Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Any tips or suggestions on flying with a five month old?

baby travel system necessary on ... Baby Dreamer Cruiser Aluminum Baby Stroller + Car Seat Travel System
baby travel system necessary image



Tyler's mo


I will be going on a flight next week from California to Florida with my son as a lap child. Can you give me some tips on making the flight smooth? Also, will the higher altitude and time change be a problem for my baby? Thanks in advance.


Answer
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I fly a lot of long-haul trips alone with my kids. I flew from Europe to California with them for the first time when each was 4 months old. This is a great age to travel!

Even though you haven't booked a seat for him, still try to get an extra seat next to you to use his car seat in. This is actually the only way to fly safely with a baby. Lap children are allowed because statistically, flying is so safe, there's very little chance of anything going wrong. If it does though, a lap child has no protection.

Since you haven't booked a seat for him, call the airline and see if the flight is full. Then, at check in, ask nicely if you can have an empty seat next to you and if they can "block" it, only using it if necessary. They often do this for families.

Double check that your car seat is approved for airline travel. Most seats sold in the U.S. are but here is the FAA site page to check to be sure;
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/

My babies were much more settled and much easier when they were in their familar seat.

To get through the airport, there is no need to carry a car seat. There are all sorts of gizmos sold like these;

http://www.gogobabyz.com/products/gogo_kids.html
http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Attach-Rolling-Carry/dp/B000JHN3AS
http://www.onestepahead.com/product/osa/363756.html

I simply use a small metal luggage cart with an extra bungee cord and it works great. I skip on the stroller and she can even ride in it. She usually prefers to walk and then I load the carry-ons abord.

I actually owned a Sit-n-Stroll and used it a lot. I love this product but it's very expensive if you don't need it on a regular basis.

Besides, taking your car seat onboard virtually guarentees that it'll be there at your destination. Checking them risks damage and loss. Wont you need it when you get there?

It's actually a myth that children need to suck on something for take-off and landing. I rarely saw it in my 13 years as a Flight Attendant and I have never, ever done anything special with them for take-offs and landings. It's simply not true that babies suffer during those times.

ENT specialists simply recommend that the child is awake for landing;
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude/htm

The delicate time is not during take-off or landing/touchdown but at the *top of descent*. This is usually 40 minutes to an hour before landing and everyone's ears have to reverse the pressurization. I can confirm that when I worked, if any passengers had ear problems, this was the time. Not just children either! They actualy felt *better* as we got closer to landing.

Please don't wake your son unnecessarily during take-off or landing to force him to drink, and don't make him if he doesn't want to. Also, if you get to use the car seat on board, make sure he's safely strapped in during take-off and landing. There is no reason to remove him from his seat during those times.

The BEST way to avoid ear issues is to take your baby to the doctor a few days before flying. My son was good at getting symptomless ear infections. The doctor will look in his ears and make sure they're clear and infection-free. Healthy ears can handle pressurization changes.

Bring the seat to the gate, even if they are unsure that you'll get a seat. This way, if you don't manage it, they will "gate check" your seat, sending it down with the strollers and wheelchairs. This is gentlier than checking it in at the desk.

If you have a travel system, you can use the stroller until you get to the door of the aircraft and then it'll be "gate checked". If not, use a stroller frame for a infant seat. You'll have it again, by the door of the aircraft when you arrive. If you have a convertible car seat (going to 40lbs), there are a number of contraptions you can use to wheel it around. I simply strap mine to a small metal luggage cart and that works great.

If you do have a stroller, bring a bungee cord and double secure it before leaving it at the door of the plane. They can get damaged if they pop open en route. Make sure the claim ticket can be seen and isn't squished or hidden. Be sure to ask when disembarking where the stroller is.

I also recommend trying to sit at the bulkhead. These are the seats with the wall in front, located in different places depending on the aircraft. Bulkheads are easier with children since no one is leaning in front of you and you can get in and out of them easier.

Bring at least 1/3 more diapers than you think you'll need. I saw so many parents run out on flights when I was working! Wrap them in plastic bags and throw a bunch of rubber bands around them to save room in your carry-on.

For a formula fed baby, I really recommend using the bottles with plastic liners. Traditional bottles are too difficult to wash onboard because of the kind of sinks on airplanes. I premeasured the powder and rolled them up, placing the rolls in a ziplock bag. Then you throw the liners away as you use them and only have the ring and nipple to clean.

If you use bottled water, be sure to give yourself enough time to buy some once you're past security. Make sure you have enough! The water on the aircraft is filtered tap so decide if you're comfortable using that for your baby. Bottled water runs out fast on flights and we never had any extra for baby bottles.

Be sure your baby does not need the bottle warmed. Get him used to a room-temperature bottle before leaving. This is unnecessary health-wise and a real pain to do while travelling. I warmed many bottles on my flights but I wasn't there in the check-in line, the security line or the waiting area! Babies do great with room-temperature bottles.

Since the minimum recommended age for starting solids is 6 months, you're traveling at just the right time. You wont have to carry all the palava involved with feeding a baby (good timing!) I actually delayed solids to 7 1/2 months with my two girls and both are great eaters who never had weight issues. You can launch that project when you get home from Florida.

Make sure you have at least one change of clothes. I would bring two. At that age, I simply dressed mine in sleep suits for flying. No one will care so keep him comfortable.

Hopefully you have a good baby carrier. They're so useful for flying, especially at this age. I had a sling but other parents swear by their wraps and pouches. The Ergo and Beccos are other popular carriers for travel that go on the back.

I liked the sling because I could slide my babies from into and out of a stroller or car seat without waking them. It also doubled as a blanket, baby changer, breastfeeding cover-up and sunshade! My sling was magic for calming my babies during the flight. Other parents wanted one when they saw how easy it made my travels. Avoid front packs like the Bjorn since they're so bad for both the parents' and child's back. A good carrier should go to at least age 2.

For more information, I wrote an article on this subject. It's based on both my personal and professional experience of flying with kids. It's totally non-commercial and other parents have contributed;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com

An edited version appeared on the Expat Women website last month;
http://www.expatwomen.com/mothers/flying_with_children.php

Have a great time in Florida!

What is a Good Vacation Spot in The United States?

Q. Well Me and my family are planning a Spring Break Vacation out of our home state Florida...
Weve been eveywhere here and We dont wanna go through the misssion of getting our passports... So we gotta decide on a good spot.. Its me, my baby sister, and my mother so dont pick a place for Clubbing, and stuff...
Please pick a Fun, Family oreintated place.


Answer
Consider visiting New Orleans.

NOLA is one of the world's special places with an ambience unique in North America, and remains so even after Katrina devastated it in 2005.

Katrina flooded about 80% of New Orleans with salt water, and the water stayed for almost a month. Much of the city is still struggling to recover and all you have to do to see devastation is drive around. It will take years for NOLA to fully recover from Katrina.

However, the parts of the city that tourists usually visit were not flooded. It's not a coincidence - the French Quarter and other old parts of the city were built on relatively high ground and only suffered wind damage from Katrina. Almost all of the damage has been repaired and you have to look closely in the FQ and city center to see that Katrina happened at all. You should visit and see for yourself.

Note that the City of New Orleans is only part of the greater New Orleans area. The GNO area had a population of about 1,400,000 before Katrina and is estimated at about 1,200,000 now (July, 2007). The absent 200,000 are mostly from the City of New Orleans and the parishes of Plaquemines and Saint Bernard, which were the worst-flooded parts of the metro area. Jefferson Parish - just to the west of the City - suffered only minor flooding and has fully recovered.

You can drink the water, the electricity & phones work, and services like the post office, hospitals, schools, and police/fire/EMS are operating. Restaurants, stores and shopping centers are open.

Municipal services like street cleaning & trash collection collapsed after Katrina. Those services were fully restored in late 2006 and it is no longer an issue.

I recommend staying in the French Quarter (Vieux Carre") if you can. There is a very wide range of selections available, from moderate guest houses to very exclusive "boutique" hotels. Search Yahoo Travel and Travelocity for ideas and also check the hotel websites.

You don't need a car to get around in the French Quarter, Central Business District, or Warehouse District. Also, the parking regulations are Byzantine and there are lots of Parking Control Agents. If you drive or rent a car, leave it in a lot or garage unless you are traveling away from downtown.

The regional transit authority (www.norta.com) sells 1 and 3 day passes that offer unlimited use of buses and streetcars for the day(s) you select. There are also lots of taxicabs.

Regarding crime, questions like yours tend to attract highly negative "answers" from people who do not live here and who have little or no idea what they are talking about. Use the same common sense necessary in every major city in the world and there is little chance you will be a victim of anything except a need to visit the gym: Pay attention to your surroundings. Don't leave something like a camera-bag, purse, or backpack unattended on a park bench while you wander off to take photos. Etc.

New Orleans has mild weather from late October to early May and the city stays green all year most years (rarely freezes and almost never snows). We pay for the mild winters with hot, humid summers â particularly in July & August. The good news for summertime visitors is that hotel rates are lower.

Things to do:

There are many sightseeing opportunities in the greater New Orleans area, including carriage rides/tours, plantation tours, swamp tours, ghost tours, and even Katrina disaster tours. The steamboat Natchez also does a harbor tour. There are numerous tour companies and your hotel can help with the arrangements. Try to avoid scheduling an outdoor tour until you know the weather forecast for the day in question.

The Saint Charles Streetcar is the oldest continuously operating street railway in the world and is a "tourist attraction" in its own right. It is part of the public transit system, as are the Canal Street and Riverfront streetcar lines: http://www.norta.com/

There is always music, but the bands change: Go to www.bestofneworleans.com and click on Music then Listings or to www.offbeat.com and click on Listings, then Music. Note that music clubs often advertise "No Cover", meaning there is no charge for entering. However, clubs with "No Cover" often require that customers buy a beverage each for every "set " of music (which can be every 20 minutes) so know the price before you sit down. The clubs do that because some people will sit in the club all evening drinking water or nothing. It is also a good idea to pay for each round of drinks (in clubs on Bourbon Street) as it s delivered so there can't be any confusion at the end of the evening.

Wander around the French Quarter, enjoy the architecture, watch the street entertainers (do tip), and visit some of the historic buildings that have been turned into museums (go to www.frenchquarter.com and click on Historic Attractions).

Assuming the weather is good, you can collect a sandwich lunch and eat in the riverfront park (watch the shipping) or in Jackson Square (a very nice park).

The Riverwalk shopping center has an air-conditioned food court with dining overlooking the river (www.riverwalkmarketplace.com). The Canal Place shopping center is in the French Quarter and has a cinema and higher-end shopping (Saks 5th Avenue, Brooks Brothers, etc.)

The lobby for the Westin Canal Place Hotel is on the 11th floor and overlooks the French Quarter. It is a great place for an afternoon drink/snack:(www.westin.com).

Cafe du Monde is in the French Quarter and you shouldn't miss having cafe au lait & beignets (www.cafedumonde.com). Another great coffee shop is the Croissant d'Or (at 615 Ursulines Street), which is open from 7:00am to 2:00pm and has food in addition to pastry.

The Palm Court restaurant is very nice, has moderate prices, and traditional live jazz starting at 8:00pm: 1204 Decatur Street, tel 504-525-0200 (reservations are important and they are not open every day). The Palm Court is closed from about July 25th to about September 25th each year.

All of the famous restaurants (Antoine's, Arnaud's, Brennan's, Commander's Palace, etc.) have reopened. The Pelican Club (on Exchange Alley in the FQ) is not as well known but is the same type experience. Reservations are a good idea, and probably essential on weekends.

Cafe Degas is a very French restaurant near City Park at 3127 Esplanade - which is not within walking distance of downtown (5 to 10 minutes by taxi). They are closed on Mondays & Tuesdays (504-945-5635).

There is a free ferry across the Mississippi at the "foot" of Canal Street. It is a short trip but like a harbor cruise w/o a guide: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/canal_street_ferry

The Aquarium and Audubon Zoo are world-class attractions (www.auduboninstitute.org) and you should see them if you can. The Zoo is several miles from downtown. You can drive to the Zoo (which has free parking) or take public transit from the French Quarter.

The Louisiana State Museum is in the French Quarter: http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/ New Orleans is also home to a number of other museums, such as the National World War II Museum (www.ddaymuseum.org) and the New Orleans Museum of Art (www.noma.org). Both can be reached by public transit: The WWII museum is in the central business district but a long walk from the French Quarter. NOMA is not within walking distance of downtown but has free parking.

New Orleans City Park has an amusement park with rides and attractions for children + free parking (www.neworleanscitypark.com).

Check www.frenchquarter.com for ideas on other things to do.

Hope you have a good visit, wherever you go!




Powered by Yahoo! Answers

No comments:

Post a Comment