Another "Traveling with Baby" Help Request., for High-Maintenance Baby.. :)

You've gotten some very good advice here. I have traveled with my kids solo lots of times, and first I want to say that I have often been pleasantly surprised by how nice people can be. Of course that was sometimes me alone with TWO kids so I got extra attention. But leave yourself plenty of time, go slow and try to remain calm. Some of my biggest frustrations were with toys, especially when I had the baby on my lap. I would try to bring favorites (stacking rings on a wood tower) that turned out to not be appropriate for the airplane seat. The rings would fall on the floor, slide away and I wasn't able to get them. So try to gather toys that aren't pieces to drop and lose. Although I have found that my kids were usually most amused by things that weren't toys to play with: my 11mos old son spent an entire flight playing with a water bottle, screwing the cap off and on. My daughter could play with the button to loosen the air-phone for hours, and to this day we have a ritual of paging through the SkyMall catalog looking for cats and dogs. And try to remember, if things go bad and your daughter is screeching and you feel like everyone is shooting daggers with their eyes -- they aren't! Most likely they have been where you are, so they are looking at you with sympathy and gratitude that it's not them!

hello i know u have gotten a lot of responces but here mine too. i fly quite a bit since my husband is piolt. i started flying with my little one when she was 2 months and i was also alone for half of all her flights she is now 6 months and has been on a plane 8 times. most of them have been really good only once was she really cranky. but we had to wake up at 430 am yuck!! so she lost out on 4+ hours of sleep.

on southwest u can board between group a and b so u still get a good pick on a seat. i like the back of the plane because the nosie helps her to fall asleep and also more people sit in the front so u may have more room in the back.

i'm not sure if u are taking a stroller but if u arnt and are still taking an infant car seat this works great for me. i put my baby in the car seat and put the handle all the way back it can go and then put the car seat on top of ur roller bag by putting the handle of the car seat over the handle of the roller bag. u have to tilt the bag a bit and it works great while walking long distances in the airport. this way she can look a round and see what is going on.

the flight attendents are always really nice and interested in any baby they will hold your little girl if u need to go to the restroom. i have many other experiences if u have any questions feel free to ask. good luck and have fun seeing grandma and remember to breath it wont last for ever.

Hello, I am a mother of one child, and we travelled very frequently with our son. when he was 10 months old we had an 8 hour flight from Europe to the States, and then many shorter flights after that. Problem free. He was only breast fed, and took some jarred food, but mostly breast fed, I just put a light blanket over me to cover up while he was feeding. (he would not take a bottle) so you have it a bit easier if your child takes a bottle. We were able to request a baby bed that hooked up to the wall in the front row, so he could sleep and also we were able to change him there. I don't know if they have that possibility for all flights. just ask, also ask if there is a place to sit where you have more room in front of you. They may only have this in bigger planes I'm not sure,but I got a seat in the front row with no seats in front of me, and I had enough room in front of me to move around, and turn around to put my son on the seat and change him. I don't think we used the bathroom for changing as they are just too small and there is no change table in there that I can remember unless they have changed the bathrooms.I think I changed him on the seat where I was on flights without the bed. my husband was with me so that was easier too. But we are also believers in Jesus and we prayed for a good peaceful trip and it was just that. people even paid us compliments on how peaceful our child was after an 8 hour flight. I hope it all works out well for you and I hope that this encourages you even a bit. L.

