5 Tips for Flying with a Baby

We took our first flight with Atticus last month and while he did great, I had my anxieties about flying with a baby. Mainly what if he screams the whole flight!? There were a few things that we found super helpful so I figured I would share a few tips & tricks for flying with a baby.

1. Try to Feed on Takeoff & Landing

Just like takeoff and landing can hurt our ears, it can also hurt baby’s ears. Try to feed them on takeoff/landing as the sucking/swallowing can help prevent any ear popping. If your baby takes a pacifier you could also have them use that instead. Atticus actually fell asleep before we even took off so we weren’t able to feed him but takeoff/landing didn’t seem to bother him at all.

2. Schedule, What Schedule?

On a normal day, we follow a set schedule however on travel days having a set schedule is pretty much impossible, and that’s ok! Just try and go with the flow, adjusting to whatever baby needs to keep them happy and content. Don’t stress – this won’t mess up the baby’s normal routine and the next day you can go right back to the set schedule if you choose.

3. Toys and TV

Bring toys with you on the plane! We ordered some of the suction toys so that we could stick them to the tray without worrying about him dropping them. Honestly the tray itself entertained Atticus too. If all else fails, break out the tablet or let them watch the plane tv’s. We don’t normally let Atticus watch a lot of TV but if it entertained him on the plane, it was worth it. He loved pushing the buttons on the screen since it was touch screen.

4. Don’t Forget the Snacks

This one depends on your baby’s age but we made sure to still pack some of his purees for on the plane. This kept him full and also entertained. I would recommend bringing a pouch instead of a jar of food if possible (we hadn’t used pouches yet) because it’s less mess and easier to feed them. You can also bring puffs or teething crackers if your baby is eating them. Atticus is eating teething crackers now and we will definitely be bringing them with us for our next flight.

5. Relax (and remember you’ll never see the people on the plane again)

I think the biggest anxiety when traveling with a baby is what if they scream and annoy everyone around me on the plane!? Well hopefully that doesn’t happen but if it does… oh well. We’ve all been there before, you get on the plane and see a baby and think oh god I hope I’m not sitting near them… but now you’re the people with the baby. The baby most likely wont scream the entire way but even if they do remember you’ll never see those people again so don’t let it get to you.