How to Fly With a 6 month Old (And Keep Your Sanity)
*Note my sister wrote this post as I am currently childless and loviiiiing it. No offense parental units.
Let me set the scene for you: my husband and I are first time parents who had to fight tooth and nail with American Airlines just to get some credit for two measly tickets that were cancelled ON DOCTOR'S ORDERS (thank you ZIKA). 5 months after the birth of our baby, we were determined to use those tickets and booked a trip to Charleston, SC. Because when you have a baby anywhere that's not home is exotic enough (eff you Jessica and your trans continental traipsing).
Let me set the scene for you: my husband and I are first time parents who had to fight tooth and nail with American Airlines just to get some credit for two measly tickets that were cancelled ON DOCTOR'S ORDERS (thank you ZIKA). 5 months after the birth of our baby, we were determined to use those tickets and booked a trip to Charleston, SC. Because when you have a baby anywhere that's not home is exotic enough (eff you Jessica and your trans continental traipsing).
Before we left, I did exhaustive research on flying with babies. I was going to be prepared AF in case I got stuck on an airplane with a screaming baby, leaking nipples and a full-on diaper blow-out AKA the worst imaginable nightmare for air travel with babies.
Hush little baby, don't say a word. mama's gonna...*sob sob sobbb*
I would in no way consider myself a guru when it comes to traveling with a baby, but I have been on a few different trips with my now giant man toddler and have some things that I learned along the way that may be helpful if you find yourself in the same situation. Keep in mind that this is for a 5-7 month-old since we all know how rapidly things change with babies in the first year.
1. Research your airline’s checked bag policy. Most airlines will check a car seat and stroller FOR FREE. We were unsure whether to bring our nice jogging stroller or a lighter umbrella one, but since it was free to check, we went with the nicer one. Best decision ever – it was so comfortable for Owen with all the touring we did and doubled as a cart for our jackets, souvenirs, etc. Most rental car agencies have the option to rent a car seat, but I wanted to use ours.
You can get inexpensive cases for these items to protect them a bit and can even shove some extra clothes, blankets, etc. in there if you don’t have room in your bag. You can also usually gate-check these items for free (as long as the stroller isn’t too big). This option is good if you’re not comfortable checking a car seat at the ticket counter (because you know they toss everything around before it gets to the plane). This is definitely more cumbersome and was probably a rookie mistake on my part, but it kept me from agonizing over how many times our car seat had been dropped and thrown, so deal with it.
Ohhh soo comfy in his own car seat and fancy stroller
As a side note, while pack n’ plays are not included on the list of “free checked items” when traveling with a baby, we have been able to check one on multiple flights for free without any issues. Just hold the baby up high at the ticket counter and try to look as haggard as possible (which isn’t much of a stretch) and the ticket counter attendants will most likely take pity on you.
2. Check a bag. If you’re like me, the thought of paying $25 to check a bag when you’ve already spent a few hundred on a ticket and associated fees is the “last straw.” You cram everything into your TSA approved carry-on and personal item, layer up your clothing to conserve precious bag space and Sherpa that shit to the gate (where you arrive dripping in sweat, but goddammit you saved $25).
Until you have a baby and then holy shit, just check the damn bag.
Shell out the $25 to check a suitcase that everyone in your family can share. You don’t want to spend every night of your “vacation” lying awake to the soothing screams of your infant because the sound machine he falls asleep to wouldn’t fit in the carry-on. Having a checked bag will alleviate some of the stress associated with deciding what items to pack and frees you up to carry less through the airport. Well, at least less for yourself because let’s face it, you’re going to be loaded down with crap just for the baby now.
3. Wear the baby. Speaking of being loaded down, definitely strap that little nugget to your body, so you have both hands free. Baby carriers are essential while traveling, so wearing it also reduces what you have to pack. I use the Lillebaby All Seasons and can’t say enough good things about it (hello back support). This made getting through the ticket counter, security and generally just walking through the airport, so much easier. You can’t go through the full body scanner with a baby, so if they don’t have the free-standing metal detector option for you to walk through, you’ll have to do the whole TSA bomb-test wipe down procedure. I did both and they were painless and relatively quick.
Be aware, going through security with a baby strapped to your chest is a gamble. I read a lot of blogs that said you were allowed to keep the baby strapped on to you, which for us has been the case for the majority of the time. I was only asked to take the baby off once at which time I made a stink (“the other TSA agent didn’t make me do it…”) and audibly rolled my eyes. It wasn’t that big of a deal, just annoying to take a baby off when you have to get all your stuff off the conveyor belt and have a visibly agitated older gentleman tapping his toe behind you because how the hell did he get stuck behind the family with a baby.
4. Prep as much as you can at the gate. This includes changing diapers or clothes, preparing a bottle (if needed) and transferring essentials to the bag you’re going to keep under the seat in front of you. Most airplanes have a changing table in the lavatory, but seeing as how even the most petite of humans can barely fit in those toilet closets, I'm pretty sure changing a wiggling baby in there on a table the size of a laptop is one of Dante's nine levels of hell.
Obviously, shit happens (see what I did there), but if you can prepare as much as possible ahead of time you might just make it through the flight without having to get up.
5. Timing is everything. This one probably seems like a no-brainer, but when at all possible, try to book a flight that departs around when your baby should be going down for a nap (or even a little after). You may have to deal with a fussy/screaming/monster baby at the gate if the flight is delayed a little, but once you get on the plane and feed the baby (see tip 6), he/she will most likely pass right out. If you’re lucky (like we were for all of our flights), your baby might even sleep the entire trip. A few (or 30) minutes of chaos before you board is worth the trade-off for a quiet baby on the plane.
