Airline Travel With an Infant

[civilspouse]

We are living in Iowa now, but all of our family is back in Idaho. We announced to our families on Christmas that we are pregnant, and my little sister also got engaged. She wanted to get married this summer, but I'm due in August I said I probably wouldn't be able to make it. She asked me for a timeline when I wouldn't travel and decided to plan her wedding around that, even though I told her to plan it for whenever she wants. I sat down with dh and determined when I wouldn't travel with a new baby and while we were having that discussion he thought that I meant I would be traveling alone and I meant all three of us would go. Now that my sister is picking some dates we have discovered our miscommunication.

She is looking at a wedding where we would have an 8 or 9 week old baby. My dh says that he isn't comfortable traveling with our baby then and won't really be comfortable until they're about 2 years old. He said realistically he would probably be more comfortable around 6 months old and although I would feel more comfortable traveling with a baby that age, I don't want to have my sister push her wedding out that far just for me.

I am not sure what the right answer is here. Make dh understand that if we are going to live thousands of miles away from our family (for him) that we are going to travel as a family or tell my little sister to plan her wedding without me and I wont be able to make it. The other problem is in a way I agree with dh and I don't know if I want to travel with a tiny baby when I'm still trying to figure everything out. I guess I was wondering if any of you have traveled with an infant and what your thoughts are.

[DCJenn]

We've all schlepped kids all over the world. It's the only way to see people or places sometimes.

What are his concerns? Exposure to germs/illness or logistics?

The tiny ones are the most transportable. It's toddlers and sullen teenagers who are the worst to travel with.

We have tons of threads somewhere about how we've all done this- and we've all done it differently. My husband and I adopted our son from Russia and I brought him home all by myself. It sucked but we're here and everyone lived to tell about it.

Jenn

[civilspouse]

Yes, one of his concerns is that the baby wont have build up all of it's immunities/gotten all of it's shots.

[Pollyanna]

Your baby will be at a perfect age to travel, boobs, diapers, a few blankets, clothes, a stroller and you are good to go. Seriously, I understand why your hubby may be concerned but it is unrealistic to never travel with your baby. Have fun at the wedding!

In the summer I think it would be fine. My friends took their 4 week old from PA to FL over the holidays last year and that is something I wouldn't have done - the holidays means tons of people and in the middle of cold/flu season.

I have traveled with DD1 when she was 10 months and also when she was 21 months and I was 34 weeks pregnant. It was much easier to travel with her younger! I have heard people say they couldn't use a carrier on the plane but I was able to keep her on me in a front carrier the whole time. I gave her a bottle at take off and she slept the whole ride, slept through when I got my bag, and I had to wake her up when I needed to install her carseat in the rental car. On the way home I did the same thing. The only silly thing is they made me take off her little leather Robeez shoes going through security which were not easy to get back on her while I was wearing her

[DCJenn]

I let Nikolai crawl all over the floor at the Moscow airport at 13 months and I'm convinced that's why he never gets sick.

Jenn

Make dh understand that if we are going to live thousands of miles away from our family (for him) that we are going to travel as a family

Yes, this. Not traveling for 6 months or up to 2 years? No way. An infant is probably the least exposed person on the plane, what with being cuddled next to mom the whole time, not touching the chairs, tray tables, controls, cargo bins, etc. . Yes, they have to breathe the same air, but unless people sneeze straight on him, chances are he's better off than the rest of us.

Jenn's right - there are loads of threads on here about this. One of our members took her 4 or 5 week old and 3 year old to INDIA. Another flew with an 8 or 9 week old, 4 year old & 7 year old from MO to CA (no husband on that one - she did it herself).

If you use the search function, you'll find lots and lots and LOTS of stories about this that might help in your discussions.

Good luck. Don't quarantine yourself because of a baby.

[Urowife]

We traveled to my cousin's wedding when DD was 10 weeks old. The flights were easy - I just nursed her the whole time. Staying in a hotel and eating out at restaurants was a little trickier just because DD was a little fussy at that age and really wanted to nurse 24/7. But all in all the trip was pretty much a breeze - I think you'd be fine.

If you wear the baby in a wrap or sling, that would protect them from strangers and their germs.

[SuzySunshine]

2 years old? Really? I'm sorry but that is ridiculous. If you're going to live that far from family for his career he needs to buck up and let you get on a plane. Adele was on a plane when she was about 3 months and we had NO issues with the traveling, her getting sick or anything. Since then she's been to Houston twice on planes.

If you're breastfeeding his/her immunities will be strong regardless of what shots he/she has had, something else to tell him. I hope he comes around that would be terrible to have to miss your sister's wedding because of that.

[civilspouse]

Thank you all, you have made me feel much better. I'm sure I can convince dh that it will be ok to travel. I'll have to search for some of the other threads on traveling with an infant.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

My mother moved us to Belgium when I was 3 and my brother was 5.5 weeks old. That's a 7 hour flight with a 5.5 week old breathing the air the whole time. Plus she was recovering from a C-section. You do what you have to do and I would think missing your sister's wedding (who is already being very accomodating) should fall into this category.

As for alternatives, is there train service? Could you drive to a train where there is less circulated air?

[peggyfromwastate]

The tiny ones are the most transportable. It's toddlers and sullen teenagers who are the worst to travel with.



Jenn

Having done more solo flights with my crew (5 kids-- the youngest I've schlepped via air was my first-- 6 wks old, and the EASIEST of all flights by far)-- I can not agree with Jenn more.

She is so wise!!!!!!!!!!!

I've got 3 kiddos, and DH is German, so we've traveled internationally with kids at all stages... I find anything after about 6 weeks is just fine, because you've had that initial time to find your rhythm and figure things out a little bit. The harder part is just that you're sleep-deprived and full of mommy-hormones and that alone makes any change in the routine stressful, but really, there is never an easier time to travel than when the baby ONLY needs diapers/ boobs or bottles/ a few changes of clothes... I flew alone on 10 hour flights with my first at 4 months and again at 11 months, and both were really easy... the "hard" time to fly with kids is from about 1 when they want to crawl/walk and 3, when they're old enough to get that they just have to stay clicked.

You'll also probably feel better finding something loose (and nursing-accessible?) to wear to the wedding than a maternity something where you just feel huge, so I wouldn't try to move the wedding up or anything.

Good luck! DH should ask around at work about who has traveled with infants, and he'll get confirmation that it's not realistic to "just not fly" if your family is far away.

Jenn

[Auspicious]

Thank you all, you have made me feel much better. I'm sure I can convince dh that it will be ok to travel. I'll have to search for some of the other threads on traveling with an infant.

Here's one!
http://www.medicalspouse.com/forums/...d.php?t=39302&

[Ravenclaw]

Looks like you've gotten great advice. Here's another pro to add to traveling while they are small - if you wait until 2 years old, you'll have to buy a ticket for the baby too.