Traveling with baby: pls list out your tips!

[MariFP]

We are traveling for the first time next week. It is a very long flight (10+ hours overnight flight plus another 2 hours flight) and mommy is going alone with the baby! Help me, list your tips!
So far I am:
- Bringing a big backpack with wipes, diapers, change of clothes (for both of us), food and toys.
- Checking in my stroller (got a Safety 1st Avila for this trip) at the gate.
- Will bring a sling.
- Nurse at take off.
Anything else?
Thanks in advance!

Ps - baby is 9 months old.

[new_mommy25]

Sounds like you have everything together.

Make sure you bring a TON of diapers. That's a very long flight and there is a slight chance you could get delayed, plus the layover. Also, make sure you have a lot of wipes. I like to travel with a whole pack of kirkland wipes. They fit very nicely into the diaper bag but they are the same amount as a whole case of wipes (192 total I think). FWIW, my DS is prone to having blow outs on airplanes, I really think its the pressure or something. So lots and lots of wipes, lol! Also, make sure you have disposable changing pads because the bathrooms are yucky. I like huggies because they are big and don't slip around. Bring diaper sacks like those from Sassy or Munchkin, or even old grocery bags. In the event that your son does have a blowout or spits up all over his clothes you will want something safe to contain them in. I like to put my supplies (diapers, changing pad, wipes, travel sized aquaphor etc.) into a Ziploc bag. That way I can just take that with me instead of schleping my whole diaper bag into the bathroom. Unless of course you suspect a diaper blowout, then you will need the whole bag, lol, but at least your stuff will all be in one easy to find place. You also may need more than one change of clothing for your DS. Make sure you bring a blanket because it can get cold for babies. My DS falls asleep much easier under the weight of a blanket. Dress in layers, before the flight takes off it can often be very warm on the aircraft. Bring lots of toys. You will want to rotate them as the baby gets distracted. Bath books or crinkly fabric books are always a big hit. Make sure you have some infant Tylenol or Motrin. You never know what could happen. Most airlines let you preboard and the Flight Attendents are generally quite helpful. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Some will be bursting for the chance to hold your baby while you strap in the car seat etc. Before you take off, take out your bottle of water, magazine or book for you, toys and snack for baby, and anything else you may need and put them into the seat pocket in front of you. That way it will be easy access and you won't have to bend over and dig through you bag while balancing a baby in one arm. Whenever possible I prefer to nurse my baby to sleep before the flight takes off. This works 80% of the time and I can then slip him into the car seat and strap him in. I feel safer with him being in the seat during take off and landing.

Also, there may be a chance that your baby will scream. I've flown about 8-9 times with DS. Sometimes he's fussy, other times he doesn't make a fuss. I think that if he cries for 15 minutes out of a 6 hour flight, then thats not bad. But whatever you do, don't let it get to you. THere will be lots of people craning their heads and giving you dirty looks. DO NOT LET IT GET TO YOU. If your baby cries, do your best to soothe him, but in some instances there is nothing that works. Smile apolagetically at them. On one horrible flight there were some nasty people in the row next to me that drank the entire flight. They began to get loud and were talking about my baby, why couldn't I control him, how they were NEVER having kids, etc. By the end of the flight I was practically in tears. And DS probably only cried about 45 minutes total out of that 3.5 hour flight. The rest of the time he slept. They were just being jerks. I remind myself that before DS there were often times where I have been on a flight where another baby screamed the whole time. It's just a part of life and I really sympathize for those parents.

Sorry this is so long!! Hope it helps.

[MariFP]

Thank you SO MUCH! I lot of good little things that we don't even think about.
I can't believe the jerks that were talking about your baby!! OMG< how rude was that?
How many bags did you bring with you in the plane? I was thinking about only one backpack but it might not be enough with so many things to bring.
Thanks again!

[jamsmu]

Angie did a great job with details. Here are my pointers from my one experience (so far). DS was 5 months when we flew (just this Feb.)

First, use baby to your advantage! DH was able to get us bumped to a non-stop flight on a different airline on the way to our destination because of DS. We also took advantage of early boarding... this is KEY because it is difficult to get situated.