Hi P.,
Earlier this year, I took a total of 5 flights w/ my son by the time he was 4 mos. old. I am travelling w/ him next month at the age of 9 mos. and I'm thinking it will be a bit harder at that age! Anyways, I found that not all the bathrooms have changing tables! Very annoying. On a sold out flight, I changed him on the floor in the back of the plane. I learned that airlines do not permit you to sit in an aisle seat. If you're travelling alone, I'd suggest booking a window seat. If you're in the middle, you have to worry about bothering people on both sides. I'd also keep checking back w/ the airline to see if the seat next to you has been booked and keep moving your seats around (via phone in advance) so that your odds are that you won't have someone next to you. Reality is, if there are other seats on the plane and someone next to you is in a middle seat, they'll probably move once they see you have a baby! I also brought my infant car seat and frame stroller to the terminal w/ me. I went up to the counter and tried to get as much sympathy as I could and asked to be moved to where there was no one next to me in hopes that I could bring my car seat on board and put it in a seat (I didn't pay for a seat). If breast feeding, bring your hooter hider. One of the flights I had to sit next to 2 young college guys. Either they pretended not to notice that I was breastfeeding or they really didn't notice. Lastly, I bought little clear craft baggies and inside I put a set of ear plugs and a wrapped chocolate candy w/ a ducky sticker on the outside. I handed them out to all the folks around me and w/ a smile I said this was baby's 1st flight and that I hoped he'd be good, but just in case....People cracked up and I think I avoided the annoyed looks. On some flights the attendants were fantastic and on others absolutely awful and could care less that I was struggling. I hope this helps. Best of luck!

I just flew with my son who is 8 months old and it was just fine. I found that sitting over the wing provided the right level of noise to help him sleep for most of the flight. I nursed directly... forget the whole bottle thing as she will more likely be wanting to be held.
You won't be able to take off or land with her attached to your body, not sure if they allow her to be strapped to you during the flight or not. My son's too large for the carriers... or maybe I am... either way we don't use them anymore. Keep snacks if she's on any form of solids. Choose the window seat so that you can feed and she can look out the window. Be aware also that the airline will NOT pay for damage to your stroller but they will pay if they lose it.
Take proof of age of your child as well. You'll be asked for this at the gate.. even though your child is certainly under the age of 2 years old. I had a hard time on my return but not so much at Oakland.

She needs to be sucking during take-off and landing. It can be a bottle or a pacifier. It helps to equalize the airpressure in the inner ear. We as adults chew gun, yawn, do whatever it takes to clear our ears. Babies need the same thing and sucking does it. Works every time.

Only pack the necessities in the carry-on bag so you are not overwhelmed with "stuff".

Have a positive attitude and make it an adventure. My kids, now 25 and 27, were the greatest travelers. They either fell asleep or wanted to be played with - kind of like adults.

Blessings,
B. L.

Most planes have a changing table in the restroom. It's behind the toilet and folds down. There was one time that I experienced a plane with out one and I just put the toilet seat down and put the changing pad on top of it. It wasn't the best, but it got the job done. Also when you go to change your baby just take the wipies, diaper, and changing pad because there really isn't any room for the whole diaper bag in there. We have a changing pad that has a pocket for a thing of wipies and a diaper so it's really convenient. It is made by "the First Years" and I've seen it at a lot of different stores.
Good Luck,
S.

I went to Florida with my baby when he was just shy of 5 months old. The good thing is the gentle sway of the plane and the hum of the engines made him sleep most of the time. I breastfed him and he was so happy to be able to sleep and snuggle with me for the flight. A little tip is make sure you bring a small pillow to prop your elbow up, as the seats are uncomfortable for feeding. Also, make sure you have a good cover if you plan on breastfeeding on the plane. Occasionally, he would seem a little restless, so I would let him kick his heels a bit by letting him lay across my lap. Or, I would give him some tummy time and let him lay on his stomach across my lap.

I have to tell you, changing diapers on the plane was a nightmare! If you are lucky, there is a teeny tiny changing table on the plane. If you are unlucky, there is NO changing table anywhere! I called the airline ahead of time and they said I could change him on the seat. Yeah right! I ended up asking the flight attendants if I could change him on the floor in their little area. They weren't very happy about it, but I had to do what I had to do. Since your flight is only four hours, I would just change her right before you get on the plane and load her up with diaper ointment. I would only change the diaper if it was poopy.

Overall, it went way better than I thought it would. If you can keep her awake before the flight, maybe she'll sleep for most of it. Good luck!!!

P. -

You have gotten some really good advice, but as a mom who just traveled Southwest earlier this month, I thought I would add a few :-) I don't know if you bought a seat or not, but you DO need to bring a copy of the birth certificate with you. Some airlines don't require it, but SW does. It doesn't need to be original, a copy is fine, and they give it back.

