Traveling by Plane with 8 Month Old

You have some great advice here so I'll keep it short!

One very easy thing that can really work is to have a packet of small stickers! I know it sounds crazy but they kept my niece entertained for most of a flight as she stuck them all over her mother, herself and her chair. Easy, cheap and doesn't take up much room at all! Like the mother with the ziplock bag found, often its the simplest things that work the best.

Taking a car seat they are used to, to keep them strapped in and safe is also great if you have bought her a seat.

Best of luck!

Hi A.-
I would look up babiesaway.com and see if there is one in the city you are going to. They have absolutely everything (toys, strollers, carseats, etc). I would rent a "bucket of toys" from them. They are "new" to you daugther and you don't have to haul as much stuff. I have used them before and generally their stuff is new and clean.

I don't know how old she is, but on the plane, I would take some of her favorite toys, try to plan the longest portion of the trip at her nap time and get her a seat. You have more space to move around and she will be happier. If she is old enought take a DVD, the Colorworks markers, card games/memory games, a Leapster, silly putty, an age appropriate workbook, and lots of her favorite treats.

Hope that helps.

Hi A.. My family took its first cross-country trip with layover when my boy was 8mos old too! Our flight departed just in time for his morning nap and he slept through the first leg. He woke up at our layover, we were able to feed him and let him crawl around a lot, and our second leg departed in time for his afternoon nap. The second leg was a little longer so he actually woke up about 45 minutes before we were to land. We were luckily able to keep him occupied in our laps and changing from lap to lap. Plus, because the plane wasn't completely full, we had a seat between us.

TIPS:
1) Arrive at least 1.5 - 2 hours before departure to leave room for exploration (getting tired).
2) Dress in layers, with a thin dark-colored or patterend long-pants and long-sleeved outfit on the bottom. (not too warm, easily dirtied if baby is crawling around)
3) Bring some entertaining, non-noisy toys
4) Bring plenty of snacks (if eating solids) and/or formula/breastmilk in bottles as nursing may be uncomfortable on a plane
5) Try to get them acclimated to the new time zone about 1 week before traveling. This will minimize jetlag. About halfway through your stay, start acclimating back to home timezone.
6) Pack the sheets and/or blankets you use at home in the crib to allow for a familiar smell as the baby falls asleep in a new place.
7) Make no real plans, and don't be disappointed if you can't do all the things you used or see all the people you wanted to. Your life is dictated by that beautiful 8-month old being who couldn't care less about anything when it's nap or food time.

Good luck! One of the things I wasn't expecting was my boy to be SO excited to explore the new places we were in. In our first hotel, we couldn't get him to fall asleep because there was just SO much to touch and see (he was crawling and cruising by then). Be ready with extra camera batteries and rolls of film/cables & memory cards! If you have any specific questions on how we did things, let me know!
-J.

Hi A....Congratulations on your daughter and kudos for traveling with her. My son is 9 months and has already made trips to Chicago and Maui! First, it's a lot scarier thinking about it then doing it. There's a lot of great information here in the archives, plus all the great advice you'll get from your post. Here's some of my personal experience...

I dress my son in a sleep n'play outfit. It's got long sleeves and feet to keep him warm and protected. If you arrive late at night, you can put the baby straight to bed without worry. If you're arriving someplace warm, then pack a change of clothing for when you arrive at the airport. Also, always pack a backup change of clothing for both baby and you...you never know what might happen in flight.

We take a travel stroller (Combi) and check it at the gate. I also use my M1 baby carrier to tote my young man around. We park our car and take a shuttle, so this is a safe way to transport him. Also, you can take him through security in this without having to take him out. We throw the stroller on the x-ray belt and then use it to schlep the carry-on stuff through the airport. My son loves the carrier and it also relaxes him...he's actually fallen asleep in it while we were walking through the airport. In addition, it makes boarding the plane so much easier because you have two hands free.

We've never bought him a seat, just took him on as a lap child. The MOST IMPORTANT THING...nurse/bottle/pacifier on take-off and landing. Babies can't equalize their ears like adults can...this is the only way; otherwise they will have a pretty painful and noisy flight. On take-off, wait until you see the flight attendants sit down...if you start too soon, and there is a delay, then your baby may finish nursing before take-off. Also, keep it going until the pilot tells you they've reached cruising altitude. On descent, start as soon as you feel the plan begin downwards.

