XP Flying with baby

ninambutler

Has anyone flown yet with their LO? I will be flying from DC to St. Louis to visit my grandparents with baby Ella at the end of June when she will be 15 or 16 weeks old. I'm going to be taking my 14 year old brother with me who is fantastic with her and more help than most dads would be! Will we be able to gate check her car seat and her stroller? Is it possible to bring the RnP? I have heard about feeding during take off and landing and will definitely do that, but haven't really heard many other tips. I am not going to be getting her a seat so she will be a lap baby. Any advice on what to bring? I formula feed and use the disposable playtex drop ins so that makes things a lot easier. Will I be hassled about her bottles? She is also on to prescription medications, one which needs to be kept cold. Will I be able to carry those on? Am I allowed to bring a diaper bag, another carry on bag, as well as gate check the stroller/car seat and perhaps RnP? Really any suggestions would be much appreciated!! I have a very happy baby who doesn't fuss often but I definitely am worried. She's got severe reflux and my main fear is her having one of her vomiting and choking incidents on the plane.

graciesmurf

Sorry, I don't have any advice.

But I LOVE Ella's WVU bow.

skidderdo

We have flown 3 or 4 times already. TSA should not give you a hard time a out carrying on enough formula for 1 day in case you got delayed, but in the spirit of candor, my SIL had some formula confiscated at security because they thought she has "too much" for one day. Aholes. Yes, you can bring two bags AND check your stroller at the gate remember to have it tagged once you arrive at your gate. hmm, mobile bumping have to go back and look at your questions!

skidderdo

No clue about the RnP, sorry. We always but LO a seat, but in terms of take off and landing, so far he has slept through every single plane ride! I always have a bottle, burp cloth and pacifier readily available just in case. I also have a zip lock bag with two diapers, a few wipes, and the travel changing mat thing to easily grab in case of an airplane diaper change. That bathroom is tiny! But again, he has slept the entire time!
Good luck, I hope your travels are easier than expected! :

penguingrrl

Bring your carseat throught the airport. If there's an open seat they will give you the seat and you can buckle her in, which is much much safer (even though the FAA allows lap babies they actually strongly recommend using a carseat on board for any child under 40 lbs; I honestly don't understand why lap babies are allowed as it's really unsafe for the baby and everyone else on the flight).

Definitely have a bottle to feed your baby during take off and landing to hopefully help their ears adjust.

You should be able to gate check both the carseat (if there isn't a seat available on board) and the stroller, so use the stroller through the airport! And if there isn't a seat open gate checking is much safer for the carseat than regular checking. Both introduce risks to the seat, but gate checking is better. Someone on parenting checked their seat and the airline lost it! They ended up stuck at the other end at the airport without a way to transport their child.

I believe a diaper bag can count as your purse and you can have one additional carry on, but am not 100% sure.

Good luck and have a great trip! 

caseylynw

check with your airline to see if you can gate check the carseat and stroller. some airlines only allow you to gate check one, and I don't think you will be able to gate check the RNP, you'll probably need to check that normally.

If you have a carrier, like the ergo or something, I recommend bringing it to make getting on and off the plane easier.

 have a pacifier just incase LO isn't hungry during take off and landing. even if you don't usually use one, bring it.

And most airlines allow you to bring a diaper bag IN ADDITION TO all the other allowed carry ons.

this decaf life

I would try to bring as little as possible, it's kind of a hassle getting through the airport with all of what you're asking about. I've flown twice and it's been very easy. Once when she was 9 weeks and once when she was 16 weeks both between DC & Tampa. I carried her in the Ergo and had 1 checked bag, 1 carryon and 1 personal item the first time. The second time I carried her in the Ergo and only had a carryon and personal item. I couldn't get her interested in eating or even sucking during the take off on two of the legs and she did just fine.

Just remember, she's a baby. People simply have to deal with it if she's a little upset. The return of the second flight DD was "chatty," she wasn't angry or crying just making lots of noise. The attendant gave me 2 free mini bottles of whiskey. 

GL and I hope she does well but remember if she vomits it's really NBD. I'm sure they've seen adults vom on the plane, at least a baby is cute and the vomit is a lot easier to clean up & doesn't smell as bad. 

ForeverEverAfter

I flew with DD at 2 months, as a lap baby. I nursed her on take off, she was asleep for all the landings and had no problems. I changed her before boarding and she was a good baby and didn't poop on the plane lol, so I didn't have to change her in the tiny bathroom. If you have a sling or ergo, wearing the baby really helped. It was nice to have two hands free for bags and boarding pass for security and boarding. Otherwise just pack light. 

Check with the airline website, each one differs on what you can take. We borrowed a car seat from my SIL on the other end because we weren't allowed to gate check. Some airlines only allow gate checking of umbrella strollers. We checked our PnP and it was fine, no damage, and counted as the baby's luggage (lap baby got one bag). Car seat would've been free to check if we had one.

