Flying for the First Time with an Infant

You need to visit TSA.gov for the list of items you can have on the plane and through security screenings.

Travelling with a child that age isn't too bad from our experiences. If you come prepared with the right amount of food/milk, toys, diapers, you should be OK. We preferred to travel with an umbrella stroller the first time around, but we had our big double stroller with both kids when our daughter was newborn. Neither were bad because you can gate check the strollers.

Some people may recommend a shot of Benadryl before the flight - we never used it. We were able to have kids who slept most of the way or toys they liked that were entertaining enough to occupy them while in the air.

I wouldn't recommend Benadryl unless you've used it before, in some children it has the opposite effect and keeps your baby wide awake instead of sleepy. In my experience flying with an infant, the motion zonks them out anyways, so it's really not neccessary to drug your baby. Definetly nurse or give a bottle at take-off/landing to help with ear pressure. Try to relax yourself and your baby will most likely follow your lead. Good luck and have fun!

My 3 kids are all frequent flyers and have been since they were tiny. If you're relaxed, your baby will be too. It takes more time than when you didn't have the baby, so allow plenty of time. The carseat must go in a window if you take it on board. Definitely get the baby her own seat if you can. Personally, I don't like the bulkhead because you can't keep the diaper bag at your feet and accessible during take off and landing...which is when ears hurt and you need more distractions. I always took a pillow case to cover changing table surfaces with, a large but thin blanket in case it's cold or dirty, and several old produce bags for trash or diaper disposal. Use the barf bags as trash bags for diapers then take them to the lavatory yourself to throw in the trash. Some flight attendants look at you like you're handling radioactive waste if you try to toss a diaper into their trash sack. I changed diapers by laying the baby on the seat and kneeling on the floor more easily than I can change a 6 month old in the lavatory. The changing table in there is tiny and my babies were all very wiggly. Take baby tylenol or motrin and benadryl with you in your liquids baggie (and motrin or something for yourself too just in case). 20,000 feet is an ugly time for an ear infection or a fever to hit. If the kids have colds, I don't give the benadryl until we're on the runway in line for takeoff. Landing is worse on ears than takeoff, and it's terrible to give it too early and then it has worn off by the time you start your descent. Train your child from the first flight that if the seat belt sign is on, they must be buckled - captain's orders. You'll appreciate that training when they are wiggly toddlers. It's just like in the car, and if the baby is in her carseat it gives her a familiar seat even though so much of the airport/airplane experience is new for her....and can be overwhelming.

Large safety pins are really helpful in a hotel room so you can drape an extra sheet over the sides of the crib and secure it. If my babies could see us right there in the big bed, they had a much harder time going to sleep and woke up much earlier in the morning.

Try to relax, and have a great trip.

I alway make sure that I have toys..most places that you will stay have baby beds(you will just have to ask). Bring your own linens for the baby bed if that is important to you. I don't know if your baby still take as pacifier, but I would definitely have a couple on had. As for food and formula, I'm not for sure about food but with breast milk or formula that has liquid in it (not just the powder)..they want to take the lid off and swab around the rim. I would suggest if you are not checking a bag with food, if it is under 3 oz put it in a baggie. Have you bottles ready with the powder formula, and buy a bottle of water once you are through security. Have your baby suck as they are pressurizing the cabin, taking off, and coming down...it helps their ears to suck. Some pediatricians say that you can give them benedryl...I never have. If that is an option you are thinking about, and don't know the dosage...just call your dr.
Hope this helps!

L.

Our youngest was 6 months the first time we flew with her, it was a 3 1/2 hour flight. It was really not so bad, because at that age they are not really mobile yet (crawling, etc.) so they aren't fussing to get down and move around. We had our laptops and put on one or two Sesame Street DVDs so that held her interest for a while, but you'll need headphones. And a few new toys/objects, but nothing that makes loud/obnoxious noises because it will annoy the other passengers. I definitely agree with getting the bulkhead seats because you have a little more leg room, and also the non-stop flights because it is just a lot less hassle all-around.