If you don't already have baby gear lined up at your destination, consider using a service like Baby's Away. We used them on both our trips and they were wonderful. We had full-size cribs, swings, and saucers delivered and setup before our arrival, then they pick them up at the end of the stay. They were delivered to both a relative's home and a rental condo. Great service!

There's lots more, but these are the highlights. Feel free to email me with any questions. Bon Voyage!

Hi A., The advice you have gotten here is great! As a former flight attendant (now stay at home mom, YAY!) I would say the sucking on takeoff and landing is SO important, Especially the landing! You don't want painful ears and lots of screaming! Two things to be aware of, Look into "gate checking" your stroller. I'm not sure with security nowadays so you have to check into this at the gate, but it used to be that at the boarding gate you could have the agent put a tag on your stroller for gate check. Then you'd walk it right down to the airplane door where they take it down below, then on arrival the baggage person would bring it up to you. That way you don't have to try to fit it in the overhead bin yet you still have your stroller at your connection airport. Then you gate check it again to your final destination and again they bring it to the plane so you don't have to carry a sleepy child all the way to baggage claim. That is a lifesaver if you can still do it!! Second, surprisingly enough, many airplanes don't have a changing table in the bathrooms, so try to plan around that if at all possible! (Change baby in the airport right before you get on and hope for the best!) Hope that helps! I've always found flying with my kids to be WAY easier in real life than I had imagined it in my head the whole month before! :-)Oh, yeah, one more thing....sorry this is getting so long! I discovered this a while back and it is so useful....if you are checking her carseat, but a carseat bag (a big canvas type thing that zips up -babies-r-us) Then you can put additional items in there. I use a big shopping bag and cram it with clothing, bedding if you are bringing it, toys, whatever. Then put the shopping bag in with the car seat, zip it up and you're good to go! Especially now when they are limiting checked baggage, you can fit more stuff in that way! Good luck and HAVE FUN!!!

Hi A.,

I just did this when my daughter was 9mos old. We planned the trip around her morning nap, which totally saved us. She slept for 2 hours on the plane. We filled the rest of the time with puffs, letting her play with the tray, and bottles. She started to melt down at the end so we ended up carrying her in the aisle. She did very well...very little fussing. The other passengers actually complimented us on her behavior. Don't bring balls or toys that will roll..they will just end up on the floor and be unable to retrieve. My trip was from CA to Oh without layovers. I did a shorter trip once when she was 4mos with layovers and I was by myself with her (!!). She actually did quite well, though we had to change a huge diaper on the plane...oh well! The airport was a breeze and people were friendly and helpful when I was trying to get a stroller, bottle, bag, shoes, and baby through the detector all by myself. It will be okay and even if it is rough, it is soo worth seeing your family! Besides, lots of other people have been through this too. Good luck!

K.

I would say the most important thing is for you to try and relax and not worry too much. Do make lots of happy comments to her about going on her first airplane ride. Although she won't understand you, seeing you happily excited about something will make her happy. Babies can feel your stress so I think this is the most important. I've been traveling overseas with my daughter since she was 1 1/2 and we have a baby boy who traveled with me overseas when he was 6 months. Although you can buy her her own seat, I imagine she will be on your lap since she'll fly free. That's what I do. At 8 months my preference would be a light umbrella stroller over a harness. Bring her favorite toys and also some new toys(be prepared to pick up lots of dropped items unless you can hook them onto your stuff or seat) and plenty of her favorite finger foods along with other baby food, Sippy cup with water and bottles with formula or breast milk (liquids are allowed for babies), blanket, several changes of clothes (I think footed pajamas are easiest for traveling), extra diapers & wipes. Do give her some baby tylenol before the flight which will calm her down and I recommend giving her a bottle at take off because the swallowing will help ease the pressure on her ears. Bring disinfectant wipes and wipe down your entire seat and food tray and toys that fall. Don't worry about making a mess, flight attendants are used to it, love babies and so do most other passengers. (Apologize and smile to any grumpy passengers). Do stop her from kicking/banging the seat in front of you! That is a hard thing to learn but a must! Most likely the people behind you will laugh and play with her as she peaks back over. If possible you try to get some rest before the flight (I never have time but when in flight wished I did). And remember, the calmer you are and fun you make it, the easier and more enjoyable it will be for your baby. This will be an exciting and fun trip for your baby and though tiresome you can make it a fun and memorable trip for you too!

