Flying with a Baby for the First Time - Help!

I just wanted to reiterate 2 quick things that other mamas mentioned, but I wanted to add the reasons that they make a really big difference in having a positive experience:

1) A small umbrella stroller is MUCH easier to get through security than the regular strollers. My umbrella stroller was $10.99 at Toys-R-US and I use it for traveling on planes.
-I can collapse and open it with 1 hand
-I know for sure it will fit through the screener
-I can carry it along with my baby and my bags if I have to walk a few steps away from security before being able to get the baby back into the stroller. Same goes for when I get off the plane. I sometimes have to just grab the stroller and keep moving a few steps before I find a place I can get the baby into the stroller out of the way of the stampede of people getting off the plane. With my regular stroller, there is no way I could just grab it with 1 hand and keep walking.
-They come in a million colors and patterns, so I can spot mine as soon as I get off the plane.
-And the best part, if it gets lost, broken or abused by the airline, I DON’T CARE! It was $10! I can get another one or two or ten!

2) One of the earlier posters mentioned that the family boarding is after A, so it’s better to have an early A boarding pass. I wholeheartedly agree. It’s worth sitting at your computer to check-in the minute online check-in opens (I think 24 hours for SW?)
-You’ll be closer to the bathroom with the changing table
-You’ll be one of the first ones off when everything gets chaotic when you land, and
-If you’re lucky enough to get a “bulkhead” seat, you’ll have much more room
-You’ll have fewer people staring at you with the “why can’t you keep your baby quiet” face. Seriously, do all of those people not know that babies cry? I’m always able to get mine to calm down very quickly, but I’m dumbfounded by the people that will give me a dirty look at the very first peep he makes! Come on! Everyone was a screaming baby once!

And one last thought--- someone else mentioned that since SW doesn’t charge for bags, so you might actually want to check instead of carrying on. I have to say, I’ve come to agree with that as well. Waiting for the bags to come off the plane after your flight is annoying, but may actually be easier because your tot will be safely locked in the stroller. When you carry on, you get on the plane after you have already left your stroller and then you have figure out how to get bags stowed away while holding your baby. Not fun.

Good luck!

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Yep -gate check the stroller! You may want to consider getting an umbrella type stroller. They're fabulous for this type of thing! I had the Graco monster and flew twice with it, but we bought a Maclaren Volo and it's the best stroller ever -fast and easy and sturdy! I haven't even used the Graco with my second baby!

Just take deep breaths and brace yourself for security. It's truly a pain!

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I agree with them about the stroller. Other things to consider. Bring a bottle of milk and pacifier (if your baby uses one). Sometimes the cabin pressure on take off and landing can increase and hurt their ears. This will help that. Maybe you'd want to have one of those strap on things to carry/hold the baby in front of you so your arms aren't always having to hold the baby when you're sitting down.

Bring distracting toys. If your baby gets fussy, have something to grab the baby's attention. They have a toy that laughs hysterically when jostled. Please don't just let the baby cry without trying to do various things that you know has worked before. Maybe its a wet or dirty diaper. Be very active about it so the other flyers won't be going nutsy.

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On other flying tip-- I took a bag full of ear plugs, just incase my kid screams. It can ease the tension with the people sitting around you if you offer them earplugs... I've never had to use them, but it makes me feel better. :-)

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I fly southwest also. I have "gate checked" my stroller, and one time it was the monster Graco stroller when he was in his infant seat. You will have to check in at the counter since you are traveling with a baby, you can't use one of the little kiosks. So when you do that, just tell them you will be gate-checking your stroller. I can't remember if they tag it for you then or at the gate. Then you will go through security, you will need to put the stroller through the xray machine. So plan to have to take baby out, fold up the stroller and get it on the conveyor belt with your carryon, and then you can strap baby back in after you go through the scanner. Once you get to the gate let them know you have a stroller to gate-check. With mine, they let me keep him in the stroller until you get down the ramp and just outside the plane door. Then you take baby out and collapse the stroller and they will put it below. They bring it back up to that same spot when you land. That is how mine worked, but regardless, they will let you know at the gate counter how they want you to do it. You will be able to board between groups A and B if you don't do online checkin.

The hardest part of the whole process is going through security. If you decide to try to bring your carseat too, you will have to also get that onto the conveyor belt to be screened, so it makes it more difficult to juggle another thing. Once I had absolutely no help and everyone just kinda stood there staring at me. So I took my sweet time while I juggled baby and held up the line. I was in the family boarding line, so I figured they could just wait. All the other times, either one of the TSA employees or another passenger has helped me collapse the stroller and get everything through the machine. I just made sure I had everything ready in bins and shoes off and liquids bag out before I stepped into the line to go through the screeners. Make sure you have some proof of his birth, I had to have a birth certificate or shot records. If yours takes a pacifier have a few of those on hand for take off and landing for the ears. And inevitably baby will throw one on the floor. Or have a bottle ready, the sucking will help whichever one you choose. Otherwise, pack lightly so you aren't juggling too much stuff. It was always much easier than I expected it to be. Good luck and have fun!

1 mom found this helpful

R.m and Cathy have given you great advice on going through security and making sure you have what you need on the plane for baby, including something to suck on for the cabin pressure ascending and descending. The better prepared you are, the easier everything will be. Make sure you don't wear a bra with underwire or a belt just in case the machines are real sensitive.

Happy traveling!
D.

I'm sure you've already gotten all the answers you needed, but I just wanted to add my 2 cents to help reassure you : )

We've taken my 2 boys to Disney on Southwest the last 2 summers -- no ticket for the baby either trips. In 2008, we had a 3 yr old and a 4 month old, this year a 4 yr old and 16 month old. The first trip we gate checked our fairly big Joovy Caboose and baby carrier. The second trip we just had out trusty Joovy. These were checked with no problem. Just go up to the counter when you get to your gate and let them know what you have. They give you a tag, take it right outside the plane doors, and have it waiting for you -- sometimes open and ready : ) when you land.