Also, they no longer do pre boarding for families (families can board between groups A and B....so about 60 people beat you onto the plane). What you can do is check in online, 24 hours before your flight leaves, and you will get a group A boarding pass (as long as you do it early). I always think boarding early is best, when there are no assigned seats. Also, it helps because people will not sit next to you unless they have no other choice. LOL! They don't want to sit next to a baby, so if there are any seats available on the flight, you will likely get some extra seats. Also, regarding extra seats, if you didn't buy a seat but think your daughter might like to sit in her car seat, ask if they have any extra seats, if they do take your car seat on the plane. When we flew, it was Saturday afternoon of Labor Day weekend and there was still plenty of extra seats.

Also, my first flight alone with my son, we got snowed in Dallas, so I ALWAYS carry extra diapers, and clothes for both of us. You might never need it, but you don't know who will puke, pee through their clothes (and onto you), et`.....

For security, you are allowed to bring applesauce and baby food, in small amounts, like what you would need for the flight. But it has to be in a seperate bag than your liquids. Any diaper cream or stuff like that still has to be in 3 oz or smaller.

I think that's it, but if you have any questions, send me a message. Good Luck!!!! I bet you will be fine!

Glad that you mentioned bathroom, my little one completely freaked with the small space, it was easier to change at my seat or ask the attendants if there is a large floor space somewhere. Also, southwest allows children and special needs (which we all are with little ones!) to board first, so try and get the first row which has more foot space. Maybe you can let her play a little on the floor, with your legs over for protection in case of turbulance.
Good luck, bring snacks!

I had a textbook baby (fussy due to the normal things like pain, hunger, tired, diaper change, bored, cold/hot, etc...) and a high need/high sensory baby.

I took a textbook baby onto a plane with timed nursing/diapering in mind, cheerios, a blanket, toys, teething tablets, tylenol, child's prescription meds, videos, change of clothes, stroller (to get priority boarding if possible), and still be able to as travel light as possible. However with a high need/high sensory child (depending on the severity)...

I wouldn't attempt a trip with a high need/high sensory child unless his/her crying is not ear piercingly high. High need/high sensory children cry even if there is a seam on their socks or tag that itches them. They cry when the light is too bright/bright or the sound is too loud/soft. If they don't get enough hugs or if they are getting too much hugs, they scream at the top of their lungs. Everything has to be perfect for these types of kids (again, depending on the severity). My high need/high sensory child is in elementary school. She hasn't changed...only now she can choose to not wear socks, choose her own shirts at the stores, and choose to turn on the lights to her level of satisfaction herself. She's too old to qualify for regional occupational therapy (need to be under the age of 3...the earlier the intervention, the better the results), but their programs are outstanding for lessoning sensory disorders.

My daughter is 4 months old and has been on a plane 8 times! I never did the bottle at take off or landing because she slept through it. I had her in my sling the entire time. My daughter also gets irritated easily and starts to fuss, but she did well on the plane. Have a bottle ready so if she cries you can feed her. We never changed her diaper on the plane. We made sure she was changed before we boarded (we flew to the east coast). The humming is usually soothing for the babies. Try not to stress so she doesn't feel it. If she cries, she cries. Most people understand babies cry. It's the toddlers that are annoying. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Hi P.,

You have some great advice from a lot of the mamas out there. One thing that I always did was to give my child a tylenol about 45 minutes before the plane started to descend. Because of the pressure when the plan is descending, it was very painful for a lot of kids, even adults! I would calculate 45 min. before the plane is scheduled to arrive and give her the tylenol. This was a miracle drug because ever since I started doing this, she would never complain about her ears.

P.,
Lucky you, I see that you got responses to your request. When I asked for my daughter, I did not recieve one response. But good news, I checked back on prior requests, and found that giving the baby benadryl before the flight, and feeding the baby a bottle during take off and landing really helps. Changing the baby in the bathroom is not to difficult either. The staff is also very helpful, as most of the information that I retrieved came from a flight attendant. Whom I will thank again. We were on a 5 1/2 hour flight to Hawaii. Good Luck to you I hope this helps.

