Traveling with kids can be a daunting experience, especially when it comes to taking a domestic flight. The close quarters and long hours on board can make the journey less than enjoyable if your baby is restless and noisy during the flight. However, with a little bit of preparation and planning, you can help make your trip a more pleasant experience for everyone. Here are some tips on how to keep your baby quiet and content during domestic flights so you can all enjoy the journey.
Pre-Flight Preparation
Before you even book your flight, it’s worth considering how your baby might react to the flight. While every baby is different and will react to different things, there are a few factors you can take into account to help your little one settle in more easily and possibly even enjoy their flight.
Feeding – If you’ll be feeding your baby on the flight, you may want to try out different times to see when your little one is at their most settled. Feeding at different times can also help with gas and digestive issues that commonly affect babies on flights.
Changing – You may want to try changing your baby’s diaper at different times before the flight. If your baby has a full diaper, they may be more sensitive to pressure changes, so a diaper change could help them settle in better. Similarly, you may want to try out different sleep times before the flight.
Selecting a Flight Time
The first consideration when selecting a flight time is to avoid times of the day when your baby naturally wakes and is most likely to be fussy. While everyone is different, you’ll probably want to avoid the late afternoon flights. During these times, your baby is likely to be tired and hungry. This can make keeping them quiet a challenge. Beyond that, you’ll want to avoid the busiest times of day for domestic flights, which are usually around mid-morning and mid-afternoon when everyone is traveling home from work, school, or vacation. These are usually the busiest times of day for air traffic, and your flight will be affected by this.
Packing for the Flight
While some airlines do provide changing tables onboard, they are not common. As such, you’ll probably want to pack a changing pad or a change mat that can be used either on the floor or on your lap. If you’ll be feeding your baby, you may also want to pack a bottle or a couple of containers of expressed breast milk in case the flight attendants don’t have a way to warm up the baby’s meal. Once you arrive at the airport, you’ll want to first make sure you have everything you need for the journey, and then you’ll want to make sure your baby is prepared for the flight.
Keeping Your Baby Entertained
You can help keep your baby entertained during the flight by bringing along some toys and books to keep them engaged and distracted. You can bring along toys that are small enough for them to hold on their own or toys that you can hold for them. Books with pictures that encourage interaction or movement are also great for keeping your baby engaged and distracted. Beyond toys and books, you can also help keep your baby engaged by making use of some of the in-flight entertainment or by getting them involved in the experience of flying. You can check out the view from the window or help your baby wave to other passengers or airline crew.
Making Use of Airport Services
If you’re traveling with a baby or toddler, you can take advantage of airport services like CLEAR, TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and NEXUS to help get through security clearance. Beyond this, you can also make use of airport play areas that are designed to keep young children occupied and work off energy. You can find out whether an airport near you has one of these areas and what the hours and rules are by checking the website of your airport.
Changing Diapers Onboard
There are a couple of ways to change your baby’s diaper on board. You can either change them on your lap, on the floor, or on the seat next to you if it is empty. If you choose to use the seat next to you or the floor, you’ll want to be sure to clean up after yourself to keep the area around you clean. While some airlines do provide changing tables onboard, others don’t.
Dealing with Crying Babies
Not all babies are quiet on flights and some will cry, especially when they are tired, hungry, or uncomfortable. If your baby is crying, you may be able to soothe them by offering a snack, bottle, or pacifier.
- You may also want to try to change their diaper if they are wet.
- You can also try changing their position by having them sit in your lap, cradling them in your arms with their head against your shoulder, or having them lie on their back on a blanket on the floor where you are sitting.
- You can also try shushing or humming to help soothe them.
- You also don’t want to try to silence your crying baby too quickly. You want to avoid shushing your baby too loudly or speaking too loudly as this could make their crying worse.
- Infants are unable to purposely unstop their ears, however, this may happen when they are sucking on a pacifier or bottle. Giving the baby a pacifier or bottle at takeoff and landing is most helpful.
- It is not recommended to let your kid sleep during the ascent or descent of a flight as they will be swallowing more frequently if they are conscious. Additionally, having to wake up with an aching in their ears can be a very frightening experience for the child.
Post-Flight Wrap Up
After your flight, you may want to give your baby a bit of a break. You can help them relax after the journey by offering them a bath or a massage, or by letting them lie down in a dark, quiet room for a bit. You can also help your baby get back on track by feeding them and putting them to bed at their normal feeding and sleep times, and by keeping them hydrated.