Tips for Flying with infant

In the hopes that I will get to meet another blogger IRL overseas, I have been refining my traveling with baby in airplanes tips:

I first made this list for a friend traveling with a 4mo old for a short 2 hour trip.  But it holds for overseas as well.

1.) to help prevent airborne germs from getting all-up-on Cdubs, I do two things:  a.) spray saline solution in her nose before and after the flight (several times after).  You can get baby saline spray at babysrus or any drug store.  They also have regular ocean spray saline solution.  b.) coat the outside of his nostrils with vaseline before you take off.  I put a few q-tips in a baggie with a dab of vaseline in the corner (I haven't found travel size vaseline yet).  ***I have found travel size Aquaphor, which works great.

2.) Pack a diaper for every hour you are traveling. 

3.) receiving blankets are great for all sorts of things...spit up, cold, nursing cover. 

4.) For a longer flight, i'd say take a boppy. I liked it for my long flights because she would sleep on it from nursing and on. 

5.) a new toy is always good (he may be a little young to really know the difference but it does seem to hold the attention a little longer).

6.) if you like your a baby carrier, wear it through security.  It is super easy.  I always use my babyhawk or Action Baby Carrier.

7.) Are you bringing a stroller?  or getting him his own seat?  There are some guidelines on those.  If he is sharing a seat with you, ask for the baby seat belt when you board because 9 times out of 10 Cdubs was asleep when they handed me one, so I had to wake her to put it on. They may say, "in a minute." Just say, "oh I just wanted to get it before he falls asleep."  they usually hurry it up then. 

8.) I usually disinfect the whole seat with alcohol wipes...now that she is a toddler, I don't...cause she gets into everything anyways

9.) I find that the hanging make up bags are great to put all of the travel necessities things in because you can hang it up on the seat in front of you and you don't have to worry about diving under the seat or getting in the overhead if you need something fast.  (I usually fill the pockets with a receiving blanket, diapers and a small pack of wipes, pacifiers, pacifier wipes (great for anything that falls on the floor), an extra onesie, socks, etc).

10.) This is a big one: they need to suck on something when taking off and landing, but here is the trick to know when to start (because in my opinion if they suck, esp. bfing or a bottle, too early then they will be full by the time they need to pop their ears).  Once the flight attendents are told to buckle up, THEN give them something.  I was and always will be tempted to start earlier but then I am forcing her to swallow by the time we are at cruising altitude or landed.

11.) I carry on a TON of stuff and never need it. But it always feels good to have it.

12.) I never used the bathrooms on the plane to change her, but if you want to, you should ask the flight attendant when you board which ones have the changing station.  I just make Kdubs stand up and use his seat (and then he throws the diaper in the bathroom).

13.) Oh for international flights when you have/need to take a meal...it is almost impossible to get the tray down when you have the baby in your lap, so we had one of us hold Cdubs and the flight attendant put two dinners on top of each other on Kdub's tray: he ate and then we switched trays and I ate off of his tray table...we couldn't figure out the switch the baby and the trays.  We are not graceful like that.

****4 mo. is probably to small to fall for the iphone but if you are traveling with him when he is older...it is gold!

if you ever travel with an infant hope these tips help.