I started travelling alone with my daughter when she hit 10 weeks. I found that most people were happy to help. I took a foldout mat that had diapers and wipes packed inside, a pacifier, a receiving blanket, a shawl for myself that would double as an extra layer for her, should she need it, a magazine and snacks for myself (she didn't take a bottle). I gate-checked a carseat for her (I had a tearout headrest for her that I removed to keep the inside clean). I understand that you can rent a car with a carseat, in case you want to do away with that item though. In the airports, I wore her in a bjorn or an ergo and put the carryon on my back. I found I could hustle to gates better that way, have constant eye contact with her and sheild her if and when I didn't need prying eyes. Going through security was manageable, the attendants would hold her while I put the carrier back on my body, and everyone seemed understandable when it took me a minute or two extra to get my shoes back on.

For the plane ride, I wore a nursing shirt, grabbed a blanket or two to boost my arm on the plane and started nursing when the engines began so that she would be busy during take off and I talked her through the changing sounds of the plane. She didn't cry at all. When she needed to be changed, I found that it was easiest to do it on the floor in the emergency exit aisle. The bathroom was WAY too cramped for us.

In general, the more you pare down what you're carrying, the more you'll be able to focus on your child and help her cope with the sights and sounds of the journey.

I hope this helps.

Having traveled with a couple of babies, my best advice is breastfeed. We went through Europe with a 7-8 month old and recently flew cross-country with his 7 month old brother, and I don't know how we could have done it sanely without breastfeeding. It works for take offs and landings and nap times and fussy times. I know that I would feel a little uncomfortable breastfeeding next to someone other than my husband, but a little awkwardness wouldn't be enough for me to toss that wonderful soothing trick out of my repertoire.

Not all airplanes have changing tables in their bathrooms, but the ones I have tried have had surprisingly spacious surfaces.

Good luck!

It is always good to have the physcial basics covered as well as the meta-physical-basics. For infants, the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is very helpful. There are many sites with the directions for this easy and fast energy psychology tool. Using them for yourself and then your child is most beneficial when you are traveling, having stress or making a transition.
Also, they are very helpful for PPD and relationship challenges that make themselves visable when a child arrives.
L.

feel free to e-mail me if you need more info.

Hi, I have two kids and one on the way. I traveled with my first every month from Boston to Sacramento. He would do very well on the plane. I nursed him during take off and landing. I would always ask the Flight attendents if they could put me by and empty seat. With my Second child, I have taken her to Boston and Hawaii. she is a very active child. But if I have her in the ergo she is great. She will nurse and sleep for most of the trip. During a trip to Boston the way there I did not have her in the ergo and she would not sit still. On the trip home I had her in the ergo for the whole flight and she perfect!

We would fly Jet Blue and they were great. I liked flying in the evening. It was easier to get my kids to sleep. I flew alone all the time and found people helped alot.

Hope this helps!

I've travelled several times with my now-just-turned-three-year-old daughter. On the first flight (around your little girl's age), she got overtired because of the new and interesting scenery (airport ceiling in particular) and had to sit on my lap and cry herself to sleep (it was a red-eye to Canada). She screamed for what seemed like hours, but it was really only 10 minutes or so and you know what?!?!?! NO ONE NOTICED!!!! The flight attendant and a few other passengers told me what a cute and sweet baby I had -- I thought they had me confused with someone else. The point? Fellow passengers are generally very helpful and understanding on flights. If she cries, she'll get over it; hopefully you will too.

