Flying and Time Zone Changes with an 8 Month Old

Would it be easier if you could carry him in a baby backpack or front pack?? Maybe if hes not too heavy that would be easier.

Okay, stuff! Check any carseats/strollers, don't take them to the plane. Do you really need a stroller or can you get away with a front carrier? I guess it depends what you are doing. Oh, get travel bags for them now (you may have to get them online). For sleeping check out the PeaPod on onestepahead.com. It can pack in the carseat bag. Also, if they use a tie to keep the stroller collapsed, make sure you have access to scissors or something at each end (maybe in the baggage service offices?). I had a coworker gnaw it off with his teeth one time.

When you get your stuff, you will have your diaperbag on your shoulder, and hopefully your son in a front carrier. Get the stroller, put the carseat in it, and your bag in there.

I would also suggest the Ergo carrier. There is no metal, so you don't have to take off baby through security, and it puts them in a great position to sleep on your lap (although you do have to take it off your shoulders on the plane).

For time change, in the morning, let him sleep, if he wakes up early, go with it. It shouldn't make too much difference either way for him.

Look for a close Walmart to where you are staying, then you don't have to stress about what you are forgetting, and can relax. For the flight itself, if you breastfeed, you are good to go, if not, make sure you have enough bottles, and feed, or offer during take off and landing for ear pressure (my son wasn't bothered by it). You may also want some earplugs for neighbors if your son doesn't like flying. :)

My son slept during most flights at that age, but don't stress, let him rip up the free magazine, let him nurse and sleep off schedule, and try to relax a bit, he will feel your tension if you don't.

I've flown with my son across time zones, and usually try to keep him on his "at home" schedule, rather than trying to get him used to the new zone - totally worth it when you get home and you don't have to "readjust" him to his old schedule.

Do you have any friends/family in Chicago who can loan you a stroller?

As for the flight - I second the advice you already have received. Also, if you have a backpack, I suggest using that instead of a standard diaper bag. I also advise bringing a change of clothes for your self (if your son gets motion sickness, you don't want to spend the whole flight in icky clothes), along with a change of clothes (or two) for him in the backpack. Make sure to have bottles or a pacifier for him to suck during take off/landing, and don't forget loveys, toys, and books.

Finally, I always bring enough diapers, food, and formula (if you aren't breast feeding) for two days in case there is a flight delay, but I'm paranoid that way. And don't forget food and entertainment for yourself!

Do curbside checkin so you can leave the baby with whoever is dropping you off at the airport. Check the carseat through at curbside. Put the baby in the stroller and off you go. Pack 2 changes of clothes in case of blowouts in the diaper bag. There are special lines at security for families, so you get to cut out the line and go straight through - just ask the security person if you don't see it.

In my experience, time change takes one day per hour changed, so you should be fine.

Make a necklace of Cheerios for him to wear and eat - that keeps them busy. Get a new board book with flaps to open - that takes a long time. Nurse him on take off and landing in case his ears hurt. Let people help you. If you need to take him out of the stroller to fold it up for the xray machine, either hand him off to someone (Can you please hold him for a minute?) or ask a mom-looking person to fold up the stroller. People love to be helpful - you'd help a struggling mom, wouldn't you - others feel the same.

Smile a radiant, "Isn't he the most adorable baby ever" - it's catching.

Enjoy your visit.

Be sure to have some small toys along to entertain your baby. I love Measure Up Cups from Discovery Toys (www.toysofdiscovery.com) because there are 12 (they sell replacements if you lose any during your trip) different size cups in 4 different colors. Teach baby red, blue, yellow, green, little, medium, big, numbers from 1 to 12, and a different animal on each cup! The brochure in the box suggests a bajillion things to do that will keep him entertained from NY to Chicago.

we started out traveling with everything under the sun, and have since streamlined to make things easier. You can wear your baby in a front or back carrier, but bring the stroller along too. Put the carseat in the stroller and the diaper bag in the basket. Curbside check in is great too. I also have a travelers vest that has tons of pockets and sometimes I use that. I can fit in extra clothes, diapers, wipes, snacks and enough little things to last a short flight. They also make "diaper bag vests" which even have a changing pad in them. I usually just get those pet pads, which are much thinner and easier to pack. Good luck!

Hi- as far as the car seat, babies r us sells travel bags with straps on the back so you can wear it like a backpack. It is def. awkward and not ideal but I have found it is the best solution if you need to bring a car seat. ( My son is 2.10 now and def. needs the seat on the plane but when he was 11 months, I traveled with him to my aunt's house, she had a seat we could use. Saved a lot of hassle since we were traveling by ourselves.)
You can check your seat with the luggage if you don't need him to sit in it on the plane. I forget what the age limit is. There should be no extra fee for this! As for the stroller, you can check it at the gate when you board.
One note- I live in NY and at the two main airports, I have found that the security check people aren't really helpful, at least for me. You have to put your stuff on the security conveyor belt, all while holding baby. Stroller included. It gets tricky if no one is helping you. I've seen some parents leave their strollers at home and wear their babies in their carriers. This might help with the bags you have to bring. I am not sure what the rule is for baby bottles with liquid in them now. When I traveled and he was stithrottle bottle, I just pre- measured the formula and added water after security so they didn't give me a hard time.
As for the time change, we took our son to Ilinois from NY when he was 1.5. There was an hour time difference. I went "in between" the hrs. Example, if he usually ate at 6, I fed him at 6:30. Not always easy, I think his mornings were thrown off but I also attribute that to him, his personality, and staying in a new place. I think an 8 month old should have no problem. Hope some of this helped!!Good luck!!

