Tips for traveling w/ a 5 month old?

Question

I'm flying to Wisconsin with my 5 month old son. It will be his first time flying. We have one stop in Memphis........any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

It's a challenge but your baby is young enough where he will probably be easy to put to sleep. When I travelled to New York with my 5 month old son I waited to feed him until right before we took off that way his ears were taken care of and he was comforted. You will be very surprised in how well your son will do. The most important thing is making sure that he is given a bottle or breast on the take off and landing. If you nurse don't worry so much about how long you breast feed him while on the plane just let him do his own thing. Most likely he will fall asleep! :) Bring some of his favorite little toys and a couple things that are new so that it keeps his interest and keeps him comfortable with having familiarity also. Good luck! :)

Answer 2

Lets see, when i flew w/ my son here are some things I did to reduce bulk in the carryons as well as create convenience when trying to feed on the plane.

I pre measured his formula  and had it in baggies so all i had to do was add warm water, no measuring and no big can in my bag.  Bring more than you think you'll need.

If you're breastfeeding but doing bottles on teh plane, I'd say bring your milk onboard IN breastmilk storage bags that way all you need to do is run under warm water and drop whole bag into the bottle no mess.

If you don't have an umbrella stroller i'd say buy or borrow one, $16.  They are easy to fold up and you can store it at the front of the plane.

Bring Tylenol, just in case.  Bring gas drops, just in case....and obviously snacks.  The Gerber dissoveable bites is what i brought and I didn't bring loud toys just to not be a nuisance to other passengers.  

Small but colorful books, binkys...fav blanky...OH and give him the binky specifically at take off and descent, the sucking will help pop his ears!

Bring a bogus set of keys...or whatever it is at home that he always wants to play with, but can't....good occupier....and if you are lucky enough to have an isle seat, then actually you might find that surrounding passengers keep him occupied for you by smiling and waving and playing w/ him....that's what happened to me anyways,  thank god!!  Good luck, hope some of that helps spark some ideas that will help make it easier. Oh one last thing I did was since i was allowed 2 carry ons, is I used a backpack for all baby things....it was bigger than a diaper bag (actually it WAS a diaper backpack...a man thing i guess) so i hadall the convenient storage things..  OH OH...there are scented disposable diaper baggies....that's just another courtesy for others i guess than just dumping a poopy diaper into the trash....and finally, my Pediatrician did actually say to bring some benadryl (just in case) if you want to help him sleep,but he also said to give it to him at home first to make sure for 1. any adverse reaction and 2. to make sure it even makes him sleepy.

Benadryl wires ME up...not makes me sleep.

Answer 3

I went from VA to NM with my 6month old daughter a few years ago.  I used our Bundleboo carrier (you should use what ever personal carrier that works best for you and your spouse) the entire time and she slept most of the trip.  This way we were comfortable and I hand my hands free to move luggage and manuver the airport.  If you are nursing it is extremely effective in soothing the baby during take off and landing when the cabin pressure is increasing and decreasing.  The jaw movement during feedings will help to "pop" their ears and relieve discomfort and fussiness.  Sucking and Swallowing with a bottle may prove effective the same way.  

Best of Luck!

Answer 4

I traveled w/my son when he was 3 and 5 months and a 2yr old...I got a roomy but comfy backpack and put everything I needed in there for the kids to eat, drink or snack, diapers and wipes and a few toys.  I had my son in a front carrier so that way I could hold onto my daughter and had no probs...some stewardesses will ask you when you take off or land to take the baby out of the carrier..which is weird..but all i did was unlatch from one side and turned him sitting position.  I brought tylenol just in case of the ear popping and he ate his bottle while taking off and landing.  Other than that he pretty much slept thru the whole flight.  We flew from WA to OK w/one stop both ways and everything was good.