6. Nurse at takeoff. This is the one thing that I knew about flying with a baby before I even had one and attribute all of our successful flights to this tip. Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, try to hold out as long as possible to feed your little one until the plane is actually taking off. I know this isn’t always easy, so use your best judgement. Make sure you are in a comfortable position before you start nursing because you are a damn fool if you think you’re going to be able to make even the slightest movement for the rest of the flight. Don’t worry, a few hours of discomfort, strained muscles and upper lip sweat is totally worth the look on your baby’s face when they stare out of the plane for the first time. Happy travels!
I would in no way consider myself a guru when it comes to traveling with a baby, but I have been on a few different trips with my now giant man toddler and have some things that I learned along the way that may be helpful if you find yourself in the same situation. Keep in mind that this is for a 5-7 month-old since we all know how rapidly things change with babies in the first year.
1. Research your airline’s checked bag policy. Most airlines will check a car seat and stroller FOR FREE. We were unsure whether to bring our nice jogging stroller or a lighter umbrella one, but since it was free to check, we went with the nicer one. Best decision ever – it was so comfortable for Owen with all the touring we did and doubled as a cart for our jackets, souvenirs, etc. Most rental car agencies have the option to rent a car seat, but I wanted to use ours.
You can get inexpensive cases for these items to protect them a bit and can even shove some extra clothes, blankets, etc. in there if you don’t have room in your bag. You can also usually gate-check these items for free (as long as the stroller isn’t too big). This option is good if you’re not comfortable checking a car seat at the ticket counter (because you know they toss everything around before it gets to the plane). This is definitely more cumbersome and was probably a rookie mistake on my part, but it kept me from agonizing over how many times our car seat had been dropped and thrown, so deal with it.
As a side note, while pack n’ plays are not included on the list of “free checked items” when traveling with a baby, we have been able to check one on multiple flights for free without any issues. Just hold the baby up high at the ticket counter and try to look as haggard as possible (which isn’t much of a stretch) and the ticket counter attendants will most likely take pity on you.
2. Check a bag. If you’re like me, the thought of paying $25 to check a bag when you’ve already spent a few hundred on a ticket and associated fees is the “last straw.” You cram everything into your TSA approved carry-on and personal item, layer up your clothing to conserve precious bag space and Sherpa that shit to the gate (where you arrive dripping in sweat, but goddammit you saved $25).
Until you have a baby and then holy shit, just check the damn bag.
Shell out the $25 to check a suitcase that everyone in your family can share. You don’t want to spend every night of your “vacation” lying awake to the soothing screams of your infant because the sound machine he falls asleep to wouldn’t fit in the carry-on. Having a checked bag will alleviate some of the stress associated with deciding what items to pack and frees you up to carry less through the airport. Well, at least less for yourself because let’s face it, you’re going to be loaded down with crap just for the baby now.
3. Wear the baby. Speaking of being loaded down, definitely strap that little nugget to your body, so you have both hands free. Baby carriers are essential while traveling, so wearing it also reduces what you have to pack. I use the Lillebaby All Seasons and can’t say enough good things about it (hello back support). This made getting through the ticket counter, security and generally just walking through the airport, so much easier. You can’t go through the full body scanner with a baby, so if they don’t have the free-standing metal detector option for you to walk through, you’ll have to do the whole TSA bomb-test wipe down procedure. I did both and they were painless and relatively quick.
Be aware, going through security with a baby strapped to your chest is a gamble. I read a lot of blogs that said you were allowed to keep the baby strapped on to you, which for us has been the case for the majority of the time. I was only asked to take the baby off once at which time I made a stink (“the other TSA agent didn’t make me do it…”) and audibly rolled my eyes. It wasn’t that big of a deal, just annoying to take a baby off when you have to get all your stuff off the conveyor belt and have a visibly agitated older gentleman tapping his toe behind you because how the hell did he get stuck behind the family with a baby.
4. Prep as much as you can at the gate. This includes changing diapers or clothes, preparing a bottle (if needed) and transferring essentials to the bag you’re going to keep under the seat in front of you. Most airplanes have a changing table in the lavatory, but seeing as how even the most petite of humans can barely fit in those toilet closets, I'm pretty sure changing a wiggling baby in there on a table the size of a laptop is one of Dante's nine levels of hell.
5. Timing is everything. This one probably seems like a no-brainer, but when at all possible, try to book a flight that departs around when your baby should be going down for a nap (or even a little after). You may have to deal with a fussy/screaming/monster baby at the gate if the flight is delayed a little, but once you get on the plane and feed the baby (see tip 6), he/she will most likely pass right out. If you’re lucky (like we were for all of our flights), your baby might even sleep the entire trip. A few (or 30) minutes of chaos before you board is worth the trade-off for a quiet baby on the plane.
6. Nurse at takeoff. This is the one thing that I knew about flying with a baby before I even had one and attribute all of our successful flights to this tip. Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, try to hold out as long as possible to feed your little one until the plane is actually taking off. I know this isn’t always easy, so use your best judgement. Make sure you are in a comfortable position before you start nursing because you are a damn fool if you think you’re going to be able to make even the slightest movement for the rest of the flight. Don’t worry, a few hours of discomfort, strained muscles and upper lip sweat is totally worth the look on your baby’s face when they stare out of the plane for the first time. Happy travels!
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