New mom traveling with newborn!!! Any advice welcome!

May_31_2008

Hi ladies ... I will be traveling with my 3.5 week old on Friday (yes, I know this is VERY CRAZY).  My pediatrician told me this was okay because he will have all of my immunities still from birth. So ... I wondering if you can help me with any advice on things that I must do, or things that I should just leave at home.  I also have just a few quick questions:

1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too?

2) Is my pump considered a carry-on?

 3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru?  (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:)

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper?  Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?  

 Again, any advice, no matter how small, is VERY welcome!!! 

 Thanks for your help!  Even though I don't post much, you all have been such an asset to this new mother!  

Maddimom

May_31_2008:

Congrats on your new little one!!!

1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too? I think so. My daughter has always brought her own carry-on and she is a lap child.

2) Is my pump considered a carry-on? I would say yes. But you get your purse and a personal item. Make sure you bring a big purse

 3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru?  (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:) I don't think so.

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper?  Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?   Some do and some don't.  It makes that little bathroom a million times smaller when you put down the changing table. I was laughing to whole time changing dd diaper

Brynnie2010

1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too?  I believe you can take a diaper bag for him.2) Is my pump considered a carry-on?  I believe it would considered your personal item. 3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru?  (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:)  YES!  There is!  If you're looking at the Security Line it's off to the right and has a little placard with a picture of a family.4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper?  Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?  I've never seen one, but I heard they exist on some airlines.  I just change her diaper right before we get on, and then again as soon as we get off. HTH!  Good luck! 

newmommy74

1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too? Yes definitely you are!

2) Is my pump considered a carry-on? Yes - as your personnal item.

3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru? (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:) Yes - they are all  marked out!

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper? Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?  Yes all planes have them, and there is usually a sign/symbol on the door.

Good luck I am sure you LO will just sleep the whole way through the flight! Also depending who you are flying with, if you call ahead and there is a spare seat you could ask for an 'infant seat' free of charge and that way you can take your carrier/seat on the plane. We did that when my son was 10 weeks old and he slept the whole way, not a single noise fom him! All the best, oh, and you might want to pack a spare top for you incase of any accidents from your LO too!!!   

breebree13

I don't have any advice but I just wanted to say good luck! I'm so glad you posted this! We are traveling in Dec. and I had no idea I could have my lap child bring a carry on ...guess I'll order her that back pack after all!

theresab

kinda random brain dump, but this is what I thought of: 

I always packed an entire change of clothes for everyone and lots of burb cloths.  (multiple changes for baby)  Also layer.  We had to strip layers of the baby because it was so hot on the plane.  Make sure you drink a lot of water to stay hydrated especially with breastfeeding.

I heard 1 diaper per hour flight.  I always had a few more than that.  I packed a diaper bag for under the seat and easily accesible and then a rolling carryon with all the spare clothes and extras to go up above. Also bags to hold dirty diapers, they can't put them in the regular trash so it might be a while before a flight attendent can get a bag to you.

I would think you might be able to claim the pump as a medical item.

We always just changed on the seat - we had the whole row because we bought a seat for the baby.

There is a family line and last time we got to skip the big general line to get to that.  But it was way slower than the rest of queue.

LifesPeachy

I know you got a few answers already but here's my experience. The youngest I traveled with my LO was 4 months. Newborn should be easy, they should hopefully sleep the entire time. Bring a little pillow. I loved have one of those super squishy cylinder shaped pillows. After LO fell asleep nursing, I would slowly move my arm out from under her, but she'd remain laying on the pillow. I also wore my nursing cover when she was done so it stayed nice and warm and dark. She had her own little nest going on between the cover and pillow.  I think a boppy would be too big and bulky IMO. You can get away with hand carrying a pillow on and no one will say anything about it not being in your baggage or part of your carry on or personal item.

1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too? Only if he has his own seat! You can have 1 personal item (diaper bag, purse, or laptop bag) and 1 carry-on. I just had one massive diaper bag.

2) Is my pump considered a carry-on? It could be considered your personal item. You are better off packing it in your suitcase/carry-on. If it was in a bag with a strap, it's going to look like a personal item and then if you also have a diaper bag, it will look like you have two personal items.

 3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru?  (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:) Yes. They have always pulled me into a special lane for families.

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper?  Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms? There was no changing table in the bathroom when I last flew with LO. The flight attendant let me go to an empty row to take care of it. I wasn't going to change her diaper till we landed but she pooed. Pray there is no blow out!

 Again, any advice, no matter how small, is VERY welcome!!! Don't forget an extra outfit or two! Have you seen the Cloud B sleep sheeps? I know there is a lot of white noise on a plane anyway, but a sleep sheep might come in handy too. We have the full sized one in LOs crib and someone just gave us a mini one for travel. We love the mini one, we keep it attached to her car seat and even at 8 months old, I feel like it helps lull her to sleep. I think it'd be perfect for a plane trip!

GL!

Seattle_JiLLn

newmommy74:

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper? Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?  Yes all planes have them, and there is usually a sign/symbol on the door.

Not true.   Some planes do not have them.   Believe me.  I've asked flight attendants to be sure but some of them just don't.  I once changed a super big blowout with my baby on my lap, while I sat on the toilet myself.  Fun times.  So then you just change the baby on your lap, in your seat, or put a blanket on the floor somewhere and do it.  Be sure to change your baby right before you get on the plane so you can hopefully avoid a change on the plane.  Even with a changing table on the plane, it's hard.   

WatchPot

how long is your flight, where are you traveling too?  My first flight with LO was when he was 3 weeks old and it was the easiest flight he ever was on

The others have given you really good advice.  Will you need your pump or just want to carry it on to have it?  I might suggest having it in your checked bag.  With just you try to pack like the PP mentioned:  a carry on under your seat and a roller bag with the non essentials up above. 
Good Luck! 

Asquared

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1) We will be carrying our LO in our arms, but am I allowed to pack a carry-on for him too?     I do a purse and a big diaper bag carry on- I never classify it as the baby's carry on- since you're not paying for a seat for him.

2) Is my pump considered a carry-on?   Only bring that as a carry-on if you  NEED to, bring bare essentials (which is enough diapers for 24 hours if you ask me!!)

 3) Is there a special security line at Seatac for families to go thru?  (I thought I've heard of this in other places, but I could just be making this up:)    YES! like the other gal said- go around the right side of the main security line. 

4) I've never even looked, but where do I change my LO's diaper?  Is there a changing station in those cramped bathrooms?     Every plane I've been on has had one, but I've also had a lady before I had kids come and change her kid's diaper on the floor in front of me in that spacious extra leg row- kinda whacky, but I didn't care.

 Again, any advice, no matter how small, is VERY welcome!!! 

 Thanks for your help!  Even though I don't post much, you all have been such an asset to this new mother!  

 

 

Enjoy your travels now!!  Until they start walking, they are the easiest kids to fly w/!      and unless your and exclusive pumper, just stick a boob in her on take-off and landing.  bring a hooter hider if you're nervous.  You'll do great!!