Travel for the First Time with My 8 Month Old

take bottle or sippy cup on the plane- the sucking will help with ear popping which may be uncomfortable for baby. Bring small (non noisy toys) on the plane to play with and his own blanket or favorite toy and such. You may want to call the hotel ahead of time and request a crib- I would take lysol wipes to wipe the crib down.

Enjoy yourself.

Be aware of when you're flying. If it's during his nap time, he might be fussy. Be mentally prepared for the looks and pack in an extra set of patience. :-) If you're calm he will calm down much faster. I wouldn't rent/buy a car seat either. Just check yours at the gate. Change his diaper before you get on the airplane, so that if he drinks too much you won't have to worry about it until you land. Take some snacks, a favorite book and 2 or 3 favorite toys. Don't overpack. At this stage, your interaction will be more entertainment than anything else. You can take the baby to the back of the plane near the bathroom and bounce him up and down in your arms for a few minutes if he is fussy. The change of scenery can sometime distract him. Good luck and congradulations.

I flew when my baby was 8 months old and almost walking, and I didn't buy her a seat. My husband didn't go with us to Michigan, so it was just me and an 8 month old and a 7 year old. I took her umbrella stroller which was a huge plus! But, remember to take it down before you get on the plane so that the stuartess can put it up for you. We took plenty of juice, new toys, snacks, etc. She was fine on the way there, but the flight back was aweful and we got lots of dirty looks. If you're breastfeeding, I recommend that you get him used to a bottle before you go, because it is terribly hard to b/f on a plane! Buying her a seat would've saved me a huge headache! I highly reccomend it!
Congrats on the wedding!

Hi B.,
You have some great advice here, although I'd stay away from the drugging recommendations---not only because of the obvious reasons, but also because I have read many posts that say that Benadryl can have the opposite effect and make a kiddo hyper, versus quiet...yikes! Can you imagine?! ;-)

Anyway, I traveled with my 6-month old and it was a piece of cake. We used our stroller/car seat combo until we turned it over at the door of the airplane. We also packed our baby bjorn carrier just in case, but never used it the whole trip! I think it really depends on whether your little guy is still in his infant carrier/car seat/stroller combo (ours grew out of his first car seat at 8 months due to his height). If he's not in his car seat anymore, then the big stroller might be a bit much...a small umbrella stoller and a baby bjorn or sling-type carrier might be better and take up less space.

I then breastfed---in a window seat (less of a view from other seats), under a shawl-type cover---during the ascent and descent and he mostly slept for the rest of the trip. He had a full belly and was lulled by the loud engine sounds (sit toward the back of the plane by the engines). It probably also helped that he wasn't walking yet, nor did he have any desire to be very mobile at 6 months old...is your son walking early?

It was soooo easy at that young of an age (now, when we traveled with him again at 17 months, that was a different story...what a nightmare!!! But toddlers are a whole other can of worms...extremely independent and mobile, so we had a tough time. Lesson learned, which you can use later: when your baby reaches toddler stage and his favorite word when he is on your lap is "down" (repeated 2,000 times in a row), don't do the lap child thing...buy him a seat and strap him in his carseat!!)

So, back to babies: in short my advice is to time the trip during a feeding, then napping period of the day, reserve a window seat at the back of the plane, feed him on the ascent and descent, and pack only a few of his favorite toys/snacks (although remember you want him to bf or bottle again at the end of the flight, so don't fill him up with snacks), as well as an extra couple of diapers and a change of clothes. Check all of your other bags...you don't need the hassle!

That's all I can think of and I hope it helps!
D.

Remember to check your liquids. Any liquids that you bring through security have to be in 3oz containers or smaller and be in a one quart size ziplock. They usually make exceptions for a bottle of milk or formula. Bring a blanket for your son. It sometimes gets cold and the blankets on the airplane are few and reused from flight to flight. Bring a couple of new small toys and lots of snacks. If he has a cold, give him a decongestant or benedryl 30 min before takeoff. (check with your pedi) It is usually a good idea whether they have a cold or not to give them something to drink for takeoff and landing. Childrens ears block so much easier than adults. (very painfull) Let him do lots of crawling before the flight so that he isn't so restless. Have fun.

Congratulations! You have received some great and important tips. I have traveled by plane and car with my daughter since she was 4 months old. I would just like to stress the importance of being prepared and organized--eveything having a place in your bag that is easily accessible. Take extra diapers, a change of clothes and an extra shirt for you and an empty plastic zip bag for accidents. If your baby gets fussy, don't sweat it--even if people are looking at you! Most of them have had a fussy child and understand. If you are stressed your baby will sense it, so try to stay calm and relaxed. Good luck and enjoy your special day!

