Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

Original poster

Flying with 3months old?

19 replies

Helloitsmi · 28/05/2021 14:10

I have a trip planned mid July just when my baby turns 3 months. We are flying to see my family it's a 2.5 hour flight.
Frequent flyer myself but first baby and would love to hear your experiences/recommendations/tips!

I am planning on taking our pram with the carrycot on top...

Thanks!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

RecoveringChocaholic · 28/05/2021 14:17

I've flown loads of times on my own with either one or two children. Both flew for the first time around 3 months old. If you're BF, I'd recommend feeding during take off and landing as it can help with the pressure in the ears. Or use a dummy if you have one. If yours is like mine you might be lucky that they feed themselves to sleep so you could have quite a relaxed flight.
I've never taken a pram on the plane with me. I found a sling easiest to manage at the airport with luggage and stuff, but if you have another adult with you or not a lot of luggage then a pram might be useful to have too. I had the luxury of a pram at the other side so didn't have to take mine.

Original poster

Helloitsmi · 28/05/2021 14:45

Thanks @RecoveringChocaholic

I am BF and she does feed herself to sleep 😄
Yeah unfortunately we don't have anything on the other side so taking pram, hiring car seat with car rental and will purchase a travel bed and bath over there.

Noted for bf during take off and landing! She uses a dummy too so hopefully it won't be too harsh on her little ears!

OP posts:

Getawriggleon · 28/05/2021 14:55

I personally wouldn't take my main pram if it's going to go in the hold - we brought a stroller that lie flat so suitable from birth for flying/holidays and always take a sling as well as it makes boarding the flight loads easier.

If you're FF or mixed feeding order your formula to pick up airside at Boots instead of trying to get it through security.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

0-3 months old 3-6 months old Babies & sleep Families

doadeer · 28/05/2021 14:57

Definitely sling!
Breastfeed on take off
Comfy big scarf to wrap around you
Pack your bag really well for easy access
I wouldn't take a huge pram, try to get a second hand yoyo

Fitforforty · 28/05/2021 16:37

Sling. You can normally take pram to the plane but don’t get it back until baggage reclaim.

Orangedaisy · 28/05/2021 17:05

Spare leggings and t shirt for you in hand luggage in case of nappy leak or sick. Nothing worse than having nice clean clothes for baby and none for you!!

Orangedaisy · 28/05/2021 17:06

I’d also take a second hand/old umbrella fold pushchair. Most of those go flat enough for a holiday trip. I also wouldn’t hire car seat, only time I did it was cracked and no other option so ended up panic buying. I’d either take my own (accepting not perfect putting in hold) or get family the other end to buy/borrow one from somewhere reliable.

Original poster

Helloitsmi · 28/05/2021 18:05

Ok so will definitely take the sling and currently looking at lightweight travel prams as we were going to bring our cybex priam with the carrycot but it's massive...

Is the chicco goody any good? I am not in the UK and they dont sell the yoyo here!

@Orangedaisy they gave you a cracked car seat! Is that even legal? 😕

OP posts:

Original poster

Helloitsmi · 28/05/2021 18:06

Oh and good point on change of clothes for me! Poonamis and reflux is a thing here ...!

OP posts:

allofthecheese · 28/05/2021 18:09

I've done this with my then 3mo reflux/colicky baby as it was totoally fine. Took the pram with the car seat attachment all the way to the airplane doors where it was stored away. I had a bag to put it in to save it from scratches etc. Our flight was about 2hrs and I was dreading it but actually he slept the entire way. Fed/changed him before and then fed/changed him once landed. He slept the whole way, think the airplane noise is like white noise for them. Doing it again soon now he's 1 and I imagine it'll be a lot harder as he's so active and wants to constantly walk and hates being sat in once place for more than 5 mins

allofthecheese · 28/05/2021 18:11

Oh and only took the pram as we have the bugaboo bee which is really compact and light. Probably would have stuck to a sling or lightweight stroller if we had anything more bulky.

Honeyroar · 28/05/2021 18:14

Breast feeding for take off is a great idea, but don’t do it too early - if you start as the aircraft pushes back and there’s a long taxi the baby has often had enough by the time the aircraft actually takes off and climbs to the height that the ears pop. I’ve seen it happen quite a lot as crew.

