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Babies: 3 - 6 Months
Sweets2005
member
First time flying with a baby- help!
Sweets2005
member
I have never flown with an infant before and I am nervous... Actually I only flew once when I was 13 so I am worried enough!
My sister said I can bring my stroller all the way up to where you get on the plane and then they will put it under the plane for me for free. Is that true? What if I have one of those strollers that you can snap an infant seat into (like the travel system)? Then the stroller would not fold up or if it did, it would be 2 big pieces (the stroller and the seat). Would they still take it for free or make me check them?
Luckily, I was able to change my seat just now from middle seata to aisle on
the way there and window on the way back! But DD does not take a
bottle so I will have to nurse her on the plane and I am NOT thrilled
about that! She is so squirmy and hates the nursing cover 
I am going to bring a bottle anyway, to try that first, just in case (once in a blue moon she will surprise me), but can you bring breastmilk on a plane?
What if I have to go to the bathroom? God I hope that doesn't happen. But likely I will need to change DD, does the bathroom have a changing table?
What is it like going through security with an infant? I was going to sling her and not bring a stroller but I didn't know how that would work out...
Do you have any other tips? It is a 5.5 hour flight (Philly to Seattle)
Thanks!!!
Abigail Noelle, 8.29.09
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
This discussion has been closed.
Re: First time flying with a baby- help!
I flew about a month ago and the posted my experience. I'm sure anyone who reads this is sick of seeing my answer, but here it is anyway! Also, I didn't take his car seat/stroller because my sister had all that for me to use while I was visiting.
We flew Southwest and had two layovers each time, but no plane changes. It went well. I BF him each take off if he wasn't already sleeping. I brought a sling style diaper bag with wipes, dipes, changing pad, an extra outfit, and a lightweight blanket that doubled as a BF cover and a blanket. I dressed him in layers in case it got too hot for him. The temp changes so much in those planes. I also brought a toy for him and some bottles of ready-made formula in case he had a meltdown and woulnd't nurse. I brought BM as well, but that was cold. I took a window seat which worked out great. DH and I were able to grab a 3-seat row. We kept the seat between us empty. Instead of the boppy, I just used DH's sweatshirt to prop my arm up on. Worked great and fit into my carry-on bag. I don't know how we would have done it if we weould have only had 2 seats. Def no room for the boppy there.There is NO room in the bathrooms. There was a changing table in the front one. There was no room for a diaper bag, so I only brought the essentials in there with me. You deserve a medal after changing a baby in one of those bathrooms!I carried him through the airport in the Snugli (Bjorn-like thing). One airport let me go through security without taking him out and the other one made me take him out. He did better facing out than facing toward me.Also, airlines have a rule that you can't have your LO strapped to you during take-off and landing. We didn't have an issue since I wasn't "wearing" him at these times.Oh! A flight attendant took DS to hold him during one of our layovers. She took him into the cabin where DH got a photo of him in the Captain's lap. Super cool!!
I traveled with my DD when she was a month old (Michigan to Texas) and then back when she was 3 and half months. It is true that you can check in the strolled and car seat for free, but you can call the airline to make sure. I think you have an advantage if you BF. I latched her during the take off and landing so she did not realize the pressure change. I was really afraid about that since I have seen babies crying during the take off and landing. Also, I had a window seat and made sure that I had a woman sitting next to me because my DD also hates to be covered up while feeding. Luckily the woman sitting next me did not mind me BFing at all (of course I wasn't showing off anything). My DD slept through the entire 3 hour flight both the times. Also, since every body is facing int the front, no one be able to see u nursing her except the flight attendants (which I did not mind). Take some rattles and toys with you to entertain her in case she is awake.
There is a changing table in the bathroom just above the toilet seat. Since mine was a three hour flight, I did not change her in the flight. I changed her right before and after the flight. If you need to use the bathroom you can ask the flight attendant to help you.
Security checking will not be a problem. They are really nice with mothers traveling with infants. They will also let you cut the line.
There is some limit on how much BM you can carry with you. I did not carry anything since she does not take the bottle at all. But you can check the website to make sure how much you can carry.
I hope this helps
Oh that is so cute!