Good luck!
K. in EC

Hi P.,
I sent in a similar question a couple months ago before a 5-hour flight with my then 9-month old, who I also claim to be high maint ;-). The flying experience went much better than expected, here are some things I learned:

1. Taking the stroller (we checked in his carseat) was fine, just drop off at the gate and pick up when you arrive. We didn't have any problems (other than having to wait 5-10 minutes for it when we arrived at the other gate).
2. We didnt need any ID for him, though we had his birth cert with us just in case. Also, there is a special line for people with kids, much shorter so take advantage of it at security!!
3. No assigned seats with Southwest, but I suggest asking if its a full flight, and if not, try and get yourself a row or two empty seats. This will help you just maneuver about and actually we ended up changing my son there because the plane didn't have the changing table bathroom. Just be quick and keep the scented diaper trash bags with you!
4. Take a few toys, snacks (if she's ready like cheerios, carrots to bite on, or whatever she likes), and be prepared to walk her about the cabin. My son gets super fussy sitting still, so we ended up walking him up and down the aisles. Fine for us if it kept him quiet!
5. My son is a very well trained sleeper in his crib, so i was worried about him napping in my arms. He did fine though, just held him close with his pacifier and a blanket and he went right to sleep.
6. IF you use a pacifier, don't forget it or a spare (and use those paci clips if you have one so it doesnt fall)! Totally helped my son with take off and landing and spared the other passengers of any whining when he got fussy.
7. Anti-bacterial wipes were great for my peace of mind on the tray table and armrests etc.

Sorry this is so long, but wanted to share my experience because I remember how scared I was about my first plane ride!

Good luck and just have fun, she'll do fine ;-)

We traveled overseas with a high maintenance baby. It was stressful, but overall he did really well. I nursed at take-off, but it turns out that take-off and landing don't affect his ears so it wasn't necessary. I found the nursing to be effective for when he got really fussy and just needed a break. Under the nursing cover he went and he got some quiet time and a little snooze. Bring lots of diapers and wipes along with plastic bags to put the dirty ones into if there is no garbage nearby. The bathrooms are tight, but changing diapers in there is manageable. My husband is really tall and he was able to do it. We brought a change of clothes for baby and an extra shirt for each of us in case he got sick on us or spilled food, etc. Bring at least one blanket, but two is better in case one gets dirty. I'm assuming she's on solids? Bring some solids (cereal, fruit, etc) because that keeps them entertained for a while as well. Bring toys, but not a lot because you won't have much room. We would bring out one toy at a time. When he got bored, we'd switch it. He actually played with some of the stuff we got on the plane (plastic cup, plastic spoon). If she has a transitional object, definitely bring that. Ignore any glares from other passengers if your baby has a rough patch (which she is likely to do). Don't stress about what other people think because your baby will sense that stress and will get more agitated. Get up and walk up and down the aisles with her. They like a change of scenery and some other passengers love babies and will entertain her a bit. On one flight we were allowed to hang out in the galley for a while. On our return flight, the flight attendant (pretty rude guy in general) was totally not understanding and told us we couldn't stay there. Perhaps your flight attendant(s) will be understanding.
Here's a crazy idea I once heard: a friend of ours actually made cookies for the other passengers, and handed them out with a note explaining that it was their daughter's first flight. I don't know about you, but I don't have the time or energy for that!
Good luck and remember: it's only 4 hours. You may not have any fun, but you will get through it!

Hi P.,

My baby is now almost 17 months old and when she was 4 months old we flew to germany for a month. then when she almost 7 months old we flew back to germany. She always needed to be carried and I would call her high needs as well but what baby isn't. She was great except one leg she cried and all she wanted was to be rocked to sleep as usual. I did this in the beco alot at that age. We couldn't get up because we were just about to take off. On one of the legs back from Germany she got what we call the german flu it was not pretty chucked her guts up for the whole 12 hours and I was alone!!! We also took her to Australia when she was 13 months old. So 4 hours is nothing to me. Now at 17 months we are going back to germany.

My tips are to expect the worst day and be prepared for it. As for change tables in the bathrooms I was very lucky that there were some as I have always gone international. My little girl has been changed everywhere glacier point, train platforms all around europe and Australia, chairs. You can easily change her on the seat if you have to. You got to do what you got to do.

My other tip is to take a breast pump on the plane. When I flew back from Germany and My little girl was sick she didn't want to eat and 12 hours with out feeding is painful. I ended up with a breast infection and also got the German flu and no one was home to help me.

