Airline Travel With an Infant

[GrayMatterWife]

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.

!?!?! Whoa. Until they are TWO? Why?

I've traveled with infants as young as five weeks on a plane. They are so EASY to fly with. They sleep. At 15 months, they are hell. Constant motion and impatience.

Never got sick from flying. Re: catching something--honestly, they'd be more likely to GIVE something to a nearby passenger. Babies are mobile blobs of mucus and germ conveyance.

Just my thoughts.

[Thirteen]

I was just going to say that if he's really worried about germs, there's very little you can do about how other people handle/travel with their own illnesses. I see people all the time, sneezing and coughing, uncovered.

But for topical stuff? Can he get ahold of any Cidastat, travel size? I was thinking that surgical handwash (for you and anyone holding/touching the baby) might make him feel better regarding "germs transferred by touch." Just a thought.

-Adrianne

[alison]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it depends on the baby. Mine is a cranky pants, and always has been. She's rarely a "good" baby, and even the thought of a 2-hour flight to visit my parents makes me break into a cold sweat.

I just have to accept her limitations, and that includes getting in a tin can with her with no way out! My friend, on the other hand, also has a baby of dd's age, and she's traveled plenty of times with her dd. They just flew to Germany today, actually, and from the looks of it, she did great!

[civilspouse]

Thanks everyone. Dh has agreed to the trip, although I think he's still a bit anxious about it. He doesn't have that much experience with babies and I think he was just hoping to have some time for us to adjust to being a family of three before we started to venture out into the world. I'm sure it will work out fine and hopefully the baby wont be to crabby. I know each baby is different. My oldest niece was a great baby, but my nephew who followed was a bit tougher to keep happy, although he's turning out to be quite the awesome kid. Thanks for all of your advice, I have also read some other the other threads and they have made me feel much better about traveling with an infant.

[MrsK]

I'm reviving an older thread and hijacking in lieu of opening a new thread so I can ask a stupid question. Hope this is not offensive. . . Those of you that have traveled with infants, do you bring the carseat and snap-n-go? What about the carseat base?

[Auspicious]

I'm reviving an older thread and hijacking in lieu of opening a new thread so I can ask a stupid question. Hope this is not offensive. . . Those of you that have traveled with infants, do you bring the carseat and snap-n-go? What about the carseat base?

No to the carseat base--the carseat can be safely buckled into the backseat of the car directly, the base is really just for convenience. The instruction manual should explain how.

Yes to the carseat and snap-n-go, we gate-checked both.

I've just done the lap baby thing. If you want to use the carseat on the plane, you'll have to buy a seat. It's a matter of personal preference.

[moonlight]

Can I hijack MrsK's hijack?

We are flying back home in a couple weeks. What happens these days when you show up at the airport with lots liquid formula?

[madeintaiwan]

I'm reviving an older thread and hijacking in lieu of opening a new thread so I can ask a stupid question. Hope this is not offensive. . . Those of you that have traveled with infants, do you bring the carseat and snap-n-go? What about the carseat base?

Like others have said, you don't need the base but I have car seat bags and just check my car seats, base included. I always have some type of carrier/sling and I gate check my stroller. I'm the one who traveled from Kansas City to LA [and back] by myself with a 7 year old, 3 year old, and a 6 weeker. We even had a plane change in PHX or Dallas. If you go the car seat and the snap n go route [I would go without the base] they will just check it for you at the gate, but know that you will have to break it down for them first.

And if you want to take the seat on the plane, you'll have to buy a seat and the seat will have to be buckled in at a window seat. I have never purchased a ticket for a child under 2. We [or I] just do the lap thing.

[madeintaiwan]

Can I hijack MrsK's hijack?

We are flying back home in a couple weeks. What happens these days when you show up at the airport with lots liquid formula?

I would check the airline's website. I have taken on a couple of bottles of breastmilk, a glass thing of baby juice, a yogurt, and a couple of jars of baby food and it was fine. They did a "special" inspection of them but no one gave me a hard time. I would just check the website or call. Are you talking like 32 ounce containers of formula?

[DCJenn]

Do you have to have liquid formula? Enfamil makes these powdered tubes of formula that saved my arse when we were travelling in Russia. I would buy bottled water, pour in the powder and then add the water- shake it all up and presto!

Liquid stuff is HEAVY.

Jenn

[Chrisada]

I always fly SWA and you do not have to buy a seat for the carseat if there is space available. I love SWA because I can take up a whole row because of no assigned seating. I did use the carseat when my first was very very young. Now with two, it's way easier to just check the carseat and gate check the stroller.

[scarlett09]

Can I hijack MrsK's hijack?

We are flying back home in a couple weeks. What happens these days when you show up at the airport with lots liquid formula?

I was reading the TSA website recently to brush up on what to expect when traveling and I think there was a section about what you can fly with that covers breast milk/formula/etc:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...ren/index.shtm

[MrsK]

Next question: If you had to connect with an infant, would you prefer to connect through Houston, Atlanta, or Chicago? And how long a stop over is ideal with an infant considering that you'd have to wait for a gate checked stroller, etc?

[madeintaiwan]

Next question: If you had to connect with an infant, would you prefer to connect through Houston, Atlanta, or Chicago? And how long a stop over is ideal with an infant considering that you'd have to wait for a gate checked stroller, etc?

I have not flown into any of those airports. In terms of the gate checking, they are pretty quick about bringing you your stroller/car seat. It's usually there shortly after you get off the plane. I hate layovers. I try to fly nonstop as often as I can. I think any layover is a big fat pain, but this is coming from the person who drives 18 hours straight pregnant and with children and a dog in tow.