Traveling w/Infant

it'sbabytime

hi girls, I'll be traveling next week with my 2 mo old and need some tips. 

Thankfully its a short flight (1 hour) but any tips/advice on how to:

• pack (need to take my pump and some extra breastmilk, stroller/carseat)
• make it through security faster
• keep him quiet on the plane (ha!) 

We will be gone 4 days so I figure I'd buy a small pack of diapers there, one less thing to pack. 

 

Any tips that will help with me being less stressed about it would be greatly appreciated! LOL!  

 

 

Dr.Loretta

do you need a stroller? I'd look into either wearing him or just dealing with the carseat at that age

If he has his own seat, take a copy of his birth certificate

Depending on where you fly out of, there, may be a family line for security. Easy peasy

Don't worry about keeping him quiet. It's an hour, and he's little. he may eat, he may sleep, or he may cry. People will understand as long as you're not beating him (j/k about that part, but really, most people just want to see you make an effort to keep him comfy)

Be prepared to be flexible. Have some extra clothes for you/him and some extra diapers/wipes on the plane just in case. And soon it will be all over. We did a cross-country flight with DD and DH was a mess. I did it solo with her a few months later, and it was divine. Sometimes it's all in the attitude.

krissyh21

You will need to carry the baby through security and put his stroller and carrier through the x-ray machine at security. Nurse or bottle feed him at take off and landing - will help with ear pressure. Be sure to have some diapers for travel and a change of clothes for in case.

It is always a lot easier than what you imagine it to be! If he is not quiet on the plane - so be it! You will never see these people again!!! Most people are very accommodating to parents traveling w/ children.

DavezWife

bring a clean shirt for momma, if you care what you look like when you get there.

And adopt the mantra "I WILL NEVER SEE THESE PEOPLE AGAIN" so just do what you need to take care of him, and eff the rest of them, lol.

Traveling with all the stuff a pain, but easier than your mind makes it up to be ;-)

choco_lab

If your DH is going with you, let him get on the plane when they call your row and get all the bags settled, etc.  You wait with the baby until they make the last call so you are on the plane the least amount of time (not waiting in the aisle holding the baby or sitting waiting for everyone to board) and you have the least amount of stuff to get on there.

laura1

We used the infant seat with the snap and go in the airport and gate checked it all.  It worked out well.  We just waited in the regular security line and people were pretty understanding - i think we had to fold up the stroller and put the car seat/stroller through the x-ray machine.  

We were formula feeding by the time we flew (he was 9 months old), so I can't help you on the pumping/breastmilk questions.  But we did feed him during take off and that worked ok.  He did have a few crying episodes, but our flight was also short (75min) and no one really seemed to care.

Definitely bring diapers/wipes, and a new outfit for your DS (an maybe one for you too).  On both flights, DS leaked out of his diaper - once poop the other just pee.  But he needed new clothes both times, and I could have used a change too, since it leaked on to my jeans.  

Looking back, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I think traveling with the 2 of mine now would be terrible - they both want to be up and walking around!  Take advantage of the stage where they are content to sit with you  

ohiostategal

choco_lab:

If your DH is going with you, let him get on the plane when they call your row and get all the bags settled, etc.  You wait with the baby until they make the last call so you are on the plane the least amount of time (not waiting in the aisle holding the baby or sitting waiting for everyone to board) and you have the least amount of stuff to get on there.

this is so true.  I have traveled with DS a lot, (17 flights I think) and we started with getting on in the preboard time which was a big mistake.  Now DH gets on and gets everything ready and I am literally the last person on the plane with DS.  Which airline?  Check the requirements, even without a seat Southwest requires the birth certificate.  We never get a seat for DS as he wouldn't just sit in the car seat anyway.  Our first flight was at 3 months and they have all gone really well.  I nursed at take off and landing and tried to time the meal for the beginning of the flight.  That way he usually just fell asleep after nursing.  I wore a nursing tank and hoodie on the flight so it was easier to nurse.  I actually love having a stroller int he airport because it helped us carry things.  As for security, most times there is a family boarding line that is shorter that the rest so we joke that DS helps us get through faster. 

A 2 month old won't need much in the way of toys on the plane, but I liked having something like a small pillow to put under my arms while holding him.  I actually took the tummy pillow form his playmat and put it in a carry on bag.  

ohiostategal

not sure if your carseat goes in your stroller (snap and go) or not.  We take our bigger stroller on most trips and check the car seat (most airlines let you do that for free) in a car seat bag we got at BRU and then gatecheck the stroller.  Bonus is if you over pack (like I do) you can slip some stuff in the bag with the car seat and avoid extra charges!