Screaming lap babies

[ladyv]

I think the OP's logic makes fabulous sense. In fact, I think we should deploy it to other areas, like the disboards.

If you pay money, you can act like a jerk and say mean things in your post.
If you choose to not pay, you have to be nice.

A nice fundraiser, no?

 

[Disneyadore]

We have no problem with lap children,toddlers, children, pre teens and teens.
The persons that really are a pain in the a....... are the parents that demand you have to change seats.

We booked XXL seats and they were 120 Euro plus pp. No one in front of us so we had a little extra space for our legs.
We just were seated as a very angry father verbally attack us and the flight attendant that it was unbelievable that "old" people got these seats. They were perfect spots for his kids so they could play on the flour.
It was almost impossible to keep his kids quit and seated for more than ten hours.

Well daddy maybe just pay the extra fee next time.

 

[tinkermom23]

Besides, I'd fly with a screaming baby ANY day over a plane full of cheerleaders!!!!!!!

DS first flight he was 2 yr. old and fell asleep on take-off, waking up as we were landing! Waking up, I'm sure his ears hurt and he cried, loudly, wanting so badly to get out of his seatbelt, thrashing around because he wasn't fully awake. I did my best to comfort him and I was VERY aware of those around me who were bothered by his screaming.
Unfortunately our seatmate focused more on the 5 minutes my son was crying instead of the 2+ hours on a peaceful flight while my son napped.

To the OP- IMO, the family was doing what they could to calm the baby so the crying wouldn't bother you or the other passengers. I'm sorry it didn't work and it must have felt like a very long flight! I hope you have a better flight next time!!

 

[TRICKY_TINK]

Both my kids have small tubes in their ears and have troubles flying. The doctor gives me ear drops when we fly but they don't always work. Last week I flew with a lap baby who screamed for an hour of a two hour flight. We passed him back and forth, used toys, snacks. I broke out my **** several times in attempt to get him to latch and suck. I guess I'm one of those horrible parents who can't seem to control their baby maybe we shouldn't take vacations anymore.

 

[PoohHappens]

I would also like to point out that you never know what circumstances someone else is flying under. The only time we had to take our son as a lap baby instead of in a car seat was when my father died. So we ourselves were already in distress over the situation. This also had made it an impossible situation to have saved ahead for that extra ticket, so we were relieved to not have to purchase that extra ticket. On one of the flights we were placed on they ran out of seats and put us in first class with a lap baby. I was so stressed and worried he would be noisy, thankfully he was not but as we were travelling with my mother, sister etc... he wanted to keep going to different people. I worried that whole flight about bothering others, but I had to get on that plane and those were the only seats offered to us. I don't even think children are allowed in first class although I am not sure.

 

[tzolkin]

Why does it matter if the 'under 2' child is flying free or not?? DS flew as a lap baby until he was a year old and DD will fly as a lap baby for our next two flights. A crying baby is upsetting on a flight whether they are in a lap or in a seat, and I don't see how it should make a difference. On flights to Orlando, people are usually very understanding but I assume that wasn't the case on your flight.

I agree. I don't see what the difference is.

The few times I have flown with a baby/child under two I actually have paid for the extra seat, but they never sat in it. I held and nursed them so they wouldn't cry. If they had been in the carseat, they would have screamed the entire flight.

 

[thebeesknees]

I cannot start worrying now about the out loud crying that I KNOW is going to come from my 5 year old on Aug 22. I can talk to her about it quite a bit, I will take her to the store and buy her special gum for the flight, I will hold her against me and try to console her, but I am prepared for her to cry.

OT: Drugstores sell something called Earplanes for your ears when you fly. My kids used to cry like crazy during takeoff and landing, even with the gum, yawning, etc., until we tried these. They are special earplugs that help with the pressure. Last two trips using them - no crying!

Oh, and I used to get annoyed by crying babies, too, until it was me who had one. Even in their car seats they cried because of their ears hurting, and as badly as I felt and as much as I wanted to do something, I couldn't. I felt really bad for everyone else who had to listen to MY kid crying. Now, when someone else's baby or child cries, it doesn't bother me nearly as much, because I've been there before.

 

[VeroBeachGirl]

I fly with my 18 month old daughter on my lap very frequently. Most of the time, she does really well. She will cry occasionally. When it happens, most people offer a sympathetic smile or a "we've been there" type of comment.
Personally, I would rather be on a plane full of screaming children rather then with a loud talker or person who has had too much to drink. OP, maybe you should try driving. At least you could choose who is traveling with you.

 

[stella27]

This is an odd post coming from a parent.Usually I only see such intolerance of cranky babies from people who have never had their own. Most BTDT parents are sympathetic to the little ones and to their parents. And I can assure you that if my baby were crossing over the rest of the family and the aisle to see Daddy, it would be that we were trying to keep him happy so that he was less likely to disturb other passengers by screaming.

 

[natashag76]

The 1st time I flew with my oldest, she was 3 months old. I was by myself and I was terrified she was going to be "one of those" babies. She sucked on my pinkie (didn't like her pacifier) and napped the entire trip. I got tons of dirty looks as ppl passed me when they got on the plane, like they were anticipating noise and chaos from my seat! It ended up we had a crowd of obnoxious teenagers that had to be corralled by the attendants. And my daughter slept through it all. Airplanes might be expensive, but they are still PUBLIC transportation. The fact is, you can pay for 1st class, you can drive or you can deal.

