As a new mother, the thought of travelling with my child has me breaking out into a cold sweat.

What are the procedures? The dos and don’ts? What if I forget something and I’m not allowed to board the plane?

These, and a million other questions, plague my mind when I think about how nice it would be to go away for a short break.

Stare down the fear

One main concern for parents travelling with young children is other travellers. Some suffer anxiety attacks just at the thought of the dreaded stare.

The stare is that look of disdain you get from childless people who cannot for the life of them understand why you just won’t stop your baby from crying or your toddler from repeatedly singing a song (loudly, out of tune and skipping half the words, of course).

What they don’t know is that an overtired baby will shriek and there’s not much you can do apart from cradle and cuddle them.

They don’t realise that you want your baby to be quiet even more than they do.

A child’s song, sung on repeat, can be irritating, but at least they are not crying and that’s a bigger relief.

A great tip is to wrap toys and give them as presents every half an hour or so to keep the kids intrigued

Thankfully, the dread surrounding the stare is usually magnified in parents’ brains.

Most people are sympathetic to the trials and tribulations of travelling with children, many having been through the same experiences themselves.

So, the first tip when travelling with kids is lose the paranoia. Your fellow travellers don’t hate you and wish that you missed the flight.

They’re often willing to help and if you do come across someone who is less than enthusiastic about your two-foot-high travelling partner, just ignore them and remember that you’re doing the best you can.

Distracting tactics

It’s important to have an arsenal of toys and snacks at hand to occupy and distract your child, whatever their age.

Snacks and drinks are also important for older children, so stock up on some fun food for the trip. Forget your home routine; this is when rules can be bent (if not broken) for both their sakes and yours.

Travelling with kids under a year old (or before they start walking) is probably the ‘easiest’ because they can’t wander off. Ideally, you will feed your baby before take-off and he or she will sleep throughout the journey.

If you’re on a long-haul flight, it’s still recommended that you feed on takeoff and preferably also on landing, as this will help relieve painful ears due to cabin pressure. A dummy will also help.

Older children will need more entertainment in the form of toys, puzzles and even tablet computers or portable DVD players.

Toy stories

Take a variety of items with you because they’re unlikely to spend two to three hours happily playing with the same toy. Combining a couple of much-loved toys from home with some new ones is bound to make them happy.

Colouring books and puzzles can also work, though be careful of small pieces falling off the seat back tray, as trying to wriggle in the tight space between the seats is not ideal.

A great tip is to wrap toys and give them as presents every half an hour or so to keep the children intrigued and entertained.

Having a tablet, laptop or portable DVD player with your child’s favourite cartoon will keep them happily seated for a while.

It’s also a good idea to let them have the window seat so that they can stare out at the clouds and world below, allowing them to experience a new point of view.

If your child is a traditionalist, then an old-fashioned storybook is a wonderful way to keep them entertained and could help you bond.

If you’re travellingwith an infant, you can ask the airline to allocate an extra seat near you (at no extra cost) if the flight is not full

Walk it out

Restlessness affects us all at some point, so don’t be surprised if your child starts feeling cramped in his seat.

Instead of trying to get them to sit still, walk up and down the aisle allowing them to ‘explore’ the plane and stretch their legs.

Before you make your travel arrangements, notify the airport and airline and see what child-friendly services they offer.

Malta International Airport has a dedicated mothering room, in which you can change your infant and nurse or feed in privacy. Some foreign airports have children’s playing areas, which are perfect for tiring them out before the flight.

If you’re travelling with an infant who doesn’t have a dedicated seat, you can ask the airline to allocate an extra seat near you (at no extra cost) if the flight is not full. This is a request that they will typically try to accommodate.

That extra seat means that you don’t have to worry about disturbing a fellow passenger and it gives you space for all the child paraphernalia you will need to lug around.

Don’t be shy about asking for assistance or ‘extras’; the worst that could happen is that you get told no.

These tips would work on almost every long journey, whether it be plane, train or automobile, so wherever you travel to next, plan it well, keep positive and enjoy the ride.