Another baby travel question

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

I'm in a position to know all of the gruesome details of babies who are injured due to turbulence and, however rare it is (and it is, so no judgment if this is not the way you travel) I can't get the images out of my mind and plan to buy a seat for baby and his carseat. Before I had baby, I was very committed to this plan. But now I have a little sensitive guy who melts down at the mere sight of his carseat, hates takin a bottle, and knows how to make his preferences KNOWN.

We're planning to fly 4 hours to visit family for the holidays and I am seriously rethinking the trip. If I can't nurse my son on the way up and down, he will NOT take a bottle, so I'm not sure how to deal with the ear pressure changes. Yet, not having him in a carseat scares me, because again, I know the injured babies stats first hand. There is no doubt about it, babies are injured every year and fly through the cabin when there is turbulence and mom can't hold on no matter how hard she tries.

Soo... let's say I fly. What in the hell do I do to manage the baby when he's stuck in his hated carseat? He won't take a pacifier, so I just don't know that this is a sane idea at all. It seems like I'd basically HAVE to hold him during takeoff and landing.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Anyone have any luck wearing a sling during takeoff and landing? I've heard some airlines prohibit this for some reason but can't find any regulations on it so it must be an airline policy thing.

Also, to add insult to injury, DH would need to travel separately by car for a variety of reasons.

Leaning towards canceling the trip and doing Christmas at home this year, which will be fine, but I'd like to go. Please share some advice!!

[Anonymous]

I'm flying next week for the first time with a 6 month old and have the same questions. A few people have told me, however, that take-off/landing does not bother all babies so maybe it won't be an issue. (I have to chew gum/wear special ear pressure plugs for take-off landings, so hopefully DD isn't like me.)

[Anonymous]

My take is, you sound pretty uncomfortable with the whole thing, which to me means, don't go.

However, if you are committed to going, do what you think is both best and safest for your baby, and if that means he cries and screams in his carseat, oh well, at least he's safe. Bring along favorite toys and some new ones, and if there's anything he does like to chew on, bring that. I've flown a bunch with little ones, and the worst flights for the ear issues are the shortest, I guess because of the steeper take-off and landings. A 4 hour flight wouldn't have that.

Some airlines do allow you to hold babies on take-off and landing, so check with your airline to see what their policy is.

[Anonymous]

It is true that not all babies are bothered by the pressure changes. My husband is bothered by it, and screamed as a child on planes, but our baby seems to not care at all, even when not sucking on anything.

Unfortunately, it sounds like you don't really have too many options if you don't want to hold/sling him. I took the risk and held mine and did not buy a seat. Does he sleep in the car? If so it's likely he may fall asleep before take off, esp if you are flying near a naptime. Good luck w/ the decision!

[Anonymous]

What about a baby bjorn instead of a sling?

[Anonymous]

We flew with DD at 7 months and 9 months. At 7 months we made sure she drank during take off and landing, I was stressing about it like mad. Two months later, she was too hyper to drink at takeoff and slept through the landing, and not one beep out of her (although she did scream like a banshee mid-flight). So I think it really did not make a difference for her, if that helps.

[Anonymous]

you have two options. put your baby in the carseat and deal with the screaming (agree with the PP though that he will probably fall asleep with the white noise), or put your child in a sling and hold him. i guarantee you, if you have that baby in a sling, the only way he's going somewhere is if you are too. and nursing on the way up and down is easier in the sling. don't see how you'd manage it in the carseat.

about the slings on takeoff and landing. if you have a flight attendant who actually does tell you to take it off (this has only happened to me once, and we've flown countless times), oblige him/her and then as soon as they take their seats for departure, put it back on!! they won't be checking because they are strapped into their own seats.

the third option is not to go, but i would highly recommend against that. it is so easy to live in fear of what MAY happen and forget to actually LIVE.

[Anonymous]

13:38 here. forgot you are traveling alone. in that case, forget the carseat. it is darn near impossible to get the carseat installed on a plane seat (we did it, it's horrible). you'll need both hands to do it, so you'll need a sling. also can't imagine how you are going to shlep carseat, infant, stroller, carryons, all by yourself. it is A LOT OF STUFF.

