Worrying about Flying with a "lap child"

[Mouse House Mama]

Huh? You can pull a car over and deal with a child. You can't do that on an airplane.

This seems like very unrealistic advice for many families.

You may need to take the child out so you can go to the bathroom, breast feed, comfort your child, etc. etc.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just wanted to add-

One of my children hated the carseat. I don't mean that they merely disliked it- I mean they screamed like I was torturing them!!! Of course he had no choice and had to stay in it but I timed my short trips for when he was most likely to nap until he was older and stopped screaming.

Another point was that sitting in a carseat on a plane is not like a car. Cars allow you to feel the movement if you will. A carseat on a plane is like strapping your kid in and putting the carseat on your couch.

 

[allyphoe]

they let you bring liquids for children...

I would *not* count on being able to do that. I flew most recently out of Kansas City, which has no concessions, no drinking fountains, and no bathrooms past security. I had my DD's sippy cup full of ice (no water), so she'd have something to drink while we waited for the plane and for takeoff. One TSA guy said "no problem," the other one next to him said "absolutely not." Into the trash it went.

 

[rrobin3051]

I would *not* count on being able to do that. I flew most recently out of Kansas City, which has no concessions, no drinking fountains, and no bathrooms past security. I had my DD's sippy cup full of ice (no water), so she'd have something to drink while we waited for the plane and for takeoff. One TSA guy said "no problem," the other one next to him said "absolutely not." Into the trash it went.

they DO let you bring bottles for sure. The first time my son was on a cup but I brought a bottle of milk and transferred it afterwards to the cup. I asked at security and they said sippys were ok..but maybe not everywhere,but bottles are allowed. So if not on a bottle buy one and fill it up then transfere after security if need be. You spent only $1 on a bottle that you can throw away later. No biggie

 

[ShawnaF]

Piece of cake - have flown with my little one more than 30 times and she'll be turning 3 in October. As a lap child, she was good - she's also VERY active and doesn't like to be held too long unless she's entertained. We timed flights for around nap time. The other thing that helped was that she was breastfeeding for part of the time she was a lap child. She usually passed right out for the entire flight. Take snacks. Take a sippy cup and dump it out before security - fill it back up AFTER going through, if no concessions on the other side, ask someone and they'll direct you to a place to get water or something else for your child (or most all flight attendants are really helpful as well.) Even in MAJOR turbulence I was never asked to put her on the floor. It'll be fine.

Take books and some other things to play with easily while sitting and holding.

Of course your next trip or so should be in her own seat at 2 years old, I highly recommend carseat. Yeah, it's not fun to drag it around, but with a shoulder strap it sure has made our flights easy and quiet.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

for anyone interested I found this

www.travelingwithkids.com
health and safety- air travel

I wonder about the liquids. she wont drink anything but milk or formula. I need to check out the rules for that. I do have little "to go" packets of formula that is mixed with water. Milk has to be kept cold...

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Thanks for the link! I might actually buy some of those harnesses!

 

[NemoMOm]

Someone asked earlier about whether or not they still allow use of the "flight vest" at cruise altitude. Unfortunately I don't have the answer because I haven't been a flight attendant for almost 3 years now, so I'm not up to date on that specific rule. However, I'm pretty sure the FAA website would have that info.

Definitely take the car seat with you all the way to the gate. You can always gate check it along with your stroller if there is not an empty seat.

Also, I have a question/comment for parents out there. Some of you stated that you bought a seat, brought the car seat on the plane and attached it, but then took the child out and held them...I also saw this happen frequently when I was a flight attendant. I never understood why someone would do this (unless there was an emergency with a "sick" child or something like that)...and the reason I don't understand is that you would never ever consider taking a child out of the car seat while your car was moving, but you took the child out while in a "vehicle" that travels over 200 mph. Sure they might cry because they want to get out of the seat on the plane, but what would you do in the car if they cried to get out?? Yes, there are other people on the plane who don't want to hear the child crying to get out, but if you are prepared with toys, snacks etc. then you've done everything you can as a good parent and shouldn't worry about what others are thinking when your child's safety is at risk. Kids cry, yes it's annoying, but when the alternative is to let your child be unsafe (out of their seat) I say too bad to the other passengers...it's unlikely they will cry for the entire flight...so don't give in and take them out of the seat on the plane when you wouldn't do it in your car.

