Traveling with 3 month old from NC to Spokane WA?

Question

Being a new mother with my first born, we are leaving in 4 days to travel by air. We do have him reserved as a lap baby and I also have a sling. We will be stopping to change plans in Salt Lake City Utah and on to WA. My 3 1/2 month old son weighs 15 lbs and 10 oz, I just want advice on what to take and how to handle his ears popping on the plane, all advice needed and appreciated!!!!!!

Answer 1

I travel 5 times a year from Chicago to Texas with my baby. I too flew when she was 3 months old. First off, im almost absolutely sure you will not be able to carry your baby in the sling. If, (God forbid), something wrong were to happen on the plane, it would cause a delay in helping the baby. Make sure you call ur airline to see if you can use the sling on the plane. Make sure you put cotton balls in his ears, it might not seen like alot to you but to a little baby, it helps a bunch. I hope your baby takes a binky because thats the best way to help the ear popping the whole trip. Make sure you bring bottles of formula to also help with the ear popping. Also, bring some baby Tylenol because if he does end up crying alot, he will most likely get a headache from the crying and the noise and that will calm him down. My baby at that age fell asleep for most of the trip so i hope urs does too, it really helps. But make sure you call about the sling, i wouldnt want you to be all ready to use it on the plane and it turns out that you cant. Good luck!

Answer 2

Bring your stroller and carseat combo if thats what youve got, it wont be counted towards your carry ons and will be a god send especially if the planes not full and you get the chance to have an empty seat by you. For the ears popping make sure he is nursing/drinking a bottle or sucking on a paci during take off and landing. This is one of those instances you need to cheat if he wont take any of those at that time, put a little bit of sugar or something sweet on the paci so that way he'll suck long enough til youre home free. Also, I suggest with your doctors OK giving a dose or tylenol or Ibuprofen 30 minutes before the flight to lessen any discomfort that may occur. Something familiar like a favorite blankie will help any shock from the traveling. Just keep up with any feeding routines you may have such as solids or anything of the like so theres not too much shell shock. Believe it or not, going from coast to coast isnt too rough, my son adjusted fairly quickly. Theyre still a bit more sensitive to that whole sun going down thing than we are. Most important is to stay relaxed and your little one will be too. Look on the TSAs website to see how you should pack any meds, formula is pretty easy to take but its his accessories that become a pain.

Answer 3

I hope you're breastfeeding because that's the easiest way.
Altho some people seem to think nursing in public is obscene. So ask the stewardess for a seat in back (if possible) and put a blanket over the baby. Re the pressure--go to a large
pharmacy. Ask the pharmacist for ear plugs. They stop the
popping and I think there are sizes for babies and children.
Something else to guard against. Airplanes are no longer
filtering the cabin air, so any germs are circulating. If the baby will let you, keep a lightweight piece of gauze laid loosely over his mouth and nose, or at the very least, cover his mouth and nose if anyone is sneezing or coughing--or get
away from them altogether. Please remember SLC and
Spokane are still very cold. There will probably still be
snow in Spokane.

Answer 4

Funny I travelled with my now 7 yr old then 3 months From El Paso, TX (Ft. Bliss) to Spokane. Sucking is best for the ears and about all you can do. You do have to take them out of the sling for take off and landing. One flight attended let me leave her in but just not have her attached to me. Looks like rain for Spokane. I am from the Tri-cities about two hours from Spokane I love to go to Nordstrom Rack when I visit Spokane. Have a nice trip.

Answer 5

You likely won't be able to use the sling on take off and landing. That varies by attendant, but the rule is no. In the air it's fine, but for take off and landing they'll have you remove him.

I'd bring his carseat on board with you. First because that way it won't be damaged in the cargo hold (ever gotten somewhere and noticed later that your luggage is broken? Same thing can happen, and the luggage only needs to hold your undies, not your most precious cargo). Also, if there's an empty seat you can put his carseat in it and he'll be far more comfortable there. That way you also have his seat for him to use at the other end. Also, especially on a long flight, you're going to want the extra space. For a cross country trip he's going to sleep a decent chunk, and it'll be nice for you to have your hands and tray available for food, drinks, and the crossword in the magazine. :-)

Just nurse him or use a pacifier, bottle, or your finger on take off and landing. I've never heard of cotton balls, and I've never seen a baby or adult with them, but if they work, then great. We fly quite a bit with Piper, the first time when she was 9.5 weeks (from NC to SF to Seattle and then home to NC) and most recently back out to Seattle (she's 4.5 now) and I just nursed her the whole way. When she was in her carseat since airplanes have only a lapbelt I could lean forward and nurse her and both of us were properly restrained.

At 3.5 months you don't need too much in terms of toys, the new environment will do enough to give him things to do. Bring diapers and a change of clothes for him, and maybe a new shirt for you, just in case. For a flight that long he's going to sleep at least some of the way, so you don't need to plan for five hours of entertainment.

Have a great time!

Wendy

Answer 6

sucking is the best for his ears, if he is nursing bring a blanket let him have at it. if not keep a bottle handy. also the best time to travel would be late evening just before his bed time. after feeding let him sleep belly to belly with you He will feel secure and probably want notice where he is . Be sure you have his favorite treats, blankets and so forth. and pray the seat next to you is not taken, this will give you more space. I flew from NC to California when mine was 9 months old . JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE AND TRY NOT TO LET BABY KNOW YOU ARE A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE HE WILL REACT.

Answer 7

Flying will be much more simple than driving, so keep that in mind. Just have your normal things that you keep in a diaper bag when you got out in the car. I don't know if you could put little cotton balls in his ears to help or not. Try and make eating time around take off, so that he is swallowing to get rid of the popping in his ears, since you wont be able to tell him he needs to swallow, and feeding will make him swallow!

Answer 8

Lucky for you, your baby is still in the sleep most of the time mode. I would just recommend that you make sure that you have several of his favorite type of pacifier and that you carry enough bottles for formula unless you are breastfeeding. If you are bfing, then there should be no problem. Just nurse him and he will feel safe and there should be no ear popping.

PS Ask to sit in the bulkhead. There is lots more room and they often allow parents with children or preg. ladies to sit there.

Answer 9

My son was a little older when we flew with him, but I used a bottle of formula or juice when we would go up and land to help with his ears. We also sat by the window as there was a little more room by window seats.

Answer 10

Try giving him a pacifier to suck on atleast while taking off and landing. The sucking will help keep his ears from popping.