Flying with a 3 month old

Christie - posted on 04/17/2009

My oldest sons first flight was when he was 5 weeks old and every month or so for his first year. Benadryl worked for me but I cleared it with my pediatrician first and beware, it has been known to have the opposite effect, making them hyper instead of sedating them. I also highly recommend the feeding/pacifier during take off and landing. I always made sure I did that and never had any problems with their ears. If your child is very alert, make sure you take plenty of little toys and if possible ask for a seat with an empty seat beside you or ask to move to an open row once the plane has completely boarded if available. Most of the time, the airlines are very accomodating.

Paula - posted on 04/17/2009

i agree with southwest i didnt pay for a seat for my daughter and they let me take her car seat on and so i did not have to hold her cause there was like 15 extra seats plus the other nice thing is dont have to pay for your bags

Paula - posted on 04/17/2009

i gave her a bottle when we went up and she fell asleep for three hours then the last hour she was just curious looking around did the same going back home cause my plane trip was 4 hours two its so hard traving with babies i took the stroller all the way up to gate of plane when we got off plane it was waitting just hope you have a couple of people to help thru sercurity

Marj - posted on 04/17/2009

Also see if you can get the bulk head seats as these have more leg room.

Brooke - posted on 04/17/2009

Always fly southwest first of all if possible. They are the easiest airline. They let you on early and you pick your own seats so unless it's a full flight no one will sit by you. It's great. If your child falls asleep after eating you won't need benadryl. My daughter is 1.5 and has flown about 10 times and I've never used benadryl. We also hold her. She goes to sleep on me and I sleep too. Never had any problems at all.

Emily - posted on 04/17/2009

I have flown with 2 of my kids when they were 4 months and older, usually 7-8 hour flights. I didn't use anything to sedate them. I flew with and without a car seat. Probably without was easier because the seat takes up so much room. Definatly get a small stroller that you can take up to the gate. I was breast feeding at the time but also took a small bottle of water with me to give them on take off and landing. If you can book the bulkhead seat they can give you a cot that clips in to the wall for baby to sleep in during the flight. You would have to have them on your lap when ever the seatbelt sign is on. Many times people have ocupied my baby while on flights. People can be surprising. We have had more positive than negative flights. Good luck with yours.xxx

Karen - posted on 04/17/2009

I fly a lot with my sons. I am an American living in Australia and we go back and visited my family several times over the years and we've flown internationally with my two sons at various stages of infancy. 6 weeks being the youngest age. I agree with several of the other mothers. The hardest part was always take off and landing. I breastfed both my sons during take off and landing. Their poor little ears can't handle the pressure change. Try feeding your son, breast or bottle during those times. It really does help. If getting another seat for a carseat isn't possible, ask if they have bassinets available during the flight so you don't have to hold him the entire time. I flew from London to L.A. when my oldest son was 5 mos. old because the airline had screwed up and not loaded the bassinet on board. Some aircrew members will also be very helpful, don't be afraid to ask them for ANYTHING. Some even volunteered to walk up and down the aisle with my son so that my husband and I could eat! They'll also hold and keep your meal heated. Bring his favorite toy, stuffed animals have saved my sanity on long flights.

Melissa - posted on 04/17/2009

I have flown with my 10 mo. old at least 4 times in her short life thus far(my family doesn't live near me) on both short trips (1 hour) and long trips (6 hours). This is what I usually do when I travel alone: I check the car seat & stroller at the ticket counter with my luggage I usee a baby carrier while going through the airport. It was a bit tedious when I had to go through security because I had to remove the carrier, take off my shoes and get rid of the rest of the items as I was holding the baby and not letting her munch on my ticket. After security, I put back on the carrier till I got to the gate. If you bottle feed you can take a 4 oz. bottle without them having to do the test. If you carry a larger bottle, they check it every time. I recommend only carrying one and make sure to buy bottled water before you board the plane. I once ran out of milk and didn't have any water so I had a crying baby. Once you get on the plane, they may ask you to remove the carrier. They told me once that it wasn't allowed and made up a silly excuse but it's their rules. My daughter never experienced pain with ear pressure. But I heard if they do, have them suck on a binky or bottle. But don't worry too much about it. You will do just fine. It is much easier than others make it out to be. Plus you will love it because no one wants to sit by you(if you fly SW). One other thing, the airlines may give you an extra seat if the plane is not full. That happened to me twice. I was reading some of the other posts and I strongly disagree with them. Do NOT give your child benadryl. The babies love the vibration and the loud noise of the airplane and find this soothing and should quickly fall asleep.

