Flying with 6 Month Old - Bay City,MI

I've been travelling with my daughter since she was 8 weeks old. Here is what I have to offer:

1- Dress him in two pieces to make diaper changes easier. Not every plane has a changing table in bathroom...and sometimes it is nearly impossible to maneuver in there.

2- Definitely buy everything you can upon arrival, but think about where you normally buy things and if your baby is really particular about anything. I live in a big city and my daughter would only eat a specific kind of yogurt for a while...my parents live in a small town.

3- A familiar blanket or lovey that hasn't been washed recently so it smells familiar

4- I would pack a couple of "diaper change kits" rubberbanded together that I could pull out of my bigger carry on and stick in the seat pocket.

5- If you didn't buy a seat for the baby, be prepared to gate check the car seat (I haven't ever been charged for checking a car seat).

6- An extra shirt for who-ever may be holding the baby should go in the carry-on.

7- Copy of birth certificate and social security card.

8- Find out what type of medical insurance coverage you have where you are going. Some HMOs don't have benefits outside your home area...you may have to pay for care and then submit a claim. Identify a pediatric urgent care near where you will be before you go. I learned this one the hard way.

9- Pack small garbage bags in your diaper bag. You can use plastic grocery bags, but be sure they aren't leaky. THIS will be the time when your kid barfs all over you or gets horrible diarrhea during take-off...the time when you absolutely will not be allowed out of your seat.

10- If you use any type of baby carrier (moby wrap, bjorn, mei tai) this is a great time to use it. Having your hands free is priceless.

Good luck and have a great time at the wedding.

for the flight i would pack these things

diaper bag with needed diaper items for the flight and just after the flight till you can get to a store and a couple change of clothes for the baby and your older child.
then in another carry on size back pack snacks and quiet toys for both kids. if you have a portable dvd player and head phones that my do the trick for your older child. for the baby pack a few favorite small toys and favorite blanket and all youll need for bottles (buying the water after the check points)

other then that i think youll be ok :) it is helpful to have your baby drink or suck on take off and landing. also a big FYI if you put shoes on your baby they will also have to come off so i suggest just socks for him/her.

Just returned home from flying to AZ with my 3 y.o. and 8 mo. old son. We are lucky in that my sister had car seats and a stroller, so we did not need to bring them. I just used an Ergo carrier in the airport (much easier than hauling a stroller around). We co-sleep,so didn't need to worry about a crib or pack n play for sleeping, but that may be something to think about. We broungt evnough diapers/wipes for the travelling, but bought what we needed there. I nurse, so no need to pack or buy formula. We brought some snacks for the plane (bananas and yogurt melts for the baby), and a sippy cup to travel with (fillled it with water after going through security. The trip went well.

Packing lightly is smart! I flew with mine at 5 mos. I brought (and actually used) - a bag of pumped breastmilk and a bottle, a few pacis because inevitably one or two will hit the nasty floor, a couple of recieving-type blankets to lay on the seat or spread across the opening so that I could nurse if there wasn't anyone with us in the seat, a few diapers and a change of clothes, a couple of rattle type toys for him to play with. I took his carseat on the plane with us and gate-checked his stroller. If yours is eating baby food I would bring one or two jars of that with some take and toss spoons if you think it will be a feeding time while flying. I brought lots of babywipes and sanitizer wipes, and those throw away changing pads. But having his stroller was helpful, I was able to lay it flat and change him on that. At that age it was really easy. When I flew at 10 mos I didn't bring much more except I had finger snacks like puffs and a few more toys and books. Probably the best help was having his stroller, having a couple of blankies, extra pacis to suck on during landing and take off, and the wipes. When possible I always buy food and diapers on the other end. Much easier that way. In my luggage I had his toiletries and clothes and some extra pacis and bottle stuff.

Don't forget birth certificate or shot record or whatever your airline requires for documents for him!

Having sat on a plane after one of my kids puked on me, I advise you pack a change of tops for whoever has the baby to hold!!! Also milk/juice for the baby to drink on takeoff and landing helps ease ear pressure