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| Cooper hangin' out before boarding. |
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| On our way to see Daniel! |
All of our flights were when Cooper was 5-6.5 months old, so far, and all of them have been, well, pretty easy, to be honest! I mean there's the stresses of logistics, dealing with delays, and worrying you'll bother others, etc., but the actual flights themselves have gone really smoothly. Basically, the airplane is a giant white noise machine, and Cooper sleeps most of the time.
Here are my tips:
1) Pack efficiently.
As in, bring the smallest reasonable number of convenient bags and arrange the items you're more likely to need to be accessible. I check all my bags except for 2 - a backpack with "might needs" - including my diaper changing pad, a change of clothes, extra toys, books, and any other little things that make me feel more prepared or more at ease that I haven't ever actually needed. I put the backpack up above my seat. I also bring a smaller purse or diaper bag (bonus if it zips closed) and put that under my seat with all the items I'm really likely to need: pacifier, burp cloth, blanket [if needed - see #2] to throw over him to block out light or cover me up if I nurse, some snacks for both of us, a toy or book or two. Also, I have always worn Cooper in a carrier through the airport, rather than brought the car seat/stroller with me. Maybe if I had someone else traveling with me I would bring them with and gate check, but I try to bring the least amount of things possible and only those I really need (remember, you'll be using the restroom, trying to find a seat possibly at a crowded gate, buying a drink or snack, etc. and your stroller will have to come with you - and you'll have to break it down at the gate). This may be worth it if you have a bigger kid or have more hands, but so far I've been really glad I've carried him. Also, you can go through the metal detector at security while still wearing the baby - one less thing to worry about while trying to get all of your stuff after it goes through the x-ray.
2) Use a blanket or, my favorite, a pancho/cape (something like this) to block the light.
After I bought a pancho/cape (remember, I'm traveling with like 5 winter items - this is how much I value it!), I've flown wearing it every time. It's the perfect winter accessory for a nursing mama. Before, I would be awkwardly draping the blanket, trying to not flash the people sitting next to me, trying to keep it dark (he slept better during day flights, actually - the reading lights around him kept him interested at night), trying to hold the blanket while not letting him kick someone or hang into the aisle (mind you, I am a pro at nursing in public after so much travel his entire life)... but now, I just bring him under the cape, and he nurses and sleeps there for hours!
3) Don't worry too much about their ears.
Cooper adjusted fine. Every now and then, you could tell they bothered him, but I tried pacifier, distraction (one flight he giggled the entire descent as I tickled his tummy), and nursing, in that order, and we've never had more than ~2 minutes of crying! And that's from a teething, otherwise somewhat fussy at times baby. Obviously every baby is different, but it was a bigger deal in my mind than it was in reality.
4) Talk to your neighbors.
Every flight, I've said something to my neighbors and I've always been blown away by how sweet and supportive the vast majority of people are. The first flight I told them it was his first flight so I apologized if he cried. The flight I got a free upgrade to first class (the answer is YES, you should take the free upgrade and not feel bad for having a baby - the extra room is AMAZING), I apologized ahead of time and everyone around me (mostly older gentlemen) told me no worries, they had grown kids or grandkids and loved babies. Basically, by talking to the people around me, it put my mind at ease that I wasn't bothering them too much and made me much calmer. And, if you don't already know, I'm a big believer that most of all mamas need to relax because tension in us totally transfers to the baby! Also, it made them feel more comfortable to help me distract the babe by making funny faces on the flight. And who doesn't love the sight of some business man with his briefcase making goofy faces at your babe. Adorable.
5) There's a diaper changing board in most (all that I've seen) on-board bathrooms, and it's really not bad!
They don't change out the trash in the bathroom very often, so if it's stinky, I ask the steward/stewardess for a trash bag and throw it out in the main cabin. The little changing board folds down from the wall, and the necessary diaper changes I've had were really just not a big deal. In every airport I've been to, there's a family bathroom near the other bathrooms that has a big changing station and more privacy to get stuff together before and after you're on the plane.
Lastly, as more of an FYI:
* The arm rests on aisle seats actually raise. Yep, the ones you always thought were locked. There's a latch on the underside of the armrest, close to the seat, on all the planes I've been on. Helps when you have little feet kicking around. I've always chosen an aisle seat, in case I need to get up.
* If you nurse or look like you are nursing when people are boarding the plane, they leave the seat next to you empty. Ha.
* Both your stroller and car seat can be checked for free at either the ticket counter or the gate. If you check your stroller, most airlines don't guarantee coverage for damage, only for loss. I've never had an issue with our stroller being damaged. We have this for our car seat, but only because I had like 6 items to carry by myself, so the strap made it easier to carry. If you want it, it is nice to have a cover for the car seat because luggage does get dirty. Not that big of a deal, though.
* You can't sit in the same row as another lap child. The planes only have 4 oxygen masks per 3 seats (and some of the smaller ones only have extra oxygen masks on one side of the plane). It seemed like such a good idea to let the little ones entertain themselves...
Best of luck to future me and any of you!
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