Babies and flying??

[proud_mama]

Hello all :wave: ,

Well my little spuny monkey and i are going away in 3 weeks time and we will be going by plane, he is 6 months but will be 7months when we fly..it will be his 1st flight and my 1st flight with my little man.:smiliedance: :D

I wonder if anyone has any tips or advice for me because we will be on a plane 3 times.:confused:

Thanx.

[TLCC]

hopefully with 3 flights to make, he should be asleep for some of it which will be helpful.

We flew with our DD when she was 13 mths which was much harder, but found that by taking a few books to read and a toy and something to eat it wasn't too bad. I was worried about ear ache from the take off but she was fine. If your still breast feeding and he starts screaming (from ear ache), try to give him a feed as the sucking motion helps them settle, otherwise take some water etc in a bottle for him to suck on.

Have a great trip :smiliedance:

[almond eyes]

We took DS to the UK last Christmas when he was only 5 months. Then we moved to Oz when he was 6 1/2 months then visited Manila at 8 months! All were long flights so we had lots of toys to keep him occupied. When taking off and landing try to feed him then to ease pressure in the ears. If he is full, give him a dummy just to suck on something. If he is asleep at these times, let him be, it might not bother him. If it's a long flight and he gets bored, try to walk him up and down the aisles. Babies love looking at other people and passengers usually find babies cute too. :) If he gets fussy and cries, don't be bothered by what other people think. I used to get really tense when this would happen but many passengers and flight atendants have assured me that it is actually ok and they understand. Hopefully, you don't need to worry and he'll be asleep during the entire flight :fingerscrossed:

[arthursmum]

If he gets fussy and cries, don't be bothered by what other people think. I used to get really tense when this would happen but many passengers and flight attendants have assured me that it is actually ok and they understand. Hopefully, you don't need to worry and he'll be asleep during the entire flight :fingerscrossed:

we've done a few long hauls at 4 months and some shorter flights before that & one at 6 months.
just make sure they can equalise their ears on descent. i just fed A basically all the time with a little bit of playing and he slept the rest..
if you are needing a bassinet, maybe call the airline even before you check-in to try to reserve one. (i had to hold bubbie solo for 24+h returning from Melb)
maybe a new interactive toy? that kept little man occupied for a while, too.

i think there was another thread on this in June?? lots of good advice offered there.

enjoy the flight!:) you'll be fine.

[red apple]

Even if bub loses it and screams the plane down for the whole trip, remember that it's only 12 hours or what ever out of the passengers lives. Once they get off the plane, they will have forgotten about it.

[Irish Dad]

Over Christmas I flew with 3 kids aged 4,5 and 6 months to Boston USA - 8 hours flight. Three days later we flew to Palm Beach Florida - 4 hours flight, drove 300 km to Orlando to Disney Land and flew from there back to Boston before flying home to Uk. That was 4 planes in 2 weeks :yes: And mummy was pregnant aslo !! The first flight was a nightmare cause we got terrible seats and were told we couldn't prebook. My daughter 6 months then cryed for 5 hours and I had to stand in the isle through bad air turbulance tossing us around the cabin :eek: The air hostesses wanted me to sit but there was no room for 2 in the seat. On the way home we got basinette seats at the head of the plane right beside toilets and a fold down cot for baby, she slept about 4 hours in the cot and I managed to enjoy a few cold beers and watch a movie :) My advice is to book the best seats you can and arrive early to make sure you get them. Also plenty of liquids for the flight and we gave our baby some calpol medicine to calm her.. seemed to work on the way home as she slept :smiliedance: Enjoy your trip !!

[Ky]

I have flown quite a few times between Australia and NZ with both of my kids on my own.

I found that the best idea was to have something on hand for them to drink on takeoff and landing. I would have a bottle for bub and a juice box for my dd. My kids love flying and both will sit really well with me ... dd is now old enough to watch the movie an I have been lucky enough to fly when films like the incredibles were being shown!

