Flying with Your Baby – A Detailed Parental Guide for Flights

The idea of travelling with your baby is overwhelming for many parents. And when it’s about travelling by plane, many find themselves at a loss. Bringing your baby to a flight certainly adds complications and an additional layer of preparation for sure.

However, you can not only make it doable but also enjoyable with the infant. That too, without worrying about security, health, and disruptions. Reasonable adjustments through planning will turn the fear of mishaps into memorable moments.

Like all the chores with a newborn, flying with the baby gets easier every time. So, how you’re supposed to enjoy a relaxed flight with your baby onboard?

Considerations Before the Flight

Although it’s about flying, the preparation starts at home. You must consider different things, given the variations in policies. More specifically, different airlines follow slightly distinctive processes to board a newborn. And the factors associated with policies to keep in mind include –

1.      Lap Infant

Babies (usually under two years) are allowed to board a flight as a lap infant. Medium to short flights don’t charge any fees, whereas prolonged flights require a negligible charge. No matter what, you must add the baby to the reservation with a confirmed ticket.

2.      Age Verification

The age limit for lap infants or reserved seats varies by airline. In most cases, you’re to show a copy of the baby’s birth certificate without passport requirements. Babies, newborns, or infants under 2 years of age usually don’t require much except for the birth certificate.

3.      Flight Time

A baby should have about 16 hours of sleep per day. So, coordinating the sleep with the flying time can save hassles. Working around the clock based on the baby’s nap is a great way to ensure a relaxed flight. And you don’t want the baby to go through security during their sleep.

4.      Seating Choice

A commercial aeroplane’s backside experiences less turbulence in the high altitudes. Less disruption must be your priority in case your baby is noisy. Additionally, the bathroom should stand at a close distance. It helps you nurse the little one somewhat more easily.

5.      Ticket Purchase

Airlines either need you to call their customer services or make an online booking. For leading US airliners, you can add your baby as a lap infant by calling the service. Or, you can book a seat for babies under a certain age. Otherwise, call the airline directly to save time and hassle.

6.      Baggage Allowance

Most airlines should let you check a baby stroller and/or car seat without additional costs. But the trait can vary in terms of discounts and international flights. It’s better to familiarize yourselves with charging policies before your flight to avoid unwanted extra fares or misunderstandings.

7.      Pre-Boarding Policy

Almost all US airlines have enabled family boarding within their pre-boarding program. So, an advance check-in can save the day in case you’re at the gate just before boarding. It makes the entire process a lot less stressful, particularly for airlines with no pre-selection of seats.

8.      Frequent Flying

When you’re a frequent traveller to bring your baby on board, you better go for a plan. Many airlines offer rewarding points for babies for traveling with them. Some airlines even facilitate point transferring programs within the family to ease the flying plans.

For a slightly older baby who wants to move around a little, you may want to take one of the aisle seats. Another optional but nice addition to a flight would include a bassinet, especially for longer flights.

Lap Infants Instead of Car Seat or Stroller?

You may think of carrying your baby on your lap instead of strapping him/her to a seat. Why bother with the extra cost or burden, right? There’s something you should know when it comes to carrying a baby.

• Extensive research indicates that a baby remains safer in a stroller or seat instead of laps while travelling. Almost every research eventually compared a car drive to airplane flights. However, keeping your baby right on your lap is an entirely personal decision.

• There’s no law, not even recommendations, against keeping a newborn in the lap. It’s because most of the flights are incredibly smooth, possessing no risk at all. Severe turbulence to make parents think otherwise barely happens in airplanes during flights.

Strollers are most likely the ultimate option to give yourself relaxation on prolonged flights. And the best travel stroller can deal with sudden shakes while keeping your immobile baby secure from all sides.

Choosing the Proper Lap Infant

Everything gets complex with two or more babies to get on board. Nearly no airline will let you have two lap infants within the same row. Even if they do so, they’ll do it by mistake. You can expect a reshuffle as soon as the crew notices the error.

While choosing lap infants, don’t ever strap or buckle the baby with you. Also, you can ask for empty or open seats to enjoy yourself a little better without car seats. Most airlines often prioritize car seats or strollers brought with your baggage.

Selecting the Seat on Your Flight

While going for a car seat, you must ensure its compliance with the FAA (Federal Airline Administration). Don’t worry; most car seats already confirm compliance with the visible label. There are many different seats available, given their versatile and flexible features.

Minimum requirements of age and weight play a crucial role in picking up a seat. Avoid non-car seats, as Child Restraint Systems (CRSs) don’t allow them for babies below 12 months old. Please remember that a car seat performs safety functions, especially at a window.

Tips and Tricks for Security Clearances

 

• It’s not unusual to bring any food packages or feeders for the baby. As a parent, however, you must let the TSA agent know while going through security.
• Anything weighing over 3.4 ounces should undergo examination for chemicals. Almost no TSA agent doesn’t test liquids below the referred weight.
• You can avoid testing by breaking up the liquids into smaller amounts. However, you should keep every liquid bottle or can in a separate tray on availability.
• Politely ask the TSA Agent to change the gloves while testing your items. It shouldn’t even bother the TSA agents, except for some unusual people.
• With ice packs, you must keep it in a completely frozen state. Otherwise, they’ll most likely take it away. You should look for freezable bags to avoid issues.
• Everything else, including your stroller or seat, will go on the belt for scanning. You must hold the baby while walking through the scanning system.

You may want to go through the TSA Procedures on Traveling with Children for additional information.

Pacifier on Boarding, Takeoff, Landing

Takeoff, as well as landing, gets quite noisy, especially for the sensitive eardrums of an infant. Therefore, use nursing, food, or even a pacifier to help the little one avoid ear popping. It’s particularly important for short flights since the time interval is low. Frequent fliers don’t need to worry much as the ears tend to get accustomed to the sound.

In-Flight Actions to Enjoy Your Journey

 

• You should clean the entire surrounding with hand sanitizing wipes. It should disinfect anything touchable within the baby’s reach.
• Don’t board any small toys with noticeable, annoying, or disruptive noise. Instead, carry the silent toys in a reusable zipper bag with other items.
• Pack a sufficient but reasonable amount of food when the baby starts solids. Items like Cheerios or puffs should hold for an extended period on long flights.
• Also, get homemade meals for your baby if he/she has started to eat solids. It lets you skip extra costs on food in the airport lounge.
• Keep track of bottle-feeding times so that you can bring extra milk/formula. It’s because flight delays or extra waiting time can put you in jeopardy.
• Don’t forget to pack something that makes you somewhat comfortable (stuffed animals). Always wash the items your baby uses after a flight.
• Request your flight attendant to bring the drinks with a straw and lid. Such actions can help you along with your baby from accidental spills.
• Meantime, changing the baby’s diaper inside a plane is more like torture. You can consider overnight diapers and change when it’s necessary.

Taking Actions to Keep the Baby Calm

• Don’t overthink or overreact when your baby fusses or cries. It’s just a temporary situation. Simply try to soothe your little one by staying calm.
• Never hesitate to ask for assistance from flight attendants and/or other passengers. Most people are always happy to help you whenever you need them.
• Don’t expect everything to go smoothly all the time. Being unpredictable is one thing you can’t escape with the upbringing of an infant/newborn.

Wrapping Up

Treat your flying with the baby as another fun challenge while reaching the destination. Being flexible in terms of mental preparation is always the key to confronting any situation. And then there are the good people, ready to give you a hand anytime. The more preparation through informed suggestions you can get, the easier it keeps getting.