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Unless absolutely EVERY seat on that flight is sold, insist on bringing the car seat (without the base) with you onto the plane. Ask for an empty middle seat between you. Put the baby into the car seat, facing backwards if possible, and strap the car seat in with the seat belt. Keep him like this whenever possible - it's the safest place for him.
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I was on 25 flights last month alone and all but two were oversold. There just aren't empty seats any longer.
The key thing... patience. And don't worry about other passengers. Other passengers likely fall in two categories: the few that are vocal about how miserable your child's crying is making them and the many others that are silent yet grateful that you are doing what you can.
Wrong answer. Although I don't think it really needed to be said anyway; if the OP was a "lalalala who cares about others, it's all about Junior" type, they probably wouldn't have come here and asked anyway.
Make family visit you until your child is old enough to tolerate a long flight.
Seriously. That is our rule. We have a son born in Jan and will not be flying until he is old enough to sit quietly. We did this with our daughter as well. If family needs to see the baby, they can come and visit. I am not a proponent of infants on planes.
If you must fly, get a seat WAY at the back of the plane so that you disturb as few people as possible.
I don't agree with kids being babysat by gazing at an Ipad every day, but if it helps through a 2 hour flight, then YES, by all means.
Type in "screaming kids on planes" on the Aviation forum on CD, and see how other people can't STAND screaming kids. It's no fun for ANYONE around them, including the parents. You do what you have to sometimes, and sometimes that means giving them electronics to occupy them.
I wish I'd had electronics when we flew with our 1-1/2 year old years ago. Playing with an Ipad might have helped. He screamed 75% of the flight and we had bottles, snacks, books, toys, a soother, etc. He was just not a happy flier. I must say he did better on the return trip a week later. Cried only 25% of the flight.
Exactly.
Much of my family is overseas. I understand that they want to see our kids. But THEY understand that such a long flight is miserable for the little one as well as EVERYONE around them. So they come to see us if they can. We have financed many a plane ticket to make up for the inconvenience of their having to fly.
I know that there can be extenuating circumstances-- like the terminal illness of a grandparent, this is the only time they see their grandchild, etc. But I doubt that the vast majority of people who fly with very young children are doing so in these grave circumstances. Sometimes it might be worth talking to family who want to see the little one and asking that those who are most suited to flying (i.e., the adult relatives) do the visiting. Or look into alternative modes of transport when at all possible.
Make family visit you until your child is old enough to tolerate a long flight.
Seriously. That is our rule. We have a son born in Jan and will not be flying until he is old enough to sit quietly. We did this with our daughter as well. If family needs to see the baby, they can come and visit. I am not a proponent of infants on planes.
If you must fly, get a seat WAY at the back of the plane so that you disturb as few people as possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by emotiioo
Exactly.
Much of my family is overseas. I understand that they want to see our kids. But THEY understand that such a long flight is miserable for the little one as well as EVERYONE around them. So they come to see us if they can. We have financed many a plane ticket to make up for the inconvenience of their having to fly.
I know that there can be extenuating circumstances-- like the terminal illness of a grandparent, this is the only time they see their grandchild, etc. But I doubt that the vast majority of people who fly with very young children are doing so in these grave circumstances. Sometimes it might be worth talking to family who want to see the little one and asking that those who are most suited to flying (i.e., the adult relatives) do the visiting. Or look into alternative modes of transport when at all possible.
You brought it up yourself, extenuating circumstances. I don't think anyone needs to justify their reason for being on a plane to you! Nor do I think they should have to see in the rear of the plane.
I found that when we went "back home" we got to see more than just my parents. We could see aunts, uncles, cousins, old friends, etc. When they came out here, it was just us and them. Your way is also more financially advantageous to you, which may be the major motivating factor.
After completing a short roundtrip to see my parents around Xmas time (on the plane for a little over 2 hours each way), we're making the same trip this evening and hoping for better results.
Our first trip saw mixed results (slept for 90% of first flight, screamed for over 50% of 2nd flight) and I'd like to see what advice experienced parents had for dealing with their own babies on the plane.
Our little one will be sitting on our lap for the flight but hates to sit on our lap in general and is typically very squirmy and loud when he's in an uncomfortable position.
Some things we'll be trying to make the flight easier...
-trying to keep him up during the afternoon so he avoids his 2nd nap and is more tired later on
-bottle feed him during the flight's ascension and descension
-Ipad with his favorite sing-a-longs downloaded
-Ibuprofen and Orajel before the flight (teething)
Thanks for all suggestions in advance!
How about not traveling with a baby unless it's an emergency?
You brought it up yourself, extenuating circumstances. I don't think anyone needs to justify their reason for being on a plane to you! Nor do I think they should have to see in the rear of the plane.
I found that when we went "back home" we got to see more than just my parents. We could see aunts, uncles, cousins, old friends, etc. When they came out here, it was just us and them. Your way is also more financially advantageous to you, which may be the major motivating factor.
Sorry but I don't buy this.
Flying with an infant is painful for them due to their developing ear canals. It's painful for the parents who have to soothe a crying baby in a metal.tube for hours. It's painful for the strangers unfortunate enough to have drawn a short straw on a flight with a crying baby. So I don't see any advantage no matter who they get to visit.
As far as the financial aspect I mentioned that we have paid for many plane tickets for relatives and friends. It's certainly not been any cheaper than our own tickets were we to travel ourselves. But it has been more considerate of our children and our fellow human beings as we have taken one crying baby off a plane.
I wish other people would stop for a minute and think about the stress they are putting on their child, themselves and anyone within earshot who is trapped on a flight with a screaming child. There's a thread about someone who lets a baby cry for hours at a graduation. At least in that example there's a chance for an exit. On a plane there's nothing. It's just not a good situation for an infant. Why put your little one through this if you don't need to? It might not be a popular opinion as people feel entitled to travel with small children but I would posit that there's another way to consider the welfare of everyone and have people visit you instead.
I realize it's too late for this discussion, and it's also sort of a shift of topic, but I don't really understand why babies and toddlers are allowed to ride on laps. It doesn't seem any safer on a plane than in a car. How is one supposed to hold onto a child in the case of severe turbulence?
Anthropologically speaking, the cry of and infant is a crisis trigger to excite a human into activity, either to feed or protect it from harm. This creates a conflict with non-parental adults who hear the cry and who are soaked in adrenaline fueled rage and fear.
It's a wonder more babies aren't killed in public.
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