Twenty days left and getting nervous about flying w/9 month old

[Megara5115]

Hi everyone,

So like the title says, we are getting down to the wire and I'm getting more and more anxious about flying with our 9 month old. I have tried to read up on tips for flying with babies so both flights are at typical nap times, I've bought a couple new toys and books to break out on the flight, we booked even more space seats on Jetblue... but I'm just so apprehensive. It's me, DH and DS 11 going with baby... I considered getting baby his own seat but the Jetblue rows are three across so the seat assignments would be broken up.

He's just at the age where he is crawling and cruising on furniture so all he wants to do is go go go. Also he is "discovering" his voice (in the form of straight up yelling some of the time ). I'm planning on putting him in his baby carrier (either Tula or Lillebaby).

I would really appreciate any tips or suggestions you guys have for making the flight go as smoothly as possible. Thank you so much!

 

[DisneyRegulars]

Don't worry too much. There is so much to see and do on a plane that is new for baby. My biggest tip is to either nurse or give him a bottle right when the plane starts to take off. Not taxi. When the plane really starts flying down the runway, that's when to start giving him something to drink so his ears stay clear. If you start when the plane leaves the gate it could be twenty minutes before you actually take off.

Just be prepared to entertain the little beastly constantly, and things will go smoothly.

Also, don't bring anything that will get dropped on the floor unless you want to pick it up off the floor ten thousand times. Especially don't bring anything that can roll.

Good luck. It will be better than you think.

 

[Megara5115]

Don't worry too much. There is so much to see and do on a plane that is new for baby. My biggest tip is to either nurse or give him a bottle right when the plane starts to take off. Not taxi. When the plane really starts flying down the runway, that's when to start giving him something to drink so his ears stay clear. If you start when the plane leaves the gate it could be twenty minutes before you actually take off.

Just be prepared to entertain the little beastly constantly, and things will go smoothly.

Also, don't bring anything that will get dropped on the floor unless you want to pick it up off the floor ten thousand times. Especially don't bring anything that can roll.

Good luck. It will be better than you think.

Thanks so much! The nursing when we take off is a great tip because I probably would have done it when the plane left the gate and been stuck for twenty minutes! Also the non- rolling items. So much appreciated!!!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

be ready to repeat nursing as you start to go down to land as much as 1/2 hour before landing. also be prepared to not ne ale to use tray table and baby will be able to reach tray table next to you. also plan on change of clothes for everyone in bag that goes under the seat. It will be easier to get if needed than in the over head bins and this includes diapers and wipes. I second nothing rollable and also nothing that makes noise

 

[Mmw37]

I think babies are easier to fly with than toddlers by a long shot. Both of my boys flew for the first time around that age. Definitely agree on the nursing during actual takeoff and landing, and don't be afraid to let him have a little comfort milk if he starts fussing about something in the middle. Best way to quiet them down IMO.

Bring snacks if he's on solids. Ask the flight attendant for a cup of ice, that always buys my kids 20 minutes. Otherwise bring a few toys without small parts and that don't make a ton of noise - hard to find, I know. People swear by "busy bags," so you might want to look into that as well. We haven't done it because we do try to fly during naptime and they usually sleep.

Good luck! It will probably be much better than you expected, I was very pleasantly surprised by my older boy's first flight.

 

[SweetMissy]

We flew when our #3 was 4 months old and again this year when our #4 was 7 months old. It was so easy both times, I worried for nothing. Nursing, small quiet toys, and snacks for the 7 month old worked great. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Megara5115]

Thank you all for the feedback... I'm going to try and prepare and hope for the best

 

[BLAZEY]

I would also let him cruise or play in a play area before getting on the plane. Let DH & older DS get on the plane first will all the carry on stuff. Board as late as possible with the little one. no reason to restrict movement longer than necessary.

