Air Travel with 6 Month Year Old????

I flew from Tel Aviv, Israel with my 1 1/2mo old son. He was completely fine. The Dr. told me only to give him the breast taking off and landing. He was an angel the rest of the time. So don't worry!

I recently traveled for the first time with my 2 1/2 year old son.I had the same concerns as you did, my father told me to give him the pacifier (which i wasn't happy about because he just got off it), and my mother in law told me to give him some Benedryl. So I called the Pharmacy and asked them how much i should give him they gave the dosage. I gave him the Benedryl, i even gave him the pacifer. He didnt seem bothered at all the whole trip and fell asleep. On the way back I decided not to give him the Benedryl and just give him the pacifier. Well he was fine the whole trip, didn't cry or complain once, didn't even want the pacifier. He actually fell asleep on the way back too. So i guess what i'm tring to say is not to really worry about it.And have a nice trip.

Hi K.
I have been a flight attendant for 20 years and I have a 5 year old who has been flying steadily since he was 3 months old. The pressurization in the plane changes most at take-off and landing. The biggest change begins about 35 minutes before landing. To help even the pressure in your sons ears offer him a bottle or pacifier. The sucking will even the pressure and you shouldn't have any problems unless he has a cold.
Some other advice for travel...
Buy a seat for your son and use his car seat. I know it adds expense to your trip but the safety of this outweighs the price, after all you can't put a price on the life of your child. Not only is it so much safer but much more comfortable for everyone. Your son is used to his car seat so he will feel more at home.
Be sure to bring pre-filled bottles and snacks as well as an oversupply of diapers, you can never tell when delays will occur.
Check to see if the lavatories have changing tables, most planes these days do and your fellow passengers will appreciate not being witness to dirty/wet diapers.
Most of all, bring entertainment, be it puppets, books etc...
something that will distract your son.
And finally, don't be dismayed by others reations to seeing you board with a baby. People on planes can be so rude. If your son cries too bad for them, we have all been babies before so don't let anyone let you feel uncomfortable if he isn't the perfect angel! Travelling can be stressful under the best circumstances!
Good luck and enjoy the trip!

Hi K.,

My husband and I traveled with our son to Germany when he was 6 months old. It really wasn't a problem at all. Make sure he sucks on something, either a pacifier, bottle, or the breast. Having someone else travel with you will make your life a whole lot easier especially when it comes to changing diapers (if you have to) and drinking or eating anything. Also take something with you that will occupy your baby, like rattles, or other low-volume toys ;-)

D.

The ears were my concern so make sure you have a bottle with liquid or milk so that he can suck on that while the plane is taking off. After it takes off, he should be okay.

I just flew for the first time with my son. He's a year old, but I'm sure it's all the same. He was great the whole flight, the only bad part was landing. I didn't know any better the way out and I just let him cry the whole 20 minutes landing, it was horrible, he couldn't sit still, he was arching his back, screaming. The way home I learned a little bit and I got him to start drinking a bottle right before we started to go down and that worked like a charm, I guess it keeps his ears poppping.

Hi K.,
I traveled with my 1st child when she was 4.5 mos. old. The key is to have something for her to WANT to suck on; have her ready to have a bottle or breast just before descending (ask a stewardess to let you know when that begins. Also, a pacifier could work, too, my kids didn't take to them, so I forget how useful they are to so many. And last but not least, call your pediatrician for information about a decongestant to have with you in case one is needed for the ride home, for instance, if your descent was miserable even while sucking. Better to be prepared! Have a great time!
T.

I traveled with my baby when she was four months on a plane. I had her drink a bottle or suck a paci during take off and landing becuase thats when the pressure changes happen. Also i tried to keep her awake so that she would sleep on the flight. IT went well, the other passengers said she was perfect.

I agree with the other responses from parents, but Id like to add one more. Try and get a non stop flight. I recall taking our frist trip to Disney World with my kids, of course they were a wee bit older than your child is. The layovers were a bit much. The kids grew a bit antsy and so did the parents. My only regret to that trip was not taking a non stop flight!

I flew across country with my son when he was 3 months old. I just made sure to make him drink on the way up and on the way down. It wasn't a problem.

