When flying long-haul with a baby

A little planning and a few handy tricks might make the daunting task less stressful

- ALISHA HARIDASANI GUPTA

TRY FLYING ANY plane with a baby if you want a sense of what it must have been like to be a leper in the fourteenth century," wrote Nora Ephron, the journalist, filmmaker and author in her 1983 novel Heartburn. That's not too far off. And I'd know, as it wasn't long ago that I flew 19 hours across the world with my 3-month-old.

A newborn or young infant cannot be reasoned with nor can they sit in front of a screen or snack on treats. What do you pack for an infant on a long flight? Where do you even put the baby? And that's all before accounting for the side eye you get from fellow passengers bracing themselves for screaming and crying. A little groundwork, though, can go a long way toward easing some of that stress, said James Howard, a Delta Air Lines cabin manager and father of a toddler. You might even enjoy it, he added.

Advance planning If you are flying internationally, your baby, no matter how young, will need a passport. You can apply for one online, mail in supporting evidence, like a birth certificate, and then show up in person for an appointment. The process can take roughly three months though you can pay to expedite it.