 

[DopeyDame]

My biggest tip is one that you may ignore, but I'd go back and buy him a seat if at all possible. You'll get extra space, he'll be comfortable in his own carseat that he's already familar with, and if he does have a melt down, at least you know he's safe strapped into a carseat. And more importantly, the NTSB, FAA, and pilot and flight attendant unions all recommend it for the safety of the child and other passengers. We're also a family of 4, so when the kids were little, we typically did 2 in one row and 2 in the row right behind.

Other than that, the best advice is the one a flight attendant gave me when I was flying alone with my son for the first time (who was a LOUD and active toddler at the time): Relax, honey. This is the flight to Orlando. It will be packed full of screaming kids.

 

[Terapin]

I've traveled extensively with a baby and now toddler. She was fine until she started crawling, and then just wanted down. It was tricky, I can't lie. It required us walking her up and down the aisle, trying to keep her occupied. When the seatbelt like was on she was not happy to just sit on my lap. I tried to keep her occupied with snacks, nursing, new books and toys, but man it was work! Our last flight, at 13 months, I booked her her own seat so at least she was strapped in.

I do find she will nap more on the plane than otherwise - and she really likes a blanket on planes. She's been to Paris, London, LA, Copenhagen and Orlando airports from Toronto. Our flight back from Paris when she was 11 months old was not that fun, and we had my niece with us to switch off. Before she was crawling, she was great on the plane! She flew first at 5 weeks old to LA (5 hours) and it was easy-peasy. It was when she developed a will and a desire to locomote that things became harder.

Also, my kid likes to have epic blowouts on planes, so now I bring several changes of clothing and plastic bags. Fun times.

Air Canada offers baby meals on long flights so that was always good. I also bring snacks, pouches of baby food, a cup of water, etc. The pouches of food needed to be scanned and tested separately, so I have them in a ziplock bag. They now put them through the spectrometer.

Hope that helps!

 

[Muskrat191]

FYI - You will not be allowed to use the baby carrier when the seat belt sign is on.

 

[Becca1007]

Our favorite toy for the plane is an O-Ball. We use a long pacifier clip (but a string would work too) to attach it to one of us or baby and he can toss it and reel it back in. It is not long enough to hit anything but us and it is so lightweight that it is easy to pack. If you have a ipad download a couple episodes of a cartoon to watch if you get desperate (we do Sesame Street). I recommend bringing lysol/clorox wipes to wipe down the armrests, tray table etc because your little one will touch everything and then proceed to put hands into their mouth.
Snacks that can be doled out one at a time (cheerios or puffs) if they are eating solids will take up a segment of flying time too.

 

[happymommy]

I agree about getting the extra seat. I've flown with my kids since they were each 3-4 months old (also alone, when DD was 3 months old and DS was 2 years old). I always bought seats! Even though when DD was 3 months old I did spend half the flight nursing her, it was essential to have somewhere for her to sit in her baby seat then!

Also, yes Muskrat191 is right; you can't use a baby carrier on takeoff. You'll need you seat belt on.

It may not be ideal, but I'd do 2 and 2, or have you or your husband with the kids and have the other just across the aisle (that's what we always did on Southwest).

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Bring snacks on snacks on snacks! Haha! I just flew with my 11 month old and I've flown with a 9 month old. Its not as big of a deal as you think its going to be. Nurse, if you can. Don't feel bad about letting the baby look at your phone if that's a good distraction.

My main issue when flying with my babies is at that age they like to throw everything on the floor. Have pockets to put a paci in or whatever for back up. I also kept my bag under my feet so anything dropped generally fell in the bag.

 

[andyw715]

Go to the bar beforehand and drink a pint or 2 (to take the edge off), and slip the little one some benedryl (to take the edge off)

 

[Megara5115]

Thank you all for your feedback and advice- it was very helpful. I finally just decided to book him his own seat. On the way there Baby, me and DS 11 will be in a row together with DH in the window seat in front of baby and on the way back it will be me and baby together and DH and DS in the row diagonal from us. Unfortunatey since it's so close to the flight there wasn't much available seat-wise but I feel better about him being in the car seat and potentially contained for some of the flight.