Flying with a 10 Month Old

D.,

Hopefully you can time it so he sleeps for the trip. Try to keep him awake until after takeoff. My son has flown many times in his 1 1/2 years and the younger, the better! His ears never bothered him except for recently, so offer his bottle especially at landing. Landing is much harder on the ears than taking off. Bring his favorite toys, etc. to keep him busy, if needed.

Good Luck!

Bring a few of his smaller favorite toys and something comforting, like a blanket. For the take off and landing, you can give him a bottle to keep the ears from popping. I bring two changes of clothing and extra diapers, too. As well as extra food for my daughter and myself. Feel free to walk the aisles.

I have found that everyone was very helpful and friendly on my flights. You'll find that most of them are parents or grandparents themselves and completely understand.

HI D.,

My daughter was around that age when I took her on a plane for the first time. Make sure to have some his favorite books and small toys to keep him occupied, as well as plenty of snacks. Just remember, however, that any formula must be sealed, as they don't let you on board with a bottle or sippy cup that you have filled yourself. I would suggest a couple of 8 oz. cans so that you can fill the bottle or cup as soon as you board and not have to be at the mercy of the flight attendants to bring you water to mix with powder. Also, I found that drinking something during take off and landing prevented any type of possible pain in her ears ( I also gave her some Tylenol before we took off as a pain preventative).

Good luck, and enjoy tour trip!

Hi D.,

I have flown with my children at all different ages and sometimes by myself. Here are some of the things I have found to work:

1) If he is mobile, waiting at the airport is the time to let him be that way. It is too long to expect him to sit still at the airport AND on the airplane.

2) Bring his lovey if he has one...a blanket, special toy, binky, etc.

3) Bring a variety of toys to keep him busy but don't let him see them all at once. That way, when you bring one out you will have the "new and wow" factor. :)

3) Bring snacks, meals, and drinks unless you are nursing. Get him to drink (or eat as a second option) during take off and landing but remember that the ascent as well as the decent lasts for longer than just getting the wheels off and onto the runway. If he gets very upset and you start to think he might be having trouble with his ears, ask for a very warm, wet towel and hold it behind his ears. You'd be surprised how much it can help.

4) Make sure to pack plenty of diapers and accessories (wipes, ointment, etc.) and a change or two of clothes. I would change him a bit before boarding so he is starting with a fresh bottom.

5) There is always the suggestion of bringing a portable DVD player and some Baby Einstein videos if it is going to be a long flight. :)

6) Relax and have fun! Obviously you want to keep him comfortable and happy but if he does start crying, don't stress because you are worried about what the other travelers are thinking. He is just going to pick up on your stress and get even more upset. He'll be ok! :)

7) If you DO nurse, don't forget the pump. You never know and it's better in my opinion to have it and not need it than the other way around.

8) If you want to bring a stroller, I highly suggest getting a lightweight one like a Combi. They fold up into thirds so they are VERY compact but they are MUCH more supportive and safer than an umbrella stroller. That one even has a shoulder strap. Personally I think those umbrella strollers should be outlawed and cringe every time I see a baby that can't sit up in one of them or see one start to tip over which I have seen way too many times.

Enjoy your trip and I hope my suggestions have helped!

L.

http://APerfectMoment.MyArbonne.com

My 2 kids had their passports when they were 6 months old and away we went! The biggest thing I can tell you is to just NOT worry. The kids do far better than you dreadfully anticipate but, on the other hand, will somehow sense your fear and act up if they know you are expecting it. So smile and pretend it is a great, and fun, adventure and just go. They trip will be exciting for them-you just need to tell them everything that is going on, narrate it for them, and you can bet they will enjoy it. That being said, however, it will not be great and fun if you don't carefully prepare.
I am sure you know about all the safety regulations and how to pack. Bring lots of interesting finger snacks to whip out in an instant. Try to travel just at nap times and they manage to conk out for much of the flight. Many airports now have kiddie play areas-if you have a layover (which is not always a bad thing with kids) then use the kiddie area to run off some steam. On the plane, lower your standards and let them oder from the drink menu. A straw and bubbly drink can go a long way. Bring a bag of tyoys to keep them amused for a long time-and you will have to play too to keep the interest up-don't just hand it to them. Really interact, and read the books to him/her. Try books with open-up doors, crayola mess-less crayons/markers, finger puppets, -there are whole sections of travel toys that actually work. Buy them and hide them until the big day. And here's a big hint-DON'T TAKE THEM OUT ALL AT ONCE. Introduce them very sparingly. Try to simply play and snuggle and wait until your little one is definately bored and then -presto! A new object to explore. Old favorites work well too.
Theres so much more I could tell you-but the biggest thing is that you will be stressed out on the plane that everyone in the plane can hear your child, everyone is watching and annoyed. This is not true. The accoustics on a plane are better than you think-especially with the blowers going-so relax. If your child is at a full scream-they can only really hear him a few rows back. At check in, ask for the seat at the very front of the rows, it usually has more room and your child can even worm around on a blanket on the floor if needed.
Hope that helps-it's not as bad as people imagine-and feel free to send me a note for more ideas!
M. P