Yeah, I have to agree with other posters. I buy a seat for my little guy but he sits in my lap because he hates his car seat. I find it the damn if you damn if you don't tiring. Passengers and flight attendents alike want us to keep our kids quite so we do what we have to do. And no I would not take my child out of his seat in a moving car, but neither do I get up and go to the restroom in my moving vehicle either or have people serve me drinks.. As far as turbulence goes we are aware of the situation and keep an arm on him at all times. And we have hit heavy tubulence and never once did his bottom leave my lap. Those instincts kick in. You have to remember their seating in a car seat is not the same as being buckled in adult seat. They are strapped in from their shoulders, other than their head, arms, and feet they can not move. This is hard for alot of children.

 

[dawnball]

What was your experience in flying with a child on your lap?

Statistically, lap children on airplanes are safer than many other situations we allow our children to be in on a regular basis. My DD flew as a lap child several times. Once DH came long, and the rest of the time it was just she and I.

I never flew with markers/crayons until DD was at least 3. The most popular items were..
An empty drink cup and some paper game pieces (put them in the cup, take them out of the cup, hand them to mom, take them from mom, shake the cup.. there was no end)
Temporary tattoos
reciting favorite books/never ending stories
Looking out the window, or looking at the route maps in the airline magazines and seeing where we were/where we were going
stickers (to be applied to self/clothing/mom)


Even on the last trip - coloring didn't last long, we did lots and lots of spelling, talking, singing, storytelling, poker, etc. Your child is a little young for poker, but not that card games that require a table (hold-em) really doesn't work well on an airplane. During ascent/descent the cards go everywhere.

We brought lots of snacks, the favorite blanket, one stuffed animal, etc.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Yeah, I have to agree with other posters. I buy a seat for my little guy but he sits in my lap because he hates his car seat. I find it the damn if you damn if you don't tiring. Passengers and flight attendents alike want us to keep our kids quite so we do what we have to do. And no I would not take my child out of his seat in a moving car, but neither do I get up and go to the restroom in my moving vehicle either or have people serve me drinks.. As far as turbulence goes we are aware of the situation and keep an arm on him at all times. And we have hit heavy tubulence and never once did his bottom leave my lap. Those instincts kick in. You have to remember their seating in a car seat is not the same as being buckled in adult seat. They are strapped in from their shoulders, other than their head, arms, and feet they can not move. This is hard for alot of children.

Oh but wouldn't that be fabulous?!!! I can just see the drink cart now coming up the aisle of my minivan.....

 

[PiperPizzaz]

They won't let you walk the aisles, sorry.

We took Ds at 11 months as a lap baby. There were extra seats though so he sat in one of those. This time he will be turning two during our trip but, we got him a seat going down anyway, he is too squirmy to sit on our laps now.

I wouldn't worry too much about turbulence. My mom (who had 5 kids) took a child out of their CARSEAT one time. Wouldn't you know that is their one big car accident! My Dsis was perfectly fine. My poor mom had bruises all over her though from holding on so tight. Those mom instincts are amazing sometimes.

Yes you can take a carseat and if there is no room gatecheck it. It is not a big deal.

Good luck! Have a great trip!

 

[thepeach80]

It's not about instinct, it's about the fact that a 20# child in a 40mph crash (400mph or so in the air) becomes 800# (or 8000# in the air) of force. There is just no way you'll be able to hold the baby if things get bad enough and there is no guarentee they won't.

 

[Micka Mouse]

Have you seen the new Elmer's Paint Kits ? This kept dd2 completely occupied when we were in NH a few weeks ago. Just like the markers, the paint brushes have paint in them that only work on the paper it comes with. Good Luck!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If you are worried, then buy the ticket.

Personally, I probably won't fly with a lap baby ever again (at least for takeoff and landing). But the times that I did, were completely okay except for 1 flight segment where my child became possessed by something and screamed the entire flight.

My kids that I lapped--were not fidgety kids. They had no problem sitting on a lap. I'm not saying that "justifies" that it was the perfect scenario, just that I used that as weight for my decision.

If I had children who I feared that I wouldn't be able to control for whatever reason, then I wouldn't have considered flying them on my lap.

With my 3rd baby I have come to my senses and after 1 m/c, a few scares while pregnant with him...I want to treat him like the precious cargo that he is. Again--it is what I choose that will work for my family.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Someone asked earlier about whether or not they still allow use of the "flight vest" at cruise altitude. Unfortunately I don't have the answer because I haven't been a flight attendant for almost 3 years now, so I'm not up to date on that specific rule. However, I'm pretty sure the FAA website would have that info.