Lindsay - posted on 04/17/2009

take a caar seat we did both when my daghter wa 6months we just held her and it was horrable you dont have that much room on the plain anyway so i would def pay for the ex ticket and take a car seat and eaar plugs and benadryl but ask the dr 1st n how much to give the baby good luck have fun

Christine - posted on 04/17/2009

Buy a small collaspible stroller - you can take these right up to the gate and check it there. Much easier to push the stroller through the airport than carrying your child in a sling , in my opinion. It'll also be available right away when you get to your destination, so again you can easily get from the gate to baggage collection. Breastfeed/bottlefeed (or give them a pacifier) during take-off and landing so their ears don't hurt, and yeah, like someone said earlier... don't be afraid to get up and walk up and down the aisles if necessary.

Angela - posted on 04/17/2009

I have not personally flown with my baby - well I have but my unborn baby. I was 4 months pregnant at the time. But I have had serveral friends fly with their babies, adn truly I think it is kindest to the baby to give it a small dose of benadryl so that he can sleep through the flight. Some moms have a problem with this, but honestly, my friends that have traveled with out the benadryl leave the plane stressed out and with a very stressed out baby. With benadryl they are rested and happy.

Pamela - posted on 04/17/2009

my son was 2 weeks on his first flight which was 41/2 hours , and he slept the whole time , just make sure you feed him while taking of / Landing

Louise - posted on 04/17/2009

I took my 3 month old son on 4 hour fight with no probs he slept all the way there the people behind did not even realise we had a baby on our lap, put cotton wool in ears on take off and ask the air staff for a pillow and then you can lay them across your lap and still have 2 arms free, eating could be hard, but the airline were great the only tip if your bottle feeding make sure you take plenty of milk and put it in your suitcase if not they will make you open the tin at security. hope this helps

Marj - posted on 04/17/2009

Well lets see....when I took my son on a plane he was 7 months old. I did buy a seat and put his infant carseat strapped in the airplane seat (I have heard there can be turbulence while in the air and did not want to have him on my lap if something happened while flying), I figured since I would need the carseat when I got to my destination I strapped it in the seat next to me and put hin and buckled him in the carseat. Also not sure if you are nursing or bottle feeding but its a good idea to have a bottle so that when you TAKE OFF as well as LAND you can give him the bottle to help with his ears so they dont pop. Also try and put as much of the baby stuff in as checked baggage that way you will not have so much to carry when you do board the plane.

Marj - posted on 04/17/2009

Well lets see....when I took my son on a plane he was 7 months old. I did buy a seat and put his infant carseat strapped in the airplane seat (I have heard there can be turbulence while in the air and did not want to have him on my lap if something happened while flying), I figured since I would need the carseat when I got to my destination I strapped it in the seat next to me and put hin and buckled him in the carseat. Also not sure if you are nursing or bottle feeding but its a good idea to have a bottle so that when you TAKE OFF as well as LAND you can give him the bottle to help with his ears so they dont pop. Also try and put as much of the baby stuff in as checked baggage that way you will not have so much to carry when you do board the plane.

Jessica - posted on 04/17/2009

We travelled with our 5 month old last year. The only problem with sharing a seat is you will end up with a dead arm! Take a sling or other device to put your baby to sleep in. We made sure her feeds were during the flight, which helped keep her happy. Don't be afraid to walk with him if needed up and down the aisle! We had one pleasant trip down to Melbourne, and one horrible trip coming back, which was in the late afternoon and she was tired and grumpy.

Patricia - posted on 04/17/2009

GIVE HIM BENADRYL BEFORE HAND AND MAKE SURE HE IS SUCKING ON A BOTTLE OR BINKY WHEN TAKING OFF, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE HIS FAV TOY.