In general the people that I have spoken to about flying with a baby is all positive and it is not that bad. We will see how she goes this time going back to germany with out the bulk head or a bassinet.

Happy travels and good luck.

P.

I am much to chicken to travel with my kids, but I have friends who do.

I one friend who swears by the magic of Benedryl about 30 minutes before flight time (just make sure to figure out your dosing for her weight ahead of time).

Another friend, whose daughter is around six now, and whose GP's live in England swears that her daughter pukes on her, without fail, everytime they travel-I am sure you will remember spare clothes for baby-but don't forget to carry on some for you too!

Having been THAT Mother on the plane with an unhappy baby, my best advice is to remember to breathe and keep reminding yourself that you will never see any of these people again. I will be forever grateful to the kind woman who took my son from me and walked him around the plane to give me break.

If your baby has any sensativity with her ears, problems will start as soon as they begin pressurizing the cabin before takeoff. You might consider giving her tylenol (check with your doctor first) about a half an hour before boarding.

Bring as many supplies as possible in case of travel delays. I was stuck in an airport for 8 hours with my 15 month old and had to beg milk off of the vendors as they were closing because I wasn't prepared for that type of delay We ended up finally taking off at 2 a.m.

Honestly some babies never have any trouble with flying and do just great. I'll send good thoughts your way and hope she's one of those. Good luck! :)

DD is also a higher needs baby and we took a lengthy trip at 9 months. It went 100 times better than I anticipated!!! I hope you have the same experience!

I made sure so nurse her or have her pacifier in her mouth during takeoff and landing to help with the pressure. I gave up on modesty (did a long time ago) and no one seemed to care other than one sideways look from an elderly man. She had her own seat for her comfort and mine (and added safety, of course). She was very happy playing with water bottles, my plastic cup, and the people sitting around us. If she's on solids, you can take some to help pass the time. DD had snacks on the flights we took. I took jars of baby food and cut up avocado and banana. Had no issues with security since it was for her.

I will take fewer toys next time, since she was way more interested in random stuff we came across. We're travelling next week and one "toy" is an empty tissue box with scarves inside.

Take and use the Ergo, ditch the Bjorn. So much more comfortable for you and her.

Take more diapers than you think you need.

Try to sit in the VERY first row. Not as much access to your carryons, but more room for baby and you.

Some planes have changing tables in the front bathroom. I never took her diaper bag, just her changing pad, a diaper, and wipes with me. It worked fine. One flight didn't have one, and that's another reason I'd recommend the front row with some room on the floor! It's hard to change a poopy diaper on your lap. (We were on Southwest).

Oh - big warning! Southwest does NOT have priority boarding for people with small children any more. It's so upsetting. So, be sure to check in electronically exactly 24 hours before your flight so you have early boarding. I didn't for two flights and it sucked!

Have fun!!!

I traveled with my son on Southwest when he was about 7 months old. I have also traveled with him multiple times since and all of them have been across country. One thing that I have done everytime was get him his own seat, however, this can be very expensive but if its possible it has been a lifesaver for me because I could put him in his car seat in the seat next to me and he could be comfortably asleep in the car seat.

Another life saver was tylenol. I know that no one likes to drug their baby but you should give tylenol about 30 minutes or so prior to take off and continue to do so by the directions throughout your flight. The reason is that babies ears don't pop like adult's ears do. Even if your daughter is sucking on something during takeoff and landing she can have a lot of pain in her ears. As well, the tylenol may help her sleep through parts of the flight that would bother her the most.

With Southwest you will not have a seat assigned to you and you will be allowed to preboard because of traveling with her. I always took a window seat because of preferences of my own, though I have never been told that I couldn't take an aisle seat. As well, where you sit is preference based but here are some recommendations. If she usually is lulled to sleep by droning noises (like the vacuum cleaner) then sit near the engines. This will make it more likely that she will sleep and a sleeping baby is easier to fly with than anyother. If she is not lulled to sleep by droning noises then take a seat in the back. This will make it so that you have easier access to the restrooms and if there are no changing tables (some Southwest flights have them and others don't) then you can put something soft down on the floor in the back of the plane and change her diaper. As well, it will be easier for you to get up and bounce her if you need to (your not allowed to stand in the forward part of the plane, but you can in the back). Also, when it is time to get off no matter where you are in the plane wait until everyone else has gotten off if you can. You won't feel as hurried then, you can get help from the flight attendants if you need it and you aren't trying to squeeze through everyone else.

