Flying with an infant

[ha98ed14]

Hi, I am a new mom (Nora, born 30 May 2007). I bought the BB Book when I was prego and started reading these posts before she was born, but now I need help so I decided to join the discussion. BTW, I LOVE the b*tching post, the threads about the Joneses (sp?) had me LOL. You should write a book!

So DH and I are going to Minneaspolis/ St. Paul to visit my family. FIrst trip with the baby. We are flying from LAX to MSP, a 3.5 hour flight, non-stop thank God! We did not buy her her own seat b/c we couldn't afford it, and she is only 2 months old, so she doesn't squirm or try and get down and run around, so we don't have to stap her in... For safety's sake I know we probably should have now that I have read all the websites about flying with your baby- the ALL reccomend getting them their own seat. So my questions are, now that I have not gotten her one (and I'm not going to b/c of the cost involved) what is the best way to go?

Options as I see them are:

Check stroller and/ or car seat at curb (or check in desk) and use baby Bjorn thru the airport

Take stroller and/ or carrier to gate and check them there.

The other issue we have is what to do for a crib. I don't want to use a hotel one (we are staying in a hotel), so one benefit of brings the big stroller is that she could sleep in it- it fully reclines.

Any travel advice for a new mom?

Thanks gals,
Liz

[elizabethkott]

Liz,

I have no BTDT advice, because I'm a great big chicken, and DH and I could barely make it up to NH with baby AND dog without almost having a meltdown (how the heck did people used to do it with like 5 kids in a station wagon BITD?)
But, welcome!
And congratulations on your new little one!
:)

[tylersmama]

Definitely gate check the stroller and car seat. The chances of them getting lost or damaged are much smaller if you take them all the way to the plane with you. You do NOT want to have to worry about what to do if the airline loses your car seat! Also, you can ask at the gate, and if the flight has empty seats, they will usually block one so that you can take on your car seat (which you obviously can't do if you checked it as baggage).

I've flown 6 or 7 times so far with DS, and with a 2 month old, it should be a breeze. The first time DS flew was at 5 weeks old. I nursed him during takeoff and landing, and he slept the entire flight in between.

As for the crib, how often will you be travelling to visit your family? We bought a cheap (about $60) pack-n-play specifically for MIL's house so that we can use it there and not have to worry about taking ours with us. If you don't want to spend the money on that, and you have relatives that are willing to go looking, you could probably get a cheaper one at a garage sale or via craigslist. My sister bought a barely used pnp for $20 at a garage sale that we keep at our mother's house.

Good luck! Trust me, it won't be as hard as you think it will! Just make sure to have PLENTY of diapers and at least one change of clothing in your diaper bag. And enjoy travelling with a little one who isn't mobile...after my last trip with DS last month, he will definitely have a ticket and be strapped into his car seat on the next one! :P

[MamaMolly]

Hi Liz,

We flew with DD when she was just about 9 mos. Here is the good and bad of what we did:

We also didn't get her a seat but it wasn't bad. We took the stoller through the airport. Then we used the sling through security while the stroller went through the x-ray. A Bijorn may or may not have too much metal for this, I'm not sure. Mine hurts my neck now that DD is bigger so I tend to use the sling.

Then we gate checked the stroller. If I had to do it again, I'd take the carseat too, because the one we got with the rental car was a total piece of crap. So if I were you, I would bring along the carseat and stroller to gate check, and use a sling or the Bjorn through security. Ask if they can save a seat between you, or at the very least get an aisle and center seat. Also, practice changing DC's diaper on your lap. The toilet on our flights reeked so strongly I was gagging. One mom mentioned that flying makes her kids poop a lot, so being able to do it on your lap is a good skill to have.

As for the sleeping arangements, here is my BTDT: when DD was 5 months we traveled (by car) to visit family and used a hotel crib. I was very concerned about it (and even made DH bring the PNP just in case). The hotel crib was brand new and in great condition. Then we used the PNP at my mom's. Then we went to my Dad's and he is kind of a flake because he didn't make ANY arrangements for DD to sleep, so we made a little pallet on the floor and she was fine. Then at 9 mos. we used another hotel crib which turned out to be a PNP.

So while I *prefer* for DD to sleep in our PNP, I have lightened up considerably. Of course, I do bring my own sheets and mattress pads, so maybe not *that* relaxed! ;-)

HTH, and Happy Trails!
Molly

[Hallie_D]

I would say definitely bring the stroller and carrier/car seat to the gate. It is somewhat annoying to get everything through security, but totally worth it to have the stroller waiting at the gate. As PP wrote, much less damage happens that way. I've flown alone with my two boys when the little one was only a few months old, and I managed to get two car seats and a single stroller to the gate, so you will be fine!

And in terms of bringing the car seat, if there is by chance an empty seat on your flight, they will probably let you take it for DD. When Eli was a baby we flew several times without buying him a seat because we couldn't afford to, and on all but one leg of one trip we were able to get an extra seat. Of course, that was several years ago and I know they are really trying to pack people on to planes now.

Good luck!

[Octobermommy]

We flew with my daughter when she was 2.5 months old. On the flight over there were extra seats so we took her car seat on board and she was strapped in when she was not nursing. We did not take a stroller with us(just a sling), and she slept in the King sized bed with us.

On the way back the flight was full so we gate checked the car seat and she nursed in my lap or slept most of the trip. She never made a peep on the 3 hour flight. Good luck!

[katydid1971]

I have flown with ds alone I don't know how many times. I never bought him a seat until he turned two (it's killing me that I have to buy him a seat). Like PP said you will probably find an empty seat and they will let you bring on your carseat so gate check it. I would bring the bjorn or other carrier (I like the ergo but that's another board) too becuase it leaves you with free hands at the airport. They will make you take it off at security and your babies shoes too in case you have the worlds smallest shoe bomb. I don't understand why you don't want to use the hotel crib. I have used them many times and have never had a problem. They are very nice and clean with clean sheets etc. Many even have cards about crib safety on them, no pillows etc which I of course already knew. Any of the big chains, holiday inn, marriot, etc have so much liablity that they have good equipment. If you are really concerned I would call the hotel and ask them about the cribs they have and bring your own sheets. Its soooooooo much easier than trying to haul a pack n play (been there done that) and I don't know if I would want my little one sleeping in a stroller. That's my 2 cents.
HTHs
Sarah

[tylersmama]

Just a note, I flew with DS about 3 weeks ago, and they have fairly recently changed the security rules. As long as your carrier does not have metal in it (as in won't set off the metal detector), you don't have to remove your baby to go through security. Of course, they told me that too late on the way out, but it was great on the way back to leave DS on my back in the Ergo while I was collecting all my stuff and putting my shoes back on. Alas, they will still make you take off baby shoes, even Robeez, which aren't much more than socks!

[mom2binsd]

Great ideas from everyone, I second just bringing your own PNP sheets if that's what the hotel uses (you may have to explain what a PNP is to them, some of them are not up on baby lingo). As for the plane ride, you can call the airline to find out if the flight is almost booked, they will sell infants a seat at half price, for me it was always worth it when I traveled alone as my DD would sleep and I was able to get up without asking a stranger to hold her, although the Flight attendants are usually helpful, it's easier to ask them just to watch an infant who is in a carseat and my DD wouldn't sleep on sit still in my arms. If the flight looks empty you will hopefully get an empty seat for the baby. Have a great trip.