I found that using a back/front carrier really made travel much easier so I could have my hands free while moving from terminal to terminal and collecting luggage.

Have the essentials in your carry on, the bottles will help release the pressure from the take of. Water to keep him hydrated and little snacks like cookies or cherrios.

Dress in layers, sometimes it gets hot on the plane. Ask for the bulk head seating when making reservations. This is in the front of the plane and gives you extra foot room to move.

Happy Travels!

Hi D.!
I would absolutely recommend a safe, non-invasive product called "Ear Planes" which are basically a safe plastic ear plug that you use on the plane's take-off and landing. The "Ear Planes" equalize the pressure for your baby and they work like a charm! We used them with my daughter when she was about the same age. I would recommend that you take more than one pair with you because they are easy to lose and your child will probably try to take them out. We just kept my daughter distracted on the take-off and landing and then she was not so interested in the ear plugs. They are amazing. They have them in different sizes and even for adults. Happy flying!
Love,
L. Lundy
Author of The Super Allergy Girl (TM), Allergy & Celiac Cookbook
www.thesuperallergycookbook.com

Goood Luck! I just came back from vacation with my 10 month old son and I wanted to jump off the plain. It was only a 3 hour flight, during which I had to give him 2 bottles and food. He likes food a lot and is very active. I took my daughter at the same age and she was fine. She is definatly not as active. What sort of helped was bringing out new items frequently. Believe it or not an almost empty water bottle help attention briefly.

HI!!! My daughter was 6 months old the 1st time we flew and it was great! She sat on my lap and played. She was breast fed so I didn't have to worry about bottles or that but make sure you bring enough to keep his belly full if you use formula. With todays new rules and laws about what can be brought on the plane you may want to contact your airline and see what is permited. Tell them how old your son is and what his needs will be. Again if breast fed it cuts out a lot of guessing but bring toys he really likes and get a new toy that should be a hit. When he starts to fuss try the new toy. Just make sure it isn't too noisy. We had a 3 hour flight so I didn't have to bring all that much to entertain her. The pressure change as you go up or down can be a problem for some babies so it may help to feed him as you take of and land. The sucking helps with the pressure in the ears. Have fun and if any one complains just tell them you are paying too! We had a 6am flight and if looks could kill we would have been dead and the coments from the "business" people were harsh and mean but I just ignored them. Thankfully my daughter was good and we had a great flight. A.

D.,
I flew with my girls when they were 2 and 3. We just brought a lot of quiet things for them to do, Like coloring books and little people and that kind of thing. I am sure your son probably isnt coloring much at 10 months but something that he likes to play with alot that wont be too disturbing to other people sitting near by. Also bring him a drink for take off and landing so it doesnt bother his ears.One tip on that though.. his cup has to be empty for airport security but you can bring a bottle of juice or water that hasnt been opened yet with you on the plane. As far as car seats go we just checked them in with the luggage so we didnt have to carry them with us. they have seat belts on the plane...but being as young as he is check the requirements for that- I'm not sure if he needs it or not. Oh and one other thing.. they have headphones for them to watch tv and my kids thought that was the greatest thing in the world. They thought they were big shots=) thats about it I guess.. ENJOY YOUR TRIP!!=)

A.

We've flown with our son now a few times. (he will be 1 in just a couple of weeks.) He's formula fed, so I just make sure to have the following in the backpack for the plane:

3 bottles of powder formula, not yet mixed because security will make you dump it. I always pack 3 sometimes 4 just incase you get stranded at the airport!

Plenty of binkys for sucking- their ears are so sensitive to take off and landing. If he doesn't use a binky, then make sure he has a bottle to suck on.

Wipes and diapers within easy reach of the bag, nothing is worse than trying to fish those suckers out from the bottom of the diaper bag while crammed into a shoebox-sized bathroom on the plane. Oh and don't forget the changing pad!