If you have a connection that isn't near your arrival gate you can ask for a cart ride from your gate to your departure gate, that way you aren't trying to carrie baby and carryons all the way across the airport.

That's all I can think of. I have traveled across country with my son by myself 6 times now. It can be quite a handful but there are many things that make it easier. Oh, that reminds me if she has any comfort item (like a certain blankie) make sure you have it with you. Anything that can make it more like home is important.

The only horror story I have was when I had a flight that was scheduled at 6 in the morning and I missed the checkin time for the flight by less then 5 minutes and so I ended up on standby to try and fly across the country with my at the time 18 month old son. When I managed to get to the first stop I talked to one of the attendants at the gate and she actually rebooked my flight for me. For free I got the worth of 1600 dollars of flight. If you need help ask the flight attendants. They tend to be great and nice about things as long as you are nice to them.

And if you find you really have to use the restroom yourself you may be able to get a flight attendant to hold your little one long enough to let you use the restroom (I think trying to use the restroom myself was probably actually the hardest part though I was on planes for the majority of the day each day).

Hi P.,
I traveled with my son when he was 3 mos to Europe and many other short trips... my lifesaver many times was a complete change of clothes for me and the baby. Along with a couple ziplocks. We had a blow out on the way to Europe that was ugly. Washing up in the bathroom helps, but you need somewhere to store the soiled clothes. Changing the baby in the bathroom is not gonna happen, unless you are prepared to do it on your lap. Usually a nice neighbor will take a walk to make space or the flight attendant will find you a spot.... Nursing on the way up is tricky, but good for the ears... just remember to wait until you are already off the tarmac. Sometimes you end up waiting in line and nursing until you're dry then stuck on the way up! It's when your ears start to pop that it's really helpful and needed. It's worth it at times to take the car seat if your little one will sleep in it and it has some familiar toys. You can get them in for free if there is space... they'll check it if not (buy a cover so it stays clean!) Then you'll save on rentals and know your seat is safe. Absolutely necessary to have a quick fold stroller and backpack for all your things for security, they want it first. If you are alone, then make sure they open the stroller for you while you get your things and shoes. Sometimes they even wanted me to pass the baby through to them! Not happy on those days. But it all works out.

Hope something here helps! Have a grand time with Grandma!
E.

Hi P.,

I have twin girls. They are now 10 months old, but we traveled with them at the same age as your daughter halfway across the world and they did amazing! My husband is not American, so we traveled back to his country, Ghana, to stay for some time and be with his family. It was a total of nearly 30 hours traveling with one 2 hour flight and two 7 hour flights, and we crossed 4 time zones. I did the bottle at take off and landing and they were fine in the air. Also consider the time of day of the flight. We chose an over-night flight because of the distance we were traveling, knowing that they would sleep through the night. Since you are going 4 hours, maybe you can plan to fly during a nap time. If she sleeps the first two hours then you know that you have only two hours that she will be awake on the plane. I kept some tylenol with me just in case they needed help sleeping or their ears were bothering them, but I didn't end up using it. The airplane bathrooms are small, but the changiing table is normal size. They have the changing table that folds out of the wall. The best thing I can tell you is just relax and know that she is a baby, and most people are very understanding when traveling (especially alone) with an infant. My girls really surprised me at how well they did. All the flight attendants commented on how good they were. One thing they really liked was looking out the window at the clowds, so you might try to get a window seat. And also, when you get to the gate you can ask if there are any empty seats on the flight to take your car seat on. If there is space they will let you take it on the plane so your daughter will have her own seat.

Good luck and God Bless