Airplane travel trips with 3mo old

ambdtb · May 2016

hi all- my DH and I are getting on a plane this Thursday with our LO for the first time. We have a 2 hr flight to my home town for a wedding. Does anyone have any last min travel tips? We're planning to carry him in our ergobaby bc we don't need a car seat when we arrive (borrowing my brothers), were planning to arrive 2 hours before, I'm planning to find a place to pump at the airport (I have a feeling this will be the hardest part?), and were holding him in our laps during the flight. I'm most worried about in flight and altitude. Also diaper changing....hopefully we don't need to change him during flight. I don't think this small plane will have a diaper changing table in the bathroom. Even if it does it does not sound like any easy or sanitary task!!

lilqt3929 · May 2016

I've never flown with either of my babies but I've always heard to feed baby at takeoff to help with the altitude change. You have a relatively short flight so hopefully you can get away without changing baby onboard. Good luck!

mcplocki · May 2016

We flew with our 9 week old last week from Nola to Philly and back (a 2.5 hr flight) luckily she did great! Security isnt as daunting as it seems.. we had a stroller/car seat and it was fine.. people are pretty nice about it too.. especially when you're carrying a cute baby -- I'd recommend not getting there TOO early bc you'll have to entertain a baby for that many hours in a terminal.. that was probably the worst part.. I just wanted to get the show on the road by the time we got to the gate.. and we had to just hang out for a few hours.. I spent most of that time keeping her awake and bouncing her on my shoulder.. she's loves looking around so luckily there was a lot to see -- I'm not a big "whipping my boob out in public" kind of person.. but on the way there I did feed her right before boarding in one of the terminals that didn't have any planes taking off so it was empty and quiet and just used a nursing cover.. on the way back I didn't have the luxury of an empty gate so I ended up feeding her in the family rest room -- did a diaper change right before too. On both flights she was awake when we boarded.. The first flight she fell asleep before we even took off.. so I didn't do anything but let her sleep.. she didn't seemed phased at all by the altitude/ear popping thing -- on the way home she was still awake during take off.. so I just comfort nursed her for a few minutes.. and then luckily she passed out both times for pretty much the whole flight.. I really think the loud engine sound was like a big white noise machine.. she seemed to settle right when that started -- she did stir a few times and I would just bounce her and offer a binky.. didn't do anything drastic like a diaper change bc I didn't want her to wake up fully.. both times she woke up towards the end of the flight and I just nursed her as we landed.. I'd say though if they're asleep.. just let them be.. she really only got fussy as we taxied to the gate and waited to get off the plane.. and by then people around you don't care at all -- You'll be just fine though! I was super nervous too! It really isn't as bad as it seems!!

jellybellybean3 · May 2016

The carrier is definitely a good idea.. They let you wear him as you walk through security so it makes things go much smoother when you have hands free to grab your stuff. The airport I was at had plug in's attached to the seats so I just put on a cover and pumped while I was sitting there. If he is awake milk or a soother for take off and landing is a great idea. Our itty bitty plane had a change table you could pull down.. It was kind of gross but I put a blanket on it and it got the job done. If the flight isn't that long I would just wait until you get back on the ground if you can. But really it is actually quite easy travelling with them at this age! Much better than when they are 1 and 2 and 3 and you get the point lol.

smn14 · May 2016

We flew when our little one was 6 weeks old. Didn't change nappy on flight as didn't need it. I fed for take off (using nursing cover, no one noticed of minded) but she fell asleep before we actually left the ground! As PP said, the plane is a massive white noise machine! She slept for the whole flight and didn't notice landing. I used baby carrier too, they just use the scanning wand if baby is asleep so no stress - I found that all staff were excited to coo at her rather than be difficult!

klbh · May 2016

I just flew with my three month old, and it mostly went great! He slept a lot and didn't mind the altitude changes. I did have to change one diaper in the air, but we had a longer flight. However, I learned the hard way that some baby wipes (burt's bees, in our case) contain glycerin, which is one of the chemicals tested for by the TSA explosives swab. So we got 45 minutes of extra screening. Check your wipes ingredients and use a different brand when traveling if necessary!

satuttle1014 · May 2016

I flew with dd when she was 8 weeks. I was by myself and had her carseat. As for altitude they should be fine, one way during takeoff I gave dd her pacifier to help and the way home I nursed her. So pacifier, nursing or a bottle can help so their ears don't pop. I fed and changed dd before the flight so she would sleep. I packed some toys with me if she woke up and sometimes she just liked looking around. As for changing, I changed her on my lap if she needed it. It was a pain but I didn't want to attempt in the bathroom, there isn't room in there. Sometimes flight attendants can be helpful so maybe they can find a place for you to change a diaper if needed. Or if pull down your tray table and DH's and change the diaper across both?

