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How To Fly With A Baby

By: Patrick Attlee Click author's name for more of his/her articles

With more people than ever flying and modern families often spread around the globe, more people are finding themselves in the delightful position of having to take a baby onto a long-haul flight.

It won't be easy - but there is actually a lot you can do to prepare for what can seem like a particularly daunting task

First things first; Don't assume anything. Make sure you have a passport for your baby and that the airline know they are traveling with you. Some companies let infants travel for free while others charge 10% of an adult ticket for children under 2 years of age.

If traveling extra long distances, consider going premium economy or business class if at all possible. Not having to queue and having more leg room or a flatbed might seem like expendable luxuries, but the extra cost will be worth every penny if it makes your life easier with a baby.

Check with the airline to see if you can be given a bulkhead seat and ask for a bassinet. The bassinet may not automatically be provided especially if there are other families flying. It's better to do this when booking your tickets rather than at check-in to save any last minute confusion or holdups.

If your baby is formula fed, take as much milk as you think your baby will need and then double it. The modern restrictions on taking liquids onto a plane mean that you will be asked to taste a certain percentage of the formula cartons you take on board so make sure you have enough so that losing up to 50% will not be a problem. Plus you can't be sure there won't be flight delays and a hungry baby

Travel light is a mantra for every savvy passenger but that goes double when traveling with a baby. You will already automatically have lots of essentials to take so forget the heavy books, flight pillows and bags of sweets. Avoid giving your baby medication to make them sleepy and therefore easier to manage. You should definitely take baby paracetamol and a thermometer but giving medication is not really a good idea.

Don't stress yourself out if your baby is disturbing other passengers by crying etc. It's an unavoidable fact that babies cry and you obviously can't leave the plane so there's no point in fretting about it. One thing that really surprised us was how helpful the airline staff and indeed other passengers were!

Babies, just like adults will get jet lag and become dehydrated when flying. Try to ensure they get enough to drink by keeping a sipper bottle of water with you and offering it as often as they will take it. Sucking on a dummy during takeoff and landing can help equalize little eardrums and help them 'pop'. Finally, be aware that you will usually be asked to hold your baby in your lap with a seat belt every time the seat belt sign is switched on during turbulence. (even if you have to wake them!)

Good luck, be prepared, and don't expect miracles, although you never know, planes provide a brilliant source of white noise and motion so they might just sleep through the whole thing!

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Patrick has been writing online for years. His latest passion is for home renovation and his latest website provides information for those looking to buy storm door hardware and patio door hardware online.