Ear popping

[livysmum]

HI all.
I'm off back to Canada with DD who is 5 months which will be about an 8 hour flight (god help me) and was wondering if there is any suggestions on how to avoid her ears from popping, and what to do when I have to go to the loo on the plane... i saw flight plan and I'm kinda silly when it comes to leaving her with new people (strangers)is anyone else in the same boat with me on that one?? any tips or whatever is very appreciated.

The advice is to let babies suck during take off and landing as that stops their ears from hurting. You can BF (which I always do), give a bottle or a dummy.

As for going to the loo - when DS was asleep, I just left him in his car seat or asked the air crew to keep an eye on him. When he didn't have a seat, I took him with me and balanced him on my knee - not much fun. Avoid it if possible!

if dd wont take a dummy, youll have to feed her. Bottle is better i guess with for safety reaons.

ask a nice cabin crew staff to look after her when they are not busy.

"Bottle is better i guess with for safety reaons"

what's dangerous about breastfeeding as a plane takes off?

Going to loo - well I think you walk up to a member of staff and ask them to wait outside toilet holding baby (you can always say that you are going to change her nappy after you have been). If you have a sling and are not obese you should be able to go in with her.

Only because of the position into chest and safety crash position. Sorry if i offended you.

If you fly with BA, they will make you have the baby on your lap during take off and landing. I think some other airlines do this too. They will give you a lapbelt so the baby is attached to your seatbelt so is secure (although, ime, the lapbelts are a bit pointless)

So the way you get your baby to suck is up to you - with the baby on your lap (where it has to be anyway) you can BF, bottle feed or whatever.

Safety crash position with baby is to hold them into your chest and lean over, so breastfeeding wouldn't make any difference.

you cany bf with a baby in a baby lap belt! they are facing out, and sitting on your lap. you'd have to have elasticated nipples to manage it.

I've done it several times, their belt is just a round loop connected to yours at one point, so no reason you can't pop them in it facing sideways or in front or however you like really.

A baby should be saeted on parents lap with a child restraint around them facing forward for take off and landing.
The emergency brace position is where the baby is cradled sideways in parents arms, parent leans over child and puts hand on head (parent's head that is! )
You could always freak other passengers out by adopting the brace position for take off, and breast feed at the same time.

Personally I'd face your baby forward until the wheels are up. then swizzle her round and feed. The 1st 15 mins are the worst for ears popping until cruise altitude is reached. Same on descent.

LOL freak other passengers out bit
betty thanks for clearing that up also they dont call it crash position do they? its brace postion as you said. It woz quite late when i posted last night and i was not in a clear frame of mind. There was a mnetter having a baby!

Just shows i shouldnt post when im not thinking what im typing!

super thanks for all the advice.. and some one said something about car seat... are you to take a car seat on the plane with you???

Not unless you have paid for a seat for your baby, and even then maybe not, delending on airline and make of seat etc.

If you have paid for a seat and the baby is under 2, they need a car seat. However, so airlines are picky about car seats and you need to make sure it fits in the seats (some airline seats are too narrow). If you haven't booked a seat for the baby, you can request a seat in the bulkhead where you will have more space and, if you're lucky, a cot that the airline may provide.