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First-time Flyers
How to Have a Stress-free Plane Trip with Your Baby
By Carilyn Platt
Some will agree that traveling with an infant is relatively easy; however, there will also likely be a time during your child's infancy when that four-hour flight to visit your family seems like a bad idea. There are some things you can do ahead of time and en route to help make air travel less stressful for you and your baby.
Ideally, your first trip with your infant should be a short one. There is no telling how your baby is going to react to being on the plane, and you may end up wishing you had earplugs for your fellow passengers.
When setting out to travel with an infant, just about any time works well, but you might want to try a late morning or early afternoon flight. Not only do there tend to be less business travelers at this time, it also allows you to get through a couple of feedings and diaper changes before heading out.
After you purchase your ticket, try to find out whether or not there are empty seats on the plane. If it's a light load, you may be able to bring your car seat on board and give your lap a rest. If you want to guarantee your infant gets his own seat, you will need to purchase a ticket. Most airlines offer up to a 40 percent discount for children younger than 2 years of age. You should also be aware that FAA guidelines require all car seats be placed in the window seat, which means that you get the middle seat.
If you have status on the airline that you are flying, ask for one of the rows that has extended legroom, such as the bulkhead. This will come in handy when you have to get up frequently from your seat or store bottles and other accoutrements in the seat back in front of you.
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