Flying with babies

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

So before R was born, I traveled a ton for work. I would consider myself an expert business traveler. But the thought of flying with R terrifies me. I'll be taking him to Texas this month, and Florida in December. My husband is not coming on the plane with us.

I"m flying southwest so i can gate check my stroller and maybe even take the carseat on board if there are any open seats.

Please give me all your tips and tricks about what I should bring on the plane with us, what we don't need, etc.

I assume an aisle seat would be best so we can get up and move around, right? I know I'd have a little more privacy for nursing by the window but whatever. People can deal.

Thanks.

freezorburn · November 2014

Have to rush off and pick up DS, but the first thing that comes to mind is I don't think they will let you put a car seat where it will block another passenger's access to the aisle.

TJ1979 · November 2014

Young babies are easy on planes! (Easier than squirmy toddlers that want to run around at least.) I wore my baby through the airport -- security was a breeze. I didn't take a stroller or a car seat (used my brother's car seat when I got there.) The less you have to carry, the better. So I wore P, had a rolling suitcase that I checked, and a backpack diaper bag.

If you BF, nurse baby during take off and landing to help with his ears popping. If you don't BF, a pacifier, bottle, or other way to suck would still help.

Bring something he doesn't usually get to play with, or something new. I took teething keys, bright colorful linking chains, and my cell phone armed with baby apps. She really only played with the chains.

Don't forget a couple of burp cloths! Oh, and I was by the window both ways. It was fine. They were short enough flights that I didn't need to get up. I just changed her before and after the flight. But the aisle might be easier if it's a longer flight.

GL, you can do this. It'll be fun!

Into+the+Kitty · November 2014

I personally wouldn't bring the car seat unless you buy a ticket and know you will be using it on the plane. I've seen car seats getting tossed like all the other regular luggage, and it can seriously compromise the safety.

TJ1979 · November 2014

You can wear your baby in your seat, but not during takeoff and landing.

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

I have no choice but to bring the carseat (infant bucket seat) since we need it when we get there. And I refuse to "check" it but SW will gate check it with my stroller. I got a protective bag for it so I hope that will be ok if I can't take it on board. I'm really only bringing the stroller to help with the carseat in the airport.

I will bring the tula and wear him as much as possible. The flights are only a couple of hours but I do have a connection. Good call on bringing a blanket so he can play on the floor. And a change of clothes for me.....

freezorburn · November 2014

I have always gotten our car seat shrink-wrapped when we have had to check it. I know it doesn't prevent it from getting tossed around, but at least it is protected from the elements and getting snagged on other things.

bumpuser9353653 · November 2014

how old is your LO?

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

rugbymama said:

how old is your LO?

5 months yesterday.

bumpuser9353653 · November 2014

We took our R to Texas (from east coast) when she was 20 months old. Buying the extra seat for her was so helpful. She did really well and we took stickers, coloring books, and the iPad to keep her occupied.

If LO is still not mobile, you might be ok just wearing him, but since I can't remember how old he is, here's my advice for an older baby.

We chose to buy the extra plane seat for R at 20 months for a few reasons...
a) it's just so much safer in the event that there is plane trouble (minimal chance, but better safe than sorry on my mind)
b.) The seat keeps LO in place, just like riding in a car, which they are already used to, so it's a comfort zone
c) if LO gets tired, the car seat is a good spot for a nap and you don't have to worry about being cramped and not being able to move if LO is sleeping on you.

We bought new stickers and books so it was a special treat for her. The iPad was a backup plan in case she got fussy. We didn't end up needing it. And a light weight scarf that I could wear was a nice play thing for her and would be a great nursing cover.

And lots of snacks and water (if you're still EBFing, this doesn't apply, obv). TSA will let you take water through if it's for "the baby." A reusable water bottle with a straw was great and the sucking motion helped with some of the ear pressure.

We picked up sposies for the flight so we didn't have to worry about a bulky wet bag and dirty diapers in the airport/plane. Take more than you think you need.

As far as loading onto the plane, if you can wait until the last second to board, that lets LO run longer so he isn't stuck in one place while others board. I'm sure you can get a flight attendant to help you with the car seat install (always FF on a plane).

bumpuser9353653 · November 2014

Time change stressed me out for the first few days. When we travelled, it was an hour back in time, then daylight savings time happened on like day three, which put us back to "our time"..Then a few days later, we travelled back home and had to readjust again. Eventually,I gave up trying to keep R on a schedule and I stressed less about when and how long she napped. It was so much better of a vacation that way.

bumpuser9353653 · November 2014

AFwifelife said:
I would definitely recommend boarding when your ticket says to with Southwest. If there was assigned seating, I can see waiting until most have boarded but not when you have to fight for a preferred seat. Also waiting until the end then trying to figure out a car seat install is going to gain you a couple enemies because you are delaying everyone.

Oh, see, I've never flown SW. yeah, if it's first come, first served, I'd board early, too :-)

freezorburn · November 2014

Even if you weren't on SW, most airlines will let people with small children board early, so that you can have a bit more time to settle in.

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

Can you usually wear the baby through security or do you have take them out?

Also, we are still EBF so that's pretty simple, but I'm thinking of just bringing a manual pump and 1 bottle (not necessarily on the plane, but in my suitcase) in case of emergency. Does that make sense?

I have to use sposies on the texas trip (yuck) but will use my best bottoms covers over them. We are taking cloth to FL though. My husband is driving down with the dog and I can put them in car and send them with him.