Mylittlepony374 · 28/05/2021 18:19

Fly loads with my kids. 3 months is relatively easy....much harder when they want to crawl/toddle around.
As other said, BF on take off/landing. Folding buggy, we had a Joie which was great, lay flat for naps when out and about, has decent sunshade on it if you're going somewhere warm.
Take calpol in case of teething/ other. My little one was around 12 weeks on a flight to Australia when she started teething and I had nothing!

mamakoukla · 28/05/2021 18:25

DC travelled at 3 months. Yes to BF and hold back until lift off/landing. Another advantage is no bottles or formula to be made up. Ready to go! We also did transatlantic and to keep DC happy, did do comfort feeding as wasn’t accepting a dummy. Stacks of nappies and spare clothing; great idea about lightweight spares for you. I did use a sling and no pram at that age; was only away for 10 days or so. When a few months older bought an umbrella type buggy.

Sh05 · 28/05/2021 18:31

When you pack your changing bag pack a nappy each in a nappy sack and pace sets of spare clothes for baby as one bundle. So much easier to just pull out of the overhead instead of having to take the whole bag down. Although with a short flight you hopefully won't have to change at all.

Orangedaisy · 28/05/2021 18:53

@Helloitsmi no of course not legal but some places care more than others. It was actually in the uk if I remember rightly, we lived overseas for a short while and I don’t think we came anywhere else. At the time I read a lot of bad reviews about hire car car seats.

SamMil · 28/05/2021 19:32

We did quite a few flights when ours was a small baby. It is much easier at that age!

Definitely breastfeed at take off and landing to help ears adjust. I'd recommend taking a breastfeeding pillow on the plane - makes it more comfortable and baby will hopefully fall asleep!

We never travelled with a pram, as sling was easier.

Dalooah · 28/05/2021 20:05

I've travelled a fair bit with mine; did quite a few solo long haul (7/8 hours) flights when I had just the one, and 3 months should be fairly easy- largely sleep and if baby is breastfed so much easier. I always took my yoyo pushchair with me, it was the best thing ever having somewhere to put baby into as soon as we got off the flight, of which the last hour or so was always time for descending so holding the baby was required. Depending on who you're flying with will probably determine if you have a bassinet to put baby down into or not. Otherwise they will need to be held by you or someone you're flying with- so when I was on my own, I'd make sure I'd sit down with everything I'd need- snacks, phone, nappy 'bag'- which was a small bag (makeup case!) containing just the nappy change essentials.
With a short flight, you should be completely fine- if baby cries, don't stress about it; it's easier to just accept they're not happy in that moment than trying to stop them and getting stressed/flustered. (I had 5/6 month old, who screamed for the first 25 mins from the minute we got on the plane and refused to feed and no shushing technique worked. Plane was TINY only about 50/60 seats. We felt so embarrassed and I think my anxiety/stress projected on baby and made everything worse!)
You've got this!

Caterina99 · 28/05/2021 20:10

Flown a lot with mine and that age is definitely one of the easiest. A million times better than toddlers, especially if they’re breast fed. When my DD was that age she basically just bf and napped for the entire flight

Sling or carrier is essential in my opinion. So much easier to be able to hold the baby and be hands free.

I agree I’d be nervous about hiring a car seat. Car hire places seem to have no idea what seat is suitable for what age and obviously you’ve no idea what condition it’s going to be in either.

What we did was get family to buy or borrow one/order it on Amazon and have it delivered to them. They were picking us up from the airport though. You could take your own too. We had a buggy that the car seat fitted on the top, so for travel we just took those 2 parts and not the carry cot. We used them in the airport and then they put them in the hold right as you get on the plane. We’ve also checked a car seat before at check in. Then we had a travel cot at our destination for night sleeping. And yes you often don’t get your stuff back til baggage reclaim, which was a bit of a nightmare traveling alone with a toddler and baby so thank god for the baby carrier.

I wouldn’t buy a baby bath, just wash them in the sink.

And yes to lots of spare clothes for all of you. And a lot of muslins and bibs. And stuff a couple extra nappies in a bag somewhere cos you just never know

Flip