Easy, mess-free snacks- I usually take the freezedried fruits or cheerios.

Sippy cup for water.

Invest in one of those teething mesh bags from onestepahead.com. You can fill it with ice and they can suck on that- keeps him entertained and happy for a bit.

I didn't pack any toys because they take up too much space, so I packed a few of his little books instead. Those kept him occupied for a bit also.

And don't forget anything they're attached to- blankies, teddies, etc. Brendan must have his blue blankie at all times and it was a lifesaver for the flight.

Hope this helps! PS- I choose to use a backpack instead of an actual diaper bag, this way I've got designated compartments for each of the items which makes it so much easier to find things when in a rush, instead of everything being crammed together. I also keep the purse at home and just throw whatever I need into the backpack while traveling. One less thing to worry about on the plane and at the airports!

Lynsey

Call the airline and request bulk head steating (if theyhave it) it is autually the first rows of the airplane and it has much more leg room for you, also depending on the length of the flight - request a bassanett - believe it or not they actaully hang on the wall and makes the flight so much easier, you can change him in there, he can even sit and play, also great for when he sleeps, you can relax and not have to hold him. good luck and enjoy the trip. Dont stress your self out about it. And dont worry if he screams and carries on during the flight - People acutaully will feel sympathy for you, even though your brain is telling you there all annoyed. Like I said Relax, enjoy and dont fret too much. Before you know it he'll be all grown up and traveling on his own. LOL

Just flew overseas with my 17-month old--this is his third trip overseas, but this one was a little rougher. If your child is walking, even crawling, be prepared to get up with him and walk the aisles for a change of scenery every now and then (which can be difficult to time what with turbulence, food and beverage carts moving up and down the aisles, etc.)

My son is still not interested yet in coloring, so I brought some small toys (tried not to have really noisy ones), a few of his favorite books, plus a new book. I know this is horrible, but I brought M&Ms, which we handed to him one at a time when we were taxiing and taking off. Nowadays, you don't know how long you'll have to sit on the tarmac--we sat for an hour before taking off, so my son was not happy being stuck on our laps for that time. The M&Ms helped, especially since he doesn't normally get them.

And someone mentioned the bulkhead seat--that's a great idea--we had that seat, and it gives them a little more room to stand in front of your seat once people are able to move about the cabin during flight. And if you're flying overnight, you can request the bassinette for the bulkhead seat.

Good luck and have a great flight.

I flew with my 10 month old daughter to CA. Make sure you've got a pacifier or bottle handy at take off and landing. It helps with the ears. my daughter likes her pacifier, so I let her use it as much as she wanted on the flight to help with that. She was not old enough to be interested in the TV, so we read books and walked the aisles. I saw another mom do this, so I copied her idea and it worked great... bring a pillow or a toddler's travel pillow to use as a bed for baby on your lap. It is comfortable for both of you. My daughter loved it. Curled right up and went to sleep. If you can time the flight with her nap, all the better! Let him play in the waiting area at the gate, and don't sit down with him until you have to. Try to get all the exploration out of his system until you HAVE to sit. All-in-all, my experience was much easier than I thought it would be!

Hey D. I suggest you give him a bottle while the plane is taking off that way he is sucking on something while the plane is ascending and his ears won't hurt. I did this with my son when we travelled with him at 9 months, it worked like a charm. Good Luck.

Bring a pad of blank white paper (not a coloring book!) and a fat, unwrapped crayon, so he can begin to scribble, next time you fly when he is a bit older) you will also want to take watercolor paints with brush, (ask the flight attendant for a paper cup of water) a small toy airplane, one picture-story book for every half hour of your trip (at least one about flying on an airplane-another about where you are going), two lollipops, one for take off one for landing to help with pressure in ears as well as to keep his mouth busy (and quiet) , a few snacks and a bottle or two of milk or juice. Don't forget his blanket.

Hi.
We just got back from a trip with our 1 year old, which included 5 different plane rides. We made sure that he drank on take off, and landing. But the biggest help was that we brought a portable DVD player with his favorite movie. Once he was tired of playing or reading with us, we put his movie on and he was content. Quite a few people commented on how good he was.
I was so scared to fly with him before, now I know he'll be just fine if we travel again in the near future.
--J.

