Flying with 8 month old

[AlessandraHarry]

Hi I have a very active baby who is currently 4months old. My partner and I want to take an international flight with him at 8 months. Flight will be 6 hours, plus check in, getting to and from the airport. He is a fussy baby and I know won’t just sit there looking around or sleeping. He isn’t a fan of the carrier, but we can get him to nap in it for 30 minutes. I am so scared of him screaming on the flight. Any tips for flying with a very active, alert baby, who can switch moods very quickly? He will be crawling by then. I’m just not sure if it is worth it, however I feel I really want a break.

If you really want a break, cant you just go somewhere that isn't a 6 hour flight away?

Not worth the hassle.

Does it have to be a 6 hour flight?
Took DD when she was 6 months and no problem at all (only Malta so 3 hours maybe?), and she wasn't crawling until we went to Croatia when she was 1 so that might not be a problem?
How do you entertain him now?

Another saying not worth it. It's not just the 6 hour flight. It's the journey to and from airports each end, the two hours getting through security etc etc

Our last holiday was a 2 hour flight and it still took 12 hours door to door.

Honestly I wouldn’t if I didn’t have to. I live abroad to all of my family and have done many a long haul flight with DD but 8 months-ish is honestly the worst age. She didn’t fit in a bassinet, she wanted to crawl everywhere, there was a lot of crying, she puked on me, blew out her diaper... Up to 6 months is so so easy, then after 1 when you can bribe with snacks and a screen is a doddle too. I’d either go ASAP, wait a few more months or stick closer to home.

Any particular reason why you've chosen a destination so far away? There are lots of lovely places in a 2 or 3 hour journey which would be more than enough with an 8 month old.

The only bad flight I ever had with my D.C. was when DD1 was 9 months old, on a charter flight of 4 hours with her stuck on my lap. Whilst she didn’t scream she fidgeted and tried to escape the whole time. DH was next to me and helped where he could.
After this flight I said I would never fly again with a child over 6 months if they didn’t have their own seat (and I haven’t). At 18 months we did long haul with her in a seat, no issues and DD2 flew at 11 months with a seat fine especially as that was in a row of 4 so they both had loads of space.

My baby was a very active 4 month old. He is now a VERY active 9 month old and there is absolutely no way in hell I could take him on a six hour flight. Just thinking about it gives me anxiety 😂

I've flown twice with DD. First time she was 8 months and DH came. About 2 hour flight and friend picked us up from the airport. She was great, slept during the flight and massively excited by the whole thing.

Second time she was about 15 months. Same flight but I was by myself. It was the most stressful thing ever! She screamed the ENTIRE flight, kicking the seat in front, everyone staring, passenger next to me moved away, I cried etc. It was awful.

I would fly with any age child with my DH with me but never alone again!

No matter how it goes, just keep calm. He might cry, he might not. Either way theres not much you can do at that age.
Keep your expectations low, this way you might be surprised by his good behaviour.

I went on an 8 hour flight with a 2 year old... never. Ever. Ever. EVER AGAIN!

Flights were only bad for me with my kids when they were big enough to be active - to 12 months plus. 4 months and he's not likely to do anything other than lie there, surely? You can make him sleep during the flight, he may very well not because it's loud and light. Just try to be prepared, take several different toys you can switch in and out for him to look at (or play with if he grabs things yet). If you BF then do that on take off and land, it'll ease any potential ear issues, if you don't BF then give him a bottle for those times.

It'll likely be just fine! I've flown with mine since they were both 7 weeksish.

I wouldn't with a fussy baby tbh. Could you try somewhere nearer first? My DD is not a fussy baby but we are just trying a two-hour flight for our first one!

I have flown long and short haul with my kids from 6 weeks onwards, usually with husband present especially when they were toddlers.
Personally I have never had any issues, flew to Aus via Singapore with an 8 month old, no hassle. I let her crawl and walk along the aisle when I could, then she had a bassinette to sleep in but had to put her on my knee for take off/ landing. She is now 16 and completely fine with flying as are her two siblings ( 14 and 10 now). We don't fly as much now as we are no longer ex pats.
It really does depend on the baby , I was, like you really anxious about how she would be and upsetting other passengers, if ever one of the kids did cry the passengers were really understanding and fine but for me it did not happen often ( lucky I know).
Good luck with whatever you do, I never had a fixed routine with my kids and they ate cold food if out and about, drank milk from the ready made cartons when I was not breast feeding. I suppose I was a laid back mum on the surface ( with anxiousness underneath in case people judged me!).