Flying with a Baby

Driving home from the airport, with the Bear in the back babbling away, Papa Mike said something like, "Before having the Bear I would hear other kids babble and make noise and it drove me crazy. I actually like hearing his babbles and don't mind other babies' babbles either. I have been on flights where a screaming kid made it a horrible flight and these flights on this trip don't rank as horrible." That is true love, I tell you. Stanley Bear was a dream on our flight to California and pretty much a dream on the way home. He squawked a tiny bit from CA to Chicago but we received a compliment from a nearby passenger on that flight saying, with a thumbs up, "He did well!" I mimed wiping my brow and said "Thank goodness!" On the flight from Chicago to NC he was a bit more moody but he was pretty charming as well, making people smile. He didn't go to sleep until 9 p.m. the night we arrived back in NC and I had to wake him up to take him to daycare the next day...he wasn't happy about that. I think he's got a good case of the jetlag. Poor fella. Here are the things I learned from traveling and flying with the little burrito:


Extra Seat - If you don't buy your baby (2 and under) a seat ask the airline folks at the gate if the flight is full. Thankfully it wasn't full on the first leg to Chicago and the lady at the gate moved us closer to the front with the third seat empty. On the Chicago to CA it wasn't full either but someone had the seat next to us. The gentleman and woman behind us had an empty seat between them and he offered the woman next to us the window seat in their row in order to free up our seat which is what they did. How sweet was that? I thanked them profusely. On our way home we had a similar situation on the first leg. A U.S. Soldier had the window seat in our row and he let us know that he had that seat but that he was going to wait at the back of the plan until everyone boarded to see if there were any other seats. There were and he even got an entire row to himself. We all won! I thanked him on our way to the bathroom and the Bear gave him a big ol' grin. On our final leg home the flight was full but the woman at the gate reserved that third seat and told us she wouldn't fill it. That is why you let them know you have a child and ask if the flight is full. Everyone, fellow passengers and airline employees alike, were super accommodating toward us once they saw the baby or knew that we were traveling with baby.  Having that third seat makes a world of difference. I don't know how we would have traveled without it.
Ear Pressure - My birthing teacher and pediatrician said to nurse the baby on take offs and landings. I nursed him on each take off but not every landing. He did well, no screaming going up or down. The swallowing makes them clear up that ear pressure in their ears, try it! You could probably even feed them food rather than nursing. But nursing will also help soothe them and put them in a relaxed state.
Extra Clothes - Bring at least two extra sets of outfits. He didn't need the extra outfit on the way there but he could've used a third change of clothes on the way home. He peed a lot, so much that it got his clothes wet. This is a nice segway to the fourth thing...
Diaper Changes - Change his diaper right before you get on the plane. I didn't do that the first time he peed through and onto his clothes. I bet I could've steered clear of that had I put him in a fresh diaper before boarding the plane (which I did on the way to CA.) I changed his diaper at least once each flight...even the two hour flight. If you're wondering where the changing table is in the bathroom it's above the toilet. It simply folds down. Plus it's just nice to get up from your seat which brings me to the next one.

Get Up - This is good for a stir crazy baby (and Mama and Papa.) Babies like to look at people, so once the seat belt sign has been turned off get up for a stroll down the aisle. It doesn't have to be a long one - maybe just up and back or maybe it's just waiting in line for the restroom. He handed out his big smiles to anyone who would take them. Of course when you're sitting, especially when the seat belt sign is on, you should be extra attentive and make sure the baby isn't going to fall off the seat or fly into the air when you hit a "bump".
Fanny Pack - I wish I had a small bag like a fanny pack for diapers, wipes and cream. The bathroom on the plane is super tiny. There is a ledge to set stuff on but I'd rather not have anything touch anything in the bathroom! Fanny packs would solve that problem and would be a great hands-free way to carry the baby to the restroom. Plus they're fashionable. Ha!
Bathroom Tip - Since we're still talking about diaper duty here's a tip: don't bring a toy or pacifier into the bathroom they might end up on the floor. I am not a germaphobe but I really don't like public restrooms (and despise outhouses.) Stanbear is a good spitter of pacifiers.  He is a screamer when you change his diaper but it's so loud in the back of the plane that really, it doesn't matter.
Small Toys - I filled one of the small pockets of our diaper bag with small toys. I could alternate them out and they would keep him occupied for small amounts of time. He's teething now so most of them were chew toys but I brought some books too (which he thinks are chew toys anyhow.)

Here he is eating a Mum Mum.

 Eating - I brought an 8 oz bottle of warmed up milk just in case I was sitting next to some crazy, anti-breastfeeding person or a pervert. I never used the milk; I breastfed him. I had my scarf and my cover but honestly I didn't really have to use them because I felt like I was in my own little  cocoon. I also packed 2 containers of solid foods. Thankfully I put them in ziploc bags because the pressure caused the lids to pop off and the food to leak out. I also brought some Mum-Mums which are rice crackers that the Bear thoroughly enjoys. A bib and several cloths or rags are always handy just in case you need to wipe his face or the seat he's sitting on, etc.
Pillow - This is important for sleeping and/or propping up your leg or arm while cradling a feeding or sleeping baby. Thankfully we had jackets and his blanket on the way there. On the way back we had Tomás the bear (given to us by my brother and parent's friend, Tomás) and he is super soft and cushiony (the bear, not the friend (to my knowledge...)) and the bear worked wonderfully as a prop as well as a plaything. Plus it was compact unlike a nursing pillow like a Brest Friend or Boppy.

Pacifier - If your baby is a pacifier user, this is good for pacifying.
Camera - I took a gazillion pics of the Bear on the plane.
Car Seat/Stroller - You can check these at the gate for free (we flew American Airlines.) When you arrive at the gate talk to someone at the desk. First tell them that you have these things to check and then ask them if their flight is full. If it's not full you can ask them if you can bring the seat on the plane. We did that on the first leg. The only downside is that the person who sits in front of that seat can't recline because the seat takes up room (we have a Chicco Keyfit 30). Another plus about the carseat/stroller combo is that you can use it as a luggage cart.
Baby Carrier - I brought my Ergo carrier and strapped the Bear to my front as we walked through the airport so that we could use the stroller as a cart. Easy peasy.
Helper - I'm glad I flew with Mike. Having an extra set of hands is very helpful.

Games on a Plane - "Open the shade/Close the shade"...this entertained him for hours minutes. I would open the shade and he would try to close it. He got really good at it. "Air Head"...turn the air above your seat on high and hold the baby's head up to it, they will love it. "Look Out the Window"...he did that a lot and put his hands on the window as if trying to break out. "Look at the People Behind You"...and smile. Babies love looking at people. He would win every staring contest challenge and then smile at you for losing.