Debbie C. had a lot of good advice. DO NOT drug your child -- any parent who does should be ashamed of themselves. My youngest daughter was 6 months old the first time she flew and it wasn't bad at all. I made sure she was fed and in a clean dry diaper before boarding the plane, and had bottles ready for takeoff and landing as well as some non-perishable food (jarred fruit, etc.). But she really didn't have any problems with the ear popping; she brushed at her ears a couple of times so I know she felt it, but it didn't seem to cause her any pain. Our older daughters had portable DVD players so we brought along a Sesame Street DVD which helped for a while. She didn't really sleep much but overall just sat with either me or my husband and we just quietly entertained her.

I'm assuming your son will be sitting in your lap vs. having his own seat? Do you intend to bring a car seat? We learned that if you show up at the gate and ask if there are any unoccupied seats you may be able to get it for your child. It worked for us once and it's free! And if there aren't any empty seats, they will check your car seat at the gate. And to make it easier to cart your child and a car seat through the airport, you can purchase this gizmo that lets you turn your car seat into a stroller. Here's an example: http://www.rightstart.com/global/store/product~item~6026~....

As for the hotel, just make sure in advance that they have a crib available. You may also want to bring along some Lysol wipes so you can wipe the crib down when you get there. You'll probably want to bring your own crib bedding as well. And hopefully the room has a small refrigerator for whatever baby food/bottles you may need to keep cold and a microwave for warming stuff up (unless your son doesn't care if his bottle is warm or cold, but my daughter hated it cold!).

As far as the plane ride, I would give him a little liquid tylenol 30 or so minutes before you get on the plane. It always helped my twins. Don't forget the binkie, but I'm sure you knew that.!

Take the stroller all the way to the gate with you, you can check it there. I also don't carry too much on with me. Check all your luggage. I get a backpack and take only that on the plane. I save one pocket or area for my stuff..wallet, cash, ID, etc. and use the rest of the back pack for your son. Diapers, a change of clothes for him and a clean shirt for you just in case. I also use different sized ziplocks for toys and such. You can take your own carseat and check it in like luggage, most airlines even have a thick plastic bag you can use.

Make sure the hotel knows that you will need a crib, the ones I've used usually have the crib in the room set up and ready to go.

Get to the airport early so you aren't stressed. Make sure to use the bathroom before you board so you don't have to go mid-flight. If you bottlefeed, use that bottle or a pacifier on the landing. That is when little ears have the most pressure.

Good luck!

I have travelled a lot with both my kids from birth until this weekend when we go they will be 3 and 18 months. Most of my trips have been without another adult. When I only had the one to take care of, I didn't use a stroller. I carried her in a sling. If you have a snuggli or something you could even wear him on your back. This makes it easier to keep your hands free and it works as a great cover for breast feeding. One snack that I really liked for that age was Earth's Best Organic teething biscuits. It seemed to take both of my girls forever to finish one, so it kept them occupied.

Sorry to disagree with the other mom but I would never buy a seat for my baby! maybe I'm too cheap! lol!! Take a car seat (check in with your baggage) and take your stroller (check it in on the ramp into the plane). I breastfed both my babies on the plane...sit next to the window, use a big blanket and my husband sat on the other side of me to block the view. Take snacks and amusing (quiet) toys and try to keep them awake for awhile before you get them on the plane they are really tired and hopefully will sleep. The hum of the plane really puts them to sleep well. congrats! it will all work out great! oh, one last thing....call ahead to the hotel and tell them to have a crib in the room when you get there. sometimes if you ask them to get a crib when you check in, it takes a long time to get it and many times the baby is tired and wants to sleep so you wait needlessly for the crib.

I saw several responses that mention something to suck on for the ears. I traveled with my son when he was 4 months old (now he is 25), but a flight attendant gave me the best advice for the problem with children's ears. She used this for her own kids.

She brought me 2 styrofoam coffee cups (you could take your own) and stuffed a wipe into the bottom (like a Handi-Wipe). Drop a few drops of hot water into the wipe (not enough to get it soaked). Then hold the cups over baby's ears during ascent and descent. Somehow it acts as an extension of the ear canal and does not cause the popping and pressure on the inner canal. Baby could still suck on something too, but this works great. I have passed this on to many mothers who have been amazed at how well it works.

In fact, I have used it for myself when I had bad congestion, but had to fly anyway. It is amazing.

Mostly the kids cry and fuss because of the discomfort caused by the pressure on the ears and this really helps.

