Flying was really not a big deal. Totally fine. The pumpkin was a trouper. Thank God for small favors. Since I couldn't find anything of any use online, I'll give you my own flying scoop. Bear with me; I'll give you the WHOLE scoop for those who are equally neurotic when it comes to your baby ... like me.
- Take your diaper bag as your carry-on and bring the largest purse that you have. You’re going to pack enough for double the children that you’re bringing with you. Trust me. No one wants to clean dirty bottles in an airport bathroom and that’s what you’ll be doing if you don’t plan for delays.
- Pack empty bottles. Bring two per expected feeding so that if you are delayed, there is not a problem. This also allows you to have extra bottles for water, just in case your baby finished the full feeding and is either a) still hungry or b) needs to suck on a bottle to help him go to sleep. All else fails when the babe is fussing, give em’ some water. Keeps him busy and distracted.
- Buy bottled water at the gate. If you are lucky, the flight attendant will love a cutie baby and will give you one of those super-sized bottles of water for free. Can’t argue that. Bottled water gets expensive! Just a side-note – your baby does not need to have bottles and food warmed up, but if you are one of those mommies (or daddies) who is positive that the room-temp food/drink is just not right for your child – ask the flight attendant to bring you water for tea – then put that hot water right into the barf-bag and you’ve got a little heater for your bottle or food.
- Pack your kid’s favorite books and toys – but make sure that the toys don’t play music or make any annoying sounds. You want to entertain your child, not annoy everyone around you. If you are worried about losing the fav toys, then buy some cheapies that will be exciting because they’re new but will not be a big deal if one or two gets lost in the masses of garbage that you’re going to create on the flight.
- Said toys … stash them away for a few days leading up to your trip so that your little one is excited to see them … and keep them put away while you are on your trip so that the during the flight home, those toys are still exciting and not old news.
- If you plan to feed solids on the plane, plan on making a mess and bring a cloth diaper, extra wipes or some paper towels for quick clean-ups. When you open the top of the plastic food containers, be ready for the food to squirt up from the container due to the pressurization. I was so NOT ready for it and there were carrots all over – on the people behind us, the wall in front of us and all over my husband, baby and myself. The husband was not at all happy, while I could not stop laughing. Luckily, the guy across the aisle thought that it was hysterical as well. We were lucky.
- Bring extra bibs, an extra onesie or other change of clothes and an extra shirt for the mommy. See above. Also useful if the babe decides to get airsick. No one wants to sit next to a woman smelling of vomit and sour milk. Me included.
- Wear a sling or Baby-Bjorn on the plane. I was told this by a great mommy-friend and didn’t listen, so I spent our whole flight gripping my child, white-knuckled, in fear that we would hit turbulence and he would be ripped from my arms. If I had him in the Baby-Bjorn, we both would have been much more comfortable. However – be aware – you are not allowed to wear said child during takeoff or landing. For that, prepare for hand cramps, for surely you will be white-knuckled. Bonus on the sling – if it doesn’t have any metal, you can even wear your babe through security and use that super-cute stroller that you just “had to have!” as a carry-on carrier.
- If you are not into having your baby on your lap for a couple of hours, play it safe and reserve a seat for his infant carrier. We had hoped that there would be a seat open that we could use but no such luck. If it’s important to you, book ahead.
- Some airlines have bassinets. Most domestic flights do not. Call your carrier and check prior to booking your tickets. Often if they have bassinets, you have to reserve it at the time of the reservation and even then, it’s not guaranteed.
- If possible, book the seats in the first row of the plane. (aisle seat if you are keeping the kiddo in your lap – makes it easier to stand and rock your baby if he’s fussing) You can board right before they close the door to the plane and you’ll be off the plane right after first-class – which means that you’ll spend the least amount of time on the plane as possible – a must if your baby is having a hard time during the flight. I let the airline attendants at the desk know that we were there and asked them to let me know when it was time to get on. They were really helpful and I also scored that free, large bottle of water. Good thing to keep in mind.
- Changing a diaper in a teeny-tiny airplane bathroom is just impossible. To try to avoid changes on the plane, wait until the last possible minute to change the baby before boarding the plane. You can buy these diaper liners that look like feminine pads that get you some extra mileage in absorbency so hopefully your babe will make it until the lay-over or end of your flight. If you MUST change the baby, most airline attendants will allow you to lay your child down on the floor in their food prep area. Make sure that you’ve got your changing pad or a blanket to have baby lay down on. Ladies – please. Write this one down if you need to … Do not even THINK about changing your wee one on the wee tray table in front of you. Unsafe, unsavory and very uncool. Big airline no-no. Also keep in mind that not only is it rude to ask the flight attendant to dispose of the dirty dipe, it’s also not allowed. Take your kid to the bathroom and take care of things there.
- Relax! You paid just as much for your seats as anyone else. (Well, hopefully you got a better deal but you know what I mean.) Your main priority and first responsibility is to make this flight as painless for your baby as possible. You want to focus on having your little one comfortable and relaxed. Do so, and you won’t have to worry about those around you because your babe will be cozy and hopefully eating, sleeping and playing contently. You do NOT need to worry about everyone else around you. They are (mostly) grown-ups and can take care of themselves.
- This is for those international travelers – your little one needs a passport too! Yup, things have changed and since last January when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect, ALL Americans must have a passport to re-enter the US. So unless you plan on leaving the babe behind, make certain that you have one. Keep in mind that getting a passport will now take longer due to a higher demand – plan on up to 12 weeks for processing. The fee for kids is $82 and you can pay more to put a rush on things, but really, who wants to do that? Both parents must be present or have provided a notarized letter of consent unless you have sole-custody documentation or you are a single parent. Another thing to keep in mind – kids under the age of 15 need to have their passport renewed every 5 years.
- If you are still really nervous about flying and having a fusser on your hands, bring your sense of humor and some cheapo sets of ear-plugs. Hand them out at the beginning of the flight to those around you and tell them that you are going to do your best to keep your baby happy and quiet but if all else fails, then you’ve got these ear-plugs for them to use. At least you’ve made some new friends, right?
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