Let me set the scene: I’m heavily pregnant with my third child, and my gorgeous partner, who’s jumped on board with me to tackle life says: “I’d love to go to England one day and watch the soccer” (sorry Bobby, FOOTBALL!).
“OK. Let’s go then?” I say.
\It was also a dream of mine to return to my favourite city. Bobby, an avid Man City fan, and Florence—who’s wanted to ride a ‘big red bus’ since she was two, were immediately on board. Duh, they’d miss 10 days of school.
Given the very small window between my future child’s six-week vaccinations and Maddy’s pre-season with AFLW starting, I knew I had to be very thorough in my prep to make this trip happen as smoothly as possible for everyone. We wanted to go at the earliest date conveniently possible to allow Maddy to have sufficient time to get back into her training groove, but also had to be cautious: if I went overdue, little Miss wouldn’t quite be ready to head abroad, as I wanted her vaccinations first (and to be, perhaps, a little bit settled!).
So, we agreed on booking a three-week trip when my baby would be eight weeks old. Enough time to have her vaccinations and a two-week buffer in case of any mishaps. Thank the gay lord in the skies I did, because getting her passport was a nightmare.
In all seriousness, if you are a single mother by choice who has gone down the donor path, I suggest allowing ample time to process both birth certificates and passports. I’m actually a little too raw to relive some of the invasive questioning I received on numerous occasions during this process, but I can assure you it was one that threw me. Dead end after dead end, a lot of tears, and hours on hold later—her passport arrived three days prior to departing. Maybe a story for another day.
Why would you travel with a newborn?
I actually can’t believe how many times we were asked this.
Why would you not?!
Esmé was the easiest part. Try Bobby and Florence bickering like grumpy old men, crop-dusting the aisle with farts, and declaring starvation every six seconds. We were already in the unpredictable newborn rhythm of life. It didn’t matter if we did it from Melbourne or London, it was going to be the same either way.
I’m HUGE on travelling with my children. I love creating lifelong memories and have often been told I operate best in utter fucking chaos.
And guess what? We survived. We thrived over there. During our first week, as we strolled down to our local coffee shop in Notting Hill, I had a very proud mum moment, one I’ve reflected on quite a bit. Not only had I birthed my third baby just two months prior, but I had also flown all of them overseas to live out a dream for all of us. Despite all the fears and doubts about whether this was going to be the best or worst idea I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a few of those!), we were here and it was truly the best trip I’ve ever done.
And now, I’m here to share our wisdom (and a few little regrets), so that you, too, can travel with your sanity... somewhat intact.
1. Tip: Pack Light
Somewhere between booking three separate Airbnbs with laundries, I forgot that I could, in fact, wash the kids’ clothes while we were away. Every person took their own large suitcase and a carry-on. So that’s already up to 10 bags that needed to be wheeled or carried. What a fucking idiot.
Next time, B & F will absolutely be sharing a suitcase—and only one carry-on. They didn’t need anything on the plane other than their iPads and the seat screens. Every game of Uno, Jenga, and every drawing book went untouched.
Best tip I received: pack ziplock/sandwich bags for baby clothes and outfits. I’d start with each bag containing a full change of clothes for Essie (onesie, singlet, socks, nappy), so when she dirtied her outfit, you’d grab the clean one and stash the dirty in the bag. Zip it up—no surprise smells in your nappy bag when you land on the other side.
Also: Milton antibacterial surface wipes – just do it.
2. Tip: Pack Warm!
Airplanes at that altitude are freezing, the kind of freezing that gets into your bones, and no amount of Singapore Airlines blankets can fix it. I made sure we all wore our ‘big’ coats onto the plane—and thank goodness for that. Firstly, it saves space in your luggage, but more importantly, we were wearing them for most of the flight and had blankets on top.
We also ended up putting socks on Essie’s feet and hands, over the top of the already enclosed hand/foot covers in her onesies. This way, you also land with your larger jackets on you—no rummaging through suitcases on the airport floor.
3. Tip: Book the Lounge!
I’m a Platinum Amex member, which means I get access to a variety of lounges around the world. But when looking into it, there are so many ways to access lounges during your layover partner airlines, memberships, or even paying a small fee.
Whatever the case, it is HIGHLY worth it when travelling with little ones.
Clean bathrooms, showers, and baby change facilities were essential for us. We used those halfway showers and had a clean change of clothes ready to go. Easy access to charging stations for our many devices, plus cleaning facilities for bottle-feeding. Even if none of that mattered, I’d pay just for the reduced stress of navigating a packed airport with a toddler veering one way and another kid sprinting in the opposite direction.
It was a great place for Mads and I to gather our thoughts and let out a huge, “fuuuuuucking hell” before jumping on the second leg.
4. Tip: Accommodation is Key!
AIRBNB ALL THE WAY. Travelling with three kids meant I didn’t even consider hotels—for a bunch of reasons:
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More space – Each kid had their own room, their own privacy, and well… Mum had had her six-week check. It also gave us space to just rest without being on top of each other, especially when bub needed proper naps in bed.
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Kitchen access – Travelling as a large family (especially in an expensive city like London) meant being strategic with meals. Having a fridge full of snacks and being able to cook dinner at home saved a fortune. For example: breakfast out one day cost us $260 AUD. A pub dinner? $380 AUD.
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Laundry facilities – because… kids. No further explanation needed.
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Cost-effective – Like hotels, Airbnb prices vary. I somehow fluked three unbelievable Airbnbs (linked on my Instagram) from the mid-tier price point. Instead of booking multiple hotel rooms, we stayed together in a house/apartment.
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Local experience – Staying in a neighbourhood made the trip feel authentic. We found our go-to cafés, parks, and local gems we wouldn’t have stumbled upon staying in a city hotel.
What We Learned
Would we do it again?
Honestly… yes. It was chaotic, hilarious, exhausting—and weirdly bonding. Travelling with three kids isn’t easy, but it sure is unforgettable. Somewhere between airport meltdowns and in-flight giggles, we made memories we’ll be telling stories about for years.
So if you’re thinking about flying long-haul with little ones: do it. Just pack a strong sense of humour.
And whatever you do… don’t be like Maddy.
Don’t be Maddy, who assured me she didn’t need to pack a clean change of clothes in her carry-on—only to be shat on with a yellow poo explosion upon take-off… for a 14-hour flight.