International Baby
If you're planning to travel internationally, give yourself plenty of time to get a passport for your baby. Getting a passport photo for an infant can be tricky. The instant cameras used for passport photos in photo shops don't work well with babies because they are designed to focus best at a distance of about four feet, and getting an infant's head to fill the photo requires getting in closer. Some photographers won't even try to produce passport photos of children under two. If you want to try the photo shop, bring a white blanket and an infant seat. Place the baby in her seat because the passport agency does not want your face in the photo with your baby, and the photographer will have a better chance of getting a usable shot if your baby is comfortable, rather than being held in your hands at an awkward distance from your body.
You don't actually have to use an official passport photo. The shot needs to be taken head on, and your baby's eyes should be open. The background should be white or very light. You need two identical photos that are at least two inches square. The face in the picture should measure between 1 and 1⅜ inches from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin.
Don't have an official photo? Get out your ruler and scissors and start measuring photos. If you bought photos from the hospital photographer, try the wallet-sized prints — with some judicious trimming, these very well may work for a passport. Otherwise, lay your baby on a white blanket, and stand over him (you may want to use a stool), taking shots from varying distances in hopes that one will be the right size.
In addition to your passports, bring a copy of your baby's birth certificate and your marriage certificate; they may come in handy. If you are traveling without your spouse, bring a letter from him giving you permission to take your baby out of the country, and have a phone number ready where he can be contacted. Pick a foreign airline if you have the option, as they tend to be more baby-friendly than U.S.-based airlines.
International flights often accommodate bassinets — special little beds that go on the floor or attach to a bulkhead. Reserve one ahead of time; they are usually free of charge, but may be in limited supply.
If you are packing baby formula, make sure it is unopened. (Pack formula for the plane ride separately). Otherwise, you may not be able to bring it in the country. Be sure to declare it, if asked.
Jet Lag
Babies are not immune to the effects of time zone changes. You may find that traveling east to west is easier on the body than west to east. To help reduce the effects:
Before you leave, try to gradually move your baby's bedtime up twenty minutes per night until you are on what will be the time at your destination.
Once there, put your baby to bed at the new location's bedtime.
If you're feeding on demand, continue to do so regardless of the time differences. If not, adapt to the current time zone.
Exposure to sunlight and daylight help your baby (and you!) adjust. Try to schedule outdoor activities.
