Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

Ok, so flying with a baby can seem like it would be a nightmare. And sometimes, honestly, no matter what you do, there will be awful moments that no amount of planning could avoid. But, with a little preparation and good organization, you and your baby can be flying like pros and even enjoying your trips together through the air.

First of all, do not bring any more stuff with you onto the plane than you have to. Pretty much all you should have with you is your baby, a bag, and perhaps a car seat for the baby if you have purchased or lucked into an empty seat (mind you, after 20+ flights with babies, I've only been seated next to a free open seat twice).

Pack ‘n Plays or other travel beds or large baby equipment like swings should be checked ahead of time with your luggage. Buy storage bags to protect any checked items from dirt and scuffs or wrap the items in large plastic trash bags (you can keep the bags folded in your diaper bag until you need them at the skycap area or baggage check-in station).

Generally, diaper bags, collapsible umbrella strollers, and car seats for use on the plane can be brought on board the plane without counting toward your carry-on limit. However, unless you’ll be using the car seat, it’s easier to check both it and your stroller at the gate. Specify that you would like to retrieve your checked items on the jetway (the bridge that connects the plane to the airport), and not at baggage claim.

Otherwise, you’re going to be in for a super-long walk carrying your heavy baby and your carry-on luggage all the way to baggage claim! Always double-check the claim check and tags they give you to make sure your things are being checked the way you prefer them to be.

Make sure that you can actually use your seats before you sit down. If you are using a car seat, you cannot be seated in an emergency exit row (all passengers in the emergency exit row must be able to open the door in case of an emergency, and your baby, however talented he or she might be, is probably not going to be up for that).

At least twice we have sat down and gotten all our stuff arranged (and once even gotten the baby sleeping peacefully) and then had to gather everything up and switch seats with some very kind fellow travelers WHILE THE PLANE WAS ROLLING DOWN THE RUNWAY TO TAKE OFF. The moral being, don’t count on the flight attendants to notice in a timely manner that you’re in verboten seats.

Once you are in a non-emergency exit row, your car seat must be installed in the seat by the window. This is so that if your row needs to evacuate, no one is trapped and tripping over the car seat on his or her way out to the aisle. If you have any trouble getting the plane seatbelts to fit around and secure your car seat to the airplane seat, ask the flight attendant for a seatbelt extender.

Now get everything you might need set up and accessible with the care of a nurse setting out surgical instruments in an operating theater. Tuck baby bottles, sippy cups, snacks, toys, and any personal items you’ll need in the pocket of the seat in front of you.

After all, if your arms get trapped under a sleeping baby that you really don’t want to disturb, you’re not going to be able to bend over very well to root around in your bag for a magazine or something. And it’s just good in general to have everything your baby might need available at your fingertips. Do be sure before you exit the plane at the end of the flight to check in the pockets and on and around (and especially under!) your seats to make sure you have repacked everything, though.

Finally, tuck a blanket or your coat or jacket at the small of your back. A few hours of holding a baby on your lap without good lumbar support can get your back aching like you would not believe. Maybe your baby will sleep the whole trip in his or her car seat (and nursing or drinking a bottle + the steady hum of the plane engines actually do make it likely that your baby will fall into a nice, deep slumber!), but if not, you need to be prepared to hold and entertain your little darling for the foreseeable future.