There's no restriction on fluids for medical supplies (so the medicine is okay) and you're allowed food/drink for infants and toddlers, so formula is fine-but like pp said, if the person is a prick they can limit you to a "reasonable" amount and they decide what reasonable is. 

oleandernichole

Hey there!

My 3 month old son first flew at 2.5 weeks and has been in a plane 7 times since! The flight attendents really are a big help. The first two times I had my mom with me, but the other times I was solo.

So I'll tell you what works for me.

First of all, wear baby so your hands are free.

I've never brought a stroller but always bring a car seat. Some airlines let you check the seat at the luggage station, some have you gate check it. I have learned that if you bring the handle up on the car seat and then flip it upside down, and then pass it through the handle of your pull luggage, it fits PERFECTLY! Trust me!

TSA is fine with baby. They will have you walk through the standard metal detector (instead of the full body scan) and then do a test on your hands to make sure you aren't carrying anything crazy.   

I never, ever, ever, EVER put my liquids in a quart bag. Sorry, don't have time for that and I NEVER get hassled about it. I bring powdered formula, as well as packaged ready to go formula. I also bring two bottles of water and 2 or 3 empty bottles. Occasionaly I've had TSA ask me about the water but I tell them it's for the formula and they say ok. That's never been a problem. So after you go through the detector and your bags go through the screen, and they test your hands... lol. They put 1 or 2 of your formulas into this machine that reminds me of a paint mixer at home depot (it doesn't shake it or anything, it just reminds me of it).  And it tests for any chemicals. (You don't actually open the bottles or anything though). Then you pack everything back up (oh and put your shoes back on) and you're ready to head to your gate!

At the gate, I ALWAYS ask if there is a seat available with no one else. It just makes it easier to work with baby if necessary. Out of 8 times I've only sat beside someone else maybe 3 times. Also I go ahead and point out that I have the car seat and each time they've taken both my bag and my car seat, so when I go on the plane it's just me, baby and my diaper bag... oh except on my first solo flight. I tried taking my carry on roller with me and that was a HOT MESS. Trying to lift luggage over your head, with a baby is a no-no. And if no one asks if you need help (which 90% of the time they will), just ask the stewardess.

ok, this is a long post. sorry. lol

make a long story short, you will be fine!!! I've even brought my dog and my baby and my diaper bag and my car seat and my carry-on.  

baby sleeps the entire time or at least 80%

Lady*Timot

Pp tips are awesome! You might want to also read up Lucie's list. She put out a digital booklet I think it's 2.99 and its all tips for flying with a baby.

We are flying out end of next month. We are planning on infant seat with cart, and wearing baby through security and onto the plane. Gate check car seat and stroller. Gonna ask for open seat but DH said it was already pretty full. And we couldn't get aisle seats like we wanted.

RachelM05

DD has been on 8 plane rides in the past two months. It's intimidating at first, but once you do it, you will feel much more confident! 

The first time I wore her in a sling. It was nice to be hands free, and she mostly slept, but with 7+ hours of traveling between flights and layovers, it was a LONG time to have her on me. Sometimes I just needed a break. And my husband had the carry-on, diaper bag, and car seat, which wasn't the easiest to lug from one end of an airport to another.

The second trip I brought a snap 'n go and DD sat in her car seat in that as we went through the airport. I could put the diaper bag underneath. Going through security wasn't bad at all, I just put my bag and personal items through, then folded down the stroller really quick, and then put the seat through. I personally liked having the snap 'n go.

I never had a problem bringing pumped milk. They just checked it quick and since it was in a clear bottle they said they didn't even have to open it.

And as a PP mentioned, we all worry about our babies being loud or disruptive (I was SO tense the first couple flights, just anticipating a breakdown). Most of the time, especially this young, they will end up sleeping most of it. But even if they don't, just try not to worry. A lot of people are understanding and remember what it's like. And the grumps that aren't understanding, just ignore them. When DD got fussy, my husband would walk back. Y the flight attendants (they were all awesome!) or go in the bathroom with the light off, so she would fall asleep with the noise from the engine.

 Overall, think through what you absolutely need and what situations you'll be in, make lists, be organized when you pack, and it'll all be fine!

milesfromthesun

Hubby and I flew with my then 4 mo old son from Vegas to Philly (about 5.5 hours).  We were able to check his carseat and stroller at the gate...just ask for gate check tags before you board to have everything ready.  We FF, so hubby bought a few bottles of unopened ready mixed formula.  Flying there, they took the bottles out of the diaper bag, and swabbed the outside, didn't open them or anything.  Also going through security, I just held DS and walked through the metal detector.

One thing I did read before I flew, was to bring a Boppy (or something similar) for baby to sleep on in the flight.  I laid the boppy on my lap, then just had DS sprawled across is.  My arms didn't get tiered or hurt or anything...it was quite comfy. 

Then when you land, you will have your car seat and stroller right there where you deplane so you can load baby into there, and wheel them through the airport.

 Alex didn't make a fuss about take off or landing, he slept pretty much the whole time.  All in all, a good experience.