Thank you for replying. That is great that you got a whole row to yourself. I am flying alone (well, with DD only) and the flight is full so that won't happen. Originally I had middle seats on both flights and I was having nightmares about breastfeeding between 2 strange men! Now I have an aisle seat and a window seat so while still not ideal, it won't be terrible I guess.
I booked a non stop flight, no way in hells was I going to extend this trip any longer than I had to! How did your LO do during take off? Do they let moms with babies board first?
Will they let me bring breastmilk in a bottle?
I have to bring my carseat because my sis doesn't have an extra....
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
We flew a week ago with JetBlue (New York to LA). Went very well.
We had booked a window seat and an aisle seat and nobody was seated between us so we could put baby in his car seat strapped on the window seat which worked out great (and is much safer). We carried him around the airport in his car seat on a snap'n'go. We just had to take him out of it for security. We had also taken the babybjorn but wound up not using it. We left the snap'n'go at the entrance of the plane for check in (it's called 'gate check in') and would have left the car seat as well if there had been no space to bring it into the plane. I think most companies check in baby items for free. You can find out for the company you're flying on their website.
I had taken some ready-to-feed formula but mostly nursed him. I don't have a cover, and that's fine, nobody can really see anything unless they stand there and stare, which would be creepy anyway. He was not bothered by take off and landing ear pressure issues at all. He slept (especially on the red eye back from LA), played, just got a little bit antsy and irritated on the middle of the way down. My husband just walked him up and down the aisle a couple of time and he calmed down. Make sure to take a toy he likes, like a rattle or something.
There are changing tables in the bathrooms, but it's definitely a small space.
In case of delay, as they happen very often, take extra diapers.
Relax, it was very easy, the staff at the airport and on the plane really tried to assist us and make our life easier.
Oh I just saw your reply, too, shabiriya. Thanks!
So I can bring the whole travel system all the way up to the plane and they will take both for free? If so, that would be great!
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
Geez Louise, either I keeo cross-posting or TB is slow!
Anyway, thank you to you, too, lcmenard! That was very helpful!
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
PPs have already given some great advice (I just skimmed). A few things I didn't notice:
- be ready to take your child out of the stroller in security. You'll have to carry him/her through the metal detector and the stroller and carseat will need to go through the x-ray machine.
- airlines offer 'escort passes' that allow non-ticketed travelers to go to the gate area (that's what parents use to take their kids up for unaccompanied minor flights). when you check in, ask if your husband/partner/whomever can get a pass to help you get the baby to the gate. it's easier with a second set of hands.
- I hate checking bags, but when we flew with DS (he was 11 weeks) we checked everything that we didn't think we'd actually use on the flight (for him or us). That way we had very little to fiddle with.
- Bring at least one change of clothes for the baby and a spare top for you onto the plane, in case of a major blowout/accident.
- I brought my boppy on the plane and kept it in my lap (even for take-off and landing). For me, it made nursing much easier.
- Best thing to wear for nursing on a plane IMO is a nursing tank with a light cardigan/hoodie on top. In the limited space it's much easier to just let the flap down on the nursing tank then to hike your shirt all around and you'll show less of yourself if you're not comfortable nursing in public.
Good luck! Our flight went much smoother than I thought it would and we'll be flying again in about 3 months.
BFP #2 5/27/12. EDD 2/1/13. m/c and D&C 6/21/12.
Brady Phoenix, 8.29.09
Claire Zoe, 10.26.10
I flew last month when my LO was 3 months. I wore my moby and used that for walking from gate to gate in the airport. I kept her in it on 3 of the 4 flights...only one flight attendant told me I wasn't supposed to have her in it and that was my last flight. I didn't bring a carseat of stroller as my family had arranged to borrow all that stuff for my visit. She was only fussy for about 5-10 mins the whole time. I had no issues nursing on the plane. The flights were not full so they made sure that I was in a row all on my own. Ask at the gate if it is possible to arrange to have the row to yourself. I would ask early since there are only a few rows on each plane that you will be able to sit in (they have an extra oxygen mask in those rows).
I had to change her once on the plane and it wasn't that bad. The changing pad that came with my diaper bad has little pouches attached to it for diapers and wipes so I just brought that into the bathroom. I also picked up some of the disposable changing pads from BRU to use and then toss just in case she had a messy one!!