First, get to the airport very early. Get there so early that you are first in line at the ticket counter. Explain that you are traveling with child and plan for him/her to sit on your lap, BUT have your car seat with you. The airlines (both Delta and USAirways) told me that over 90% of the time, the airline will block seats for sale and have them only available at the gate. The ticket agents at the gate love to help with babies and will move your seat next to an empty seat and "block" that seat so that you get it. this happened for us on all 3 flights we took, even the one that we ran to make the connection to. It made a big difference in our travel. If for some reason you can't get a seat, they will check your carseat and stroller at the gate for you and that doesn't count for your maximum bags checked.

I also highly recommend giving baby a bottle during take off and landing, rather than breastfeeding. I know a lot of people say to nurse during the takeoff and landing, but I nursed during the first landing, and bottled during the first takeoff and bottle feeding was so much better! The seats were so tight that it was very uncomfortable for DS to feed. Also, he kept coming of the breast and I was worried about his ears, where, with a bottle, he drinks non-stop. This was also recommended by my ped.

Another recommendation from my ped was to give a teaspoon of benadryl, watered down before take-off. I didn't do this, because we flew at bed-time anyway, but will when we fly this spring during the day.

My last suggestion, if baby sleeps, don't wake him or her for take-off/landing! He or she won't know the difference and you'll be so much more relaxed.

Now, sit back, and enjoy the ride! Have a great trip!!

[boys2enough]

Hi, the other 2 ladies have given you excellent advice, I am here to offer you spiritual and moral support. :) Lots of {{{HUGS}}}.

I went back with Gabriel (11/02) when he was 2 months old, I still have no idea how I survived it. ;-) But because you BF, at least you don't have to bring 10 bottles with you on board, lol. That's what I did because I didn't want to worry about washing the bottles.

I posted not long ago asking for help for a similar situation: we are going to Asian in 2 weeks with my 15 months old... Your baby is at a differnt stage (crawling?) so we do need to be prepared for somewhat differnet things. One mom gave me this advice: Tons of sense of humor is key. ;-)

The only ideas that I can offer here are:

1. I always bring safety pins with me when travel. I make "tents" by pinning the airline blanket (apparently they are clean if in plastic bags. Overseas flights tend to have clean-wrapped-in-plastic-bag blankets) to the fabric on the seats. This way the baby won't be disturbed by the light and some of the noise (talking, coughing, etc) could be muffled. this works great for me since my son is very sensitive to light and sound.

2. benedryl may or may not work for you, depending on your baby. When we went back to Asia in 1998 with my oldest, he stayed awake the whole time BECAUSE OF Benedryl! it has the side effect of overt excitement, esp. on many young babies. This time my family doc suggested that I "test" it out on Gabriel before we actually leave to see whether he will react the way his brother did. I know some people may frown on this idea, so please ignore this if it does not sit well with you.

(This is kind of embarrassing, I am trying to think of something else might help, but I cannot remember what gabriel was doing when he was 9 months old!) Is your baby eating solids? Cheerios? Food can be a great distraction. Also, if your little one is into books, they could be great help. One mom suggested that I simply bring books found at a dollar store (so I don't have to worry about ripping or losing them), and forget about the board books since they are heavier. Another idea is to make a photo album for the baby to look at.

Here is the link to my original post so you could see the great suggestions that people gave me. Although they are geared towards an older baby, you might find something that could help?

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=13926&mesg_id=13926&page=

Good luck with everything! And yes, relax. Since it's an overnight flight, your DD may actually fall and stay asleep (esp. because of the motion and white noise). HTH. Cheers, Lin

p.s. sorry for the rambling.

[Lucia]

Hi! I agree with all of the tips given by other moms. In DS's first year he has been on over 10 flights (including 3 international flights) and we are getting ready for two big flights in the next few months. We are a military family stationed in Japan so we have had many opportunities to see the world! Each trip had its rewards and challenges (based on DSs development, length of trip, etc). Breastfeeding will be a big help in soothing your child and also cuts down on the amount of stuff you have to pack. On the same note, I would recommend packing the baby food that comes in plastic containers (jars get very heavy!). A few other things to pack:

*An extra shirt for yourself (messes happen)
*One new toy to keep interest in addition to well loved, but lightweight toys/books (finger puppets are great because they are small and entertaining)
*Favorite music (either on MP3 player, palm pilot, or walkman....this was a lifesaver since DS is really calmed down by music)
*Check in stroller at gate and request that it is waiting when you exit plane
*Request aisle seat and ask for placement in empty row
*Bottled water with sports cap (drinking out of cups filled with liquid and ice is messy and bottled drink fits into seat pocket instead of using tray)

Have a great trip and know that there are other parents out there supporting you (we have always been amazed and grateful by how helpful and understanding most people are).