I'd say keep the stroller, what do you have? We had/have the MacLaren. It folds easy and it's easy to take around. You don't want to lug the little one in your arms once you get to Chicago. Check in the car seat, unless a friend or family member can lend you one. Or go to Toys-R-Us and get another one to leave at your second home. Don't change the baby's sleeping times. It's only an hour. My son slept only a few hours at a time when I travelled from Italy to NY. He adjusted very well once he got to NY. I also carried, formula, and cream (to eat easier on the plane) don't have to fuss with solids and getting all messy. Change of clothing is a good idea. You'll have a great time I'm sure. And as the others said, don't get nervous, the little guy will sense it. Have fun...

I found that when I traveled with my little ones as babies, a back pack was much easier than a stroller. If you do need the stroller, than hook the diaper bag over the handles and get one of those big back packs designed for carrying car seats so you can handle it all. I would check the car seat as luggage, there is no need for it on the plane, and than you will have less to juggle. I have traveled the world with my little ones, and one thing I have found it that is is always easier than you think it is going to be, so don't stress! Make sure you have a couple of changes of cloths in the diaper bag just is case, and of course formula is you use it, and a snack to keep him happy, a book he enjoys, and his favorite toy if it all fits. And most of all, have fun!

I flew to Seattle with 2 kids in diapers. We gate checked our double stroller and we checked the car seats as luggage.

If you are renting a car once you get to Chicago, you can also rent a car seat so you wouldn't need to bring yours. We only rented a car for part of our trip so we had no choice but to bring ours.

Make sure you call your airline. So many of them now are charging for almost everything you check, so that may also influence what you bring with you. As for the time change, we didn't do anything special. For us it was 3 hours, but they did just fine. We were so busy when we were away, that there was no schedule we could keep anyway, and within 1 day of returning home they were back on track.

bring enough diapers so that if you get delayed you are prepared. There is no place to get a diaper in an airport. I had a two hour flight that turned into a 12 hour trip and only a few diapers on me. Alot were packed but that didn't help me. Good luck, you'll do great.

We were able to borrow a stroller at our destination, so we used the Ergo to navigate the airport. Honestly, we hardly used the stroller when we were there. Traveling and changing the routine threw him for a loop, so he wanted to be carried most of the time. Thank goodness for the Ergo!

If you really want the stroller, I'd check your luggage at the curb, including the car seat. But honestly, I'd be more inclined to gate check the car seat and leave the stroller at home - I have heard more than one horror story of expensive car seats being damaged.

If you don't have the stroller, you could get something like this http://www.amazon.com/Traveling-Toddler-Seat-Travel-Acces..., attached to a rolling suitcase. Diaper bag on top, baby in the Ergo, and you are set.

My husband and I flew with our twin daughters when they were 5 months old and again at around 8 months, so I have some advice. First, are you buying a seat for your son or will you be sitting with him on your lap? If he's on your lap, it is important that you keep him safe -- turbulence can bounce him off your lap, and it can be very dangerous. For that reason, we got Baby B'Air travel vests for our daughters (http://babybair.com/); I recommend them for peace of mind.

I also would recommend renting a car seat in Chicago, instead of lugging yours (unless you are using yours on the plane for your son in his own seat). I would be worried that the car seat would be damaged as the luggage handlers throw them around, plus there's having to deal with it, particularly when you are going solo on your return. We used an easily foldable stroller, which we checked right at the doorway to the airplane. Before that, you'll have to be able to fold it and put it through the X-ray scanner as you go through security, so make sure you can do that easily, while holding your baby (the idea of using an Ergo is a good one!).

In the diaper bag or carry-ons, make sure to have extra clothes for your baby and for YOU (diaper blowout on your lap, spit up, etc.). Try to change your baby right before you get on the plane, if you can, because maneuvering in the tiny bathrooms can be difficult.

If you're nursing, be prepared to nurse the baby on the plane for take off and landing, when the air pressure changes -- that's helpful for his ears. Otherwise, have a bottle ready.

One other thing, sort of to break the ice with nearby passengers, we had ear plugs to offer them when we got on the plane, in case there was a lot of crying (we did have two babies!). Everyone kind of laughed about it and nobody took them, but it got them "on our side," which made me less stressed out about the inevitable fussiness. Everyone around us knew we were trying our best!

Enjoy your trip!
A.