8 month old wearing headphones on plane...is it ok?

Question

probably the dumbest question I could ask, but I am flying with my 8 month old and just in case he has a freakout during the flight I am bringing a laptop with baby Beethoven on it. My husband pointed out he wont be able to hear the music, so I thought I'd just get him headphones. Do you think that's ok if it's not too loud?

Answer 1

yes just make sure its very quiet or it can damage a youngs hearing and dont use in ear head phones because it could damage the eardrum and dont use ones that go over the head because the can be heavy

Answer 2

I travel internationally with my 3 children(all under 5) a lot. We go back and forth from the US to Romania probably 2 or 3 times a year. Bringing a laptop with baby beethoven on it is such a good idea. My 2 year old listens to my ipod on flights and long car drives all the time. It will entertain him and keep him quiet at the same time.

Another thing, You know how most babies cry during the take off and usually don't stop until the landing...It's the cabin pressure. Their ears hurt because of the pressure and bringing a sippy cup or a bottle with you for your baby to drink will release the pressure in his/her ears.

Have a good flight!!

Answer 3

Yes its ok. It will keep him quiet too.

Answer 4

If it shuts the child up, it's good.

Answer 5

yeah, sounds fine. :D Sometimes babies ears pops during landing and it hurts so they get upset.... be forewarned!

Good luck keeping headphones on him though! lol.

Answer 6

I do not see why not as long as they are not too loud, besides i see other people doing it.

Answer 7

Hmmm. If you are talking actual headphones (the dinosaur kind, joined together by an actual metal peice that goes across the top of the head), I would say that as long as the volume is REALLY low, it probably won't hurt him. But it could be difficult keeping them on him, since he is 8 months old, they don't usually care for things on their heads, and he will be confined to begin with.

If you are talking "earbuds" I gotta vote no on that idea. You just never want to really put anything in a babies ear. The chances that something bad will happen are probably slim, but you know how it goes, bad things only happen when you least expect it.

I do, however have a few tried and true solutions. When I flew with my infants, I always kept a bottle ready for take off and landing. Just as adults ears pop, so will a babies and this can be VERY miserable for them. When we took off and landed, I gave them the bottle and the sucking/swallowing helps much in the same way as chewing gum for an adult.

Depending on how long the flight is, your son may sleep a good portion of the time, even if you think he's not tired, you'd be surprised. Flying had much the same effect on my babies as putting them in the car for a ride, lights out!

A baby at 8 months is still very intrigued by visual stimulation. I would purchase a new toy or two, and save them for the flight. Something with flashing lights, lots of colors, etc. I'd try it out at the store, and if it seems to really catch his attention, thats the one. Don't bring it out again until the flight, you don't want him to get bored with it. Also, if it is something that also makes noise, thats ok, as long as there is volume control. You want to keep your son busy without disturbing other people.

Lastly, one thing that saved my butt more than once when all else has failed (BTW, I am the mother of 4 teens. Once upon a time, I was hauling 4 kids, all under the age of 5 years--No, I'm not kidding, all single births I might add, and yes, I was the birth giver of all 4) was sugarless suckers. The kind that aren't on a stick, but on a peice of hardened rope that forms a circle. I don't know what you actually call them, I used to refer to them as pacifier suckers. Shoot, that could actually be the real name.

Now, you have to account for teeth and all. I mean, if your son has already cut teeth and they are fully erupted, this may not be a good idea since the last thing you need on a plane is a choking baby. And of course you have to watch him, just like any other time. For me, they were a real life saver.

Some might poo poo the idea of giving your baby a sucker, sugarless or not, but truthfully, if you are out of other options, do what works. A stressed unhappy crying baby, means a stressed out unhappy you. This creates quite a cycle, as once you start to get anxious, the baby can feel those vibes and you are both a wreck. When the two of you are in that state, you both are in need of intervention. A calm and happy baby, is a calm and happy Mommy and vice versa!

Another option besides a sucker, that worked really well for me was frozen carrots. Entire carrots, not the kind you purchase in a bag already cut and cleaned. Buy a bunch of full size carrots, wash and peel them, then into the freezer they go. They work especially well for teething, and I have yet in all my years come across a baby with enough jaw strength to actually bite through them regardless of how many teeth they had. And they are big enough for them to hold, although I used to wrap the base part they handled in a wash cloth or something similiar to avoid frozen baby hands.

Hope this helps you out and have a great flight!!

Answer 8

Airplanes are really loud already, so you'd have to put the volume at a louder setting than you normally would.  I'd go for noise canceling headphones if possible.

Answer 9

I wouldn't use them. Even on the lowest volume, there could be a chance of hurting his ears.

As long as he has something to look at, just watching the screen should be enough to distract him and a few of his favorite toys.

Answer 10

Yes, it should be fine if the volume isn;t too loud but keep  in mind that he might not like the feel of wearing headphones.

Answer 11

yeah I think it will keep ur child entertained and calm as well. it will be something new for him and he wont be scared. Good thinking mom : ]

Answer 12

Of course. Not too loud:) Nice and soft :) He'll probably fall asleep! Awww!!

Answer 13

first of all. i am ecstatic that you are such a good parent because i know plenty of parents that do something if they can see no exterior damage without even thinking. but in your case i think it will be perfectly fine for your son or daughter to where the headphones as long as they are extremely low and can only be heard by your child itself because loud music will even hurt adults ears imagine what it can do to a baby. but for the plain ride as long as it is not every day you child can derffinitly where them  but make sure that they are tuned low.

good luck!

hope this helped!