At six months it shouldnt be a big deal. I flew at 5 1/2 mos, and he did great. I bought a ticket since I was by myself, and wanted to be able to put him down. He slept the whole flight. I flew near naptime and kept him awake til takeoff time, gave him a bottle and he conked out. If I was with my hubby, I wouldn't have bothered with buying him a ticket. If the flight isn't full, they will let you take your infant seat on anyways. Just say that you want to "gate check" your infant seat and your stroller if you want to keep it through security and if there isn't space they will take it below for you at the gate. If you aren't alone and have a carrier you probably won't need the stroller, but keep the infant carseat. You will have to put the seat and the stroller through the scanner- big huge pain the butt if you are alone. I had a carrier and had him in that while I struggled to get everything through the scanner. Those items have to be upside down- ugh. One flight no one helped me and watched me struggle, so I just took my sweet ol' time about it. Another flight the security floaters were a big help. Make sure you go through the "familiy line" not the business quick-check line. Not sure what the rules are on shoes these days, but wear easy to slip off shoes if you have to take them off. I just had socks on my son, I don't know if they would have wanted them off too. They do when they get older. I got all of my stuff ready before I got in line, had my shoes off, baggy of liquids out, and carseat in a plastic bag so that it wouldnt get gross in the conveyor belt. Airports have family bathrooms and I was able to roll the whole stroller in it and lock the door, and change him on the stroller. You just have to locate it, there are only a couple.

If your breastmilk is labeled in a milk bag, they let it through. Food and formula is also allowed, food in the original containers. (or it was up til last year). Water is not allowed, but you can get bottled beyond security. If you have powdered formula in the bottles and buy water that is easy. Pack some food, a couple bottles, a pacifier, a change of clothes and some diapers. You shouldn't need much else. I had my usual small bottles of medicines and such that I carry in the diaper bag but had the liquids in my baggy of liquids. Give the pacifier or bottle during takeoff and landing to help the ears.

Check the TSA website and your airline's website for the most current rules about traveling with liquids and such. Go to the sections for flying with babies. Also, on my airline, they didn't count the carseat or the stroller as a piece of luggage, so I had my carryon, personal item to carry on, a suitcase, a stroller and a carseat.

Find out from your airline what is required to prove your childs age and identity- they check birth certificates or shot records usually. You will not be able to check in online with an infant, you have to go the regular counter at the airport.

I was terrified of being one of "THOSE" people and was so nervous, and really didn't need to be. People were helpful and they are very forgiving of infants. Now traveling with a 15 mo old, or a 2 yr old, that is a different story. Much more difficult because they want to run around. At 6 mos it was a piece of cake. Don't stress and have fun!

I flew with a 5 month old and carried her in my Baby Bjorn carrier and it was wonderful. She slept mostly because she was close to me and was easy to nurse her as well. Be sure and use a pacifier for her ears though. Changing her diaper in the lavatory was very easy. They have a fold-down chainging table over the toilet and laying her down while in the carrier worked great. Having my hands free was great as well. I was also paranoid to let her go, so I felt better holding her the whole way. It was a five hour flight. Good luck!

You've already gotten some great advice so I will just add a couple of things. A bottle or pacifier help with ear pressure on the way up and down. If you give gas drops they also help with the pressure in their tummy. Like someone else said, at least one change of clothes for baby AND at least one extra shirt for mom (not a pretty thought but it happens!) lastly, relax as much as you can. Non-kid passengers might be impatient but there will be plenty of parents who have been in your shoes:-)

This website has a lot of great information - http://www.flyingwithkids.com/, My son was 6 months old when I first took him on a plane, by myself, on an overnight flight. I was so nervous about it, but it went really well. I didn't bother with a stroller, and instead used my beco butterfly carrier to get through the airport, and he stayed in it, sound asleep for the majority of the flight. Make sure to bring a pacifier for take off/landing to help her ears. I also found it helpful to bring my sons favorite blanket and a brand new and interesting toy to explore. Since diaper changing while flying solo was my biggest concern, I had him wear overnight diapers to make sure there was no leakage (I changed him of course, just not as frequently as he would need otherwise). That's all that comes to mind right now... good luck! Enjoy your vacation and try not to worry about the flight too much :)

You have a lot of great ideas here. I would bring a few plastic bags in case clothes get wet & need to be stored, or for any surprises. Bring plenty of food, water & formula. You never know when you could have a significant delay. Bring a few blankets. I always had one around my babies & one under my arm to cushion it from the armrest. I would bring something to lay down to change the baby. The airplane & airport bathrooms are gross & you will want something to lay underneath the baby. My #1 tip is to give a dose of Tylenol or other pain reliever as you are waiting to get on the plane. This will help ears. I always found babies much easier to travel with than toddlers.
Happy Travels!

