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.

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A Bag to Organize Your Essentials

You can’t predict what will happen during your flight, but you can plan for the unexpected. A good tote bag or backpack can contain the essentials. You should always have travel insurance, a copy of your travel tickets, identification, your passport, a credit card, cash, and contact details for your airline all in one place. If you’re worried about keeping all these things together in your carry-on bag, you can use a travel wallet. These are designed to keep everything organized, so your valuables are easy to find. You should also have moisturizing wipes, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, and ear plugs. If you tend to get car sick, these items will be invaluable.

Small Snacks for flying

You don’t have to eat everything on the plane, but you’ll inevitably need something to snack on during the flight. You’ll want to eat something light that doesn’t make you feel too full. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a meal on the plane; otherwise, you can stock your snack bag with things like nuts, trail mix, granola bars, and dried fruit. If you’re going to consume a liquid, then avoid anything that’s too carbonated as this can exacerbate ear pressure.

Headphones and Earplugs

If you want to listen to music or a podcast, you’ll need a pair of headphones. if the noise from the plane gets to you, earplugs might help. If you’re going to use noise-canceling headphones, make sure you have a way to charge them and your devices so you don’t run out of battery.

An empty water bottle for hydration

Hydration is important when you fly, but you might not want to drink water all the time. To avoid going to the bathroom every 20 minutes while you are flying, you can keep hydrated by sipping water. However, make sure you don’t fill your bottle with airplane water. This is because of the risk of contamination, so you should always use filtered water. The safest bet is to fill it up at a water fountain.

A Good Travel Pillow, a small blanket, and sleeping aid.

If you’re flying in economy class, you’ll likely want to rest your head on the seat in front of you. However, those seats are generally quite narrow and aren’t made for pillows. You can use a travel pillow to make your journey more comfortable. You should also have a small blanket in your bag. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; just something warm that you can drape over your legs when you feel cold. Lastly, you should have a sleep aid in your bag. Whether you have a natural sleep aid, like magnesium, or take a prescription sleeping pill, having an extra source of rest can be invaluable.

Conclusion

The journey from point A to point B is often just as important as the destination. These little ways to make your flight more comfortable and enjoyable can help reduce stress and anxiety. Keeping things organized and having certain essentials in your carry-on bag will mean that your flying experience runs more smoothly from the moment you check in until you exit the airport at your final destination.

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