I am also flying with my son for the first time next month. He is 19 months old. People have told me to have him drink something when the plane is taking off to help with the pressure in his ears.

you got lots of good ideas here, i wont repeat....just wanted to add one biggie that i learned....try to bring toys etc that you can attach to him somehow with those links or something. bending down under him to constantly retrieve things is a real pita. if you get the bulkhead it will be better, but if not, picture yourself constantly squeezing down there to get everything. go shopping for some new things, keeping that in mind. then give out the stuff one at a time, not all at once. plan plan plan, be very prepared and organized and early, and have things easily accessible, you may be doing a lot of stuff with one hand in a small space. bring an extra extra change of clothes and diapers and shirt for yourself, and if you have to go change him in the bathroom during the flight, dont bring your whole bag. a bag within a bag is great, but be sure the bag within also has an extra extra diaper and an extra change of clothes for him, at least a onesie. i had to bring my screaming naked baby back down the aisle to my seat when things went awry in the bathroom and his change of clothes needed to be changed. bring some extra gallon size ziplock bags, they come in handy, and are great for organizing. and ask for help, the flight attendants can be incredibly helpful if you are nice to them. they let us board first, and installed my carseat for me in a minute while i held the baby. plan ahead and leave time and it will be fine. enjoy the trip.

2things I found helpful....give a bottle to your son as you are taking off. the sucking helps with the pressure on the ears. Wait as long as you can, as you feel the plane's nose pull up if you can! Also, I left my son in his car seat, on a luggage pull along to get him on and off the plane..it zips right through the aisle and there is no fussing to get in and out of the seat. hope these help!

When my girls were that age I made sure they were drinking durind take off and landing to help with the pressure build up in their ears. Breast or bottle which ever you are doing. The swallowing helps to relieve the pressure. Now my girls are 5&6 yrs. old so they chew gum during those times and it helps. Also pack lots of finger foods to keep them busy. I go to the store and buy some new small trinkets/toys that my girls haven't seen and when we get on the plane I give them to them and it occupies the time.

Nurse or give him a bottle during take off and landing to protect his ears and get a good baby carrier (useful for transport in teh ariport as well. I really like the Ergo carrier. Also, don't pay attention to the people around you, just care for your son as best you can.

Good luck

We just took out 3 month old from NY to CA - she was great. If you are not buying him a seat, I recommend bringing a stroller to the airport. We just used an umbrella stroller because it was light and easy to carry. (they will check it for you just before you board the plane and give it back to you when you arrive) I did see others with full strollers and car carriers, but they may have purchased a seat and strapped in the carrier. You can bring on formula or breastmilk in bottles, just let security know. Some say the baby should be eating when taking off and landing, our dr said that isn't necessary and she did fine, but you should check with your pediatrition. Also, ask if you can get on early it makes it so much easier to get your stuff stowed and settled. (we also waited to everyone else departed before getting up, was no rush since we had long layovers.) Keep a bag with you that has the food and diapers so you don't have to go into the overhead bins. They do have changing tables in the bathrooms. Good Luck. Please let me know if you have other questions.

I agree with lots of these tips and have one more. Put a couple diapers, the wipes and any diaper cream in a ziploc bag and then put that in your diaper bag. That way, if you need to change hom on the plane, you can just take the siploc bag and not your whole, huge diaper bag.

After two trips with my now one year old (one when he was 7 months and again last month) the best advice I can give is to get an early morning flight so your child is ready to sleep by take off time. I took a few of his favorite books and quiet toys that fit in his diaper bag that he could look at during the flight and during layovers. A lightweight stroller was very helpful so we didn't have to carry him through busy airports and we brought along a few bottles with plenty of milk and water. He slept most of the time on the plane and was happy and content the rest of the time because he had a few of his favorite things from home, including his favorite blanket. If your child uses a pacifier that may help for ear-popping. Finally, pack light- airport security is bad enough with just adults, a child really complicates. Make sure you and your partner have a plan about who will go through the checks with security and how you will orchestrate picking up your stuff, keeping your boarding passes and id handy all without losing the baby in the shuffle. Good luck and safe travels.

Hi D.,

I been flying with my 9 month old since she was 3 months, she has been on 10 flights in 6 months. I have a few suggestions:
1. bring a car seat because if there is an empty seat they will let you bring the seat on for your son.
2. Wear the baby bjourn through the airport it is easy to carry and you do not have to take it off through security.
3. bring toys for him to play with on the flight not too many because you don"t have a lot of space
4. I breast fed on take off and landing (it helps the ears) if you are not breast feeding just give a bottle with water milk etc.
5. If you are alone a flight attendent will help you while you have to pee
6. Don't get stressed if he cries it only will make him cry more and it happens and people understand.

