Advice for flying with a 3 month old

ginazdavis · December 2012

Thursday at 7am (I am nuts) my husband and I are flying 1.5 hours up north to Sacramento. Althoguh this is a short flight my son has reflux and is known to have many blowouts throughout the day...Any plane and travel advice?

Tarta · December 2012

It's pretty easy at that age actually. DH and I flew 5 hours to Alaska with DD at 3 months and it went very smoothly. You already know you're likely to need spare changes of clothes and a nice full package of baby wipes and burp rags. For a 1.5 hour flight I'll bet you the baby sleeps through most of it. Just remember to keep him at least a little hungry so you can nurse/feed him during take off and hopefully landing too. Although if he's asleep the altitude change probably wont bother him. You'll be fine.

Also, if you want to be able to set the baby down, when you check in, you can ask if there are any empty seats on the plane. Sometimes they'll move you so that your lap infant has their own seat so you can bring on your infant carseat. For that short of a flight I don't think you'll need this option, but for a 5 hour flight like ours, it was a life saver to be able to set DD down for awhile.

If you bottle feed you can pack liquids specifically for that through security too. Just in case you didn't know. )

Best of luck!

ginazdavis · December 2012

Thank you. I EBF and my DH will be with me so hopefully that will ease some things

danabsd · December 2012

https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Baby-Essential-Domestically-ebook/dp/B009Z5UAS8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355875723&sr=1-1

TONS of great info and it will only take 20ish mins to read!

Flamingemu · December 2012

I wore L on the plane and she just slept the whole time. I had a 2 hour flight and she did not want to nurse on both take off and landing, so we nursed on take off and just used the paci on landing. She did great.

Good luck.

terri_doula2010 · December 2012

Diaper changes in an airplane bathroom are ridiculous. Instead of trying to deal with a whole diaper bag, have a small-as-possible bag with just 1 diaper and wipes in it. Have your actual diaper bag at the ready to refill diapers and add clothes as needed for blowouts.

Odds are, your baby will sleep most or all of the time. If not (like my first time flying with my LO...oy), then remember that babies cry much more softly than we think and odds are only a few people can hear the crying. Walk the aisles if you have to, or go to the bathroom and show your baby the mirror and bounce, sing, whatever to amuse them.

Try to be calm and even if your LO does get upset, try to stay relaxed. It isn't the end of the world and odds are at least half the people on the plane have been in the same place as you at one point or another. Also, you'll likely never see the other people on the plane again anyway.

Tarta · December 2012

terri_doula2010:
Diaper changes in an airplane bathroom are ridiculous. Instead of trying to deal with a whole diaper bag, have a small-as-possible bag with just 1 diaper and wipes in it. Have your actual diaper bag at the ready to refill diapers and add clothes as needed for blowouts.
Odds are, your baby will sleep most or all of the time. If not (like my first time flying with my LO...oy), then remember that babies cry much more softly than we think and odds are only a few people can hear the crying. Walk the aisles if you have to, or go to the bathroom and show your baby the mirror and bounce, sing, whatever to amuse them.
Try to be calm and even if your LO does get upset, try to stay relaxed. It isn't the end of the world and odds are at least half the people on the plane have been in the same place as you at one point or another. Also, you'll likely never see the other people on the plane again anyway.

Yes, it's good to remember these things! It will help keep you from stressing too much if your baby fusses at all.

linzeek44 · December 2012

We're right there with you. We're leaving at 6:45 on Friday for a NC --> Boston flight.

I've been gathering advice from everyone I know. Some things I've been told:

Make sure to pack an extra top for you and nursing pads. Apparently planes can make you leak even if you don't usually. (I guess that makes sense given that planes make highlighters explode. haha.)

Wear the baby through security. They'll just do a quick check for chemicals on the carrier (you just wipe your hands on it and then they scan your hands).

I also read the above mentioned e-book. Easy read, good things to think about. I wouldn't have thought of having a birth certificate copy just in case, or bringing the car seat manual which would be helpful in knowing how to install it and whatnot.

Kris2011RN · December 2012

linzeek44:
We're right there with you. We're leaving at 6:45 on Friday for a NC --> Boston flight.
I've been gathering advice from everyone I know. Some things I've been told:
Make sure to pack an extra top for you and nursing pads. Apparently planes can make you leak even if you don't usually. (I guess that makes sense given that planes make highlighters explode. haha.)
Wear the baby through security. They'll just do a quick check for chemicals on the carrier (you just wipe your hands on it and then they scan your hands).
I also read the above mentioned e-book. Easy read, good things to think about. I wouldn't have thought of having a birth certificate copy just in case, or bringing the car seat manual which would be helpful in knowing how to install it and whatnot.

Did you have to have this? The airlines said they didn't need it.

CdnFarmGirl08 · December 2012

We're flying to Phoenix on Jan 1 with our LO as well. These are all good tips! Luckily it will be me and my DH as well as his parents and his sisters- lots of hands to keep DS occupied if he gets fussy. It is a 2.5ish hour flight, so hopefully it will go ok!

linzeek44 · December 2012

Kris2011RN:
linzeek44:
We're right there with you. We're leaving at 6:45 on Friday for a NC --> Boston flight.
I've been gathering advice from everyone I know. Some things I've been told:
Make sure to pack an extra top for you and nursing pads. Apparently planes can make you leak even if you don't usually. (I guess that makes sense given that planes make highlighters explode. haha.)
Wear the baby through security. They'll just do a quick check for chemicals on the carrier (you just wipe your hands on it and then they scan your hands).
I also read the above mentioned e-book. Easy read, good things to think about. I wouldn't have thought of having a birth certificate copy just in case, or bringing the car seat manual which would be helpful in knowing how to install it and whatnot.
Did you have to have this? The airlines said they didn't need it.

Some airlines don't ask for it. Others apparently will ask for it to verify age. (which is silly because clearly my 3 month old doesn't look anything like a 2 year old, you know?).

We have a copy "just in case."

L8kissie · December 2012

My favorite advice is that if you are flying Southwest and doing carryon only, you can still use curbside check in to "check" the baby and get a boarding pass for them. You don't have to stand in the often long line inside. You don't need the birth certificate, but sometimes they hassle you a bit about the exact birthday. A copy of that, the immunization record, or medical card all work great. I'd also throw in a spare shirt for Dh. We've had a couple of spit up flights with ds. It's usually pretty easy when they are this little. GL!! : You can bring milk, pumps, and formula with you. Sometimes they swab the pump, but it is usually not too bad. I fly with dd and ds alone tomorrow. It should be fun.

L8kissie · December 2012

While you are in Sac, I vote you go to Leatherby's for a sundae. I'm sure you've earned it and they rock.

ginazdavis · December 2012

Thank you everyone. I am not looking forward to waking up at 3:45am to make sure everything is packed, nurse, and drive to airport....prayers please

hmp1 · December 2012

DS1 had reflux. I just brought a big bottle of water with me to wipe it up. Bring ziplock bags to put the dirty bibs in, and plenty of clean bibs.

Flying with a baby was really easy for me. He slept the entire time. I flew with him by myself most trips no problem. Since you have your DH, have him get on first with all the stuff and you can walk the baby around until the last call to board. Not as important to do with a baby, but works when they get a little older.

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