“How to take a baby on a plane”…before you were a parent this is probably a question you never thought about, other than feeling bad for (and annoyed at) the parents who did that when YOU were flying!
“Annoyed,” huh? 😉 Well, what goes around comes around and now it’s time that YOU have to learn how to take a baby on a plane. (Or maybe you’re not planning on it but reading this just in case!)
But don’t worry…I know you’re already envisioning the embarrassment of your precious cargo unable to stop crying on the plane…but here are my TOP TIPS for preventing mishaps. At least, within reason. 😉
First, tips before you even get on the plane:
Y’know how TSA doesn’t allow more than 3 ounces of liquid on the plane?
“Oh, CRAP! But…my baby formula!!”
If that’s what you just thought, don’t worry — formula is an exception to the rule. But you DO have to be prepared to stand at the security checkpoint and have the formula put through a special scanner. (I know, it sounds crazy, but who knows what people are capable of nowadays??)
If you want to bypass this, all you need to do is opt for powder / formula pack and then deal with it AFTER you’re past security.
And unfortunately (unlike what you might expect) the airport is NOT the best place to buy any baby gear you forgot to pack.
- Remember that travel delays are always possible and pack extra diapers / formula, or snacks, if your baby is old enough
- An extra outfit (beyond what you packed for each travel day), just in case!!
- DECIDE whether you want to bring a car seat (if your baby is old enough). You might have to carry the heavy thing around the airport, and your baby may want to be held by you anyway, with you sitting right next to them. A car seat is technically the safest when it comes to air travel, but if your baby/toddler isn’t feeling it, it’ll just be more of a hassle! (If you DO decide to bring a car seat, I recommend using the kind that attaches to a stroller so you don’t have to carry it. You can then check your stroller at the gate.)
And now that you’ve taken off…oh NO…baby is crying already?
How do you stop the tears?
Babies will cry during takeoff and landing because of all the pressure that builds up in their tiny ears that they’ve never experienced before! And don’t worry, they’re OK…they just need a pacifier / bottle / breast, because the sucking motion relieves ear pressure!
OK, Bonnie, you say, preventing them from crying during takeoff/landing is great. But that’s only 1/10th of the ride covered…what if they start crying in the middle of the flight and nothing you do is soothing them?
And you start getting those dreaded dirty looks?!
Well, here’s where I REALLY teach you how to take a baby on a plane…
…Just kidding.
Hey, I’m SORRY! Don’t give me that look…I seriously wasn’t trying to give you false hope here and I hope some of my tips helped! But when it comes down to it, if baby’s gonna cry, baby’s gonna cry!
Parenting writer Jacqueline Curtis says, yes, it’s GOING to happen, so the real “hack” here when it comes to how to take a baby on a plane is being super nice, apologetic, and “on it”!
If your seatmate sees you get up right away to go change that dirty diaper before they even get a whiff…or you’re extra-courteous to the flight attendant…you’ll hopefully be met with smiles and understanding. (Plus, extra snacks from the flight attendant!)
One last genuine tip here: try a SLEEP SACK / SWADDLE if your baby is the right age for it!
I wrote an article on how to get your baby to sleep well in general. Check it out here…
(That way they’ll hopefully have good sleep hygiene on the plane, too!)
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