Today I ask for important advice from my readers who happen to have children. In just a few days, we will take Sloan on her first ever plane ride. We certainly are not easing her in. Sloan’s maiden voyage will be from Charleston, South Carolina, all the way to Seattle, Washington. She will be in the air for at least five hours and that doesn’t even include time before takeoff or the time it takes to taxi over to the gate once the wheels go down.
Perhaps Sloan should bring George with her to reduce her anxiety on the plane?
Because the airlines most likely won’t give us any assistance after the blog post I wrote last week, I must turn to you guys. I have already inquired some friends on their best tips but we could use all the help we can get. I am looking for insight that goes beyond the basic Google search or the cliché encouragement to bring ear phones and candy for each passenger on the flight.
If you have ever taken a baby on an airplane before, what was your experience like? More importantly, what techniques did you use to make the flight as smooth as possible for both your child and yourself?
I am preparing myself by going through a bunch of scenarios in my head (Sloan throws up, she won’t stop crying, she goes #2 in her diaper) and asking myself how Sidney and I will react. However, I need more than just mental prep.
Any help you can give would be very much appreciated. You can comment below this entry or you can comment on my Facebook post regarding this topic. Thank you for the help and I hope you are having a great Sunday! Don’t Blink.
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Don’t change her diaper on plane…wait til the nearest airport…or final destination whichever comes first. We did great falls mt to Seattle this week took rental car to tacoma for a wedding. Bring a few toys maybe 2 to 3…remember u don’t want to lug too much through airport and security
Ditto on don’t change her diaper on the plane unless it’s a BIG problem. I flew with my daughter at 4 months and she did great. Bring a boppy or other pillow for her to sleep on in your laps. I nursed during taxi and takeoff to keep her calm, then she would sleep until landing. Suckling helps with ear pressure, so if she cries during descent offer food or a binky. My biggest advice is ignore the other passengers who are going to roll their eyes and make little comments when they see you get on a plane with a baby. Their negativity didn’t help a mom traveling alone with a little baby, but the few passengers who helped me heft my bags into overheard storage did.