I just traveled cross country with my daughter who is almost 7 months. I packed her favorite doll, two favorite books, two blankets and a few new little toys. Surprisingly all she wanted to play with was a ziplock bag. I put a few little thinks in there and she thought it was the best toy ever. Nice to have an extra blanket for a pillow or for them to lay on........Not sure if your daughter likes tv, but a portable dvd player works great.
Make sure you have extra milk, it helps to give them a bottle on take off and landing so that they don't pay attention to their ears. I handed out earplugs and a pack of gum for those people around me so they didn't give you the "look" if your daughter gets fussy. Just some ideas. If you get the first row, they can stand and play a little bit more.

Hi A.,

It's not as bad as you think it will be. I have flew with my oldest who is now 3 1/2 to tenn. and out of this country and all this traveling was before she was 1 years old. This last time I flew back home from Germany to Cali. with my 3 1/2 year old and my 5 month old at the time. It really wasnt that bad. I just took the things that I would do with them at home. AS far as having movies with me, Books, snacks!!! Snacks are very important! It seem to me that the snacks really helped;) Then on top of that they slept most of the time to;)

So I would suggest to you that you just take what you know your baby likes. If its toys takes lots of toys. Whatever it is that you can keep her attention! Dont forget the snacks;)

Well I hope that information can help little bit. But I am sure you two will be fine!!!!!!;)

My daughter is 15 months old and we are taking our sixth cross country trip next week, so she is a pro. I got so much advice before our first flight at 3 months and I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was not all that bad either. I always buy a seat for her which makes it easier. People travel with kids all the time and you will always hear some good and some bad. I usually take a red eye bc she sleeps most of the time. Take as little on the plane as you can. Bring snacks and small toys to entertain her. Does she like books? THey always keep my little one preoccupied. Nurse or bottle feed on the way up and the way down. My daughter was sick on the last flight we took and she threw up all over me and herself, so bring an extra shirt for you just in case, and of course a few extra outfits for her. Bring a new toy for her and that will probably take up some of her time. If you need help with something don't hesitate to ask a flight attendant.

Like I said, I've done it quite a few times alone. The time goes by really fast actually because you are constantly doing something with the little one. You will do great.

We have travelled a ton with our 8 month old by car and plane. The flights are actually much easier than I expected. We just took her car seat and checked it (if she is still in an infant seat, you can take it all the way to the gate) and checked her stroller at the gate before you board. That way you can have your stroller right when you land to make carrying your bags/baby easier. Also, we brought EVERYTHING we could think of and were better off because of it (diapers, change pads, wipes, sanitizing hand gel for you after changes, toys, extra pacis, extra bottles, bottle brush, dish soap in a small container, tylenol, thermometer, blankets, burp cloths and plenty of outfit changes in case of accidents as travel can make your little one's tummy unsettled sometimes). You can rent pack n plays, toys, tubs etc at your destination so you don't have to lug it all with you. On the plane, bring books, toys or even a dvd player to entertain the little one. That was the hardest part..keeping her from wanting to cruise the cabin while in flight. My little one would never sleep on the plane, so we would just deal with a cranky little one those days, but she would sleep great through the night. It ended up she would sleep on our HOME timezone mostly and we never really tried to adjust it. Enjoy your trip and try not to stress. I did and there was no need for it...it was a lot easier than I expected. Just pack in advanced and make a list of everything you can think of as it comes up throughout the next few weeks so you don't forget anything. Also, you can always buy stuff you forget once you land. Good Luck!

A.,
what worked for us is we purchased a seat for our daughter and brought along her car seat. Bring a DVD player and lots of snacks and milk. Our Pediatrician suggested we give her Benadryl 1 hour before take off to help her sleep and tylenol for possible ear aches caused by the altitute, the medications helps.

