Babies on planes..

claudib · 2008-12-30T12:58:02+00:00

any tips for helping a 4 month old through it? She is part BF/FF

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

AliceTheCamelHasGotTheHump · 30/12/2008 13:00

BF on take-off and landing. The swallowing will help her ears to unpop.

Other than that, as far as she is concerned it will just be an extended cuddle with you for as long as it takes you to get there.

kickassangel · 30/12/2008 13:04

have couple of small new (or recently hidden)toys hidden away for her to look at, e.g. a little mirror - would have kept dd happy for hours at that age.

moocowme · 30/12/2008 20:08

at that age they should get sleepy on a plane so try and enjoy it. oh and feed them when they want it as it helps their ears adjust.

you do not say if its long or short haul. I always go with singapore ailrines when i can as their starf ar the most helpful around.

lingle · 31/12/2008 13:14

At check in, watch like a hawk for people of grandparent age saying goodbye to children or grandchildren. These are your allies. Once on the plane, the "grandmother" should be unable to resist playing with baby. Baby may wish to go along the aisle many times. Said grandmother can do peekaboo for an hour at least as baby passes her.
Warning - when I carry this out, the "grandfather" sometimes suspects my plan at an early stage and frowns at my "grandmother" victim in an attempt to warn her. He must be distracted or he foils the plan.

OneLieIn · 31/12/2008 13:23

Is this the sequel to Snakes on Planes? It would be much scarier....

missorinoco · 31/12/2008 13:27

I took ds on a flight at this stage. Gave him breast on tap, so to speak, and he thought it was bliss. It was only a 2-3 hr flight though. Can imagine this would be a less helpful suggestion for a long haul flight.

Also, pack more changes of clothes in your travel bag than you would usually. Ds leaked his way through 3 outfits.

ilovelovemydog · 31/12/2008 13:30

Take a sling - you don't say where you are going, but if you have to go through customs and immigration, a sling is a must have. You really don't want to be fannying around with a buggy.

VanillaPumpkin · 31/12/2008 13:40

Def def def take a baby carrier so you can be hands free, take changes of clothes (as someone said), don't expect to have a hot drink on the plane and feed on take off and landing if at all possible. It will be easier than you think . My flight alone with dd aged 4 months was much easier than the one I had with her aged 18 mths I can assure you . Good Luck, have fun.

completelyabsolutely · 31/12/2008 15:36

Try and get a window seat - it is much easier for bf especially if you are on your own. You aren't allowed an aisle seat (on BMI anyway don't know if other airlines are different) and that way you can pop out window side boob with noone any the wiser.

Oh and try not to look to smug when your dd immediately falls asleep in an angelic style because in 6 months time you will be wrestling a screaming banshee/octopus child on the plane and will want to smack parents of before mentioned sleeping cherubs who are smiling smugly before putting your child in the overhead locker and commandeering the drinks trolley.

The scars of the Christmas trip to see family are still fresh

giantsantasacks · 31/12/2008 16:54

I would practice with her sitting on your lap facing away from you a bit - mine hated to do that and threw a complete wobbly on take off and landing. My dd is also very big so struggled to bf her while she was in the lapbelt - had to slip it off in the end when the staff had sat down

chandellina · 31/12/2008 18:49

my 4 month old did great on an 11 hour flight to and from south africa. actually it was his longest sleep ever on the way out (8 hours) - never replicated. He is mainly breastfed but we gave him a big bottle of formula at the airport.

his ears only seemed to bug him on landing on the way back, which isn't so bad when you're about to get off the plane anyway. (i tried breastfeeding to help but didn't seem to work.) a dummy on hand may do the trick too.

agree on having baby carrier with you, as our buggy had to be checked and we had tons of carry on luggage to deal with.

also be advised that is nigh impossible to change a baby in the plane loo, and then try to pee yourself. I tried wedging DS between my legs to pee and realised this was real madness. ;)

giantsantasacks · 01/01/2009 13:20

chandellina - lol about the peeing in the loo - marvellous image.

Sorry if tmi but have managed it before by using a sling...maybe a practice run at home first though

Maria2007 · 03/01/2009 21:00

agree about the baby carrier, that's what we used too (instead of taking buggy with us). Our boy was fine on a recent 3-hour flight. He's breastfed & apart from a lots-of-poo incident (difficult to deal with in a tiny airplane loo!) everything else was fine, I think he was hypnotized by the sounds on the plane & slept quite a lot. I've heard things get harder with an older baby.

Zil131 · 03/01/2009 21:34

Have a pee bfore you get on the plane. Once you are wedged in a corner with a baby asleep on your lap, you will be reluctant to wake him / her to go to the loo!

Nbg · 03/01/2009 21:39

I second the feeding on take off and landing advice.
Also with the plane meal and drinks. Buy your own once you get through customs. If your flying with someone, get them to put it in a bag and then they can pass the food and drink to you when you can manage it.

