MK Airport Services:Car service to all London airports with car seats available from newborn to older children. Saloon, estate and Multi Person Vehicles (MPV’s) capable of carrying up to seven people in comfort. Recommended by Steffi at NW3Kids, who uses this service whenever she goes to the airport. +44 77 438 462 53 +44 208 209 11 94 e-mile mango@wp.pl


AIRPLANES AND AIRPORTS! A FEW TIPS

Lots of airports (but not all) will let you skip check-in, security and immigration queues if you have a baby (Heathrow and Gatwick better than Stansted and Luton). It won't kill you to beg a little. And unless you're flying an airline that does not let you prebook seats, do not get on the air plane first if you have a toddler. NB the stroller is sometimes put in the hold, to be collected at the baggage claim, so make sure you are physically capable of carrying your baby through immigration

Flying with young children (especially energetic ones) is not much fun, but it is do-able. The best advice I was given for flying long-haul with a toddler was the following: wrap 5-10 small age-appropriate "presents" (or anything they haven't played with) and whip them out when things get whiggy. Magnetic books are always a hit.

For older toddlers and pre-schoolers, a portable DVD player is a very good investment -- buy good-quality earphones too.Remember to hold back some treat for the immigration queue or in case bags are delayed. 

Apart from the usual spare clothes, nappies etc.., carry a themometer and some baby pain reliever. Do not give unfamiliar food for a couple of days before a long flight -- now is not the time to test out his tolerance for plums.

Jetlag: this is a particular area of expertise for us at NW3Kids, as our immediate families are spread out. For a baby/child that sleeps at night and doesn't nap more than once or twice a day, the following works for me going to North America. Try to nap him/her sometime during the flight in their regular nap time. If the child falls asleep 10 minutes before landing, s/he may very well freak out if you try to wake it up or you'll have to carry the sleeping child a long way. If the flight lands before 4pm, might as well let them sleep in the car-ride from the airport, if it's not more than an hour. And then make them run around -- in the fresh air if possible -- until at least 7 or 8pm. They'll get up early the next morning but that should be it. If you are flying from North America to England, get them to sleep by 8pm on the flight if possible. Have a nap once you get to NW3 but not much past 2pm if you can help it. Plan an outdoor activity for the rest of the day, or swimming if the weather is bad. You will feel like crap on the day but you'll get over the worst of it.

Motion Sickness: A friend with 3 kids who suffer greatly swears by a product called SEA LEGS (from age 2), which you take a day before the flight. It is an over the counter medication.

DESTINATIONS: http://www.mumsnet.com/ does a great review of all short and long-haul trips, summer and winter. Others have recommended http://www.babygoes2.com/ 

Ski: If you have an under-5, i have one word for you: DON'T. Five is about the earliest you want to start formal ski lessons unless he/she has an older sibling. Tears, tantrums and worse await the over-eager parent unless you have a particularly sturdy child. Some ski schools have little taster courses that last an hour or two if you don't feel like breaking your back.

If you personally want to ski and are looking for full-time childcare, avoid the chains and go for small family-run hotels that are not staffed by very young (poorly paid, possibly hung-over) teenagers. I can personally recommend Hotel Alphubel in Saas Fee, Switzerland www.hotelalphubel.ch. Travelling in Switzerland is very easy so don't be put off by getting to the mountains yourself. www.myswitzerland.ch has also lots of advice on "kinder" hotels.