My best advice is - take as little as possible inside the plane, make your life easier. Pack small for inside the airplane, but pack wise:
indispensables (your regular baby wipes, diapers, comfy toys and 2-3 outfits, a baby blanket, bottles and formula, snacks, medications regularly used) - use a decongestant (1/2hour-1 hour earlier) before take-off and before landing, and breastfeed or save a bottle for the same time - babies really suffer w/ air pressure so save yourself the trouble.
The baby can be a lap, but depending how far you go, may be difficult for you. If you’re buying tickets the baby, I’d take the car seats required by law (not in the plane, but in cars upon arrival) – make sure they are FAA regulated if you intend to use it on the plane. The advantage of buying a ticket is, you can take extra luggage ;)
Strollers can usually be checked at the airplane door and delivered the same way upon arrival.
What i found w/ my daughter is, it is easy to travel when they are little, the trouble is when they start walking and want to explore the dirty airplane floors! If the seat belts are on, even worse. Dirty looks,guilt and toddler screams to follow!
Have fun, be safe, and enjoy your little jet-setter!

Hi here,
You will probably get lots of advise about other stuff to do but my little bit of advise is Rescue Remedy (a Bach Flower Remedy) and Hyland's Calms Forte homeopathic remedy. You take a dropper of Rescue Remedy under your tongue before you go in to the airport and give your child a tiny bit topically on her wrist and rub it in. All it does is relieve anxiety with no side effects at all.

If your child gets fussy or can't get to sleep at all on the flight then the Calms Forte to relax. Two tablets will do. Follow the directions on the bottle. Again no side effects.

These will work well in many situations on your entire trip, not just the plane. They doesn't sedate or anything like it. The remedies just relax the anxiety. You can get them at any Health Food Store.

And just like the oxygen mask...take care of yourself and your anxiety first. The child will feed a lot on your energy.

She will do MUCH better if you remember to give her lots of interesting and positive attention during the trip. Sometimes I know I get caught up and forget until they get frustrated and cranky and by then it is much harder to give them the positive attention they really need.

Have fun, relax, enjoy. She will do way better than you think.

Oh, and the best cure for anxiety and also ears that need popping on plane flights is breastfeeding if you are still doing that.
Blessings and safe travels,
Deb

Hi A.! Lots of good advice already :-) Our daughter flew across country first at 4 months and then again at 11 months. Both trips she was a lap rider but we got lucky the second trip because no one sat in the middle seat! I think the baby chased 'em all away lol. It's truly worse in your mind than the trip will be. I promise! Take a diaper changer cover/pad because you'll feel better if you have to change her on the plane or in the airport. We also had a bag for our car seat to check it with the luggage and we used a backpack and diaper bag (with snacks toys diapers wipes food etc) for the plane. If you take juice or milk make sure it's in the baby's bottle. We had an unopened juice for later and the security lady took it for herself (gut feeling because she left our opened dimetapp alone). I'm a very light packer so we checked one large suitcase for the 3 of us. Bottle, breast or binky for takeoff and landing but Abigail learned how to equalize by herself pretty quickly. Keep it as simple as possible. Your trip will be great!!! We're flying home for Christmas with a 17 month old so wish us luck!

my first question is if you are buying the baby her own seat? i find it easier to do that then have them fly in lap. pack small quiet toys and lots of snacks to eat and a couple extra outfits (just in case of an accident). a stroller is good to take because you can check it on the plane. i sat my daughter by the window when i flew to washingtn state when she was 8 months (she flew in lap and the seat next to us was empty) she loved looking at the sky. our next flight after that was to michighan i again packed her favorite less noisey toys and a couple books and of course lots of snacks and honestly 98% of the people around us where we sat didnt even know my daughter was there because she was soo quiet and good. also a good thing to know is to try to have her either nurse, drink a bottle/cup, or use a pasi on the way up and down because the pressure change can bother their ears. all i take on the plane with my is my personal bag and my daughters diaper bag. make sure you have no bottles pre made what i did was bought a big bottle of water after i went through check in and also some juice. its really not hard to fly with a baby you just have to be smart about what you choose and dont choose to bring. good luck i hope this helps.

