I flew overseas with my 9-month-old for the first time. Knowing airline rules was key.

• I flew long-haul for the first time with my nine-month-old baby between New York and Europe.
• The jet didn't have a bassinet in my cabin, but the staff gave us a row of three seats instead.
• Low expectations and meticulous studying of airline rules were key to my sanity.

Armed with more bags than I care to admit and a lot of patience, my husband and I flew between New York and Zurich with our nine-month-old, Roscoe, on Delta Air Lines in February.

It was our son's first long-haul trip; we'd applied for his passport when he was just two weeks old. He'd previously flown about four hours to Denver at five months old and slept most of the way, so we were cautiously optimistic.

Aside from forgetting his ear protection in the car and slight chaos in Zurich, the trip went more smoothly than expected.

We got better seats and extra bags, TSA PreCheck made security a breeze in New York, and early family boarding meant we were among the first on the plane.

Going in with low expectations made it easier not to get frustrated when something went wrong — a mindset that proved helpful in Zurich, where we found ourselves overwhelmed with unusually long security lines and stricter rules.

We managed to make our plane — barely.

Our baby slept or quietly played for most of both seven-hour flights; he only cried briefly for hunger. Feeding him during takeoff seemed to help with ear pressure, as he didn't make a peep. My husband and I took turns watching him.

We each got about three hours of rest on the outbound red-eye, and we were exhausted by the time we reached our chalet in Austria, about two hours from Zurich, but it could have been far worse. The daytime return flight was easier.

Here's how the flights went from curb to gate, including what we were allowed to bring beyond our usual carry-ons, how security handled oversized liquids, and how we secured better seats.

We meticulously studied the bag rules to avoid drama

I booked the round-trip tickets for about 25,000 points per person, plus $68 in taxes and fees; the cash price was about $600. Two friends were on the same reservation; we were all heading to a college reunion-style ski trip.

I had to separately contact Delta to add our son as an "infant in arms," which cost $17. International lap-infant tickets are typically priced at about 10% of the base fare, plus taxes and fees, and are available only for children under two years old.

Because I have the Delta SkyMiles Gold credit card, everyone on our reservation received a free checked bag, which would have cost at least $75 each otherwise. That cost-savings mattered, given how much we were carrying between baby gear and ski equipment.

With a baby, my husband and I were also allowed to bring additional items beyond our standard carry-on and personal item, including a diaper bag, a stroller, and a car seat for the rental car.

Both the stroller and car seat were gate-checked at no charge and returned to us in the jet bridge after landing. We purchased padded bags for about $60 to protect them in the cargo hold; both were undamaged.

As first-time parents flying internationally with a baby, we overpacked for peace of mind.

But to stay within the airline's 50-pound weight limits, we spent more than an hour the night before weighing and rearranging our checked bags — an effort that paid off by avoiding any last-minute reshuffling at the airport.

The only outbound hiccup was when the kiosks wouldn't let us self-tag our bags. I'm not sure why, but we waited only about 20 minutes to check them with an agent before heading to security.

There was also no kiosk option in Zurich, and we couldn't check in online — meaning another 30 minutes spent at the desk on the return flight.

TSA PreCheck made a significant difference

At JFK, I took my son and me through TSA PreCheck with his stroller, car seat, diaper bag, and my luggage, while the other three in our group who don't have the expedited membership went through the regular line.

It turned out to be the right call. I didn't need to remove liquids, electronics, or my heavy hiking boots, which made managing all the gear far easier. A fellow mom traveling solo helped me load everything onto the belt (thank you, random stranger).

Because I was carrying more than 3.4 ounces of pre-mixed formula and distilled water, an agent briefly tested the liquids. The process was quick and routine, and I cleared security well before the rest of the group.

We skipped the lounge and got to the gate early to pack our gate-checked items, change a diaper, and mix bottles before boarding. This made the flight itself easier and allowed us to use early family boarding to the fullest.

The return home from Zurich wasn't as easy.

Without TSA PreCheck or a dedicated family security line, we had to juggle multiple bags and baby gear while keeping our son calm, with barely any space in the queue to organize before the scanners. Luckily, our baby's oversized liquids weren't an issue.

We then cleared passport control and joined another long line to catch a crowded train to the gates. The hourslong obstacles ate into our buffer, leaving us scrambling with arms full of disorganized gear as we raced to make our plane.

It was easy to feel judged by other travelers, but I reminded myself I was doing the best I could under chaotic circumstances. Even though we arrived the recommended three hours early, I'll budget well beyond that next time.

It doesn't hurt to ask for a bassinet or seat upgrade

On Delta, you can typically request a bassinet on a first-come, first-served basis, but the specific Boeing 767 we flew both legs didn't have one in regular economy.

The staff did the next best thing: from New York, they moved us from a pair of regular seats to the bulkhead, where we had a row of three seats to ourselves. On the return, the cabin crew offered us a full three-seat row at the back of the plane.

The extra space made managing a baby on a long flight significantly easier, allowing us to keep supplies within easy reach and give him room to stretch, stand, and burn off energy. Changing him was tricky — the lavatory changing table was small, but we managed.

Overall, the experience exceeded my expectations. Airline staff on both sides of the Atlantic were accommodating, and flight attendants were eager to interact with my baby and make him laugh.

I'd take the trip again — though I know it will only get more complicated once he's walking and talking. For now, I'll take the wins and learn from my mistakes in Zurich.