6 Month Olds First Flight

Hey, hope this comes in time. My daughter would always come down with an ear infection after flying. The last couple of times, we gave her ear plugs and she was fine. With my other child who was much younger then, I had a bottle and also breast fed.
Best wishes

Hi M.! My husband and I flew with our son when he was 5 months old, last October. He was still breatfeeding so I made sure he was suckling during takeoff and landing becasue I had heard the same thing about their ears. It's supossed to be better for them even if they just suck on their binky. We had no problems on the entire trip there (we went to Mexico) or back. The airlines were more then accomodating. When we got to Mexico there was actually an airport official who when he saw that I had in infant, raced over to me with a wheelchair, made me sit down and wheeled us to the FRONT of the customs line, gave the official our passports and then wheeled me to a taxi! It was so nice to go to a country with that really treasures children, not to mention little babies. I don't know where you are flying but just relax, go with the flow and there will no doubt be another mom on the plane with a small child. There were 3 others on our flight. When we landed the mom 2 rows ahead of me said "I didn't hear a peep out of yours the whole flight!" Little did she know he was nuring the minute he started to fuss. Just make sure you have a bottle ready and some binkies and it should be a breeze. Have a great flight!

Hi There. My husband and i took our daughter on a plane for the first time when she was 8 months (from Philly to Los Angeles). I don't know if you would consider a pacifier (that's what we used), but the bottle should be sufficient. She didn't experience much in the way of discomfort, or very little (fortunately). In fact, it wasn't until she was older that we had a little more of a problem, but she always gor over it pretty quickly. Good luck to you!

I have done a lot of flying with my LO, with much success (little crying, that is). We went on our first flight when he was 8 weeks old, and he's been on many flights since, so please let me know if you have any other questions.

Here are some tips that come to my mind immediately:

For an infant, I always tried to have him nurse/take milk from a bottle during take-off and landing. This does help ears, and it helps better than a pacifier, because it is the swallowing that helps their ears pop, not necessarily the sucking.

Bring plenty of quiet toys for the ride, especially books if your son likes you to read to him. I find a portable DVD player to be invaluable - but I hold off on using it until he is bored with all his other toys.

I recommend taking the car seat, if at all possible. If you bought him a seat on the flight, I'm sure you would. But even if you didn't, if there are any empty seats on the flight, if you ask the flight attendants/gate agents they will often move you to a seat where there is an empty seat next to it. Then you can use the car seat on the plane, and it is much more likely that your son will sleep/be comfortable if he has his seat. If there aren't any empty seats on the plane, then you will just have to gate-check the seat, which isn't hard.

At security, just be very organized. Although you can't take liquids/gels through security in general, you can take baby food, liquid formula, and breastmilk. Have any bottles and/or baby food in a separate container so that you can tell the TSA officer that you have it and they will inspect it. Be prepared to take the baby out of the stroller, fold the stroller and put it through the x-ray machine, because you will have to do that.

Give yourself lots of time to get through, because it will take longer to get everything back together after security, and also because you want to change your son's diaper just before you get on the plane - most plane restrooms don't have changing tables in them (there are a few exceptions, but not many) and in that case, your only option once you are on the plane is to change the baby on your lap! And the people in the seat next to you just love this ;)

If you fly alot, you know this, but most flights don't serve food anymore, so be sure to take enough food with you so he doesn't get hungry on the plane!

That's all I can think of for now - good luck!

Hi M., my name is H. and my husband is active military also. We actually were stationed in Italy and had to do the long flights just to come home and visit. now I made the flight a few times alone with a baby. your best bet is to bring some motron or tylenol with you I really used that as a last resort but in some cases that is the only thing that would help. You are right the sucking for him will help but as you know he cant consantly be drinking a bottle this sounds weird but I realized that if I would rub my hand together really fast and get them really warm and then put them on my sons ears that did help also. Good luck with your flight and I hope that I have helped at least a little bit..

