Ear Drops for Flying/Air Travel w/LO?

m+j

We are taking LO to the East Coast (4.5 hour flight) in a few weeks and to Maui (5.5 hour flight) in a little over a month.  I've heard people recommend ear drops that are given to babies right before take off, but when I asked my pedi he had no idea what I was talking about.  Is anyone familiar with these drops?  Do they work?  Can I get more info on them so that I can give it to my pedi and perhaps get a prescription?  He said he would love to learn more about it but I didn't have the info to provide him.  Thanks!

Dobie_Mama

Is it Similasan?  I've heard of people using it for their LOs when traveling but we haven't tried it.  We just always made sure DD #1 had something to suck on for take off & landing - nursing, bottle, paci, sippy, whatever.  It works the same as chewing gum during take off/landing as an adult.

monkeypolo

I've heard of people giving benedryl before a flight, but have heard many contraindications due to unneccesarily medicating your child. But I know that I usually chew gum to keep my ears from getting irritated. So I bet sucking on a paci or having a bottle during take off and landing should help with baby's ears.

pazrana

We haven't flown with LO yet but my friends recommend feeding or at least giving a pacifier for take off and landing.  The sucking will equalize his/her ears.  This advice comes from friends living in Guam/Hawaii so we're talking 11-14 hour flights. =-)

5de5

We flew to NY two weeks ago, and had 6 takeoffs/landings.  I nursed DD during each, and when she was done nursing I popped a paci in.  The hardest part was getting her to stay awake enough to keep sucking (we took a red eye and it coincided with her last night time feeding).  We had no problems.

themusiclady

I flew with dd at 1 month old... I just gave her a pacifier and cuddled her on take off and landings, she had no issues.