Taking baby on a plane?

I would like some advice on what to pack and how to make plane travel easiest on my baby, myself, and other plane passengers. I will be taking a 1 hour flight with my 3 month old daughter in June. It will be just the 2 of us, and we were already given the OK by her pediatrician. She told me to nurse on take off and landing to help the baby's ears. I am wondering what is the "best" way to get us through the airport? stroller? baby carrier? should i bring her birth certificate?

I took my son, by myself from Washington D.C. to Chicago when he was barely 5 weeks old. He's six months old now and has flown 8 times since then. He's a great flyer. The Dr. told us to let him suck on a pacifier or bottle/breast to ease ear pain but he never needed this.

He sleeps most of the time when he flies. I'm sure your's will too. Take the earliest and shortest flights if possible. Always ask for an aisle seat. See if you can be seated next to an empty seat. The flight attendents noramally allow you to move once everyone's in.

If you switch planes, sometimes they can be far apart. When you book your ticket ask for a wheelchair or for someone to drive you to your gate.

Kids under 2 can sit on their parents lap. If you child looks older than 2 bring their birth certificate otherwise you normally don't need any form of i.d. for you baby. Unless it's international.

The best thing ever for flying (especially alone) is the baby bjorn. It's perfect.

I wouldn't take a full size stroller. You'll have to fold it up and put it through the x-ray machine all by yourself unless you find someone willing to help. (Sometimes travelers run at the sight of children on planes or in airports!) If you feel you need one, take an umbrella stroller. You can gate-check things like strollers and car seats.


My advice would be to take the least amount of things possible. I put my son in the baby bjorn and had a carryon w/wheels w/ my pump, extra milk, diapers...ect.

You'll need the both if you bought her her own seat,if not just take the stroller and a copy of her birth certificate.

I took my baby on a plane when she was 8 months old for a 10 hours flight. try to give her something to suck on when its taking off and landing, give her a bottle or soother, this does help the baby's ears.
depends on the flight, sometimes you can't take strollers on, use those baby carriers which you use to carry them on your back, this is probably easier.

You might want to check with the airport/airline regulations on what you can and cant bring-they are getting pretty strick on what you can and cant bring on the plane. I think you are only allowed certain liquids and a certain amount(this includes baby shampoo, lotion and diaper cream.) Really make sure you check these out for quick passage through the metal detectors. Plus if you bring a carrier arrive ahead of time, because I believe they require you to take the padding off. I know crazy huh? Other the that I would imagine that your baby will sleep through the flight. Hope you have a safe trip!

First, call the airline and request the bulkhead seats on the plane. These are the seats at the front of each section of a plane and have more leg room, so you can spread a blanket to change baby there.

Second, at the gate request pre-boarding so that you can get yourself and your baby settled in before the other passengers arrive.

Third, consider whether your baby will be a lap infant or whether you want her to have her own seat. More airlines are starting to recommend the latter for safety although there are no FAA rules yet. For her own seat, you'll need her car seat. Hopefully, it's still an infant one, so you can snap it onto a stroller frame to get through the airport, then gate-check the frame before getting on (strollers are no longer allowed on board -- only in cargo). It will be waiting for you when you de-plane.

If your baby has outgrown her infant car seat (my youngest had when we flew to NYC at 3 months) then you'll need her big, bulky car seat. You'll probably need a car seat of some sort where you are going, but there is a world of difference between checking a bulky car seat with the luggage and hauling it along to put in the plane. If she is in a big car seat, and you want to make traveling easier on you, I would recommend checking it and having your daughter travel with you as a lap infant. You can use a stroller to get through the airport, then gate check that.

Next, you may want to request the window seat. This way, you don't have to constantly have to get up and out of the way to let the people with the window seat and the middle seat in... you can just sit there with your baby and relax. Plus, there is more privacy by the window when it is time to nurse, rather than in the aisle seat where the people along the aisle can watch you and give you looks.

Depending on where you are traveling you will need some sort of identification for your daughter. Passports are necessary for travel to Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean now so if you are headed there you will need to apply for a rush passport for her and pay the additional fees.

Be sure to bring a lovey or a toy or two that she knows and plays with for comfort. Bring a couple of additional changes for the two of you in a diaper bag. Also, consolidate. Pack your purse in your luggage, and put your wallet, camera, and other important items in your diaper bag so you have one less thing to haul around.

baby carrier...you will have to take the baby out to go through security but you can other wise keep her in the carrier where she will feel most comfortable....Nursing when taking off and landing is the best advice as it will help her ears.

I did not need the birth certificate for my nephew and we traveled from New York to California....out of the country you will need it.

Try to fly when the baby sleeps the most and expect to have the baby cry sometimes as most babies do at times....get an isle seat so you can get up and walk without climbing over people...I also ask for the bulkhead seats as there is more leg room and you can stretch....only thing is there is not much storage under the seat....but usually with a 3 month old you don't need to many toys yet.

I traveled w/ my daughter at 3 months as well. It's good it's a short trip. At that age I found it pretty easy only brought my carrier (my strollers too big) a stroller would be nice for getting through and you can always check it at the gate, no reason not to as long its easy to get around w/ rental/another persons car. I did just as you pedia suggest nursed during take off and landing, kept her on my lap in the carrier (only had to have her unsecured from carrier during take off and landing to prevent myself from injuring her should I fall).She really just slept pretty much the whole time for me (my flight was 2 hours). Just know that as a parent you have the ability to get on the plane first. There's a special line so get into as boarding time nears. They also tag your stroller so that you can check it at the gate and reclaim it at the gate once you land at your destination. I know that SW required her birth certificate the first time I traveled w/her so I'd bring it if the airline specifically states a requirement. Enjoy yourself and leave yourself lots of time to get around during your trip.

use a stroller its easier if u have to walk a long distance. they dont ask for any id but better to have the birth certificate handy.Don't worry it will go by very fast.