September 2013 Moms

Flying with LO

I will be flying with my LO in about a week and a half. I'm a little worried because it will be just she and I, as we are meeting my husband who will be away on business.
So I'm looking for any and all tips and suggestions! I'm planning to use a backpack for a diaper bag, wear LO, and get a rolling carrier for the car seat (I decided to get her a seat on the plane and use the car seat). Anything important I need to know??

Re: Flying with LO

  • Change right before the flight, nurse or give bottle/pacifier at take off and lending, get a new toy or two for LO to play with so it hopefully will keep her interest for a little bit since it's new . Practice on strapping in the seat onto the car just to make sure you can do it fast and easy ( flight attendants were not filling to help when we flew)
  • AsivecAsivec member
    edited August 2014
    You can most likely gate check a stroller for free which could be a plus if you have a travel system. I flew to Hawaii (10 hours) and needed a stroller there. Lanyards are great to keep toys off the ground. Check your bag. Don't stress! It will be ok! Remember to grab yourself a snack. Bring baby branded sealed babyfood for LO. People in front of me had applesauce and yogurt taken away.
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  • Now that our LO's are getting older my best advice is bring snacks.  We flew a short 1 hour flight and we just kept handing cheerios to her one at a time to keep her busy.  When she was younger she always slept like a champ.  She wanted no part of sleeping at all and kept throwing toys and her binky so Cheerios did the trick.  I tried to nurse at take-off and landing but she wanted no part of it.  She also wouldn't take her bottle and kept pulling the binky out but we didn't have any issues with ear pain.  I think since you're getting a seat with the car seat maybe sleeping will be more likely.  Because LO was on my lap she was all over the place.
  • Also you can gate check strollers and car seats.  You can also keep LO in the carrier through security.  They swab your hands but it's way easier to leave them in and take the extra minute for a hand swab. If you're bringing breast milk they will screen it but again it's no big deal.  You can have as much of it as you want.
  • I flew with LO alone just about a month ago and did most of what you are planning: 

    *  wear him as soon as I got to the airport
    *  I put diaper bag in the carseat and pulled that. 
    *  once we got through security I found a kids area or unused gate and let LO move around some. 
    *  Then a little before boarding I went and changed him, then went to the gate and got on first.  I didn't get any help either, but by wearing him... he couldn't go anywhere while I installed everything.  
    *  gave him a bottle once we were settled that took him through take off. 

    Sounds similar to what you are planning.  Good luck!
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  • I'm not sure where you are flying out of but here in TX, we put him in shorts and a thin shirt but bring a blanket. It is usually an oven on the plane before take off but then freezing in the air.

    If the airplane seat belt doesn't buckle well when you are trying to install the seat, try turning it upside down. On our carseat, the buckle is right under his booty so turning it upside down makes it more comfortable.

    Print out the FAA guideline on car seat use. That way, if anyone challenges you, you can show them that you are allowed to bring the seat AND install it rear facing. I've never had to do this. Flight Attendants are pretty car seat savy nowadays.

    One TSA agent I talked to even knew all car seat brands and which brands would fit through her scanner.

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  • Thank you all soooo much for your advice. It is ALL very helpful.
  • Also something I've heard about lately is some kinds of lotion or sunscreen causing the swabs to show as explosives residue. I'm not sure what kind.

    This is something that happened to a couple people I know, so not a rumor thing.

    Jamie


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  • redfallon said:
    Also something I've heard about lately is some kinds of lotion or sunscreen causing the swabs to show as explosives residue. I'm not sure what kind. This is something that happened to a couple people I know, so not a rumor thing.

    This happened to my friend and she called the airport to complain because they weren't very nice about it.  They told her it was the diaper cream on her hands that set it off.  FWIW
  • I took full size tubes of diaper cream, wipes, ect. For baby food, dry doesn't matter but if it's liquid it needs to be sealed and baby branded like gerber (not cups of adult applesauce or adult yogurt). Formula and water (1 liter) or breast milk is ok. Just know they will swab and they asked me to take them out like all liquids.
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