Hi-
My son and I travel by air at least once a year if not more. We first started when he was 10 months old. The advise I would give you would have something for him to suck on weither it is a pacifier or bottle, breast. Something that gives him the swallowing action that we(adults) do while flying. I would also make sure you have plenty of his favorite toys to keep him entertained while waiting and during the flight.

We just took our daughter to Australia and back. She was 9 months old on the way over and 10 months over on the way back and the travelling time was 36 hours. Luckily she turned out to be a great traveller. I breast fed her on most take offs and landings. If she was sleeping I didn't wake her up.

Since we were going on such a long trip I took some old toys and brought some new ones. I didn't bring anything that we would be disappointed about losing. She only got bored for about an hour or so during the trip over. My husband entertained her by walking her up and down the aisles and finding children for her to look at.

Luckily the TSA is allowing baby food on planes. Unfortunately the water ban is still in effect. We convinced one airline to give us a bottle of water so we could make sure our little girl had fresh water in her sippy cup. The other airline refused to give us a bottle and asked us to request a refill when needed. I'm a bit picky in this area so I would only let them fill her cup with water from a bottle and not a pitcher. I don't trust the airlines water filtration system.

I was also concerned about germs. The airlines are still allowing baby wipes so I used a few baby wipes to clean the tray table and armrests around us. Our little girl tends to put her mouth on everything so I wanted to make the area as clean as possible.

I hope this helps. Good luck with the flight.

I flew with my daughter when she was 6 months and again when she was a year (last week!). If he takes a binkie, I would make sure you have it with you. My daughter did ok both times with just sucking on that, but I've heard that a bottle works as well.
Good Luck and try to stay calm! I was very nervous when I flew when she was 6 months old, and she reads me like a book. Coming home from that trip I was very calm and she was too.

Hi-
We flew with our son when he was 10 months old. We didn't have any problems. If your baby takes a pacifier, make sure to have him/her use it on the flight, especially on take off and landing. The action from the pacifier should help with the ears. Also, if he/she has a bottle at those times it might help. Good luck.

Hi K.,
I recently flew with my 1 1/2 year old this past June. She was on the plane for about 5 hours and did great. She had tubes in her ears just two weeks before and her ears didn't seem to bother her. I spoke with the doctor and they told me to give her a teaspoon of benadryl. I would call your dr to see how much you can give her but it is safe and believe me it worked. The benadrly is not only for them to sleep but it also relieves the pressure of the ears. Also, try to get your baby to suck the bottle on the way up and on the way down. Remember to bring his favorite toy and some snacks and maybe a book. Enjoy and be careful!

K.,

i have a 2 year old now. but when he was only 5 months old he and I flew to florida to see his grandparents. the hardest part of the trip is getting your luggage situated in the airport. having to hold him while checking in isnt fun. other then that the trip was great. make sure you use the bathroom before boarding the plane. you will have to hold the baby. making bathroom situations a pain. when the plane takes off and starts to land you might want to give the baby a bottle, it will keep their ears from closing and bothering them. my son didnt cry or anything. so you should be ok. just make sure to give a bottle or a pacifer during take off. good luck with your trip.

K.,

You can either try nursing him or giving him a bottle during take off and landing. The sucking and swallowing should help with the ear pressure. We traveled with our 6 month old daughter and she never had one complaint during take off or landing. However, this was 8 years ago when I was able to hold her the entire flight...I'm not sure what the rules and regulations are now. Good luck!

B.

When my oldest son was 3 months old we flew from Maine to LV. I gave him either a little dimetap or benadryl for infants. I also made sure he had a pacifier and a bottle so that he had something to suck on when his ears bothered. It wasn't too bad though. He slept most of the trip. Good luck.
K.

Hi!! I took my now 8 year old on a plane when she was 5 months and I am happy to report that she is still alive...no i am just kidding! What really helped me...(we were on the plane for 5 hours) was to nurse her when we were acending and decending. It really seemed to help with her ears. You know whats fun about traveling with them when they are that young?? They can't walk yet!! Good luck and I hope you have fun on your trip.