Flying with My 8 Month Old

My kiddo who is almost two has jet setted all over this country and internationally.
Here are top things for travel:

DO not bring the car seat, it is way too big for the seat and will interfere with your comfort. If you purchase a seat for your baby or are lucky enough to have a vacant seat next to you, you can sit her up or lay her down with a blanket. The two of you will be much happier with the space.

On take off and landing, it is vital she have something to suck on to stave off the pressure: a pacifier or drink will suffice. If you want to go the distance, there are these things called "Ear Planes" (available at drug stores) that help with pressure issues. I would still have her drink or suck.

Hydration: it is key to keep her hydrated. Offer lots of liquid.

Infant Tylenol handy just in case

DON'T be timid of walking around with your baby up and down the aisle and take advantage of the larger space near the bathroom at the back of the toilet.

Remember to prepare yourself for security. It's a pain in the butt especially if you're doing it alone but be organized and it will help. Put your liquid (her drinks, medicine) into Ziploc bags and be sure to let the TSA person know you have them.

Happy Flying!

1 mom found this helpful

I have taken my 7 month old on several plane trips already. Actually, a lot of infants fall asleep better with the motion and humming of the plane. Just make sure to feed her on the way up and the way down to help her ears with the pressure. A lot of people give a dose of children's benedryl to help with the sleeping aspect. It might be useful since the planes are so jammed packed nowadays and you don't want her all over the person next to you. What works best for me is carrying my baby in a carrier (the one that is a back pack type, but in front) around the airport which is soothing and then feeding her on the way up, she usually falls asleep and stays asleep for the majority of the flight. Hopefully you aren't going on a long overseas flight :)

We flew at 6 months with a very active, sometimes cranky little girl. We borrowed a portable DVD player from my sister and bought a few Baby Einstein videos... worked like a charm. She was very entertained (read: distracted!) during the flights to and from our destination. I think you can get a decent portable DVD player for about $60-$70, however a laptop will also work and you can always ask to borrow one of these from a friend or relative.

I have been flying with my daughter since she was 5 months old, and the best thing I did was to get a seat for her and bring her carseat. I gave her a bottle as the plane takes off, and she's usually alseep. Bring a familiar lovey, and something new that she may have an interest in as well, just in case. Depending on your flight, a lot of airlines are getting rid of pre-boarding for parents with young children, so be prepared to move relatively quickly when you board.

Good luck!

Wow, you've gotten alot of advice but here is mine. I flew with my now almost 9 mos. old when she was 7 mos. AS SOON AS YOU CHECK IN, as for the bulkhead seat. It's up front with lots of legroom and such and easier for taking care of a baby. Plus, if the plane isn't full many times it'd be just you and who you're flying with in the row. I didn't do this, but I will next time (as she made her own game from my sister's purse and the diaper bag). Get cheap age appropriate toys (some old, some new maybe) and an old purse or bag of some kind and put it all in there. Then as you fly (after you feed them on the take off of course) let her go through it one item at a time, very entertaining. We also brought the travel DVD player and it worked well too. We had a 3 hour flight and she only slept for an hour so we spent 2 hours playing, singing, watching DVDs, going through our purse and rubbing our heads on her tummy and letting her grab our hair (which normally I don't let her do as it hurts, but I wanted to be sure she was happy on the flight so I let her), blowing air on her face (she LOVED this, why I'm not sure), and lifting her up and down (watch out for the lower ceiling height by the windows...we had a little boo boo there). She was also entertained just turning the lights on and off above us. I let her hit the button a couple times, but not the flight attendant light of course. :-) Basically, anything goes find what works and do it. Switch it up often and do your best. If need be and it's a long flight, they'll let you walk up and down the aisle (we didn't have to do this, but another father was). Good luck and have fun!

call doc to get something that will make the baby sleepy. She alsoneeds to be sucking on a bottle on take off and landing due to pressure changes. She can't po her ears like adults.

The first time I lew with my daughter she was also 8 months. It was much easier than I thought it was going to be & she was NOT an easy baby. She never slept any where either, but she did end up sleeping on the plane in my arms. I think the moovement of the plane & continuous noise of the plain put her to sleeep. I made sure she had lollipops, even at 8 months, to suck on as we went up & came down b/c it is harder for them to get their little ears to pop. Honestly, I don't think it will be as bad as you think. I don't know if you are doing this alone, but I did do it alone & she was better than normal. Something new & exciting.

Does she ever fall asleep in the car? Maybe she can take an earlier nap. I know when I flew with my son the Dr's recommended Benadryl, but she is probably too young. I am not one for drugging a child, but the Dr said he would be less likely to become anxious from all the commotion and fall asleep. Anyways if she does fall asleep in the car , do you think she would fall asleep if she was sitting in her carseat on the plane. Overall it should be fine as long as you feed her while you are taking off and landing so her ears don't pop. Good Luck!
www.DiscoveryToysLink.com/LisaRyan Lisam

What we have done in the past with my kids is, we check to see if there is a empty seat beside us. If there is you can either buy a ticket or if it's not in your budget we would hope no one is beside us and take a chance with it being empty. We would bring my kids car seats with up to put the kids in to nap. The only problem is the car seat has to be beside the window. That is what usually worked for us. This of coarse wold only work if your daughter can sleep in her car seat.

