[attach id=285166 size="medium"]Mum’s say the younger the child, the less problems you are likely to have.[/attach]

With a baby on the way and a lot of family living abroad, an airplane trip is likely before Baby is even one year old, and as someone who boards a plane hoping there are no children sitting in the immediate vicinity, the thought of travelling with a baby has me concerned.

While books, articles and blog posts give hints and tips, they sometimes sound so clinical and studied that you’re left wondering whether the authors even have kids of their own.

So, I decided the best way to counter the fear of flying with kids is to actually ask mothers who have been there and done that.

I spoke with three mothers – Clare, Liz and Maureen – who all have children under the age of three, to get their valuable insight. Naturally, the child’s age is a huge factor when it comes to travelling, mostly in terms of what you need to take with you. Both Clare’s and Maureen’s girls were five months old when they experienced a plane for the first time, while Liz’s son was a mere three months old.

Worries are the staple diet of all new parents, so I asked the mothers what their major concerns were and were they justified?

It turns out many passengers are far more patient and understanding than expected

According to Clare, “the major concerns were how much milk to pack for the journey and holiday, whether I would be allowed liquids through security, and what to pack as entertainment to keep her quiet on the plane”.

Both Liz and Maureen were concerned about their babies crying on the plane, while Maureen was also worried that her daughter, Robin, would cry in the car since they were going to be driving a lot.

She was also concerned about her child getting sick due to the difference in temperature between Malta and the UK in November, while Clare felt conscious about being “those people everyone dreads seeing on a plane... people with an infant”.

As it turned out, none need have worried (but, of course, one does!), because everything worked out smoothly. Liz said she was advised to “breastfeed on take-off and landing, which I did, and he was fine and didn’t cry at all”.

Maureen happily remarked that Robin “was fine on the plane and slept most of the time when we drove around. As for the cold, we took her ski suit with us, which she wore everywhere and she was fine”.

Clare researched beforehand about what could and would not be allowed through security. A tip she gives to parents who use formula is to check if your particular brand is available in the country you’re visiting, because if not, you’ll need to pack enough to last the entire holiday.

“And as for being the parents of an infant on the flight,” she said, “It turns out many people are far more patient and understanding than I expected them to be.”

New parents have loads of questions on their mind. Help at the airport is one of them.

Clare, who was travelling from the UK to Malta, explained that airports in Britain have family-friendly security areas. Staff were patient and explained exactly what to do (for example, taste the water she needed to take through), and all was done with a smile.

On their return flight to the UK, security was less stringent, and while they weren’t offered help with their stroller, check-in staff in both UK and Malta airports left an empty seat beside them on the plane.

“When you’re travelling with an infant on your lap, this added space is nothing short of spectacular.” At the airport, Liz was given priority boarding on the bus but not on the plane. On their return leg they were escorted to the bus by lift together with other people with pushchairs, and had family check-in, which allowed them to skip the queue.

She wasn’t alone, “but I hope a mother alone would have some assistance to fold up the pushchair and put it in the X-ray machine while carrying the baby in one arm”.

Yet another worry about travelling with kids is keeping them entertained (and quiet) for the duration of the flight. Clare recommends taking picture books and rattles, while Maureen suggests their favourite toy of the moment as well as a notebook and pencil if your child is keen on drawing.

Simple activities such as these keep them occupied for a long time and are easy and cheap to pack. Tablets or portable DVD players can also come in useful when all other options are exhausted, as their favourite cartoon can keep a child engrossed for a while.

Because Liz’s son was so young she didn’t feel the need to take anything, and thinks that “this age is the best time to travel”.

Maureen concurs, saying that from experience she learned “that the younger the baby, the easier travelling with them is. All they need is to be fed and to be kept clean and warm. On the other hand, the older they get, the more meaningful holidays become for all the family.”

Maureen also mentions snacks such as nuts, raisins, corn crackers and smoothie pouches, as an important item to pack . They don’t take up a lot of space, are easy to eat and aren’t high in sugar – a child with a sugar rush on the plane is not a good idea.

New parents will be pleased to know that Malta International Airport has a parenting room with a comfortable sofa for feeding, a nappy changer, a hand basin and a drinking water reverse osmosis system with temperature regulator. Should you need this room, and it probably is worth heading there for final baby checks, it’s in the check-in hall next to the Information Desk. There are also two changing rooms in the Schengen Departures Lounge.

Having absorbed all this useful first-hand advice and information, my fear of flying with kids has definitely dropped a notch or two.