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

AFwifelife said:

For SW, family boarding is between A group and B group. If you have an A pass, definitely board then. If not, you can skip ahead to family boarding. You can upgrade your ticket to be one of the first 15 on the flight but it's like $40. (Can you tell I fly all the time?)

Yes! If I don't get an A group I usually do this. It's worth the money for me! If I fly SW to florida I will definitely pay for this on the way home since they don't usually do family boarding from Orlando (Disney and all....).

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

AFwifelife said:

Whatttt? I always do family boarding from MCO!

Good to know! Maybe SW is different but a couple of other airlines weren't doing it the last couple of years.

bumpuser9353653 · November 2014

Good to know Maple! When we boarded, they just automatically put it FF, but it wasn't an infant seat, and it didn't look like it would fit RF anyway b/c of the height.

Kelly11235 · November 2014

We used the CARES harness for a transatlantic (USA to England and back) trip when our son was 13 months. We had a car seat at our destination.

If you travel a lot....I would totally look at the CARES harness. It's lightweight and tiny. And while it isn't as protective as car seat, it will do a good job of protecting your LO from getting jostled around in case of turbulence or a rough landing.

Handy tip, put one of those pillows they give you on the plane behind your LOs back and it will keep the around-the-seat strap from pushing his or her head and shoulders forwards.

freezorburn · November 2014

AFwifelife said:

A travel-diapering question: not knowing how your LO will sleep on the plane, how do you diaper them? I don't want her to pee through a regular diaper while sleeping for a long time, but I don't want to poop in an ON diaper because she's awake and then have to put her in a regular diaper. Pack all ON diapers for the trip?
How long is the flight? Ours are never more than 3 hours so I just put him in a flat with a hemp doubler then bring a couple sets of the same kind of change (flat + doubler).

I usually pack 2 more diapers than what we would use for the same amount of time we are traveling. If sleep is expected, I just make sure I have a nap diaper, or if it's an overnight flight, one of my more absorbent fitteds or pocket diapers (like a Thirsties with 1 MF and 2 hemp doublers) for that period. I once stuffed an extra hemp doubler into a Simplex for a second sleep diaper but didn't need to use it. DS doesn't get to sleep on his side or tummy on an airplane, unless he is across our laps, so the side absorbency of a fitted isn't as important.

There was the one flight from Heathrow to Seattle when DS didn't sleep at. all., so we just passed the time by changing diapers whenever he got wet and we didn't have a problem running out of clean diapers.

I don't like to bring my ON fitteds when we are traveling, since they can be a pain laundry-wise. I have found that we can get away with a snappi'd prefold and hemp doubler, so we usually pack 3-4 sets of those in our check-in luggage.

Brandiewine11 · November 2014

Mapleme said:

We have a short flight (hourish) followed by a 5 hour flight, but I plan on wearing her the whole time, so I don't know if she would just stay asleep in between.

Since I believe you cannot wear them during take-off and landing, I'm assuming she may way up at those times and you could change her. Just maybe have a more absorbent option for the 5hr flight in case she sleeps the whole time. Are these night flights when she would normally be sleeping?

R is not likely to sleep much at all I think. He is so alert and loves to look around at stuff. I'm hoping I can put him in his carseat and stroller on the layover and get him to nap then.

freezorburn · November 2014

Here's how I pack for flights:

DS's diaper bag, which goes under the seat in front of me: Diapers, wipes, wetbags, Magic Stick, toys/books/snacks for DS, empty sippy cup for water. When we were BF, we would have the nursing cover as well. If we are traveling without DH, my wallet and travel docs might also be in here. For longer flights I need to have a separate purse, though.

Carry-on suitcase, which goes in the overhead bin: Change of clothes for me and DS. I try to leave lots of room in this suitcase so that I can put the carrier in it when we are on the plane. Or it can accommodate any extra layers we need to put on or take off if we are flying to a different climate.

smashtree7 · November 2014

I flew with DD when she was 6.5 months old. She did alright on the larger planes but screamed bloody murder on the little puddle jumpers, thankfully those were only 45 minute flights. The longer stretch was almost 5 hours and she did get pretty fussy and antsy towards the last 2 hours or so, but she was generally a fussy baby anyway so that may have contributed.

Mostly I kept her entertained with puffs, baby games on the iPad (which obviously she wasn't old enough to play, but I would push the buttons and she liked to watch. A lot of people told me to nurse during take off and landing and give her a pacifier during the flight to help her ears. She never took a pacifier a day in her life so that didn't work for us, and she only cooperated with nursing on one take off but it did seem to help. I was incredibly stressed about it for weeks before we left and it ended up not being as big of a deal as I thought it would be. Most people were really nice on the 45 minute flights while she screamed. A couple of people made rude comments or gave me dirty looks but I just ignored them.

bumpuser5078523 · November 2014

I flew with Logan at 8 months.

Highly recommend a carrier and rolly luggage. You can wear baby through TSA, unless your carrier has metal. It's really hard to get all that stuff on and off the security line while trying to hold a baby.

I fed him right before the flights and he slept most, if not the whole flight.

Pee at every stop. Peeing on a plane would be impossible, I would think. I didn't even take Logan out of his carrier to pee.

I chose to formula feed while flying. It was much easier for me to mix a bottle quickly instead of fussing with nursing. Logan wasn't a great nurser, though. I made the mistake if bringing water on my return flight. It wasn't worth it. I had a ton of extra hassle for them to check the freaking water.

Want a personalized experience?

Flying with babies

Re: Flying with babies

Choose Another Board

Search Boards