Make sure that you have a pacifer because babies ears pop because of the altitude so the pacifer help with that. I took my son on a plane when he had just turn 1 and he was asleep through the whole flight on my lap. Good luck.

Pack a spare set of clothes for BOTH of you in the carryon. My daughter once started coughing, couldn't stop, and threw up all over me. I was rinsing my clothes in the bathroom sink. Thankfully there was only an hour left on the flight at that point.

My other thought is to not worry about what everyone around you is thinking and just focus on what you need to do for your baby. Have fun!

hi, I have travelled several times already with my 5 month old daughter. I like to wear my baby in a moby wrap (or baby bjorn) in the airport and on the plane. She goes right to sleep in it.
Also make sure to travel with a thermometer. My DD got sick last trip and we didnt have one and they were expensive in Canada!! Good luck!!!

When my son was 10 months old we took an across country trip - I suggest lots of snacks, Lots of toys (small ones) amd if she watches and tyoes iof videos invest ina portable dvd player with some of her favorite videos - also what we did is is let him pack a small backpack with come of his favorite things. Also deoending on her size I suggest her own seat on a plane also dont bring the carseat it reallt sucks and then she has more of a tendency to kick the seat in front of her. Good Luck and its not as bad as you think. Oh another thing if you look on ebay there is a lady that rents airplane 5-point seatbelt so you dont have to pruchase on that costs $90.00 - some airline suggest a 5 point harness and some require it.

also we kept our son up late the night before and didnt let him take a nap before the flight so he slept for at least 2 hours that way.

also have her suck on a paci durning take off and landing so hears dont pop

Hi..My advice,Iam a single mom who did the cross-country flight with two wild- boys, 4 times.One time we took a Red -Eye..this was a piece of cake .The only struggle was to get them awake when we landed @ walk through the long airport.
The times we flew regular hours It was hard because my son was young under 2
and he had to sit in my lap. As your lil girl may?
If you can still pick a seat grab an aisle .less crawling over other people..pack a light carry on back weith just the very basics..you have enough to carry w/her..and with a lay over you are going to be so nervous and etc. its easier to look after and you will stress less.
Id put an out fit on her that is easy to change, with little doing...and quickness.
A(small) familiar toy or a book even crayons(if shes able?) that she can play on in front of her on the pull down table..
Keep your itenerary in a save place thats easy to get to, like the diaper bag pocket..in case on the lay over you need to peek at it ..
Car seat? Call ahead to see if you can bring it in baggage, or have family pick you up with one,thats easier then carrying it through the terminals
I m trying to remember everything and if you cant tell im just blurting it out as it comes...lol

Hope something helps.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do for both of you, IS relax. Well as much as possible.. It being your first time,it can make or break future flying experiences..
Dont be bothered if she gets fussy ...she like any other baby, will. Some passengers may get grumpy by it but dont you! They have head phones for those passengers anyways

Have a good time @ make a good memory for you both!!

Hi A.,
Everyone has already given great advice about extra clothing, food, toys, etc. The main thing is to make sure the baby is sucking on something for take off and landing to stop her ears from popping. When my son was 8 months old he would fall asleep as soon as the plane took off (from the sound of the engine) and would sleep several hours. Hopefully you'll have that experience - it really helps. I also recommend getting the baby her own seat. The first time we traveled we didn't buy a separate seat but were lucky to get 3 together. After that I started buying a separate seat - they are 1/2 price until the baby is 2. It just makes it easier not to have to hold the baby for 5 hours. Also the diaper bag does not count as carry on luggage so you are still able to bring more things on board.

Some airlines do not allow parents with children to pre-board anymore. Check with your airline and see if they will let you do it. It really helps getting yourself situated on the plane if you can get on early.

The best investment you can make is the portable DVD. It is a life saver when nothing else works.

Good luck on your trip.

Hi,
We just traveled to Mexico (3 hours) on a plane. She was so excited with all the moving around to get on the plane that she did have a nap till I nursed her as the plane toke off. I kept on nursing her until the plane leveled off. ( Waking her a little when she would stop) Just to be sure her ears were okay. She napped for about an hour.