Hi M.,

I flew with my daughter to Europe when she was six months. The ears didn't seem to bother her that much, but I still fed her during take off and landing just in case.
I brought with me a large cushy pillow and put her on my lap on it. She was confortable and slept the whole way.
For the airport, I just brought the stroller and checked it right before we got on the plane and it was there when we came out.
Good luck on your trip

Hey M.. I do have experience actually my husband was also active duty when my children were small. I flew home from Germany with a 6 week old and a 3 year old alone. The key is to get alot of rest the night before. The bottle will def. help with ears popping and also ask your doctor about given the baby a small dose of Benadryl. The Benadryll a day or two before suppossedly helps with ears also. Of course you need to ask the doctor to make sure he isn't to young. Good luck with your flight.
A. L

Hi M.. It really isn't that bad traveling with an infant. It is easiest to bring them in their stroller so you have a place to keep them rather than carrying them throughout the airport. They will gate check the stroller for you when you check in at the gate. Just make sure you see one of the attendants at the desk so they can give you the tag for the stroller. If you have booked an extra seat for him, it is easiest to bring the infant carrier car seat because they are FAA rated for rear facing in the airplane. I would try to get a seat in the bulkhead row if possible. This way you have more room to maneuver. When you are going through the security checkpoint, make sure that you don't have any shoes or coats on him, because they will make you take them off. They also make you put the stroller/car seat through the metal detector. For the flight itself, I would make sure you have either a bottle or juice or milk plus a pacifier if he takes them. THe sucking motion really does help with the ears. I also found that it is best to book your flight around one of their nap times, so that they sleep on the plane. When I traveled with my son at that age, I just nursed him during takeoff, and he fell asleep through the entire flight and landing. I hope this helps. Good luck with your flight!

we took our first flight with my son at five months. I kept a small bottle for take off and landing (I was also nursing at the time so that made it convenient too). I started his bottle the minute the plane took off...he was sucking for the entire incline on the first flight and fell asleep promptly after finishing the bottle...he slept until right before landing when I got him up to change him. I gave him another small bottle on the decent (I started it when my ears started to pop) and he was just fine...on the return flight he slept through take-off...so if he's asleep, you shouldn't have any problems. Flight attendants will warm a bottle for you, but I found that it was always warmer than I wanted, so plan for that.

If you have a Baby Bjorn or something similar that really made getting loaded and unloaded onto the plane MUCH easier for us. ASK to be pre-boarded too...not all airlines do it, but you should ask anyway, they may move you up in boarding section if you ask the right person if they don't pre-board.

Good luck!

I have flown with both my children at very early ages. The first time, I flew from Boston to San Francisco when my son was 6 weeks old. The second child, I flew from Boston to Philadelphia when my daughter was five days old.

The best advice I can give you is make sure you purchase a seat for your child. It does not matter how long or short the flight is, having the baby sit on your lap is uncomfortable for you and the baby. Call the airline in advance. Some carriers have special rates for infants or children under one year old. Also, check with airport about being able to bring your stroller to the gate. Most will let you and then check it in with the attendants as you are boarding. When you land, it will be there as you get off the plane. Less carrying for you.

Also, my doctor suggested that I bring a face cloth with me on the plane. Before take off and landing place a hot, wet face cloth over your baby’s ears. I brought my face cloth in a zip lock bag and wet it in the restroom on the plane after I was seated. The heat and moisture help to relieve the pressure in the baby’s ears. Works great.

I also tried to hold off feeding my babies their bottles so they were hungry while taking off. That way we had a better chance of the baby accepting the bottle during take-off and landing.

Have a great trip!

M.,

Check the archives... Just in the last month or so, since I've become a member, I've answered this questions 2 or 3 times, as have many others! There are a lot of good suggestions already on MamaSource!

Good luck! My daughter was 7 months the 1st time she flew, and she was fine...the sucking is important.

I just recently flew with my 10 month old. She did fine. I did early morning flying. She slept the entire trip. I actually took too much stuff, but too much is better than to little!! Mine is also a pacifier lover so I made sure to have at least 3!! Good luck with your flight. My husband is also Active Duty military....I know what your going through!!