I got some great information from a friend and wife of a pilot. Many tips listed below were on her list, but most helpful was the actual booking of the flight which I found SO helpful and refreshing:
•Book a non-stop flight so you don’t have to hassle with changing planes.
•Fly during off- peak hours, as airports will be less crowded and planes will likely not be as full.
•Look for flights that are scheduled during baby’s nap time.
•Try to secure first row or “bulkhead” seats, which offer more leg room and keep you from kicking / disturbing the seat in front of you.

my best tip to give is to bring a NEW toy (or 2 or 3), one that your baby has not seen before the flight. it will help to keep her distracted a bit more than toys she has already played with many times. also, plan to gate check your stroller AND carseat. if the plane isn't full, you can ask at the desk for them to move you to a row where there's an extra seat to put the carseat in, without having to pay extra! they are usually pretty accomodating if you ask nicely and there is space available! good luck!

The biggest advice I have for you is to be prepared to have some frustrations because it will happen! Take a change of clothes for the baby and a change of shirt for you in your diaper bag. If she is on solids, take enough food to get through the flight and to your hotel in your carry-on and pack the rest in your checked luggage or plan to buy it when you get there. Same thing with diapers. I bought food and diapers when we got to our destination. I nursed during take-off and landing to help with his ears. We've never had any ear issues while flying. My son slept most of the flight at that age. I tried bringing a new toy with us, but he wasn't really interested in it. I have flown with him in my lap as well as having his own seat. I recommend buying a seat for the baby if at all possible. Although he slept on me most of the flight, having the extra space for his "stuff" was a tremendous help. You know airline seats are small, but you don't realize how small until you are in one with a squirmy fussy baby in your lap and a frowning stranger rubbing elbows with you. If the baby is in your lap, make sure you take a copy of her birth certificate. Most airlines (if not all of them) require it. I way over packed for our first flight. It's hard to know what to take on board and what to put in your checked luggage. You have to put EVERYTHING through the security scanner. If you have all your stuff neatly stored in the stroller you will have to unpack it and repack it at security while holding your little one. It's not easy, but it can be done with lots of planning and patience. I didn't have formula, but I did have a sippy cup with water in it. They have to swab it at security which was really gross to me because who knows what all they have already swabbed with that wand thing! If you can, buy water for formula after you get through security. For me, a stroller was a must have in the airport, but my son was pretty heavy for his age and I didn't think I could carry him all day. And we needed it for our vacation. I gate checked it in a gate check bag I bought just for the trip. I hope all this helps at least a little! Have a wonderful vacation and TRY not to worry too much about it.

Security shouldn't be a problem. They may run a test on the food items, but they are usually pretty good about babies. 6mo old will do great on the plane.....especially if they aren't crawling yet. Give them a bottle going up and down or a pacifier. One thing that I learned the HARD way....bring at least 1 change of clothes for the baby..

It will be fine. My kids have flown A LOT. My youngest was 2mo on his first flight. They always do great. It gets harder when they start walking/running. My 2.5 year old gets really restless on flights. A portable dvd player does WONDERS for him.

Bring a pacifier! That is the main thing that kept our baby boy from even noticing the pressure change in the cabin of the plane. Have a great time!

The only thing that I have to add, is to dress her warmly or bring a good blanket. I see babies on the plane all the time with cute outfits that don't cover their legs and arms. It is hard to regulate the temerature on planes. One section will be cold and another not. Relax and enjoy your flight.

Toys, juice, a sippy cup or bottle if he/she is breastfed, b/c my 8 month old wouldn't nurse on the plane. If you can afford it, I would reccomend a seat for the baby. I couldn't and paid for it in frustration. I was alone though. My hubby stayed here, and we flew to Michigan from Texas. Be prepared for dirty looks and some embarrasment. :(