Lucia
mom to Noah 2/2003

[millerpjm]

I have only flown once with DS, around 8 months on a much shorter flight. I agree with all the ideas here, but I would buy a seat for your baby. Your baby will be tired, you will be tired, and 10 hours is a long time. At some point you will need to set the baby down. DS fell asleep for takeoff at 3 out of 4 takeoffs, comfortably resting in his carseat. I didn't even need to feed him to take the pressure off his ears, must have been something to do with the plane engine that put him to sleep. Now, I know it's a lot of money to pay for a seat. You could possibly get a free seat blocked off for you. But I personally would not count on it, with airlines struggling to make ends meet. It is not even for the safety reasons (which you could find several threads on here and the carseat forum). I am not trying to get on a soapbox. I personally would not fly without a seat for DS, 'cuz he's heavy!

Jen

Proud mama to Thomas 2/3/03

[jamsmu]

As long as baby is under 2 yo his seat should be half price. If you want buy a seat, it makes it that much easier.

One more thing I thought of... if you're packing food, Gerber makes rice cereal in single serving packets. They're about the same size as a hot chocolate packet. This made it much easier to pack!

[MariFP]

You guys are awesome. Thank you for all the tips and support!
DD is starting to crawl and she is eating everything.
I will bring sippy cups and I loved the idea of bringing photo books.
I won't be buying a seat for her because it costs 80% of the price and the ticket is over $1000 (YIKES!). So :)
I called United and reserved a seat in a empty row and I hope it stays like this but I will call couple of days before to check again.
Thanks again everyone!

[emilyf]

Marian-did you ask about getting an inflight bassinet? That's what we did on our flight to London and it was wonderful-ds slept there and played there for most of our flight both ways. He was about 8 months at the time. They are in the bulkhead row and flip down out of the wall-the stewardess will set it up for you. We have flown twice with him and it went really, really well both times. We just got back from a trip and he had ear trouble on the first flight, but that's the first time and he only cried for a few minutes and we were able to get him calmed down. For entertainment we used books, finger foods-raisins, veggie booty, and the little food containers from the food tray which were a huge hit. Good luck!
Emily \r\nmom of Charlie born 11/02

[memedee]

The bassinets are on most European airlines and not just in the bulkhead row.
I have flown with babies over head from Europe on several occasions.
The slight rocking puts them to sleep.
It is a great idea.I do not know about the safety vs a car seat but if you do not plan on buying a seat ,you should try reserving a bassinet.
My daughter has one of those car seats that turns into a stroller and she likes that very much but she also takes a stroller for the destination as the travelling car seat does not recline.The worst part of the whole plane thing is the germs incubating on board.
Her son got a cold from some passenger coughing and sneezing behind them.YUCK. So bring lots of wipes for his hands.

[boys2enough]

Just a reminder (though you probably know this already): even if you are not buying a seat for DD, for international flights (or at least those to Asia, but of course, i don't know which part of the world you will be visiting, lol), infants under 2 (lap kids) will still need a boarding pass, and it costs 1/10 of the tkt price. We didn't buy a seat for Gabriel this time either (b/c it's post Chinese New year and flights are kind of empty), but we did pay 1/10 for him to be able to get on the plane.

Last year we went back in February, and for some reason, both lags of flights were full. So I carried Gabriel in my arms the whole time! Although he wasn't as heavy then (only 2 mo old), it was still painful.

Some other ideas that I thought of:
First Years now has these disposable sippy cups. I got some and had Gabriel try them, they will leak if you turn them upside down and shake them, otherwise they work pretty well.

Is she intrigued by the idea of coloring yet? Or maybe she is still too young. ONe mom introduced me to Crayola Color Wonder: markers that will show only on their special papers.

