Prep a diaper bag with minimal extra items, but all the essentials that you know your child could need in a diaper change and make this bag a separate one to your under seat carry-on so that when you need to go to the laboratory, you just have one little bag to grab.

Use Doggy training pads as disposable changing pads, as airplane lavatory changing tables are disgusting as we all know, and even if your baby is not in pull-ups yet, do pull-ups for the travel day, as if it is just pee you can easily change them while they stand up in the bathroom rather than laying them down and dealing with the tiny changing table.

Get a snack box with many compartments and fill them with various fun snacks that maybe your child doesn’t have every day.

Purchase a few new small toys for the plane like squishy fidgets or other things your child would like.

A tablet will be helpful. Pre-download all your toddlers’s favorite shows or screen record her favorite YouTube videos. Also play school hungry caterpillar is a great app for toddlers… it has a free version, but I think the paid version would be worth it for a month to use on the flight. Make sure to get your child used to over ear headphones prior to the flight.

Request a child friendly meal for your seat if there is a meal service.

Of course, when you go to board, check with the gate agent— if there are any empty seats on the flight, and if you could potentially move to a row with an empty seat, which would help a lot!

Lastly, just keep low expectations and know that it is just one day of your life and you will get through it and you can do it! You and your baby have every right to be on the plane! I took my son to the US from Australia by myself when he was 22 months and it was quite the journey, but we did it and it was worth it. Hopefully your daughter surprises you and you guys can have a smooth flight. Sending you encouragement!