You've gotten some great info..just adding something, since he's 8 months old I would assume he's on some table food. Bring snacks with you on the plane (you can bring unlimited food) and of course enough for him to drink plus buy yourself a bottle of water after you go thru security. My son loved playing with the plastic bottle and the seat back tray. Gate check a stroller (a cheap umbrella type works just fine) you're obviously not going to be able to tend to him during your ceremony so someone else can easily take him for a walk if needed. We didn't buy our son a seat until he was 2 and we flew several times - me by myself and also all three of us. It's far easier than you'd think even if he's not a plane sleeper - mine wasn't- too much new stuff going on. Also, not sure if anyone has mentioned if you rent a car you can rent a car seat - just bring some disinfecting wipes to get rid of the "ick" factor. One less bag to worry about then.

I encourage you to put the few essentials in a smaller bag than your carry-on (like a large ziploc bag) that way you don't have to shuffle through your carry on trying to find things. I just put wipes, diapers, a onesie, burp cloth, etc. in it and tucked it into the front pocket of the seat in front of me. It cuts down on having to dig through the carry-on.

Not sure if you are b/f, but I purchased the ready to serve individual bottles for formula and I had no problem with security and did not have to worry about keeping formula cold or mixing it - well worth the money.

I've flown twice w/my 9 1/2 month old - at 6 months and at 8 months. The first time was by myself and the second time my hubby was there. I think I was more stressed than necessary. Dress comfortably (slip on shoes is a good idea too), stay relaxed, and ignore other people if your baby does get loud. Safe travels!

You've already gotten a lot of helpful info, but I'll throw in my two cents' worth. We traveled to NYC with our 6-month-old daughter on AA. (So, things may be a little different with Southwest.) Here are my tips.

1. Make sure the baby is on YOUR ticket. They listed my daughter on my dad and that messed up our seat assignments because he had been in the exit row.
2. Talk to the gate agents before boarding even begins to find out about the stroller/car seat. They should give you a tag to put on them. They should be able to gate-check them and you won't have to wait too long (if at all) after the plane lands to pick them up on the jet-way.
3. If you're nursing, plan to nurse during take-off (if you feel comfortable). My daughter ate on the way up and slept for quite a while after she finished eating. The vibrations and loud noise just lulled her to sleep.
4. Diaper bag...use a backpack! It's much easier to haul around. I have a "changing station" that I stuck in mine...a changing pad with a place for the diapers and wipes, all in one package! It worked great, but it does make it difficult to get to the wipes.
5. We took our stroller to NYC, but only used it one day. We used a Baby Bjorn to carry her around the rest of the time (and she even napped in it throughout the day!). The stroller would have been too much hassle in the crowds.
6. Pack (way) more diapers than you think you'll need. I've heard that the cabin pressure can affect some babies' tummies and you don't want to be diaper-less!
7. Pack an extra set of clothes for your daughter (and maybe a shirt for you). See #6 for why!
8. We also took our car seat to NYC and used it in the airport shuttle...you'll need something in there.
9. Underpack toys! I took way too many toys and my daughter ended up only playing with a few.
10. I took breastmilk and formula through security. Because I had more than 3.4 ounces of breastmilk, they had to do an additional screening on it, but there were no problems getting them through.

I think that's about all I can think of now. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message and I'll try to help!

My baby always has a better flight when we spend the money to get her her own seat and drag her car seat onto the plane (then she sleeps most of the way). You should call the hotel where you'll be staying to ask them if they have a crib (and what size it is) so that you don't have to pay to bring your own Pack-n-Play. Bring your own sheets and blankets though (and wipe the crib with an antibacterial wipe or three before you put your child into it), along with whatever other comfort items your child "needs" to get to sleep. Have a fun trip!

My little one would always fall asleep on lift off, or shortly after. So, try to wake him up early or delay his nap. This always worked for me. I would give him a pacifyer to keep his ears from hurting. But, when he got to be two, he did not fall asleep immediately. My backup, in case he did not sleep was: anything to keep him busy, finger foods and a sucker. When he was done with those items bring him what he likes to play with. Toys, crayons n paper, etc. Mine seemed to always grab the magazines in the pockets of the seat in front of him, which was fine b/c they are free. He would tear them up or draw on them. I hear some people give a little benedryl, but that always scared me. Please ignore the rude passengers, they can buy earplugs for $5 if they don't like the noise of your child. Good Luck and safe travels! Congrats on your marriage!