I found that my ds used to sleep most of the flight as the rhythmic engine sounds rocked him to sleep ... mind you, I use the washing machine at home to settle my kids (no, I don't out them in it:rolleyes: ) if hey are a bit over tired etc.

I just made sure that they had plenty to do, that I had easy access food for them and spent plenty of time talking to them and playing silly little games!

Every time I have flown, I have had comments from departing passengers on either how good my kids are or "I didn't realise there were children on the flight!".

The biggest thing ... treat it like an adventure and your little one, no matter what age they are, will pick up on the excited vibe and none of the nervy ones!

[LucyE]

Sorry, double post.

[LucyE]

Great suggestions from everyone. Especially giving bub something to drink for takeoff and descent (do it once the seatbelt sign comes on because it's more difficult to soothe a crying baby than prevent the pain).

Another thought is - do you have some sort of carrier to use in the airport for check in and transit? It's much easier than struggling with a pram or stroller, keeps bub feeling safe and secure amongst all the commotion, and leaves your hands free for tickets etc.

Also, if you have a large nappy bag, consider having a smaller change wallet for unexpected changes onboard. The change rooms are tiny (and health regulations means you have to change in there) so the less you have to take in the better. Something like a large Glad ziplock bag is good with just the basics and you can replenish your stocks once you are back in your seat.

And maybe an extra top for yourself incase bub is spewy. Nothing worse than having to sit in smelly clothes for the whole flight. And try dressing bub in layers (especially handy if you will be changing climate zones). Onboard the plane tends to get quite cool I find but if you are holding him, you may find he stays warm and toasty. Something easy that you can add or strip off as the need arises is handy.

If it's long haul and you are breastfeeding, ask for a large bottle of water at the start to keep yourself hydrated without having to constantly ask for little cupfuls. Keep up bub's fluids too.

Have a great flight!

[TammyB]

Go the night flight every time where available - especially with a toddler.

At the immigration queue look for the express line for elderly/pregnant/disabled/etc. It is fine to use this line if you are juggling a small child.

Be sure to ask for extra seats at check in. When the flight is not full, they can block seats off in your row so that no other passengers are seated next to you. It gives you more privacy if you are breastfeeding. I used to get really stressed about what other passengers thought about a crying baby, which only made bub stress out too (prob cause my milk would not letdown). So try and stay relaxed and don't worry too much about the other passengers. Easier said than done I know! The engine noise drowns out alot! and the vibrations helps them to sleep.

Ditto the baby carrier for a small baby. Some airlines let you take your stroller to the gate and give it back to you as soon as you disembark which is great. We have even flown with one of those cheap small umbrella strollers and were allowed to stow it in the overhead lockers once. For a heavy 2yo it is a godsend to have your pram pronto!

With respect to giving the drink early, I prefer to stretch my son (screaming and all) until powering off the ground (for ascent) or the first time I feel the plane dip (for descent) otherwise its gone before we finish the taxi to the runway. I also give it to him in bottle rather than a sippy cup for flying as it takes him longer to drink it. Perhaps using a teat with less holes is a good idea to stretch the milk if you are bottle feeding.

[TammyB]

With respect to the interactive toys. We tried a handheld dvd player for our last trip and focusing on the small screen caused my 2yo to get motion sick. So ditto about the change of clothes for yourself and baby!

I also pack a couple of wet washers in ziplock bags which are always invaluable.

Oh and sticker books are great as the stickers don't roll away like crayons.

I know this is too much for a 7 month old, but I figured others may benefit!

[proud_mama]

thankyou all so very much, you've all been a great help for me. it has definatly calmed my nerves lol:p

[proud_mama]

ok one more question about traveling, when u get to ur destination, what do u do about travelling with bubs in a car?? as it will be only myself and my little man i can't carry around a car seat? so what do u do in those situations? is there a place u can hire them?:confused: