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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!
Anyone have suggestions on what to prepare for flying +20 hours to Indonesia with a 10 months-old baby boy?
A_ing
My son will be 10 months old in October and I plan to travel to Indonesia. It will take more than 20 hours flight with 1-2 layover in HongKong and or Singapore/ Tokyo. I may be going by myself with baby as daddy may goes later and fly back home to The US together. Anyone has experiences and suggestions what to prepare?
Answer
Apa kabar!
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I now fly a lot with my own three children. We usually travel between Europe and California about twice a year. I also used to live in Asia and work the routes in that part of the world, although I haven't flown with my children there (yet!).
I recommend going before he hits toddlerhood. You may have him crawling all over the place but for the most part, you'll be able to keep up with him. When they run, it gets more complicated...
First of all, I really recommend bringing a car seat and using it onboard. Make sure your car seat is approved for use on aircraft. If you're flying on a U.S. company, see the below link for information on if it's approved. Most car seats, including infant buckets, sold in the U.S. are.
http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/
If you are flying a non-U.S. company, see the information for your airline. If you search with the name of the airline, followed by "children", that will usually give you the right page.
This way, the seat will get to your destination without risking it being damaged or lost in luggage. On my last transatlantic with my kids, three of our four bags didn't make it but since we had the car seat with us, my daughter was safe for the 2 hour drive home (the bags arrived 2 days later). I saw at least two other seats while looking for our luggage. Wonder how they got home?
If you don't have a seat for him, request it at check-in. Ask if the flight is full, and if not, they can "block" the seat next to you, only using it if they really need it. They often do this for families.
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 actually buy a ticket for him, which is what I did when I flew alone with my babies, IF it is a U.S. company AND your seat is FAA approved, it CANNOT BE REFUSED. It's your right to use it onboard. Here is the documentation if you need it;
http://web.nbaa.org/public/ops/ac/AC120-87A.pdf
Babies under 2 are allowed on laps because air travel is so safe. It's unlikely anything will go wrong but if it does, these children have no protection. It was also infinitely easier to have them in their familiar seat, comfortable and safe. I could get up and use the restroom at least! Obviously, I didn't leave them for long times when asleep but I could get a drink, etc. and I could sleep more soundly with them next to me instead of jiggling them on my lap.
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 there's probably room to crawl on the floor. Some airlines have wall-mounted bassinets that your son may or may not fit. They are no replacement for a car seat for safety and the bassinets have to be stowed for take-off and landing.
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. Some parents manage to bungee cord their seat to their stroller. Experiment at home to see what works with your specific products.
These are just examples!
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
Since this is a long flight, there are a couple of products you may want to look into. I had one of these and it worked great. It's expensive though but for such a long journey, might be worthwhile;
http://www.lillygold.com/
By contrast, this is a cheap, FAA approved seat which is light and easy to travel with. I used one when I flew with my son, or more precisely, it's predecessor;
http://www.amazon.com/Cosco-Scenera-Convertible-Point-Seat/dp/B000GY5OBA
Sometimes you can find it on sale for as little as $40 and you can then use it as a extra car seat at home for babysitters, grandparents, etc. Do not buy the version with the overhead shield!
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.
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. If it is not potable, this fact will be clearly marked. 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.
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. Bring extra socks if he crawls so that he doesn't pick up anything nasty on the floor and to keep his hands clean.
I have never used any sort of medications to get my children to sleep on any of those flights. At that age especially, they do nodd off at some point of the journey, more if it's at night.
I also think he's too young for a portable DVD player. I got one when my youngest was 3 years old. They are kind of heavy to cart around and could easily break. How much screen watching does he do? Mine were not very interested, especially with a small screen, at that age.
Bring a few quiet toys but a small selection. Again, short attention spans and he'll be more interested in his new surroundings.
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. The badly designed front packs like the Bjorn and Snugli are probably too small for him.
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. A good carrier should go to at least age 2 so he should still fit in the good ones.
Many flying tips say to make the child suck on something or drink during take-off and landing. This isn't accurate. ENT specialists say to have the child awake about an hour before landing (top of descent, landing or touch-down is too late).
http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm
The AAP says the same;
http://www.aap.org/patiented/flyingbaby.htm
I can confirm that is when I saw problems at work. Take your child to the doctor in the last few days before you fly to make sure his ears are clear and infection-free. Heathy ears can handle pressurization changes. If there is an infection, sucking will not prevent pain.
About 8 years ago, I wrote an article on flying with children for an expat newsletter. Over the years many parents have contributed. I later put it on a blog so that parents had access to non-commercial information from someone with both practical and professional experience on the web.
Feel free to visit;
http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
my contact infomation is at the end if you have further questions.
Have a good flight!
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