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Nurseries and Baby Gear
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Air Travel
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We will be traveling with our little one within 2 months of birth for my MIL wedding. For those that have done air travel with an infant, what would you consider a must have?
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Re: Air Travel
Buy a seat on the plane for the baby and use an infant car seat. If you are lucky, the baby will sleep on the plane. Bring a change of clothes for everyone in your carry on and keep a change of clothes for the baby in an accessible location (in case of diaper accidents or spit up, etc).
We flew when DD was 4 months old and the biggest problem we had with the flights was her ears hurting from the pressure. If you can get the baby to take a pacifier that will help.
Own seat for baby
Car Seat on the plane
Gate check your stroller and if you care about the stroller, get a bag for it
Diaper bag on the plane with double of what you think you will need as far as food, diapers etc bc you never know when a delay can happen with you sitting on the plane.
Pacifiers in case there is pressure (if your baby takes one), extra clothing, some toys to hang on the car seat, toy cleaning wipes, changing pad.
If you use bottles, some drs suggest feeding on take off and landing if possible.
Now that said ... From a practical standpoint, you do not need to buy a separate seat. I've flown 14 times with my DD as a lap infant. The flight we took when she was 10 weeks old was the easiest one. I wore her in the Bjorn, nursed her to sleep on takeoff, she slept the entire flight and I nursed her again during landing. She was amazing.
The only thing I'd recommend is to bring as many diapers as you can and a change of clothes for both of you. If you formula feed, bring more formula than you'll need in case of delays. You can bring premixed bottles through security as long as you declare it. I even had regular grape juice with me on my last trip through security and no one said anything because it was in a sippy cup. And good luck!
That sounds really cumbersome! Maybe I just got lucky but like I said I fly a lot and nothing has ever happened to my car seat or stroller. I can't imagine carting around that oversized box through the airport, in a cab, and finally through a hotel! To each their own, I guess.
I have flown with DS several times and have yet to buy him his own seat. I don't think it's a must have.
The biggest pain with air travel, especially since I've always been alone with DS, is getting through security. You have to pack up the stroller and put it through the x-ray machine. A wrap or other soft carrier is the best way to get through security.
Most car seat professionals consider if you check your car seat, you might as well say it was in a car accident. The baggage handlers are not careful when they handle them.
I have flown with my nine week old a couple of times. We left at the end of September for a funeral. She was five weeks old. She had her own seat. It was just the two of us. We made the return flight on October 11th. At this age it is easy flights. Eryn slept ate and cuddled on the flight.
We just flew in the middle of the week. We went home to Canada. This is where I am from, even though we currently live in Florida. I made this trip alone with my three daughters. It was a decent flight, again with Eryn in her own seat. We are here until November 5th. My DH is working in Ireland currently. My mom, dad, the girls and I are going to board a 14 hour flight to Ireland that day, where we will stay until the end of November. My five year old still uses a car seat on the plane again with checking seats. She needs to be harnessed still. Get early boarding when possible.
I make lists and post them on the girls doors, it is stuff we need to pack, what bag it needs to be packed in. I do it for the three of them, and a list for me. As I pack what is on the list, I cross the items off.