Can anyone tell me about flying with a child in lap

[jodifla]

Hey OP, it will likely be fine, don't worry. We traveled all the time with DS as a lap baby. Most of the time, he fell asleep on the trip. I made sure to have drinks and snacks for him, and new little toys to play with. I sat with him by the window, and he loved looking around outside. So many things to see!

We also gate checked his car seat, and about half the time they let us bring it on and gave us a seat. I know you can't count on it, but it does happen.

It was tougher when he was about 18 months, because he just wanted to run around. Luckily on that flight, we did have an open seat to use the car seat in.

 

[goofy4tink]

Don't pilots and flight attendants get free seats for themselves and their families? Why would they even need to keep a baby on their lap?

In any case, I think the risks can be overstated. If it was a real threat to safety, they wouldn't allow it.

Sure, sometimes they have free seats. But, if there are only two seats available and there are the two parents, with that one lap baby, then they will take the two seats with the baby on someone's lap.
And again, sure, the risks are overstated. But, for me...it's just not anything I want to do. Glad my kids are all paying fliers now. There is just no way I would spend a flight with a child on my lap...I'm way too selfish for that!!!

 

[Lewisc]

The flight is about an hour. You're suppose to get to the airport about 2 hours before your flight. It takes about an hour to get from MCO to WDW (DME). That suggests the OP won't get to his hotel for at least 4 hours after he leaves his house, longer if he doesn't live near the airport. Isn't the from Atlanta to Orlando 6-7 hours?

Driving may make sense.

I've read airlines are afraid they'd be under competitive pressure to offer free or almost free seats to infants if lap babies are no longer permitted. I've also read some people think you'd get more infant deaths as a result of families driving instead of flying. I don't really accept that as valid. Using that logic safety regulations for planes should be relaxed until the death rate from flying is the same as driving.

 

[malibuconlee]

It's only an hour so you are lucky there! We have two two hour flights plus a three hour drive when we fly with our daughter!

If you still do the binky give it to the baby during take-off and landing, it helps with the ears. If not, give a bottle/sippy cup of juice.

For an hour I'm sure snacks and a couple of books or toys would keep the baby occupied.

My daughter flew as a lap child on several flights and she did pretty well. We actually had one lady behind us on a flight stand up and say she didn't even realize there was a baby in front of her! I do miss when she would nap on just about every flight tho.

 

[kifuller4]

My daughters doctor told me it was fine to fly with a lap child, just to be smart about it. Don't let her run around, keep her in your LAP and make sure my seat belt was on al all times. We did encounter turblance and actually having her in my lap helped me stay calm... I didn't want to scare her.

You are right that it not going to help fighting about if it's the best option or not. OP just asked for suggestions on keeping her child occupied... not for a moral debate!!!!!

 

[ccgirl]

I have flown with my son as a lap baby at that age. I wore him in the Baby Bjorn except for take off and landing, at which points I held him within the seatbelt. The Baby Bjorn served two purposes. 1. It kept him more secure and 2. if freed up my hands to also help with my DD. As others have said, make sure to bring the birth certificate.

Have a great vacation!

 

[crashbb]

I have flown with my son as a lap baby at that age. I wore him in the Baby Bjorn except for take off and landing, at which points I held him within the seatbelt. The Baby Bjorn served two purposes. 1. It kept him more secure and 2. if freed up my hands to also help with my DD. As others have said, make sure to bring the birth certificate.

Have a great vacation!

On US based airlines you are not allowed to have your child within the seat belt nor are you allowed to use a baby carrier. Like all rules, enforcement varies.

 

[nytimez]

To the poster who said if it weren't safe, they wouldn't allow it...this is a constant debate, but the lap baby rule remains in place because requiring tickets for infants would mean more people would drive and therefore more infants would be injured or killed in auto accidents.

That was me. But to clarify, I did not mean to imply that it must be safe because they allow it -- only that the statistical risk must be quite small or it would be banned outright, but there is still certainly a risk and parents should know that if they choose to fly with a lap baby.

 

[tjmw2727]

On US based airlines you are not allowed to have your child within the seat belt nor are you allowed to use a baby carrier. Like all rules, enforcement varies.

This bears repeating, IMHO!

If you do choose to lap sit the baby you should never ever put them in your seatbelt. Doing so will cause the baby to act as your airbag in the event of even small turbulance. Think of what would happen if you tried to stand up quickly with the baby still strapped in on your lap. Then think about turbulance.

This is the same reason you can't use baby carriers at least during take off and landing, most airlines won't allow them at all.

 

[ccgirl]

On US based airlines you are not allowed to have your child within the seat belt nor are you allowed to use a baby carrier. Like all rules, enforcement varies.

Very interesting. Didn't know that about the seatbelt. I'm glad I mentioned it so now I know. Also, on the 3 SW flights he was on each time they told me he could not be in it for take off/landing but it was fine to have him in it at all other times. Very strange.

