Community› The Bump Message Boards› Babies: 9 - 12 Months
Babies: 9 - 12 Months
New Discussion

Flying with an 11 month old

greeneyed_bridegreeneyed_bride member
in Babies: 9 - 12 Months

We still have two months until our trip, but I'm just trying to plan ahead. We'll be taking a three-hour flight with DS when he is eleven months old. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for flying with a baby? What toys/activities should I bring for him? Will nursing him during takeoff and landing help his ears pop, or is there something else I can do for that? (He doesn't take a bottle or pacifier.)Is there anything I need to know about going through security with a baby? He will be sitting in our laps during the flight, and I'll carry him in the ErgoBaby through the airport, but I don't really know how security works if you're holding a baby. Our airport has the full body scanners.

Also, is it ok to check your car seat with your checked luggage, or do you need to check it at the gate? It seems like it would be a pain to carry it through the airport, but I don't want it to get lost!

Anything else I need to know? Thanks!!

 Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
Report Reply to Post

Re: Flying with an 11 month old

  • mexicolombianamexicolombiana member

    You'll be fine! Especially if you're BFing.  Definitely BF on take off and landing it helps with the ears popping. 

    Carry him through the ergo in the airport and you can walk right through the scanners with the baby on you, they just swab your hands for chemicals or something.

    Check your car seat like your normal luggage, but gate check the stroller if you will want it at the gate.  I know you don't want the car seat to get lost, but it's SO annoying to carry.  We always just take the chance and check it like our normal luggage.

    As far as activities just take little books, maybe a small tablet if you have one? But at 11 months I doubt your baby will be too interested in this.  You just probably have to bounce him around from lap to lap so he doesn't get bored, and you might have to walk around the airplane a bit with him. Maybe flash cards to play with but they'll probably end up all over the floor. 

    Nothing really special other than making sure you call the airline ahead of time to add his name to the reservation even if you aren't buying him a seat.  Then they print you a boarding pass for him too.

    I would also take puffs and little packets of food and a sippy cup to keep him occupied.  I know my 10 month old loves to chew on the sippy cup with water in it.  My baby also loves to suck on tiny pieces of ice so you can ask for ice on the plane. 

    Other than that it seems like you'll be set.  Having the ergo will be great for walking through the airport and security. 

    Make sure you put any food for the baby in a small bag that you show TSA and they just test the stuff and let you take it on the plane.

    Good luck! 





    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • greeneyed_bridegreeneyed_bride member
    mexicolombiana - Thank you so much for all of the tips! I didn't know if they'd scan us together or separately somehow. I'm not sure how they'd scan a baby alone, but with all of the strict security measures, you never know!


     Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
    Report Reply
  • mexicolombianamexicolombiana member
    and there have been a few flying posts lately I think there is one below somewhere on this same page.  Personally I like travelling with kids.  It's a challenge and I feel so satisfied when the kids behave on the plane and we arrive at the destination.  But I'm a weirdo.




    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • JammieJkJammieJk member

    We just flew with DS, the day after he turned 11 months old.  It went really well.  Much better than expected.

    As PP mentioned, wear your baby through security.  They will swab your hands.  On the return flight, DH wore DS and he went speedily through and then they wanted to do a full body scan and inspection on me.  I told them I was with my husband and son, and pointed at them, and they apologized profusely... they don't do that to families.

    We brought DS's favorite books, a couple favorite toys and his lovey, and then also a toy he had never seen (The Learning House from Target, $19.99), snacks and lots of cheerios.

    With all the preparation, I breastfed him at takeoff and he passed out and slept for an hour and a half -- he slept on all of the flights, I think it was the white noise effect on him.  I had dressed him warmly in a footed sleeper on the flights out, he was sweaty and too warm, I think, given he was sleeping on me.  On the return flights, I dressed him in regular clothes, long sleeves, pants, and he was just right.  The flight attendant said landings are worse than take offs for LO's ears, so just plan to nurse through both of them.

    We did diaper changes before boarding the plane.  Ask the flight attendant where the changing table is in their bathrooms so you're prepared.  Pack an extra set of clothes for your LO *and* extra shirt for you, just in case.  Bring a plastic bag for dirty diapers/dirty clothes.

    At layovers and any time at the airports, we just blocked ourselves in a corner with all our carryons and let DS crawl/toddle around.

    We gate checked our carseat and that worked fine.  We didn't bring a stroller.

    Hope this helps and good luck.  I think your LO will pleasantly surprise you.  :)

    ETA:  We flew Southwest, they required a copy of our LO's birth certificate in order to print an infant boarding pass.


    image
    My Blog

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"