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On an Airplane with a
3- to 9-Month-Old
Air Travel with Older Babies
By Alexandria Powell
If you have a choice, try to schedule flights at a time of day when your child is sleepy, says Libby Miner, a mother from Maine. She chose early evening and naptime flights for her son's first travel experience and says that it went well.
"We bought him a seat so we could use his car seat, since he slept well in it," Miner says. "When it was time to sleep, he did so. Since he was still in the infant carrier, we were able to deplane, get our luggage, ride the hotel shuttle and got settled into our hotel without disturbing him. It was unbelievable that he slept through all that."
If your baby doesn't sleep, be prepared by having lots of goodies in your carry-on bag, Estorino says. Whether your baby prefers toys, books or simply something to chew on, it's best to have enough on hand to last the length of your flight.
Taking off and landing are typically rough times. Feeding (or using a pacifier) is a must, because babies need to swallow in order to depressurize, or "pop" their ears. "As far as nursing goes, it was two-fold," Estorino says. "I nursed during takeoff and landing to help my baby's ears pop, but also because I knew it would comfort him."
Swallowing doesn't always help. Lutz reports that her baby found no comfort in nursing or a pacifier during these times, but it should still be attempted. This brings up another important point: Know that no matter how well prepared you are, all babies are going to cry occasionally, says Rimmer, who is also a mom of three who travels frequently. "As a parent, don't become overly stressed during flight."
"Be realistic and flexible," Estorino says. "There's just so much you can ask of an infant. If you're calm and do your best to comfort them, it should all turn out well."
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