Definitely take the car seat with you all the way to the gate. You can always gate check it along with your stroller if there is not an empty seat.

Also, I have a question/comment for parents out there. Some of you stated that you bought a seat, brought the car seat on the plane and attached it, but then took the child out and held them...I also saw this happen frequently when I was a flight attendant. I never understood why someone would do this (unless there was an emergency with a "sick" child or something like that)...and the reason I don't understand is that you would never ever consider taking a child out of the car seat while your car was moving, but you took the child out while in a "vehicle" that travels over 200 mph. Sure they might cry because they want to get out of the seat on the plane, but what would you do in the car if they cried to get out?? Yes, there are other people on the plane who don't want to hear the child crying to get out, but if you are prepared with toys, snacks etc. then you've done everything you can as a good parent and shouldn't worry about what others are thinking when your child's safety is at risk. Kids cry, yes it's annoying, but when the alternative is to let your child be unsafe (out of their seat) I say too bad to the other passengers...it's unlikely they will cry for the entire flight...so don't give in and take them out of the seat on the plane when you wouldn't do it in your car.

What you have posted is 100% impractical not to mention illogical.

When you flew did passengers have to stay in their seats 100% of the time. Did you?

My child doesn't drink from a bottle. So how would you propose those kids be fed?

And what about diaper changes?

Why on earth did airlines install changing tables in the bathroom if changing a diaper wasn't supposed to happen in the air unless the child was sick?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would *not* count on being able to do that. I flew most recently out of Kansas City, which has no concessions, no drinking fountains, and no bathrooms past security. I had my DD's sippy cup full of ice (no water), so she'd have something to drink while we waited for the plane and for takeoff. One TSA guy said "no problem," the other one next to him said "absolutely not." Into the trash it went.

My sister flies lots out of KC.

Her observation....with a baby you could get ANYTHING through security if you wanted to. Not that she would try, but just what she has observed. She has traveled with milk in bottles and juice for her little girl. She does have everything packed into a little cooler though.

The great thing about that airport--you don't have to walk through security an hour or more before your flight. It is right there at the gate. I LOVE that airport and wish more of them were built like that.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

for anyone interested I found this

www.travelingwithkids.com
health and safety- air travel

I wonder about the liquids. she wont drink anything but milk or formula. I need to check out the rules for that. I do have little "to go" packets of formula that is mixed with water. Milk has to be kept cold...

ice pack!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It's not about instinct, it's about the fact that a 20# child in a 40mph crash (400mph or so in the air) becomes 800# (or 8000# in the air) of force. There is just no way you'll be able to hold the baby if things get bad enough and there is no guarentee they won't.

The poster was commenting on a little bump of turblence.

not a nose first crash into the runway.

With a purchased seat--you MOST of the time have ample warning to get the child back in their seat before it gets bad enough.

I have flown quite a bit since the age of 4 and only one time was there a sudden and quite bad unexpected turbulence. (guy next to me ended up spilling his coffee into and over the seat in front of him--thankfully no injury to the passenger). My soda ended up all over the ceiling. Thankfully no injuries to anyone and when the flight attendant arrived to make sure everyone was okay--I had tears in my eyes. The look of concern inadvertently made me laugh even harder. The guy next to me was also in stitches.

most of the time you start to feel a little bit of rumble and the pilot flips on that fasten seatbelt sign. No biggie.

 

[Kies99]

We never bought a ticket for either of our 2 DD's. We never had an issue. Most flights we got lucky and had and empty seat next to one of us and could put them down there.

Honestly, what are the chances of there being a problem? How often do you hear about turbulence and a child being injured because they didn't have a seat? I think the chances are so slim that something would happen that it justifies saving the money.

 

[fun4disney]

I'm sorry, But I can't understand this for the life of me!!!! If your husband is saying that you can't afford it, then you shouldn't be going. You should also be considering the people all around you. They don't want to have a child kicking their seat and a parent juggling a kid around....I could ALMOST understand if it you had an infant, but a 17 month old, come on. He says it isn't going to bother him with the child on his lap, but lets face it, it will be you traveling with the child on YOUR lap!

I have flown numerous times with my son. ALWAYS have bought a seat and until he started using the booster seat at age 5 he sat in a car seat. Never did I have a problem with him not wanting to sit there. Still to this day, he sits with his seat belt fastens the entire time....just like everyone should. No exceptions!

By the way, the airlines offer 50% off the fare when it's a child under 2.....if they are over 2 they pay the full price.

I think it's a bad idea!