Good Luck

C. :)

Just have lots of toys and snacks to keep her distracted. Otherwise, when you check in, ask the gate agent if there are two empty seats next to each other and ask them to reassign your seats (if the flight isn't full). That way, you'll have a seat and she'll have a seat (that you didn't have to pay for) and hopefully she'll fall asleep for you.

hey I just did this a month ago--

I also had my 7 yr year old in tow so I tried to make things as simple as possible!

I packed the diaper bag with our luggage and put what I would need into a backpack. If he had already been fussy that day then I would have given him some tylenol since he's getting teeth left and right. I had his fav toys clipped on those ring things that could either hang off the back pack strap or even my belt loop.
Do you babywear? I have a mei tai that I love! So I put my baby in it in the parking lot and wore it til we got to security, put it back on again and he fell asleep. I ended up taking it off during the flight but when we landed, I put him back in it before we got off the plane. It allowed me to be hands free which was very helpful, especially while we connected in Atlanta--didn't have to worry about trying to dart through the busy crowd with a stroller. I could also go into the bathroom and not have to put him down.

Good luck mama!

Hi again, P.. Well, you might not be able to avoid the crankies. Flying is a big, new experience for baby, and with all the people around, she may not want to sleep at all. You will want to pull out all the soothing behaviors you can muster. Bring her favorite things including blanket, toys, books, etc. Sing her favorite songs and keep yourself as calm as possible. Act like this is just another place you two are going to, no big deal like a car trip or a bus trip. I don't know if there is any way you can arrange for some kind of portable crib to attach to a seat near you or something. Check with the airline to see how they might accomodate you, but generally, you have to hold your baby in your arms for the entire flight -- at least, that's the way they did it 27 years ago when I flew with my baby boy.

Peace,
Syl

Hi P.,
You'll want to check with the airline to be sure, but most times if you purchase a seat for your little one, they require you to bring a car seat to strap them in during takeoff and landing. I flew alone with my son when he was six months old, and that was the requirement, so I was not able to breastfeed during takeoff and landing. I was worried about his ears, but he didn't even seem to notice - did not complain (cry) at all.

I do not recommend a dose of Benadryl. Some babies get sleepy, but other babies have the opposite reaction, as one of the side effects of Benadryl can be "excitability." I would hate to see it backfire on you. At that age, even if she misses her nap on the plane, she will likely fall asleep in the car afterward, or maybe skip nap altogether and just be cranky. Either way, don't stress, it is so much easier if you just go with the flow when traveling, and expect that baby's schedule may be a little off.

Call the airline and see if they have a seat next to you available or if there is two together somewhere else. It's easier if you can purchase a kids seat and take the car seat along. I took my (then) 9 mon old on a plane and we purchased a ticket for him. Just tell them it's for an infant car seat, you should get a cheaper ticket that way.
Also make sure you have a bottle done up so that if she is a wake she can suck on the bottle during take off and landing, this will help with the ears.

I have a two year old and he has flown about 8 times. There are a couple things you can do. At the gate ask to be seated by an open seat so you have more room (if the flight isn't full) and then lay her down next to you so she can "spread out" a little. The roar of the plane will make anyone tired and you probably won't have any problem. Bring her favorite blanket and dress her in comfy clothes, change her diaper before you get on the plane and don't forget a bottle of something or a paci in case her ears are hurting. There is always the Benadryl trick if all else fails. Good Luck!

Don't worry about naptime! She'll be too excited to sleep at first, then will be out cold later. What you do need to bring is 2 bottles of milk. During take-off and landing her ears are more sensitive to the pressure changes, and she will scream like a banshee if you don't stay ahead of it! So, do your best to time it so she is reasonably hungry keeping in mind airport delays and all, and from when you take off until you reach your flying altittude try to get her to drink - at least a sip every minute or so. Same thing with landing, although it's not as intense. This will save your life!! someimtes a paci will work - but I have even had to whip out the boobs to keep it under control!! So, do your best! I don't know how long your flight is, but bring cheerios and a book. They are usually really interested in what's going on around them more than the toys, so your bag of peanuts will go really far!! 8 months is actually pretty easy to travel with - they can't get too far away!! When we fly, we always take the red-eye, so the kids will sleep on the plane, and we all arrive in the morning ready to go! Good luck! :)

I've flown with mine since they each were 6 months old. Nursing or giving a bottle at take off and landing and any time they want while in flight worked for me. I also remember flying to Denver when my son was 8 months. I had to go for work, so my co-worker and I bought our seats in the same row (window and aisle) in hopes that no one would buy the seat in between. We set the boppy up in that seat and he fell asleep for most of the flight with that as a pillow. I would go to the desk as soon as you get there and let them know you have a baby. Usually if it's not a full flight they will put you next to an empty seat.

i traveled 2 hours each way home with my infant son at 3 months and 6 months. what worked for me is to have plenty of milk on hand and use a front carrier like baby bjorn. the movement along with being close to you and feeling your body warmth tends to lull them to sleep. if you can do this and add a bottle of warm milk (if you have the opportunity) it should work. also keep a pacifier or two on hand if she uses one. i attached mine to the carrier. try not to let her fall asleep until you are about to board if you can. good luck!