Flying with baby

[billreeves]

OK everyone, for those you who don't like being on the same flight with babies, you may want to avoid flying Southwest from San Jose to LAX this Friday at around 11 AM. Just sayin'.

For the rest of you who have been through this before -- we're flying for the first time with our little guy this week. Anyone got some handy tips?

We're mostly concerned about the logistics -- for example, we need to bring a car seat, a stroller, and his travel crib along with our own luggage -- what should get checked? We did not get him his own seat (we're cheap, and it's a pretty short flight) so we figure the car seat should be checked -- will it be OK? Can we bring the stroller through security so he can sit in it in the waiting area, and then check it in at the gate? I'm sure the airlines see this every day but it's new to us. Any helpful advice from those of you who have done this before would be appreciated.

[Ismitje]

OK everyone, for those you who don't like being on the same flight with babies, you may want to avoid flying Southwest from San Jose to LAX this Friday at around 11 AM. Just sayin'.

For the rest of you who have been through this before -- we're flying for the first time with our little guy this week. Anyone got some handy tips?

We're mostly concerned about the logistics -- for example, we need to bring a car seat, a stroller, and his travel crib along with our own luggage -- what should get checked? We did not get him his own seat (we're cheap, and it's a pretty short flight) so we figure the car seat should be checked -- will it be OK? Can we bring the stroller through security so he can sit in it in the waiting area, and then check it in at the gate? I'm sure the airlines see this every day but it's new to us. Any helpful advice from those of you who have done this before would be appreciated.

The car seat must be checked, but we also (past tense - out of that stage now :) ) arranged car seats on the other end to avoid the ever-mushrooming collection of necessary items. Whoever picked us up could often borrow a seat, and we even secured rental cars with car seats a couple of times (some have built-in booster seats for older kids).

Checking the stroller at the gate is quite simply the greatest thing ever. Things come into perspective when travelling with children, and keeping the stroller until the last minute is close to nirvana!

For the plane, toys that aren't repetitive noise toys are appreciated by all around you. If the baby will take a passifier, it's a must as air pressure hits the little one.

Good luck!

[bungadiri]

Make sure the baby doesn't have a head cold/ear infection.

[Ismitje]

Make sure the baby doesn't have a head cold/ear infection.

I thought "ear infection" and "baby" were synonymns! :eek:

[Excape Goat]

Flying with a baby is easy... flying a 2 year old will be worst. :)

[Mr. Bee]

Coming from a pilot who has flown with his son about 14 times before he turned 1 year old, just remember - pacifiers to work out the ear issues. Pray to God that the auto-pressurization works on the A/C that you're flying on.

Oh, and if you get a nice gate agent on a flight that isn't full, you will be able to bring your carseat onboard - Southwest flies 737s in a 3 and 3 configuration, so you may be able to get him his own seat even though you don't pay - SWA has very good customer service when it comes to families.

He'll have to sit at a window, and you'll have to make sure that your carseat has a VISIBLE label that reads "This restraint certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft".

[chad]

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/117/291755/117.html

http://www.onestepahead.com/images/product/detail_views_jpgs/9018_dv_1.jpg

It's the best: saves so much space while traveling. It can be gate-checked if you are unable to get the child a seat. If you do get a seat for the kid, then you have an approved seat.

[DoctorD]

Breast feed and keep him plugged in the entire trip to avoid ear issues.

[kerpow]

Breast feed and keep him plugged in the entire trip to avoid ear issues.

Certainly at take-off and landing. Actually, my daughter flew with my wife for the first time yesterday - London to Chicago. My wife was very aprehensive but it went reasonably well.

However, we deliberately dressed her up in her nicest clothes so that if she did scream all the way at least my wife would get some sympathy because my daughter looked so damn cute :)

[Pints]

My daughter took her first flight from Florida to Baltimore when she was 8 weeks old, with my wife. She slept the entire trip.

My wife, daughter and I all took a round trip flight to Florida when she was 6 months, and still she slept most of the way out there and only part of the way back. We checked the carseat, used a Baby Bjorn and left the stroller at home. We also rented a crib in Florida. (Actually the rental fell through so we rigged a double bed in our room by removing the top mattress and putting it on the floor, laid down some large blankets on the box spring, and surround a 2 foot square space with pillows for her to sleep on. Worked perfectly.

We brought two toys, and two bottles on the plane. We fed her during take off's and landings to help wiht ear pressure. She loved the attention she got from nice people who understand we are all once babies and was ignored by those that believe they were created as adults. Oh also, you get to get on the plane first AND alot of time people will avoid sitting near you so you may end up with an extra seat. I would (if possible) try to time your flight in the mid-moring, so by the time you are set to go she/he will be ready to take thier nap, bakc that nap up with a bottle of goodness and they may snooze the whole way.;)

When we got home that afternoon, she was so beat from traveling that she napped for about 3-1/2 hours. Plenty of time to watch some World Cup matches un-interrupted.:D

[Samarkand]

You've got to hope that if your child does start crying, you don't get help like this! (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Midwest/03/14/spiked.juice.ap/index.html) :eek:

[Pints]

You've got to hope that if your child does start crying, you don't get help like this! (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Midwest/03/14/spiked.juice.ap/index.html) :eek:

What a prick!

[Mr. Bee]

What a prick!

Yeah, I'm the only one who will be drugging my son, thank you very much

[bungadiri]

My mom's doctor advised her to give my sister and me (we were born 13 months apart) formula laced with bourbon just so she could take a nap now and then.

[Mr. Bee]

My mom's doctor advised her to give my sister and me (we were born 13 months apart) formula laced with bourbon just so she could take a nap now and then.

You have no idea how much this explains

[bungadiri]

You have no idea how much this explains
I've just told the three pink elephants in my office to go kick your ass.

[Mr. Bee]

I've just told the three pink elephants in my office to go kick your ass.

If they kick ass like you kick a soccerball then I won't even have to move to get out of the way.

[bungadiri]

If they kick ass like you kick a soccerball then I won't even have to move to get out of the way.
Oh snap.

Just for that, that noise you'll hear will be me laughing my butt off when your kid grows up to be a Schlitz guzzling anglo-phobe who views your fascination with "soccer" as part of the same quaint but loveable dementia that leads you to wear black socks and plaid bermuda shorts while pulling weeds in the front yard.

[Pints]

Yeah, I'm the only one who will be drugging my son, thank you very much

:D Exactly, and hopefully it won't be with tablets of Xanex