For the hotel, bring a noise maker...like one of those soothing sound spa things or a plug in air filter thing that makes noise, and bring a large sheet or something to put over the pack-n-play while he sleeps. For the plane flight, just be sure he is taking a bottle or breast feeding during take off and landing to keep the air pressure from popping his ears. As a safeguard you could bring some Motrin or Benadryl to give him if he is fussy on the plane...it will make him tired, which is better for him and everyone else as well...it will quite him. Of course, limit the amount to the recommended dosage for his age and weight.

Congrats on the wedding!!
We flew with our son when he was 6 months. The flight going there was GREAT!!! He did awesome. The flight back...TOTALLY different story. We made sure he had something to suck on during take off and landing so we could save his little ears from popping...we gave him his paci & apple juice. LOVED them both!! We brought lots of toys, a water bottle, and some keys because those were his favorite! He wasn't so happy coming back home and we were "those people" on the flight. If you do give him lots of fluid or food, be prepared to change him in the smallest bathroom ever. Airplane bathrooms aren't friendly for diaper changes!!!
Good luck on the flight! I'm sure he'll do great!

Hi B., for a first time trip on a plane, you might ask the airlines if there is a good place to change a diaper onboard. The seats in coach are so close together, and it might be a very unpleasant experience for other travelers.
Call ahead and ask hotel to furnish a crib(I always took my own baby bedding) again, toys to take on plane..Please don't take anything with music, or rattles, or voices, as I have traveled with those kinds of moms before and I was ready to ask for a parachute,for me.:-)Small bags of favorite cookies,or snacks you usually use at home,I always took along the plastic bags for the dirty things and extra trash.It might be good to take things in diaper bag in small quanities.Airport security will only allow products that fit into a qt. sized ziplock baggie.
I had to trash my water bottle and go through the security gate, then purchase another one for $2.50. These are just a few suggestions, to call ahead and ask about for yourself. I admit I haven't taken a diaper bag aboard since the heavy security checks.Things may be different , but you can also request to board early to avoid the big rush, to stow things overhead. Hope this helps some.
have fun, and take notes and pictures of the trip for the baby book memories.
B.

Oh my gosh!!! This totally saved my life and is a MUST HAVE for airplane trips!! I know that many moms will disagree, but wouldn't you rather it be them on the plane with fussy crying babies than you?? My son is 14 months old and I even ok'd this with his pediatrician AND his cardiologist (he was born with a congenital heart defect called pulmonary stenosis). So, if they both said it's okay for him, I was not worried at all about it. Just a small dose does it: it's liquid melatonian and all natural. ORDER SOME NOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP!!

Link:
http://www.vitaminworld.com/pages/file.asp?xs=D73CDF5C###...

I would also recommend getting one of the inflatable tubs for when you're in the hotel - I got one at onestepahead.com - that way you don't have to bathe your baby in what may or may not be a clean tub!

I also agree with buying a seat for your child and bringing his car seat. Plane trips are scary for little ones - they have no idea what's going on - and being in their own seat can be a comfort. And when they're in their seat they know they can't get up and roam around. And it's so much safer.

Congratulations and good luck!

I haven't looked through all the advice, but on a quick scan I don't think I saw this one - put your baby in an overnight diaper (like Huggies Overnights) when traveling. That way you won't worry so much about the diaper leaking in case you're delayed along the way. Good luck!

Hello - my now 6-year old had his second passport before he was 4. I worked for Chevron and he went everywhere with me. Definatley pack the stroller - little umbrella stroller is best unless you have the stroller/carseat. When flying nurse him going up and coming down - if not hungry make sure he is drinking/water/eating. The sucking motion they make when eating eases the ear drums and helps their ears adjust. Other than that can't think of anything. Cute clothes so the stewardess can't help but pick him up and walk him all over the place. Oh disinfecting wipes. I would wipe down your seat - my little boy would stand - face backwards and chew on the seats - airplanes not so clean. Have a great trip.

There is information about what I do here:

http://burbmom.net/how-to-fly-on-a-plane-with-a-toddler/

And good luck!

Hi B.,
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. For the airplane ride, make sure you have his sippy cup so he can drink when the plane is taking off and landing. This will help his ears pop since he can't chew gum. :) Otherwise whatever keeps him occupied at home should work for the plane (book, toy, etc) depending on how long the plane ride is. You can also buy a new book or toy and give it to him on the airplane. As for the hotel, you can ask for a crib. Good luck.

Great advice thus far and congrats on the upcoming marriage. I did want to add that our son was also close to that age for his first flight and what worked for us were the "New toys". Make a quick trip to the dollar store for items he has never played with. Four or five small ones should do the trick. The newness lasts longer than the toys he sees everyday. Good luck!