by Jane W. Smith

Created on: October 03, 2008

Flying with an infant can be stressful and anxiety provoking, but it does not have to be.

BEFORE the FLIGHT

If possible, schedule the flight for an off-peak time (Monday Wednesday midday). When scheduling the flight, you can also ask a travel agent or airline agent to schedule your flight at a less than busy time. Off-peak times mean less people, shorter lines, and less stress for you. Some have suggested choosing a seat near the engine as the humming and vibrations can help put and keep your child asleep. Make sure your carry-on contains an extra set of clothing for your infant and an extra top for yourself. Also, don't forget to pack plenty of entertainment such as books, toys, and a portable DVD player is you have one. Current TSA guidelines do allow individuals traveling with children to carry more than 3 ounces of formula, breast milk, or juice. To expedite security checkpoints it is helpful to separate these items from other liquids you may be carrying and declare these items to the TSA agent at the security checkpoint.

CHECK IN

Best advice: Allow plenty of time and utilize curbside check-in. If the flight is not full ask a flight attendant if you can be seated next to an empty seat out of respect for other travelers and to allow for more room for you and your child. Before grabbing your seat, allow time for the child to crawl around or stretch a bit. Make sure to take advantage of pre-boarding. Pre-boarding give you ample time to check your stroller, get settled in, and have a flight attendant warm a bottle. Always make sure to check the temperature of a bottle because although the flight attendants agree to help they are extremely busy and might not always know the best temperature to heat the bottle.

DURING the FLIGHT

Take offs and landings can be hard on your infant's ears. Make sure to feed your baby during take offs and landings. The feeding will keep them relaxed and also reduce discomfort and keep pressure from building in the ears. If you are lucky your baby will sleep for the duration of the flight, but realistically your child will be awake for some if not all of the flight. To keep the baby entertained, read to them, play DVDs or let them play. A good idea is to reveal each toy packed separately. This will allow maximum entertainment of each toy before having to move on to the next. It also helps to bring along a new toy with the hopes of it occupying even more of their time.

A final note of advice, don't be afraid to ask for help. Many travelers at one time or another have been in your shoes and would not hesitate in offering some help.

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