Hi. Like most people have said nurse or bottle at take off AND landing. I bfeed my son while in flight (if it is a long flight), but for take off and landing I have used the premade formula bottles. It is so much easier to use a bottle for those two times, especially if you are in a middle seat!

Small books and toys and photos of your child and family and friends are good too.

Enjoy! You will be surprised how many parents (who are travling with out their children) on the flight will offer to help.

Not sure how long your flight is but I took my son overseas when he was 11 month old.
Luckily he had tubes in his ears put in just the month before, so he did not get the pressuer problems in his ears.
But nursing or a bottle during take-off will help adjusting the pressure.
If the flight is long, try to get bulkhead seating in advance and ask for a bed. They will attach it for you and the baby can lay down.

They will have you put the stroller on the belt for secuity, try to keep things neat in bags so it's quick and easy to fold up and back down.

Best of Luck! And if the baby cries, don't worry about what others might think on the flight. Most of them have been there and the ones that get annoyed will most likely never cross your ways again.

Hi
I nursed my kids on planes during takeoff and landings and through over 30 flights with my daughter alone we NEVER had ear pain. Bring more than you think you will need of food and toys. At 6 months, there isn't as much toys needed but spare clothes and more diapers than you think because if you get stuck off schedule (delayed) it's nearly impossible to get replacement clothes and diapers in the off hours. If you get sent to a hotel by the airlines you will NOT have your luggage, just what you carried so keep that in mind. I use a rolling packpack that I super pack including a shirt for me. Pashmina style wraps that are washable are excellent for keeping you warm, or the baby or creating a private environment for the two of you. Some kids are really spooked by all the commotion. Make sure you have a baby photo book with daddy's picture and anyone else that makes your baby smile! Happy travels. I've had many more good experiences than bad. My daughter had a gold frequent flier card before she was 3! T. in Delaware
www.homemadegourmet.com/tuesday815101
To benefit Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation

Hi, My sister has been flying with my neice since she was 3 weeks old. She is now 7 months old She just makes her drink during take off and landing and every once in a while during the flight and has never had a problem, with the babies ears. I do recommend that you bring extra diapers and formula with you incase you are delayed, the last time they flew they were stuck on the plane for 4 hours before they took off and she only had her carry on stuff with her. Also, you cant bring water bottles to the airport you have to have the bottles mixed before hand and in a plastic ziplock bag

Make sure you have a bottle or sippy cup ready to go when the plane takes off and lands. But don't worry too much. I have three children who have flown with us since they were infants. One year, when they were seven, four and two, the two year old had an ear infection. She was the only one that didn't seem bothered during take-off and landing. The rest of us were trying to swallow, chew gum, etc. She happily smiled in her car seat! Go figure! D. Fletcher

I was really nervous before I took an international (overnight) flight to South America with my 6 month old son, but it actually was not hard to do. (I don't even remember the flight home, it was so uneventful.) It did help that it wasn't a crowded flight and I could lay him on two empty seats next to me to sleep.

I made sure that I had an extra change of clothes for myself and some plastic bags for dirty laundry, which was smart because he threw up a few times (this was because of a reaction to solid food--fruit--and NOT the flying). So I would suggest sticking with foods your baby can already stomach and not introducing anything new right before/during your travel.

We had significant layovers, and I took some disposable playmats so I could let him play with his toys on the floor without worrying about him getting dirty. This was really helpful; I could then just toss them. Disposable bibs were helpful as well. A stroller is good to have as well if you'll have any layovers; they'll help you tote your carry-ons and they're easy enough to gate check.

I was breastfeeding at the time, and on this and other flights I took with my son, I breastfed at takeoff and landing to help with ear pressure; it seemed to work. We didn't have any issues.

The international flight was actually easier than a short, crowded one-hour flight I took a couple weeks later. The plane was crowded and I was cramped between two people and essentially nursing the whole time. The woman next to me had a really shiny silver cd player which my son tried to grab the ENTIRE time. It would have been better to have an aisle or window seat.

Good luck.

