We have all had our share of crying babies on airplanes. Fortunately for the parents of said crying babies, a long airplane trip does not have to mean being the victim of murderous glares by your neighbors. With a little bit of preparation, you can make the flight bearable - maybe even enjoyable - for you, your child, and the people around you.
Steps to Successful Plane Travel with a Baby
1. Meet your neighbors. Don't fall into the trap of pretending you don't see the person seated an inch away from you. Take time to introduce yourself and your child and explain that you will do your best to keep distractions to a minimum. For our trip, I brought along Hershey Kisses and a box of earplugs and offered them to the people around me. I think people appreciate this gesture and will be more willing to offer assistance and show compassion if your baby becomes uncomfortable during the flight (a.k.a. making loud unhappy noises).
2. Bring toys and books for your child. I bought and borrowed a couple of new toys for my daughter prior to the flight and hid them until we got on the plane. I purposely chose toys that did not have a lot of pieces and did not flash or make noise. Links are a great toy to have on the plane because they can be chained together in different patterns and there is little risk of pieces falling on the ground and getting lost in the abyss of blankets, pillows, shoes, and diapers. Great books for plane rides include cloth books, and I particularly like the Fuzzy Bee and Friends series. I also made a toy that had various notions sewed onto it that would capture my daughter's attention. Zippers, yarn, buttons, and ties were all sewed down onto a piece of fabric, and everything I used was found around the house.
Other good toys are toys that can be attached to a piece of ribbon. Tie one end of the ribbon to the toy and the other to your wrist or the armrest. This will reduce the number of times you have to lean over and find a dropped toy.
3. Avoid the Temptation to Constantly Change the Toy Selection. We brought only enough toys to fit in a small drawstring bag. Try not to overstimulate your child, but rather keep the environment calm by limiting the amount of stuff she has around her.
4. Nurse or Give a Bottle During Take-Off and Landing. The change of cabin pressure can cause ear pain in children, but nursing or taking a bottle during take-off and landing can help ease this discomfort.
5. Ty to Obey Your Normal Schedule. We brought our Ergo Baby Carrier with us on the plane and used it for our daughter's naps and nighttime sleep. We put the hood up during her naps and at night, and she slept well in it despite external noises and light. If you are used to having scheduled nap times and a specific bedtime routine, do what you normally do when you put her down to sleep (bottle, nursing, reading bedtime books, singing a certain song) and I think your baby will basically follow your lead and rest when it is time.
6. Try to Relax. If all else fails and your baby is having a hard time, keep calm, do your best to stay in control, and think happy thoughts. Just remember - the flight will eventually end!
