Ava is quite the cross country traveler. She just completed her 5th cross country round trip. She took her first flight when she was 16 weeks old and has been a pro every time! This last flight home was a little rough as Ava got sick for the very first time this week! Over the last 11 months the only sickness Ava has had was a runny nose but besides that has been as healthy as can be. Ava caught a little cold while we were in NC and the plane actually made it worse. She now has an ear infection and has been pretty miserable this week. We got some antibiotics last night so hopefully she'll be back to her happy self in no time!
Besides this past flight, which really wasn't that bad, we have had 0 issues with flying. I say that now but I KNOW that one day we will. You can't expect babies to deal with confined spaces and ear pressure perfectly every time! I know my day is coming... believe me!
Several people have asked me what to take and what to do while flying with a baby. I think that every few months you need different things, do different things, and act differently when flying with a baby.
Month 1-5: This is probably the easiest time to fly! Babies sleep A LOT during these first couple of months and they are very little and portable so you don't have to worry about them wanting to wiggle and crawl around. During this stage you will want a Travel Boppy! This is by far the most amazing thing you will ever buy for traveling. It folds up pretty small and it is a lifesaver while flying. You can use it to support your arm and the baby while nursing and then you have a place to set the baby for awake and sleep time. Ava isn't much of a cuddler so she loved her space while traveling. We used this for her first 2 trips.
You should always nurse or bottle feed during take off and landing. There were a few times Ava was sleeping during landing and I DID NOT wake her up. As for things to pack you will need:
1. 1-2 thin blankets
2. Several pacifiers
3. A backup bottle of milk if they have nursing issues
4. Nursing cover
5. 2 changes of clothes for the baby
6. A backup shirt for you incase they poop/spit up on you
7. 8-12 diapers (depending on how long the flight and if you have a lay over)
8. Wipes
9. Snacks for You and your spouse
10. An Ergo or Bjorn to carry the baby in
11. Burp cloths
12. Sanitizing wipes for the plane and hand sanitizer for you
13. Travel Boppy
14. Changing Pad
15. Infant Tylenol (This is VERY controversial for some people but the Pediatrician recommended I give it to her an hour before we fly and I have done it every time and she has never cried because her ears hurt)
Month 5-6 : You need a lot of the same things as before plus 1 or 2 toys that light up. Kids at that age love light up toys and it will help distract them. You should also bring a few chew/ teething toys. I would also recommend stroller straps. You can hook these onto the chair and put their toys on them so when they throw them they don't end up on the nasty floor.
Month 7-9: NOW it starts to get a little more difficult. Your kiddo is probably sitting alone and is possibly crawling. Once they start crawling things are very different when traveling. My advice is plan your flight around nap times. For example Ava naps every day at 9 am and 2 pm. So I normally schedule flights to leave at 1:30pm. This way Ava gets a good morning nap and then I run her around and around at home, drive to the airport and then let her play at the gate before we leave. I would bring a small nylon blanket (I use the bottom of her playmat) that you can wipe off easily. You can also bring a regular blanket as well. Just set the blanket on the floor of the airport and let them play. If they are crawling I would try to rope off an area and let them do it ( I know bad Mommy letting them get nasty airport germs) Just use hand sanitizer after. The more energy they get out in the airport the better they will be on the plane! I would also ask when you check in if there are any open seats on the plane. You can ask if there are 2 together and you can change your seat or tell the flight attendant when you get on if they do happen to have any open seats if they wouldn't mind switching you. Half of the flights we have taken Ava has lucked out and gotten her own seat. You still need to hold them on landing and take off but it's easier to let them play and sleep in their own seat.
Month 10-12: Make sure you wear comfortable shoes because all I did on the airplane was walk up and down the aisles with Ava. She wanted to make sure she met every single person on that plane 50+ times. I did rotate in some ipad and book time. I don't normally let Ava play with the ipad for more than 10 minutes a day or watch any TV at home so when she does get the chance she loves it. We would play a game for 10 minutes then walk. Watch 10 minutes of tv then walk... over and over and over and over.... Let's just say I was EXHAUSTED after!!! I also took far less things with me on this trip because Ava has 1 million toys but loves to play with my things. We brought:
1. 8 diapers
2. Wipes
3. 1 book for Ava
5. ipad
6. Extra onsie for Ava
7. Sleepers to change into on the last flight
8. Changing pad
9. Pacifiers and paci clip
10. Infant Tylenol
Now the only thing I still debate is the need of a stroller in the airport. I would 100% say check the car seat with your checked luggage (car seats, strollers, and pack n plays are free to check). But the stroller has come in useful, once, and other times is a hassle. If you have a connecting flight with a tight layover time then DO NOT take it! You will spend 10 minutes waiting for it and then you have to wait for the elevator to switch terminals, in some airports, which can take a while. It's much easier to throw them in your Ergo or Bjron and walk to your gate. It is nice to have it if your flight is delayed and they need a nap. You can roll them around in it until they fall asleep and then you have some hands free time. I think each trip it changes so think through your travel time and layover time and decide what works best.
Hope that helps and safe travels!!
