

“I had these toys that were like a fidget spinner kind of thing that had a suction cup so you could attach it to the wall of the plane, and the kid could spin it around,” she says.

“I had snacks for myself and a water bottle with a straw to help keep my hands free.”

“Everything went quite smoothly in the end”

Overall, Ms. Takala’s trip went much better than she had expected.

— Everything went quite smoothly in the end.

Fortunately, the cabin crew on all trips gave the solo mother a helping hand.

“They came over to check on us, and they brought me some extra snacks and water and offered to hold the baby if I needed to use the bathroom,” says Takala.

When her baby was 11 months old, Takala made a second trip to Europe, this time with her partner.

While it was easier to have two adults, she found an older baby who had just learned to crawl and didn’t like sitting still was more difficult to travel with.

“We had more trouble just keeping her entertained in the seats, whereas at six months she was much happier.”

But the effort was worth it on both occasions, she says.

“We had a fantastic holiday in Europe, and even the trip in February felt very special,” she says.