Hi M.,

Sucking definitely helps on planes. I used to nurse my son on the way up and down. If your son is breastfeeding, plan to just hold him and nurse him. If you are bottle feeding, then a bottle will do well as well. I took my son on several flights at that age and he did great. I would also suggest bringing your car seat and stroller and gate checking them - that way you have them as soon as you get off the plane and they don't get "lost" with the luggage. If there is an empty seat - you can even bring your car seat on the plane.

Have a great flight!

J.

A Mother's Boutique
Breastfeeding clothing, nursing bras, breast pumps, slings and accessories.
MamaSource members save 10% off their first order (excluding breastpumps) with coupon MAMASOURCE
http://www.mothersboutique.com

Hi M.,

I agree with everyone else that said to feed the baby during takeoff and landing. This worked well for me.

Here are some other tips I have learned:

If you did not purchase a seat for the baby, ask at check-in if there are any empty seats. The airline may be able to move you to a row with an empty seat next to you. Next time you book your flight, leave the center seat empty, (if you are traveling with your husband). People are less likely to choose a center seat so you have a hire likelihood of it remaining empty. You will definitly appreciate the extra space.

Make sure you change your baby's diaper right before you board the plane. Most planes do not have any space at all for you to change them.

Also, when you get on the plane, take EVERYTHING you could possibly need during the flight and shove it into the seatback pockets. Don't forget about burp cloths or napkins. If the seatbelt sign is on you will not be able to get into the overhead compartment, and it is impossible to bend down to get stuff from under the seat if you have a little one one your lap.

If you are using your stroller, and gate checking it, remember that you will have to fold it up and put it through security, so the less stuff that is in the basket underneath, the easier it will be.

When my husband and I flew with 2 boys under 3 and 2 cats, we found that strangers were very helpful to us. Take advantage of the kind gestures offered by others.

Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of pre-boarding. If you have a car seat you will need the extra time to get situated, if not you may want to board alte so that you spend less time cramped in the airplane seat.

Good luck!

N.

I flew many times with an infant... AZ-Ohio...My husband was deployed a lot when she was little and we were back and forth. She had more sky miles than most adults by the time she was 3.

My daughter never had any ear problems. I tried to travel when I knew she would take a nap and that way she would sleep atleast a couple hours on the plane. Bring lots of little snacks if he is eating any. I used a pacifier with my daughter so she sucked on that. Im not sure if you are breastfeeding becasue you said bottle, but make sure you have room for your 6 month old to breastfeed if you do this. I had to work around other people on the plane sitting near us. Im sure they did not feel the most comfortable with me feeding so close to them but hey, she had to eat too. Other than that, activities such as a little book for him to look at. At 6 months it should not be too hard. It is when they becomes walkers that it starts to get harder and harder due to them wanting to be down. If he does get cranky, take him for a walk on the plane once it is safe to do so. (Oh and make sure you go to the bathroom before getting on the plane! It is hard to use it on the plane holding an infant in that little closet!) Use and umbrella stroller for the airport. Especially if you have a connecting flight. I think that is all.. I hope your trip goes well!

We flew with our daughter when she was 9 months old to Disney World.

Yes popping his ears is the biggest thing. I nursed my daughter on the way up and the way down. Giving him a bottle will do the same thing. I would suggest wait until the plane starts to taxi and you know you are getting ready to take off. It would be a huge pain to give him a bottle and then the plane be delayed for some reason and then him not want to take the bottle when it was really taking off! Also, a binkie would have the same effect if he uses one. My daughter never used either so nursing her was the only option for me.

Just some airport tips if you are not aware. You can take your stroller all the way to the gate and have it checked when you board. They put it under the pilot's cabin so it is waiting there for you when you get off. It is great. You can keep him in there and keep your hands free. Also, if you can afford it, get him his own seat. He is safer in his car seat and you aren't stuck holding a squiggling baby the whole flight. My daughter actually slept for most of the flight both ways because she was in her familiar car seat. Just make sure it is FAA approved. Most of them are. There should be a sticker on the side.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me!

~C.