 

[kevschickee]

The 1st time I flew with my oldest, she was 3 months old. I was by myself and I was terrified she was going to be "one of those" babies. She sucked on my pinkie (didn't like her pacifier) and napped the entire trip. I got tons of dirty looks as ppl passed me when they got on the plane, like they were anticipating noise and chaos from my seat! It ended up we had a crowd of obnoxious teenagers that had to be corralled by the attendants. And my daughter slept through it all. Airplanes might be expensive, but they are still PUBLIC transportation. The fact is, you can pay for 1st class, you can drive or you can deal.

Well said sistah

 

[Macduffy]

OT: Drugstores sell something called Earplanes for your ears when you fly. My kids used to cry like crazy during takeoff and landing, even with the gum, yawning, etc., until we tried these. They are special earplugs that help with the pressure. Last two trips using them - no crying!

THANK YOU

 

[dyna]

Yep DRIVE or DEAL!

 

[Fintastic]

I agree that barring any unexpected traveling, like if you have to fly because a family member has died or something, kids of any age should have their own seat. It's safer and it's more comfortable for the parents AND the baby. As far as crying goes, sure, it's annoying, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it other than get some good headphones and try to ignore it - or drive.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

As an infant by baby was comfortable and quiet nursing during flights. (I was well covered for those that care.)

 

[Charitycase20]

As an infant by baby was comfortable and quiet nursing during flights. (I was well covered for those that care.)

Emphasis mine - Who cares whether you were covered or not? You were doing what you had to do to make your little one happy and comfortable. I've done it too, and didn't cover up at all!!

 

[tartemis]

I agree that barring any unexpected traveling, like if you have to fly because a family member has died or something, kids of any age should have their own seat. It's safer and it's more comfortable for the parents AND the baby. As far as crying goes, sure, it's annoying, but there's not a whole lot you can do about it other than get some good headphones and try to ignore it - or drive.

I'm curious for those that hold this position -- did you not nurse your children on take-off and landing? Not only is it beneficial to their ears, it also is very comforting. I nursed my DD on and off the whole flight and there were absolutely no tears.

That is the main reason I would never buy a seat for a baby.

 

[crisi]

RE: Neglect - if the child was moving around the aisles during take off and landing, that's not a good sign. I'm not sure if it rises to the level of neglect - but that is really a red flag.

RE: Carseats. As was said, the issue isn't crashing - its turbulence. I've been in a number of flights lately where the turblence was enough to throw 150lbs of me out of my seat and throw me into my seatbelt. If I had a lapbaby I didn't have a good hold on (and if you can keep a good hold a squirmy toddler for a few hours, you are better at it than I ever was), that baby would have been airborne. I used to not really have an opinion on this, but my last few flights have really changed my mind - too risky, especially if its not a life or death sort of trip and a terribly tight money situation. If you are forgoing a ticket for a toddler to fit in a character meal, I think you are putting your child at risk unnecessarily.

 

[mom2faith]

I don't care for screaming babies. In laps, in seats or anywhere else. Particularly not in restaurants. The difference is in a restaurant you can take them out. In a plane you are a captive audience. There is just no getting away from it. We, by the way, passed our baby back and forth across the aisle. It kept her happy, and made us more comfortable. ...and we didn't buy a seat or take a car seat. I am sure in the event of a plane crash a car seat would do very little. I have never heard of anyone recovering a baby in a car seat after a plane crash!

You know, a baby in a car seat can cry, and you would be forced to "neglect" it by taking it out to soothe it. Or you could let it scream in the car seat, I'm sure that would win you friends.

I just had to comment on this. This is only for the sake of human interest, I thought you would find this kind of neat.

Here in Canada several months ago a 3 year old did survive and they say it was because of her car seat.

Here is the link:

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=ae48d03e-4fbb-4642-a69d-9942697e4557&k=4088&p=1

Anyhoo, as for the rest of it - well, my kids screams. There I said it. Does that make me neglectful? Is there a self help group I need to join? Actually, I think I already joined it - it is called Motherhood!!!

 

[MiniGirl]

I am surprised the flight attendants didn't offer the child something to help pop her ears, a lot of parents just don't think of this. How terrible.

I'm not quite sure there is anything the f/as could offer. As a former f/a, I am quite familiar with what is available. There was one thing we could rig up with the supplies we had on board. Because of a lawsuit, however, we had to stop offering that. If the problem is a child's ears, the sucking/popping has to start before you start to descend. Once you are about to land, it is too late to do anything.

I fly with my 18 month old daughter on my lap very frequently. Most of the time, she does really well. She will cry occasionally. When it happens, most people offer a sympathetic smile or a "we've been there" type of comment.
Personally, I would rather be on a plane full of screaming children rather then with a loud talker or person who has had too much to drink. OP, maybe you should try driving. At least you could choose who is traveling with you.

This was my experience as well, and in the tens of thousands of flights I have been on, I have had a lot of crying babies on board. Believe me, the person most upset in these situations was the mom (or dad). They knew the baby was screaming and disturbing others, but sometimes there just isn't anything that can be done. I've seen many a mom close to tears because of her baby's crying. A sympathic smile and/or word won't calm the baby but it will do wonders for the parents, and that in itself, can help the baby. Babies know when mom and dad are tense.

Airplanes might be expensive, but they are still PUBLIC transportation. The fact is, you can pay for 1st class, you can drive or you can deal.

I agree that when you pay for a ticket you are paying to get from point A to B. If you don't want to deal with the madness you can stay home or drive. First class is usually calmer, but babies cry in 1st class, too. However, airlines are NOT public transportation. The companies are generally traded on the stock exchange but they are not run with or even subsidized with tax dollars and their employees are not government employees. I just wanted to clarify that.