Just be prepared as I'm sure you usually are on an outing. The 1st trip the baby pooped halfway through the flight and we changed him across our laps. The 2nd trip he peed through his clothes and mine as we were landing. We were the last off the plane b/c we took the time to change him as everyone was rushing about.

Don't forget to bring along you sense of humor and a little bit of patience and you'll do fine!

Good luck!
T.

Hi there - yes, you can take the stroller all the way to the gate - and then you would need to fold down the stroller while holding your baby (I find that most other passengers do not know how to fold down strollers so I would not assume you would get help from a stranger). And then after you deplane, you would wait at the exit of the plane as they will get the stroller for you (at that point, you would open the stroller on your own holding your baby). It is not bad though - I have flown with my now 1 year old a couple of times on my own... seems more scary than it actually is.
good luck!

Just returned from a trip to Orlando with my 18 month old daughter. Yes, you can take your full size stroller right up to the gate and you leave it right outside the plane. When you check-in, you get a special tag for your stroller. The airline then stores the stroller under the plane and return it to you after exiting the plane at your destination either in the same location or right inside the gate. Very convenient!

I've been flying with my son (now four) on Southwest since he was 3 months old! All in all it's very doable.

Yes. You can "gate check" the stroller. They'll take it right from the door of the plane and put it back there (with the wheelchairs and stuff) when you arrive.

Also, the nice thing about Southwest is that your seats aren't assigned. If your flight isn't full, you can even bring her carseat on board and strap her in if you choose (just make sure you do the online check in as early as possible so you'll be one of the first on the plane... family boarding is AFTER group A, so it's better to get an A boarding number). Obviously if there's space you can use the extra seat whether you bring her carseat or not, but I've found (even now at 4yo) my son is happiest in his car seat and it makes it okay for me to nap and not worry about him getting down while I'm sleeping.

Second, since bags are free on Southwest, I'd actually recommend checking rather than carrying on anything you don't actually need for the flight itself. It will just be easier when dealing with your little one.

Hope this helps.

T.

Hello! My daughter was also 9-mos when I took her on her first flight on Southwest. Great airline. One tip for the plane, if you have to change your baby only the front restroom as a changing table...small one but it is one. It also helped with my babies ears to give her a bottle when we took off and when we landed. I heard other babies crying during those times but my little one did just fine. Have a good trip!

We just flew Southwest with our 3.5 year old in Feb. They were great! We weren't sure whether to bringteh car seat for heront he plane, but we tried it. We could make it work, so we "gate checked" it - which is just as you described. They put a special tag on it and take it from you as you board, then have it ready for you when you deplane. I called SW before our trip so that I woudl know what to expect, and they also told me that they will gladly gate check strollers or car seats, but that it will count as one of the ticket holder's checked baggage. So, you'd only be allowed one bag to check if you gate check the stroller. Hoep that helps!

Yep you can take your stroller right up to the plane and they'll tag it and take it below for you.

When I flew SW with my son, they gave me a HORRIBLE time b/c I had not brought along proof of his age (they said list of shots or birth cert or something official). So make sure you bring something that proves how old your little one is. The stroller should be no problem (they check it in). The only problem will be if its hard to get through security (don't know how big it is). And the worst is if the little one is asleep at security, b/c you have to pull them out so they can do the stroller separately.

Hi - sounds like you got great advice on the stroller. I did want to mention one more thing about traveling with a lap child. Make sure you hold onto your baby! In case of unexpected turbulence. During take off and landing, you should have your baby straddle you and place your hand on the baby's pack and head. Inflight, I have used a sling, but you can not use this during take off and landing.
Enjoy your trip!

Yes you can take your stroller all the way to the gate! We have done it many many times. You can either tell them when you check-in or when you get to the gate that you need to check your stroller. You leave it right outside of the plane and it will be sitting in the same spot for you when you get off! It is convenient! Good luck!

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never flown, but these sound awesome

You can take your stroller all the way to the gate and they will give you a check ticket there. I would not check it at baggage because there is a chance it will get lost. (That happened to us in San Francisco........we had to use a crappy 'loaner' carseat and didn't get our carseat/stroller until the next day) If you check it at the gate it will be waiting for you when you get off the plane.

With carrying on diaper bag stuff, they usually didn't give us a problem with either ready-to-feed bottles or the individually packaged formula packets. 2 bottles of water max for the baby's bottle, etc...

Good luck!

I haven't read the answers, but I flew southwest with my daughter on my lap and i just wanted to make sure that you know that you need a birth certificate for your baby. You will have to get in the full service line when you get to the airport for a boarding document for the baby. Also, I don't know about the big graco strollers, but I have taken a smaller umbrella stroller and i found that works pretty well. Good luck.

You can also gate check your car seat. I have flown many, many times with my baby and just take the carseat that clicks into the stroller, and if there is an empty seat on the plane, you have the car seat. Just a thought...
When you get to the gate, you need to go to the counter and ask for a gate check. Do this before they start boarding the plane. You have to fill out the little form and attach it to your stroller. It really is not as bad to fly with a little one as you might think. People are usually really helpful, and if you can minimize your anxiety, your little one will be relaxed as well. I always carry a bottle of "Rescue Remedy" with me. It is a natural homeopathic remedy that "takes the edge off" if your baby starts to freak out. Its totally safe for little ones (check with your doc if you want to) and a nice thing to have in your back pocket! One or two drops and baby is calm and having a fun flight! Good luck!!