My ds2 was 5 months when we flew and fell asleep there and back and had feeds for take off and landing. It definately helped.
We also ordered meals on the flight and it was a complete waste.
Admitedely we had a 18 month old and a 4 year old too but even with just the baby, theres no way you can have the little tray down for the drinks.

Oh and if you can, ask for the extra legroom seats.

flippyflop · 03/01/2009 22:04

Sorry if anyone else has said this already, have not read the wholde thread, but I would definitely give LO 5ml of calpol about an hour before you are due to take off.. bit of advice someone gave me just before we went on hol for the 1st time with 5mo DS1, have done it ever since & neither have ever had ear problems 9 years on.
I must admit I was a bit cynical & wondered if it was mind over matter.. this was disproved on the one time I forgot on a short trip to Spain when DS1 was about 3 & he was in agony from his ears for the whole of the 2 hour flight.

Depending on length of flight (ie if over 4 hours) I would give another 5ml 1 hour before scheduled landing time.

Still offer feed/bottle of water etc.

giantkatestacks · 04/01/2009 12:35

oh and if you're flying with a proper carrier that lets you order your meals online beforehand (and of course you're flying with someone else) make sure that one of you orders a veggie meal - that way it comes earlier than the other meals and you can wolf it down whilst dp holds the baby and then swap when the meal trolley arrives.

VanillaPumpkin · 04/01/2009 14:55

I just asked for them to serve my meal last when travelling with dh, (so he ate first and then mine was still hot and served after he had finished). When I travelled on my own I took my chances . Usually managed the bread roll, cheese and the pudding....

magicmagic · 04/01/2009 22:22

Am planning to travel with 6 months old, 1.5 hours flight. DS is now FF - any advice on how to get the formula stuff (thermos with hot water, or ready made cartons) through airport security?
Good to know about taking babycarrier, did not think of this.

twinmam · 04/01/2009 22:35

You're allowed to take ready made cartons through as long as they're still sealed. Think this would be easier than making up bottles. We flew with our dds when they were 5 months and took however many bottles it was we needed (a LOT) plus 2 extra made up with the water then added the formula for each feed as we went along. They made me take a sip from each and every bottle at security but you're allowed to take them through with you.

magicmagic · 05/01/2009 21:09

thank you very much twinmam

stripeyshirt · 05/01/2009 21:30

re formula - i would take bottle filled with water plus formula powder in jar, then mix just before i went through security. take formula in bottles then add bottled water you request from the cabin crew...that's the best solution i could come up with. always take one extra empty bottle.

i travelled early december, was not allowed cartons through security, had to tip it into bottle and test.

be clear with airline staff, if they are 'looking after your formula' as they say they will, remind them it needs to be refrigerated...had early disaster.

BA flights sometimes carry SMA gold, not to be relied on though.

worth taking umbrella stroller as well as carrier if you have a long connection to let baby rest or even to aid you through the airport.

change of clothes for baby and a top for you in case of baby being sick. hygienic wipes, hand sanitiser and something to put on change tables in airport rooms/plane.

BA offer 'lap belts' for an infant, air canada cabin crew staff simply advised to hold infant on my shoulder, there was no restraint available. varies between airlines.

take familiar blanket esp if using bassinet cot long distance...airline magazines and safety card...it's amazing how interesting i had to make them sound. do your best, you can't get off halfway!! all my journeys have been easier than i had anticipated.

can't believe i've written so much...

LadyBee · 05/01/2009 23:16

Re formula - SMA do starter packs which have little 100ml bottles and disposable MAM teats. Because the bottles are each within the 100ml limit I was allowed to take them on without opening or tasting (but I was flying Singapore longhaul). Even if you breastfeed as I do, it's useful to have a couple of these 'snack' bottles around if your baby is easily distracted. My DS wanted to look around at take-off/landing but I could use these to keep him sucking and avoid ear problems. (He hates dummies).

twinmam · 06/01/2009 14:12

Can't believe they wouldnt let you take your cartons through ss!! That's outrageous if they're already sealed. Maybe ring whatever airline you're travelling with to check? Or ring the airport? We went from Gatwick and dh found all the info we needed re how much water we could take through etc on their website.

HeadFairy · 06/01/2009 14:16

We took ds on a 10 hour flight at 4 months, agree with the others, bf on take off and landing (it's a surreal thing bf'ing as you thunder along the runway ) and keep bfing until the seat belt light is off, as you need to get to about 10,000 feet I think, then the cabin remains at the same air pressure and your dd won't get any ear problems. DS loved flying at this age by the way. We requested a bassinet and a bulkhead seat, so we got a lovely cot for him, and after a couple of hours smiling and flirting with the flight crew, he crashed out and slept for 7 hours straight (as did his mum )