charliegoldengirl · May 2016

I've flown quite a bit with my kids. It sounds like you've got it covered. When I've flown once or twice without the baby and had to pump... I did have luck finding family restrooms with a plug and was able to pump there. I just nurse when the baby is with me and use a cover. The pressure hasn't bothered either of my kids when ascending/descending but I always try to nurse during take off and landing just in case. Lots of times they sleep through it and are fine. Diaper changes do suck- but maybe unless you have a poop you can avoid changing on the flight! You can gate check a stroller and take it up to the gate for free. It is nice to be able to put your little one down if you need to/want to (God forbid flights are delayed and you're stuck in the airport longer than anticipated). We always took a car seat but that will be nice it's one less thing for you to worey about!

Lastly i I always bring sanitizing wipes and wipe down all the seats on the flight ! They are nasty!

molliemcguire · May 2016

Haha...no advice, just letting you know 2 hours should be a breeze. We are leaving tomorrow for Uganda. Two flights...one 8 hour and one 11 hour flight!

MississippiCatfish · May 2016

klbh said:

I just flew with my three month old, and it mostly went great! He slept a lot and didn't mind the altitude changes. I did have to change one diaper in the air, but we had a longer flight. However, I learned the hard way that some baby wipes (burt's bees, in our case) contain glycerin, which is one of the chemicals tested for by the TSA explosives swab. So we got 45 minutes of extra screening. Check your wipes ingredients and use a different brand when traveling if necessary!

????? wow. that stinks that you got held up for 45 minutes over butt wipes... thanks for sharing - you just saved my sanity! traveling in june with 3 kids 3 and under and that would be so hard to get held up like that.

4N6s · May 2016

If you're carrying on milk, be prepared for it to take a longggg time. The explosives specialist had to get called out for me.
Take off and landing were great. My baby slept through it all for all 3 flights.
Dont xhange the baby if you don't have to... Mine had a blow out and there was a changing table in the bathroom, bring your own plastic bag to toss everything.
If you bring a stroller, check it at the gate so it doesn't get damaged.
It's really not that bad! Just make sure you have their birth certificate.
Good luck!

VitaLuna · May 2016

Bring sanitizer wipes! There is a changing table in the bathrooms, it's every bit as horrible as it sounds, and you'll want to wipe down everything in your seat area and the changers (both airport and plane). Planes are NASTY. We (including 16mo old DD) caught a stomach bug on our flight to Hawaii once and it was a miserable "vacation".

sheslikeasunburn · May 2016

We just flew to Spain and back with our 10 week old baby. 4 flights, 2 were 8 hours and 2 one hour. It went extremely well.

- get a window seat so you have privacy (if nursing) and can control light coming in
- bring your nursing pillow so the baby has something to lay on. We had a bulkhead bassinet (n/a in your case) and she preferred to sleep with me on pillow
- try not to let baby sleep through check in, security, waiting, etc so she's extra tired for flight. The ambient noise on the plane is pretty soothing
- don't stress, it's a finite amount of time and you will get through it. Smile a lot at your baby and the people around you.

also you will be able to board before everyone else so take advantage! Get all your essentials out of the diaper bag and stick in the seat pocket in front of you. Be organized.

eivaska · May 2016

I flew by myself with our 6 week old. The ladies here have given great advice. I strongly suggest bringing a nursing pillow. I planned to carry her through the flight and she hated it!! Pillow was a god send. Also if your LO likes white noise and you have an option of seats sit directly behind the wings where it's loudest. As soon as the engines fired up my DD was out!

ambdtb · May 2016

Thanks everyone for your tips!!! We had 2 successful flights with baby boy. We luckily built in enough extra time - as we hit traffic going to airport and the security lines were long. I'm exclusively pumping so we had plenty of bottles for him and he ate at the terminal, in security line, at the gate and on the plane during take off. He Slept the remainder of the flight and we even watched some VEEP on our iPad! I was lucky to find a nursing/mothers room in the terminal to pump in private and change his diaper before each flight. The ergo baby worked for us- didn't take the stroller or car seat (we borrowed a family's infant car seat at our destination). We let him sleep during both decents/landings and he did fine- we had the bottle ready in case he woke up.

Q: since he didn't have any ear issues during these first flights does it mean he will not have any on future flights?

Thanks everyone for your help!!'

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