Another mom told me to bring a cookie sheet with me, and put magnets on all sorts of toys. Isn't that a neat idea??? I just raided my 6 yo's collection of McD cheapo toys and put magnets on several of them. I am thinking that the cookie sheet will also be great for "spreading" cheerios on, for pushing Matchbox cars around, and for keeping the coloring pens from falling unto the floor.

She said that she planned to use velcro with sticky tapes to secure the cookie sheet to the airline tray. I have been thinking whether the "museum" putty will actually do the job of securing the cookie sheet.

DH asked whether the airport security will let me bring a cookie sheet with me onto the airplane. I said, "What? They think I am going to wack somebody with that thing?" lol

You are probably overwhelmed. Good luck with everything. Remember to BREATHE.... :) Cheers, Lin

[MariFP]

Yes, I had to pay around $100 for DD to fly with me. Thanks anyway, it is always good to remind.
I use the First Years sippy cups and DD loves it! I will be bringing them as well as lots os little plastic toys (they are a big hit).
I am just thinking where I am going to put all this stuff! I only have 2 arms. :)

[signsing]

When I flew with my then 3 mos old the best thing I brought with me was Little Noses nose drops! Its just saline but the bottle works great. It helps to relieve the ear pressure by clearing out the sinuses. It worked!
Also everyone elses tips sounded great. I wil be flying again soon. He's much bigger now though and I think will be awake more on the flight. A new and different challenge.
Do you have a sling or carrier to hold him in? I find this to feel much safer when traveling. And it helps for when you are lugging everything with you if the baby isn't occupying your arms.
I also have a changing pad with pockets for wipes and diapers. This is convienent since it takes up little space and just pulls right out of the diaper bag to go with you to the bathroom.

Good Luck I'm sure it will be fine.
Betsey
Buddy's Mamma 6-10-2003

[nola]

I agree with the "don't let it get to you" advice. I am an infamous grouch about other peoples children/babies screaming in public. And I am very sensitive with my own baby. If she starts crying in the store, I take her out to the car ASAP. For those who want shame me - sorry, that's just how I feel. That said, airplanes are my one exception. I admit there may have been a few exceptionally manipulative young children who I wanted to hand a parachute, but generally I understand that the parents are trapped there. It can be difficult for both child and parent - and anyway I can just put my headphones on and buck up. Most people I have talked to seem to feel this way. And if even I agree, there must be something to it.
Good luck, you will do just fine.
N

[Sarah1]

You've gotten a lot of GREAT suggestions--however, I would say that with a 9 month old, LESS is definitely more. The more you bring the more stressed out you will be. I've flown with DD about five times, and each time I bring less and less. When you bother with lots of toys, they just take up room and end up on the floor, probably lost forever. Your 9 month old will, most likely, be just as amused ripping up the SkyMall magazine as she would be playing with magnets on a cookie sheet (if not more)...not that that isn't something I'd do at home, but that's a lot to haul with you on a plane.

The one "toy" I take is a portable DVD player and 2-3 Baby Einstein videos. This has been a godsend. You can even rent them at some airports and drop them off where you arrive.

If you're on one of those really big jets, chances are there will be an empty seat.

My biggest piece of advice is to try and stay as relaxed as possible about the whole thing. Your baby will do fine and you will find ways to keep her entertained. And I've never had people give me rude looks, even when Audrey was crying. I think air travel has gotten so bad these days that people just automatically expect the worst!

[Mom2Miri]

Everyime we've flown I work so hard to gather toys beforehand and none of them interest her once we are onboard. The only two that always work are the DVD player (she loves the Signing Times DVDs) and balloons. I take a few and blow them up just a little and attach a ribbon. Oh, and a bunch of the sassy plastic disposable spoons to wave around.

Onboard ideas - empty plastic cups from the crew, safety instruction card (harder to rip than the magazine).

One note of warning - we just got back from a flight where they boarded us, had us sit for an hour, then deplaned everyone for another 2 hours before finally taking off. The catch is the stroller was already gate checked. Luckily we still carry her in the Bjorn at airports and use the stroller to carry other stuff :)

Good luck!
Helen & Mirielle 2/25/03