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You’ve been on a flight before when the baby next to you was screaming and you felt like you might lose your sanity. That was hard enough to stomach before you had kids, but now it takes on a whole different connotation. You don’t want to be the one on the plane that everybody is staring at because your baby is screaming. Not only is this stressful for you, but it means that your baby is unhappy and that just increases the stress quotient. If you want to have a smooth first plane ride with baby, then you need to take a few things into consideration. You want to go on prepared, roll with the circumstances, and be sure that you both come out of it without undue stress.
Anticipate Anything that May Happen
Here’s the thing—your baby is going to likely be confused and affected by the change in pressure and the environment. No matter how old they are when they take their first plane ride to cash in their disneyland ticket, the change in pressure is bound to make their ears hurt and they may cry. Some pediatricians will encourage you to give your child something like Benadryl before the flight as it can help with this and alleviate any ear pain that they may experience. The added bonus for you as a parent is that this medication tends to make most babies a bit drowsy so they may stay calm or even sleep for you. Just be prepared that with takeoff and landing especially, the pressure can cause their ears to hurt and therefore this can be the toughest parts of the flight.
You want to also anticipate that they are very well not going to like to be held by you for hours on end. This is particularly true if they are at an age where they are mobile and therefore they won’t understand why they can’t be on the move. Bring plenty of items to keep them entertained and well fed. Though they will notice that they can’t be as mobile as they normally are, they won’t mind it as much as if they are distracted. Just packing a few extra things to bring on the plane ride can make your life and your baby’s life much easier!
Bringing Along All the Right Things
So what exactly does a mom need to bring with her on the plane to keep baby happy? The first plane ride is challenging as you are still trying to figure out your baby and what his or her limitations are. Some babies will sit nicely and watch baby videos on a portable DVD player on your lap. This doesn’t work for every baby, but it’s worth a try so pack it with you to see how it works. You may want to try it out beforehand to see how they respond to it. You also want to bring along some other favorites like a stuffed animal that they are familiar with or some toy that they love to play with. Something that is familiar to them can be quite comforting and that makes everything run smoother.
If you have the option, it’s always helpful to purchase the seat next to you and put them in their car seat. The reality is that air travel has gotten expensive so many moms will opt to hold the baby and save some money, but if you can spring for it the extra seat for their car seat can come in handy. They will always be in your lap, even for part of the time, and so you need to make it comfortable. Bring a blanket or two that is comfortable for you and for them as they cuddle with your climb all over you.
Bring snacks and plenty of them as this will keep baby happy. Bring a bottle with formula or breast milk as this is allowed through security and will help to keep baby calm. Giving them this bottle during takeoff or landing can really help with baby’s ears too. If they are drinking out of a sippie cup then bring that with water or juice, or just get some from the flight attendants. Bring with you plenty of little snacks that are easy and sure not to make a mess such as puffs, goldfish, Cheerios, Yogurt melts, or crackers. Keeping them fed will keep them distracted and happy. You will survive this first plane ride with baby and if you come prepared with these items and some patience, this can make for a memorable event and an enjoyable one too!
Written by Colm Byrne for The Fairview Hotel a great place to stay with your family when in Ireland.