Have a safe trip.

L.

Make sure that you have a toy or stuffed animal that he enjoys. Change him right before loading the plane because on the plane there is not very much room to manuever. Dress him in light clothing. You will have to remove his shoes at security. Do not pack too much because you are only allowed one carry on bag. Also make sure he is drinking a bottle or sucking on a paci for take off and landing if possible. It will help with his ears. You are allowed a stroller that you must collapse before getting on the plane and they will have it waiting for you when the plane lands. Also I would try to get all the things you and your son needs into one bag for under the plane because they consider his carseat a luggage and most airlines you are only allowed 2 pieces of luggage under the plane anymore they get to charging you.

I have traveled with a 6 mnth old (my oldest son who is now 3) and I have also traveled with a 16 month old (my youngest son who is now 19 months. That is the best advice that I can give you.

We're becoming pro's at flying...My 16 month old was great at flying until this last time. He just wanted to walk up & down the isles...
What does help, however, is a couple of small (quiet) NEW toys/books. Bring plenty of his favorite snacks. Flying is absolutley one exception to spoiling your child (I think...anyway) Hold off on drinks & snacks until take off and landing, this WILL help with the ears. Be careful of a baby carrier (back/front pack) they made me remove my son from it during take off & landing. It is good to have during the flight (if he fits into one still) if you're flying by yourself. (especially if you need to go the bathroom!) Try to change his diaper right before you board (usually they allow children under the age of 2, and their parents to board first, by the way) Bring a change of clothes for him (and a shirt for you, just to be safe!) Don't over dress because this time of year, sometimes the cabin in the airplane can start off pretty warm before the air kicks on. Hope this helps. I ended up buying a portable dvd player for our flight back a couple of weeks ago. (Germany-USA & back) Maybe he's too young for it now but it did help my 16 month old. Until he fell asleep :) good luck!

We just flew with our 11 mo old. It was a breeze. Try to make sure that he is sucking on something during takeoff and landing (bottle/pacifier). We tried to tire him out while we were waiting for our flights. We had a layover each way, so he flew 4 times the very first time we took him on an airplane. The times of the flights really just worked out to be right around his nap times so we were lucky. We brought his favorite toys to keep him occupied. But really he is just a people person, so everyone else kept him occupied for us! Don't sweat if people are staring at you like "oh no here comes a baby" They'll get over it and you will never see them again.

Make sure you have everything you think that you will need for him for the flight in the carry on. Don't forget to bring canned formula if he uses a bottle!

make sure he has a binkie to suck and chew on to releive
ear pressure. Also take teething cookies to eat as swollowing helps pressure aslo. Toys- change frequently
to avoid bordum. Hope this helps.

I flew with my daughter for the first time when she was 9 months old. She was a good traveler... But a few tips:
1. give a bottle or a pacifier on the take off and landing
2. I was able to get a bulk head seat. I recommend it, b/c I was able to put her on the floor to play right in front of me.
3. If you are bringing a car seat, they have car seat bags with wheels. I think they are like $20 at babies r us. It was very helpful... and I could fill it with other stuff.
4. I brought way too much stuff. She didn't need nearly the number of toys that I had brought her.
5. Buy most of the stuff down there, and feed him from the stroller if possible.

Have a great trip. The biggest suggestion I can make it to relax. Your baby will feed off your emotions. Let the trip be what it will be, and your son should be fine. Good luck!

I flew alone a few times when my son was 10mos old. He did really well. I have a small stroller that folds easily (not umbrella) and that was so helpful in moving through the airport. You check it at the gate & they bring it back up to you as you get off the plane. Very convenient!

Make sure that all bottles/foods/medicines/diaper cream are in a quart size zip top bag. You will have to remove them from your diaper bag at security.

I would check with the airline if you are thinking that you can bring a car seat & use it if there is an empty seat. I had one flight attendant that wouldn't even let me put him in the empty seat during the flight! She was just nasty mean!! So check your facts before you attempt to lug a car seat along.

Small toys that are new & interesting will keep him quiet & occupied. My lil guy was lulled to sleep by the noise of the plane, so I got lucky!

Pee before you get on the plane! There is no way to do it yourself once on the plane. Are you travelling alone? I wouldn't leave my child with anyone I don't know.

Pack light, remember you can buy almost anything you need once you get there! Have fun!!