Travelling by plane with baby

[Nurse 26]

Hey ladies, we are off to visit family next week and travelling by plane. Harry will be 11 weeks then

Anyone got any tips? Its just a short flight of an hour

 

[Susanne]

I've always found that if you can time it so that your baby feeds during take-off and landing, then you don't have them screaming the place down with an earache - and if you're lucky enough to have a baby who falls asleep when you feed them (unlike mine), then you should be sorted for the duration of the flight that way...

 

[LaurenMM]

Are you going with OH? If so then it's even easier. You have to check in and you can either let the pram go there and and then or take with you right up to plane where someone will take it off you. If you take BM in a bottle they'll ask you to taste it at security lol. If you're gonna be on your own I'd recommend taking a sling if you have one xx Oh and if you can make sure he's sucking a dummy or a bottle on take off as it helps with their ears. If you need any more help hun just ask, done it twice with Angel on my own xx

 

[Nurse 26]

Thanks ladies, my mum will be with me so going to keep carseat/pram till get to steps of plane

I've heard that before about feeding on take off and landing, would I just be able to BF him or does he have to be strapped in? As that would kind of make it tricky! Maybe I would be better with expressed milk in bottle although I don't fancy tasting it! Eeek!

 

[LaurenMM]

He will need to be strapped in but I had Angel belt really loose, loose enough to cradle her so you should be ok to BF Who are you flying with hun? I flew via BMI and they don't charge for a pushchair but they do charge extra for a carseat I think £20? Not sure though as I keep a spare carseat at my parents house so I only need the pram. Haha I've heard BM is ok tbh, formula is vile though lol horrible xx

 

[Nurse 26]

Oh that's good then, won't have to bother with a bottle! I heard BM is really sweet tasting but don't fancy giving it a taste haha

I'm flying with Flybe, must double check about carseat, thanks wouldn't have thought about that

 

[Amy_J]

We flew with lo when he was 11 weeks and looking back its alot easier then compared to now! We just took a feed for the flight change of clothes, bibs, dummy, he was good as gold and slept the whole three hours!
More or less only waking for a change and bottle. You can bf during the flight but not taking off or landing apparantly! As for the seatbelt we did the same as laurenmm and just had it loose and cradled him, have a great time!

 

[Mrs. KM]

Great question! I am flying alone with K on Thursday. Getting nervous!

 

[LaurenMM]

Great question! I am flying alone with K on Thursday. Getting nervous!

Don't worry hun you'll be ok. I was dead nervous about flying with Angel, especially when it came to security. The first time I let the pram get taken straight away and just had Angel in the sling; big mistake she is very heavy and it killed my back/neck/shoulders lol and it was a massive pain to get her in/out at security.

The 2nd time was much easier just took her changing bag and had usual stuff in it (bottle of formula, bibs, nappies, muslin, dummies and I took Freddie Firelfy as he clipped straight onto the bag). You'll need to take LO out of the pram/sling for security so what I did before going through was take off my jacket and emptied pockets etc just to make it easier. When you take LO out just show someone how to break the pram down and they'll do it for you and someone put it up for me again at the end. Same when you board the plane just show them how to do it. When I got on the plane I just asked one of the crew to put the bag up in the locker the first time, the second time they just let me put it under the seat in front. I was really surprised at Angel but honestly she barely even noticed, when I sat her on my lap she was too busy playing with the mags in front!! She could've been anywhere lol. Sorry for waffling on a bit hun you probably knew most of this already, I know how nerve wracking it is flying alone with a baby but honestly you get a lot of help xx

 

[Nurse 26]

Good luck mrs KM, let me know how you get on!

Thanks ladies, maybe he can just have his dummy on take off and landing and I will feed him during flight x

 

[Susanne]

Personally, I didn't have any problems BF during take-off and landing, the baby seatbelt is attached to yours in a way that you can still move the baby into a BF position without any problems, at least it's been that way with all the airlines I've ever travelled with.

 

[Mrs. KM]

Good luck to you to Nurse! Hopefully our babies behave! Thank you for the suggestions Laurenmm

 

[Franna75]

I was worried about flying too but it was absolutely fine - i was on my own both times on 9 and 12 hour flights...everyone was so helpfull.

I BF on take off and landing as it helps their ears to regulate/pop. On BA they had a baby extension seat belt, on United they didn't and said I wasn't allowed to tie him to me (i had a scarf)....all airlines have different regulations.

I made the mistake of just taking the carseat without wheels...OMG I felt like i'd done a ten hour workout!

My LO loved his flying experience, he was a month older though.

Have a great trip!