Hmmm, more travel questions.

stina76

So we leave on Friday for vacation.  I'm flying with the baby and MIL, my husband and FIL are driving so they are taking most of the baby stuff.  Going to try to get by with just baby bag filled with the essentials.  I'm debating which formula to bring on the plane.  I use Similac Sensitive in powder form from a big tub that I get at Sams Club.  So I was going to pick up the ready to feed option just because I thought that would be a littler easier to deal with on the plane (I have tried ready to feed before in a big jug and he took it just fine.)  But Similac in Sensitive ready to feed only comes in packs with 2 oz bottles.  I would have to take at least 6 to be safe (or even more.)  Will they let me bring that much through security if it's in a clear bag?  Or should I just put my powder in my bottles and get water after I get through security and make them as I need them?  I wish they had the little packets (like Crystal Lite) like Enfamil does.  What do you think?

Also, I'm planning on gate checking the travel system and bringing the carrier.  When do you usually put the baby in the carrier?  Was thinking after I have to gate check, but you can't have baby in the carrier on take off so not sure?  

Also, I keep getting conflicting advice from friends, do you sit in the front or back? 

I think I'm over thinking a lot of this!  : )  

Thanks for your help!!

gutsysneakers

I flew with DD in July. You can bring formula or BM in bottles in amounts necessary for travel. I'm mobile but I'm pretty sure TSA says something similar on their website.

You can't wear the carrier and baby during take off and landing.

I preferred a window seat for more privacy since I nursed during take off and whenever DD got hungry. Good luck!

spinsoffresonance

You can bring unlimited BM or formula or even water in baby bottles for formula. A cooler with ice is also ok. You just have to tell them at security it's for the baby. They'll put it in a machine for testing. I usually put the baby in the carrier before going through security since you have to put the stroller through the X-ray. You don't have to take baby out of the carrier to go through security.

Lizmullen

Jcrewgirl85 said:

I flew with DD in July. You can bring formula or BM in bottles in amounts necessary for travel. I'm mobile but I'm pretty sure TSA says something similar on their website.

You can't wear the carrier and baby during take off and landing.

I preferred a window seat for more privacy since I nursed during take off and whenever DD got hungry. Good luck!

Depending on the airline but I flew jet blue and was allowed to wear baby during take off and landing.

limechiffon

I flew by myself with baby at about 12 weeks, 2 things I didn't realize before the trip:

If you are by yourself then a TSA agent can help you put the stroller and car seat on the belt. They made a point to ask if I was by myself and were quick to help when I said yes. I don't know if it's official policy but seems to say as much on the website: 

https://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/traveling-children

• If you’re traveling alone, please ask a Security Officer for assistance in putting your and the child’s carry-on items on the X-ray belt.

Also this may not apply to you, but I was told that if you bring an ice pack or gel pack to cool BM/formula then it actually has to be frozen. My plastic ice pack was not (it was cold but not frozen solid), they let it go through but told me the official rule is that it needs to be frozen to be pass through as carry-on. 

Also FWIW I flew Southwest and had a lap baby.  For both outbound and return the two seats next to me went relatively quickly. Both were taken by two people traveling together - it's hard to find 2 seats next to each other when you get to the 'C' group so they didn't seem to mind being with a mom and baby.

letal316

We just took 3 flights with DD over the past 6 days, one more to go on Sat. It seems most PPs have already given you good advice. I travelled with DH, so that was a huge help if she started to fuss, which she did on one of the flights. What we found was that if she ate just before the flight then she would likely fall asleep almost right away and slept the entire flight! Woohoo!

We had no issues bringing a bunch of formula and water through security. We had powder, which they didn't care about, we had little Similac RTF, we had water in a little thermos, and we had two random bottles half full of formula bc she had alredy eaten on the last flight. They tested the water and bottles and that was it! They didn't seem to care how much we had, they were all super friendly.

We wore DD through the airports. We checked her stroller and car seat so we didn't have to deal with bringing anything through security or the airport.

I brought my diaper bag with all the formula and three bottles. We flew Air Canada all three times but the crew was super chill and didn't seem to care if I wore her during take off or landing, which I did twice, not the other times. I didn't ask if I could, I just did it.

AngelaAmy

I'm actually on vacation now and travelled alone with 2 kids. There were no restrictions on milk for me and I gate checked my stroller system no problem. I wore her in the carrier for takeoff for one flight and it was fine. The others I just didn't happen to have her in it at the time. For security I just had to take her out of the stroller and walk her through with me.