[Anonymous]

My son had reflux so the carseat was always accompanied by screams. It wasn't worth it to buy an extra seat - he simply couldn't recline after eating. It was never been a problem having him in the sling (doubles as a nursing cover).
Even as an older baby, he still hates being trapped anywhere for more than 10-15 min. So until we're required, we're not buying him a seat. It's more sane for us and everyone on the flight. The last flight, we sat on the floor in the back where the flight attendants prepare the drinks. He was fine sitting there as long as he wasn't strapped in, just watching people go to/from the bathrooms.
I wouldn't worry about them wanting to nurse...or you can always get them to swallow with a paci or taste of something sweet/salty on your finger. If they're sleeping, don't worry about waking them up if they're not complaining - my son slept through the whole descent when he was 4 months. At that age they still swallow in their sleep, so I think it kept him comfortable.

I know you are concerned about safety, but it's kind of like the 'stranger danger' chance of kidnapping thing - the risk is a matter of perception (Penn and Teller did a great show on that). Compared with other risks (like car accidents, or getting hit by a car when you're out for a walk in the city), your chances of hitting SEVERE turbulence are pretty low, so don't sweat it.

[Anonymous]

I think in case of turbulences the baby will be fine if he is against your chest in a carrier.

[Anonymous]

I always use a sling/carrier on trips (I posted on the other thread about this as well) but I've ALWAYS been told that I MUST take baby out for takeoff and landing and hold in my arms. Not a problem and I just pop the baby back in when we're up in the air/land. DD#1 had been on 30+ flights before she was 1.5 and and many more since then. We never bought a ticket for her. She also had reflux, never took a bottle/paci and was prone to fussing (reflux) but I never EVER had a problem with her on an airplane. She always nursed on the way up and the way down and slept most of the flights until she was almost 2. She would have flipped a lid if I would have tried to put her in a carseat.

One gate agent (Delta I think) told me once that if you take a free seat (we hadn't paid for the ticket, it was vacant and they were going to block it) to use a carseat you MUST put baby in for take off and landing, you can't hold them. Meaning, if you have a carseat you have to use it but you don't have to bring one if you don't want to. Don't know if that's true or not.

Can you travel by car w/ your DH? Longer trip w/ lots of stops but if you aren't comfortable w/ air travel you could.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The trip by car is 18 hours! We've driven for years but not this year, with a baby... So no, that would be way worse than a few hours of screaming. I'm still on the fence. I know that turbulence is rare but it is actually not that rare (I'm a private pilot). You don't hear about it but there are many injured babies every year. The sling issue is not a regulation, at least, I can't find one anywhere. I'm definitely comfortable with wearing the sling, but I don't know that I will be permitted to wear it. I'm thinking about just holding baby on lap while FA comes through, then when she is seated putting baby in the sling. They can't yell at me for what they never prohibited, right?

That is, if I go. PP who said I'm uncomfortable with it has me pegged. But so do the others who say you get so worried about things you forget to live. I'll have to think it over some more. Thanks for all of the advice.

Those of you who were allowed to wear sling on takeoff / landing -- may I ask which airlines? And which airlines have prohibited?

[Anonymous]

Can you share the statistics you mentioned about infant injuries?

[Anonymous]

On my first trip with DD at 4 months I carried her in my wrap. She also didn't take a bottle or a paci and hated her car seat. I don't recall if I was told I needed to take her out for takeoff or landing, but I wore my wrap for the entire trip from home to grandma's, popping baby in and out as necessary. I felt it was a secure way of transporting her when I was traveling alone and it was easy enough to nurse for take offs and landings and gave relief to my arms when I got tired of holding her. We have travelled with her in our laps several times since then and will continue to do so until we are required to buy her a seat.

OP, what did you end up doing?

[Anonymous]

For those of you who have carried baby in a sling or wrap, have you been asked to take your child out at the security gate? And if so, do you also have to take off the wrap?