I always bring a bag just for toys. But the magic thing was-a new toy. I went to Target and got her a package of 3 bath toys for $1.99. I did NOT open the bag. She was enthralled for the whole trip. in resturants, in cars and on the plane.

They were 3 frogs with big eyes. My daughter loves toys with big eyes. Big white part and kind of small black spot in the middle kind of thing. She did chew on the plastic casing and cardboard top a bit. So if you are worried about BPA this will not be your thing. My daughter was mostly into moving the frogs around in the bag and trying to get them out. It was great. Other new toys may help as well.

The itsy bitsy spider and twinkle, twinkle little star with hand movments for the first time worked out great. The next day when she woke up she tryed to move her fingers like we had in the game. One little, two little, three little fingers.....tickling you!, also worked really well.

I nursed her on the way down as well, watch out for those ears! I also talked to her and explained in an adult voice where were going and what we were going to do. Tellng her in advance about the plane and the trip. I had never really done this beore but saw a friend do it with her baby. It seems like they really get it. Or something. We now talk to her about everything with detail and its quite fun.

Good Luck. Maybe instead of being nervous think of all the new things your child will learn on this trip.

My son is 10 months now and has flown several times since he was 11 weeks old. Here's what I've found: be sure to have a bottle to feed him during take off and landing to avoid the ear pressure. It can be tricky because you have to time the feddings around that. If you're still breast feeding, I've found that works better. I also give my son a little tylenol about 1 hour prior to landing to alleviate possible ear pain, esp. if he's stuffy. Our pediatrician said that was ok. For travelling through the airport and layover I bring our Baby Bjorn because when he gets tired he does better when held than in the stroller, but is too heavy to hold constantly. Bring plenty of toys and try to time naps during flight when possible. Also bring sippy cup for water (if she's taking water) - they need extra fluids when flying. I find the hardest part is keeping them entertained BEFORE boarding. Once on the plane my son does pretty well. And if it doesn't go well, don't worry about people looking at you. Your child's safety and comfort come first. Plus, you'll be surprised at how helpful strangers are when you are travelling with a little one. Good luck.

You have received some great advice. Keep it simple for you, too. My sister has a blog about activities to do for your kids everyday. She just did a blog about traveling with your children in the car. Most will help you on the plane. The comments she got were also good ideas. Her blog is: http://www.makeandtakes.com/ The date of the traveling blog is Sept. 8, last Monday. Good Luck in your travels. I took my one week old and 3 1/2 yr old boys on the plane by myself 4 months ago. A great challenge.

Try not to be nervous. I started flying cross country with my daughter when she was 3 months old. Bring just a couple of toys and books and little foods for her to eat (if you are giving her solids.) If you are nursing her that helps during take off and landing and if not give her a bottle to help with her ears. Between eating and napping the flight will be over before you know it. If you are bringing your stroller I suggest buying a stroller bag that is black canvas..it totally protects your stroller from getting damaged. Do the same for your carseat..they are about $15/each. wwww.juvenileshop.com sells them.

First off, don't be so stressed about it. If your daughter sees a calm mommy, she'll be calm. At 8 months old she probably isn't walking yet, which makes things easier.

Here's a few things to do:
-test her on Benadryl. If she is sleepy with it, you can use it during the flights. Some kids have the opposite reaction to it.

-Buy and pack a new toy or two into your carry-on luggage. Bring it out if/when she gets bored during a flight. Don't let her see the toys until you introduce them to her on the plane.

-Only pack enough diapers and baby food for the flights. You can buy more at your destination.

-don't over-do it on packing clothes. Bring weather-appropriate stuff, enough to last a few days and use the washer and dryer at your destination.

-Bring a lovey of some sort (if she has one) so she has something (other than Mommy) to hold which is familiar.

-I hope your hubby is coming with you! He will be able to help out a lot. If not, take full advantage of the flight attendants. They are there to help you.

I used these tips for my daughter on a trip to Europe for 3 weeks... the 11-hour flight was a little taxing, but my hubby and I traded off taking naps. Of course our daughter preferred me over him so I didn't get as much rest as he did... but your trip probably isn't as long as ours was!