 

[tjmw2727]

Very interesting. Didn't know that about the seatbelt. I'm glad I mentioned it so now I know. Also, on the 3 SW flights he was on each time they told me he could not be in it for take off/landing but it was fine to have him in it at all other times. Very strange.

Most carriers do allow the baby b air and front carriers to be used during flight but they are banned for take off and landing as you know. Unfortunately as more and more parents tried to use them for takeoff and landing after the FA's were seated many airlines won't allow them at all. The last time I saw one in use in the airport the FA asked the mom to stow it in the overhead for the duration of the flight.

 

[leebee]

We took DD on her first trip at 6 months, flying non-stop from San Francisco to Boston. She traveled many, many times as a lap-child. Just be constantly aware of holding on to your child firmly all the time. Don't lay him in an empty seat, don't let ANY young child walk through the aisles without holding a hand, etc. (I don't understand how any parents let toddlers walk the aisles- one little bump and that cute face will hit an armrest...) anyhow...

DD was always a good traveler. Take something to suck on for take-off and landings to help with ear pressure. Ask the flight attendants if you can use you car seat if there's an empty seat. It's clear you understand the risks; just play it smart and you'll be fine.

(and for all of those who are making judgements about flying with a lap child, can I assume that you won't be using Disney transportation as there is no way to safely secure a child in a bus? Heck, you, the parent, can't even be safely secured in a bus!)

 

[maxiesmom]

(and for all of those who are making judgements about flying with a lap child, can I assume that you won't be using Disney transportation as there is no way to safely secure a child in a bus? Heck, you, the parent, can't even be safely secured in a bus!)

Busses are totally different than airplanes. The mass of the bus protects you in case of an accident, and there are not to many cases of a bus unexpectedly dropping because of rough air. Which is the main cause of concern with an unrestrained child in an airplane.

 

[ThreeBeans]

Busses are totally different than airplanes. The mass of the bus protects you in case of an accident, and there are not to many cases of a bus unexpectedly dropping because of rough air. Which is the main cause of concern with an unrestrained child in an airplane.

This is very true. Injury to lap babies is actually very common (relatively speaking). You can't 'hold on' to your baby in the event of sudden turbulence any more than you can 'hold on' to your baby in a car accident.

The FAA advises that all children under 40 pounds be in FAA-approved restraints in the air, and it actually advises AGAINST lap-babies, despite allowing them. The AAP also advises against lap-babies. Simply not worth the risk.

Those tethers you can wear holding your baby to your lap are not only not permitted on US flights, they turn your baby into your personal airbag in the event of a runway crash, and you can imagine just how well that ends up turning out for the baby! (Runway crashes are generally survivable without injury for all correctly restrained passengers. Being non-restrained makes it a whole 'nother ball -game)

 

[FigmentChick]

Hubby and I flew with our 18 month old on our laps this last trip. We had no problems. He slept most of the way down. We had headphones for him, so he could listen to music or watch a DVD on my laptop. He watched me play a game on the laptop and we gave him juice and goldfish. I will admit, on the way back he was cranky, but he finally fell asleep somewhere over GA (or SC) and then when he woke up, we had him look out the window.

Best of luck!

 

[Big_Disney_Fan]

thank you all very much. unfortunately buying a seat is not an option. Luckly he is the only baby and we have 3 other adults who will be very helpful and its only an hour flight from atlanta. i will make the most of it and hope it will be ok

Yeah, and heaven forbid there is a problem. You will not be able to hold on to your child in the event of an accident. There is nothing more important than that childs safety. Down grade a dinner reservation and please use an FAA aproved child seat and buy the little one a ticket.

 

[malibuconlee]

For everyone that is so insistant on using a car seat....

Are your flights direct? Do you have a layover?

Our only option pretty much wherever we fly is to change planes. I just can't imagine installing and uninstalling a car seat twice on airplanes to get where we are going. Actually we have done it (don't get me started on arguing the whole "car seats can be installed rearfacing" thing with a flight attendant).

Won't be doing it again! Maybe if we could fly direct, but it's not an option, as much as I wish it were.

 

[ThreeBeans]

I have flown with 1, 2, and 3 kids in child restraints, including flights with layovers and multiple legs. I have always correctly restrained them and I have never had a 'lap-baby'.

 

[kifuller4]

he who commits no sin... cast the first stone!

 

[DebbieB]

This bears repeating, IMHO!

If you do choose to lap sit the baby you should never ever put them in your seatbelt. Doing so will cause the baby to act as your airbag in the event of even small turbulance. Think of what would happen if you tried to stand up quickly with the baby still strapped in on your lap. Then think about turbulance.

This is the same reason you can't use baby carriers at least during take off and landing, most airlines won't allow them at all.

I was once across the aisle from a mom who tried to seatbelt her baby with her. The FA saw it and made her unbuckle the baby. She also have her instructions on how to hold the baby during takeoff and landing. I believe it was head against her chest, don't quote me on that though.