Flying with Infant: What do I need?

[pantrygirl]

:cheerleader1:Ok, now that everyone has talked us out of driving to FL, we're planning on taking our first flight together as a family.

Experienced parents, what do we need, essentials only, for our 3 days trip to see family?

Do I need to purchase a seat for my infant?

Car Seat: We have the marathon. Are the airlines going to give us a big stink about the size? Do I need one of those wheelie attachments?

Baby Carrier & Stroller: I'm happy with wearing our baby but my husband wants us to pack the stroller too. I'm hoping to convince him otherwise. If I get the wheelie attachment thing, can I use that as a stroller if necessary?

Diapers: I guess I can purchase them there or have a case sent to my in-laws

Pack n' Play: Do I really need to bring this?

Baby Food: I breastfeed and don't plan to bring any pumped milk but she is starting on solids and I make my own homemade food. Will the FAA give me grief if I pack more than 3 ounces of homemade babyfood? Should I just bring my food mill and buy the veggies and fruits there?

Travel High Chair

Do I need a special safety harness while we're on the plane? Nevermind, I found out your child must be at least 1 year old to wear this doodad.

Some moms suggest I breastfeed on take off and landing. Will the airlines allow this?

Sorry for the myriad of questions. Thanks in advance. :bighand:

[WatchingThemGrow]

Everyone does it differently, but we:

got the JL Childress Ultimate bag for our MA's. We check them as luggage.

One/both of us wear the baby - unhook them for takeoff/landing if they ask, but wearing them otherwise is easiest for us.

Diapers- bring way more than you think you'll need for the trip down and the first day there. Depending on the room/weight in your bags (and now fees) you may want to just buy diapers when you get there. I'd just count on that.

With a layover, we find a stroller is handy as we like to put the baby down to eat/sleep. We gatecheck our stroller - well, except for the Bugaboo. Unless you want to constantly be wearing/carrying the baby, you'll find a stroller is handy for that many days away, I would think. 2-3 days you could get away with it, but 5...I'd want a lightweight one at least.

You will need a PnP, so yes, bring it or ask your in-laws to buy one like this from Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5459239) if you plan on visiting them several times over the next few years. My mom borrows one from her "grandma friends" but I wish she'd have just spent the $50 so we could use it for basically 5-6 years with multiple children.

No harness on the plane. Your baby is too small for the CARES. I always just buy packaged food for traveling. MUCH less hassle.

[ahrimie]

Do I need to purchase a seat for my infant?
No, you don't. But if you take your seat with you to gate check, you can always ask if there are empty seats to put your LO in. I've never been able to get a seat for my babe. Plus, I nurse her during take off and landing (and yes, they let you do that. BUT, if you have your LO in a carrier, they may ask you to take them out)

Car Seat: We have the marathon. Are the airlines going to give us a big stink about the size? Do I need one of those wheelie attachments?
no experience with that yet.... but interested to know because I'll be flying with our BLVD in a month!

Baby Carrier & Stroller: I'm happy with wearing our baby but my husband wants us to pack the stroller too. I'm hoping to convince him otherwise. If I get the wheelie attachment thing, can I use that as a stroller if necessary?
If it's a few days, it's okay not to have. OR, if you're in a suburban area and won't do much walking, you won't miss it. However, if you'll be walking around a lot or even by yourself sometimes, it'll help to have one. Sometimes, I just end up using my stroller to carry my things around: extra food, diaper bag, coat, etc. I can wear DD no problem but not with all the junk we need to carry around.

Diapers: I guess I can purchase them there or have a case sent to my in-laws
I would take some with you if you have the room. I've tried purchasing diapers when I get to a destination but honestly found it more work to FIND diapers. First you have to find a store that carries diapers and not for an arm and leg. Then, you have to hope they have the ones you need in stock. I tried this in NYC where they don't have big stores so it was especially a pain in the BUTT. I had to go to several drugstores before finding AND I had to pay an arm and leg while wearing DD in the hot summer sun.

Pack n' Play: Do I really need to bring this?
Depends on your current sleeping situation. If you sleep separately, I'd take one or buy one when you get there like pp said. At my mom's, we have a pack n play she bought as well as a crib she was able to borrow from someone.

Baby Food: I breastfeed and don't plan to bring any pumped milk but she is starting on solids and I make my own homemade food. Will the FAA give me grief if I pack more than 3 ounces of homemade babyfood? Should I just bring my food mill and buy the veggies and fruits there?
You can take any babyfood in any amount you want. Just tell them when you are putting your things through the x ray. I would probably do what's easiest for you. If it were me, I'd freeze some foods for 24+ hrs so that it's rock solid and take 4-6 servings as well as some jarred. If you don't want to buy jarred, I'd buy some things down that don't require a food mill like bananas or avocado--anything you can easily mash.

Travel High Chair
I did. I like the FP Healthy Booster seat. It takes up a decent amount of room in your bag though. For my mom's, I left one there so we can always use again. I like it because it has it's own tray. Or, you may want to buy one of those booster seats you hook onto tables. They take up much less room.

Do I need a special safety harness while we're on the plane? Nevermind, I found out your child must be at least 1 year old to wear this doodad.

Some moms suggest I breastfeed on take off and landing. Will the airlines allow this?
Yup, they do! I always nurse with my bebe au lait and it's awesome because it makes it a little dark on the inside for your babe. Mine usually sleeps for awhile while nursing (though she doesn't usually fall asleep while nursing at home) and I nurse again as we land.

Sorry for the myriad of questions. Thanks in advance. :bighand:[/QUOTE]

[pantrygirl]

ahrimie, thanks so much for the info. great stuff. :cheerleader1: