Flying with an infant of this age means one thing for mom (or dad)…
You’re. Busy.
But this is also one of the more rewarding and fun times to travel with your baby! They’re alert. You can usually figure out what they need when they need it. They’re still quite easily distracted.
Unlike newborns, babies of this age are at least in the beginning stages of a routine. So, while that makes your life easier as a parent, an understandable fear is blowing that routine with travel.
Fear not!
Both of my kids fell into a fairly structured routine at a very early age. And both adapted well to temporary changes during travel, as well as coming home.
Our Experiences Flying with a Baby 3-6 Months Old…
For us, this was a very easy time to travel with baby. Not yet mobile, still on a mostly liquid diet, and a fairly defined routine of eat and sleep times. In terms of getting around, baby is easily carted in their travel car seat used as an infant carrier, pretty content to ride in a stroller, and safe and snug in the infant carrier car seat used with or without the base.
Flying with an Infant 3-6 Months Old: Biggest Concerns
Our biggest concerns when flying with an infant this age were keeping him (quietly) busy and hoping to avoid him getting sick.
Our son was just shy of six months when we visited family in Florida, and we were flying in the height of the H1N1 pandemic. Little did we know that just over 10 years later, travel during COVID-19 would make H1N1 seem like a walk in the park.
Flying with an Infant 3-6 Months Old: The Reality
Ok, I’m not gonna lie here… We totally lucked out.
Flying Southwest meant we had to figure out their unusual boarding procedures, but ultimately (since it wasn’t a full flight) we did not have to gate check his car seat (we didn’t buy our son a seat), and we were able to bring him on board and keep him in his seat. It’s safest for a baby to fly in a car seat, but that is not always doable for all families.
Our son nursed both times before takeoff, and passed out for pretty much both of our three-hour flights. I had a sippy of water for him to suck on in case he did not want to nurse, as well as a couple of teething biscuits for him to munch/dissolve into an indescribable goo. Neither of my kids seemed particularly bothered by their ears during take off and landing, but having a drink, snack, or pacifier to suck on (just in case) is always recommended.
Flying with an Infant 3-6 Months Old: Extra Consideration
As I mentioned, we were traveling during the the H1N1 pandemic. Paranoia was rampant about bringing kids into a germ-laden environment. I did bring anti-bacterial wipes, which I went over armrests and the tray tables with. And, because I worry, I then went over those again with our usual wipes. I was afraid of the anti-bacterial residue. Had our son actually been awake during those flights, I would have gone over the laminated safety card as well, since that was his go-to distraction whenever we first board.
As always, changes of clothes are recommended for baby and you, as well as plastic bags to put them in. Here your carry-on bag will be more full of diapers (and possibly bottles) than toys or snacks. If you’ve started solids already, the foil pouches of food are so easy to travel with (I had to pack jars). If baby is bottle-fed, the weight of pre-made formula may outweigh the convenience of not having to mix it. Personally, I’d travel with the can of formula powder. It’s easier going through security. You can mix it up with bottled water once you’re at the gate.
And, at this age, they are usually just as happy to play with the seat belt buckle or safety card than any toy you could pack for them.
Tips for Flying with an Infant 3-6 Months Old:
- Get baby used to room temperature bottles and food, so you don’t have the additional hassle of heating en route.
- If baby can bear weight on their legs, consider purchasing slip-on diapers. Not all airplane bathrooms have change tables. If they do they are only big enough to change a baby kitten on.
- A cloth carrier or sling doesn’t take up much room in your carry-on and is useful to keep your hands free. This is most helpful especially if you’re flying solo. Keep in mind you’ll have to take baby out for taxi, take-off, and landing.
You will be busy and have your hands full when flying with an infant at this delightful stage. But be sure to relish how (relatively) easy they are to distract and comfort.
And take lots of pictures if you can!
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See Also:
- Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with a Newborn
- Flying with Baby: Travel Tips for Flying with a Toddler
- The Ulitmate Tip List: Flying with a Baby or Toddler
- Infant Travel: Planning Your First Trip with Baby
- Tips for Flying with a Sick Baby
- Traveling with a Baby? It Gets Easier…
- Traveling with a Baby? It Gets Harder…
- Baby Travel Gear Essentials
- 10 Dos & Don’ts for Flying with Babies & Toddlers
- Tips for Flying with a Baby or Toddler at Every Age & Stage
- Tips to Clear Airport Security with Babies & Toddlers
Great tips! The only thing I would add is that it is exhausting flying with baby, so plan some rest and relaxation time for all of you right after arriving at your destination. Our youngest was three months old when we traveled to Florida, we got in late, and headed out to Kennedy first thing the next morning for a Shuttle Launch. Sure wished they had been launching a day later!
Yes! No matter the age of your baby/toddler, it’s nice to have a free day on either end of a travel day for the inevitable “hangover” 😉
Hi there!! Just a quick question..I’ve been reading all your blogs and I do find em very helpful. But I was
Wondering if you can help me. I am flying internationally in the next couple months my baby will be 5 months old. How can I go about his stroller? I have a britax b agile and we are flying Korean Air? I tried calling the airlines and they’re not helpful language is the problem with the customer service I’m kind of getting really nervous about it. I know I probably cannot gate check my stroller so if I can check it in as luggage can I check in my car seat too? I have infant car seat and hoping to take it with us…do you think you can spare me some info? Thanks so much any help will be great I hope someone can give me some info cause I desperately been going through Internet for it…
Korean Air’s policies don’t seem much different from other airlines. You should be fine gate-checking if that’s what you choose to do. Good luck! http://www.koreanair.com/local/kr/gd/eng/cs/sn/eng_cs_sn_if.jsp
Hi Corrine,
So if the the car seat and stroller can be checked in for free, do they still allow an extra luggage for the infant, free of charge?
Thank you so much for the tips!
Kassey
Hi,
Is it safe for the 5 months baby to travel internationally? The length of the flights is about 26-31 hours. Is it too long for 5 months old baby?
I am afraid that the baby might be too little and if he gets weak from the trip he may get disease easily. Do I understand right .or I think too much?
What an amazing site! I feel so lucky that I found it! I am heading to Orlando on a Sunwing charter flight in 2 weeks. After a few phones calls to the travel agent and to Sunwing, I am still confused (I know I must be stunned!) about the policy with infant car seat/stroller combinations.
I have a 4 month old and wanted to gate check my Baby Trend infant seat that fits into my Baby trend snap and go stroller. Do you think this will be allowed? I cannot get a good answer about this from anyone. Thanks in advance! Love your site!
Hi Marni! If it is truly the super light snap & go then I think you should be ok in gate checking – just tell the gate agent that it’s a two-piece stroller and they should give you two gate check tags for it. People gate check Bugaboos all the time, and they fold down into two pieces.
I bring my stroller and car seat when we travel. I have had no issues getting two gate check tickets. I do however place my car seat in a bag because it can get pretty nasty if you don’t. Lesson learned the hard way.
Hi, I’m travelling from Dublin to Portugal with my 4 month old daughter. The flight isn’t long-3 hours but it falls right at her bedtime. My concern is will she transition from the plane, to the buggy,to the car, to the buggy, to bed ok?!!!! Any tips on helping her to sleep on through the night. She’s such a good baby at night I fear for her routine 🙁
Hi Julie! Certainly the safest and surest way for her to fall asleep is to have her own seat with her car seat/infant carrier installed, and then that way if she does drop off you won’t need to life her and transport her during all your “legs.” If that’s not an option, I suggest being as prepared as possible–don’t shift or disturb her from the plane until you’re ready to exit, and if you’ve safely done the transfer to buggy, don’t transfer to the car seat until you and the seat are all set, so once she’s in you’re off again. Same as once you’ve arrived–don’t take her out of her car seat until the bed’s ready for her to be put down in it. In my experience, the minimum amount of disturbance surrounding the necessary transfers really helped my guys transfer more easily. Good luck!
There are really very useful tips that you shared with us and its important travel tips for flying with an infant.must follow this tips when parents travel in plane with kids.
Thanks for all the great tips!
Quick question: if I want to bring the car seat on the plane for my 5 month old to sleep in, do I have to pay for her seat (I.e. pay for her flight)?
Hi Tina!
If you want to be assured of a seat for your daughter, you will need to pay for it. Check with your airline to see if they offer discounted fares for infants or children. Some still do!
Good luck and have a great flight!
Hello! I love this site. I am traveling alone with my 6 month old soon. Do you have any recommendations on the best ways to nurse without flashing or offending people. I have a regular light sheet cover-up with the neck loop but sometimes the baby swipes it off to the side with her hands. Thanks for any suggestions!
Honestly Dani, I have nursed in airports and on airplanes — as discretely as I could since my littles hated covers too — and no one batted an eye. I felt most comfortable in actual “nursing” wear, so I invested in a couple of nursing tops that revealed really little except that bit that the baby usually covers 🙂 Good luck and try not to sweat it! If worse comes to worse, if you don’t make eye contact with anyone besides your baby, you won’t know if you’re getting the stink eye.
We had a stroller that fit in the carry on luggage it was the best thing ever, especially as airports are huge and you can use to right up to the gate :). Although the flight attendants always think it is to big till we folded it up.
I’ll have to check that out, Ashley–thanks!
Do you recall the brand ?
I’m guessing it’s the GB Pockit stroller. Worth every penny if you travel fairly often or visit theme parks/zoos with lots of walking and designated stroller parking far away from attractions (like Disneyworld). It goes on sale on Amazon once in a while ($125).
Hello Ladies,
I am traveling tomorrow from NY to Aruba for the first time with my 5 month old, husband and family. I have asked a lot of my fellow mommy friends for tips and suggestions on traveling with an infant. Almost every single tip was covered here Corrine’s blog and your further suggestions. However something I found online and everyone has raved about its convenience for your little one is the Flyebaby travel hammock! I purchased it and plan to use it as we have a total of 6.5 hours in the air tomorrow! My son LOVES to lay back and have face to face time as he wiggles and squirms and this will allow him to do just that! Check it out! and I will let you all know if it lives up to all the hype!
http://flyebaby.com/
Hi. Flight attendants on Amazon have warned that the Flyebaby travel hammock is not FAA approved, is not safe and is not allowed on airplanes. I would suggest nobody purchase this as any quality airline will not allow you to take it on board and it is very dangerous for your baby.
Thank you, Gail! Not sure how I missed that comment and yes–I absolutely would never recommend that product.
I’ll be flying from north carolina to Texas. It’s a fairly short plane ride 2 hours each flight so 4 in total with a 1 hour layover. My son will be just turning 3 months, he is extremely colic, so I’m petrified he will cry and cry and I won’t be able to do anything to help him calm down. Last thing I want is a plane full of angry people. Any advice for flying with a colic baby? (He is breast fed/ gets breast milk in a bottle) but when he is in one of his moods he will cry through the feeding!
So long as you are attempting to soothe your son, don’t worry about anything or anyone around you. If he seems to be in pain due to ear pressure, don’t hesitate to offer infant pain relief medication. It may be a long flight for you, so try to psyche yourself up for it and hope for the best. Good luck!
hi Corinne , your tips are really helpful, thank you!
question, can your spouse or siblings (not traveling ) help you go through the security, or is there a certain point to where they have to stop and cant make you company ?
Hi Wendy! Unfortunately, your spouse or siblings will not be able to accompany you through security.
Hi! Great site! We are currently expecting and due in August 2016.We had planned to fly to Australia from Scotland in December 2016 – is this too far for a 3 month old?
Hi Steve!
Not too far but would definitely be a long one. At 3mos. your baby may already be in a routine, so try to mimic that as best you can (meal and nap times) while you’re en route. Good luck!
Hi Corinne – We’re taking our 4 month old to India from NYC next week to meet the family. Our first leg of the trip is 14 hours to Dubai and then another 4 hours to our my hometown in India. We’re there for about 36 hours and then take off to attend a wedding (another 4 hour flight and a 4 hour car journey). I’m reconsidering all this at the last minute as I’m getting extremely nervous and am worried for the baby. He’s a very active baby on a good schedule, mostly sleeping through the night. Is this travel insane for him? Should we consider canceling some of it? Any advice you have to give would be very much appreciated.
Don’t cancel! Your baby is still young enough to not be TOO affected by all the time change and travel time. Try to stick to a semblance of a routine as best you can, and prepare to have a rough week or so getting back to normal. Babies are typically more resilient than we are, and your little guy will end up all the more flexible for his adventures.
Hello
I want to travel with my baby when she is 3 months but hear that is a time when they go through a huge spurt. I know it’s not set in stone but I’m afraid to risk it and travel while she’s not in her space of comfort
Is going when she is 9-10 weeks easier
Hi Meleny! A few weeks here or there won’t really make much of a difference. So long as you have all her comfort items (and you!) at the ready, she will be just fine. Have a great trip!
Hi there, I am also planning to take my 4 month old to india from nyc to attend a wedding. I am very nervous and thinking whether I should cancel my trip. Please let me know your experience. Thanks!
I’m thinking of flying to Spain with my little one. By that time he will be almost 6 months old. Is flying from New York to Spain which is around a 6 hour flight to much for my little one. Is it safe at this age?
Hi Ahinoa! Your trip sounds great and 6 hours is not too long to fly with a 6-month-old. Just make sure you’re prepared and all will be well!
Hi Corinne! I will be flying out from Seattle to Texas sometime in April with my 3 month old infant. (He will be 5 months when we fly). I’ve read one of the previous comments and I was curious of the baby’s ears can hurt by the pressure. So I was wondering if I was to buy an ear muff for my LO, would it help? And I was also curious if I would have to pay for us to bring his carseat?
Hi Naomi! The pressure doesn’t damage their ears, but it can really hurt. Ear muffs won’t do much, but the act of swallowing can help, which is why it’s recommend to give a bottle or pacifier or nurse during take-off and landing. Most airlines will allow you to gate-check a car seat free of charge, and I recommend transporting it in a padded travel bag, since baggage handlers aren’t always very gentle with your belongings. Have a great flight!
What a great website! Im planning to have long holiday with my baby next month, will be 4,5 months when we travel. We will travel from auckland to singapore ( 12 hours) and i will travel without my husband. We booked car seat. I just wonder if my baby will be ok sleep on car seat for that long? Would he be fine with his back? and im so worry with other passangers if he is cranky during flt so im so nervous. Also.. any tips on how i will carry that car seat to the airplane and pass the security? While i will also have my trolley? As i dont wanna miss anything that i might need during the flight. Thanks
I’ll be traveling with my five month old next week. We didn’t buy her a plane ticket. But can we still bring a car seat if there’s vacant seats on the plane? And do lap infant have a seat belt?
Flying from TN to AZ in March with my 6 month old. What are the dos and don’ts of checked baby baggage? Food, formula, diaper rash cream, etc.
Make sure your carry-on is packed with more than you think you’ll need for the duration of your travel day. Keep all of baby’s items together to present for inspection when going through security. You don’t have to abide by the liquid restriction rules when travel with baby but you do need to justify everything you’re bringing. Have a great flight!
Hi’ I have a 4 month little boy and am flying to Hawaii at the end of February with him. I was wondering if you happen to know if Alaska Airlines allows the flyebaby? I want to order one because I think that will be great to put him in for the 5 hour plane ride but I want to make sure that he will be able to use it for the majority of the plane ride. Thank you!!
Hi Taylor. I wouldn’t use one of those things. Either purchase a seat for your son and he can ride in his car seat, or resign yourself to holding a lap infant for the duration of the flight. If you’re not flying solo, you can spell each other off. Have a great flight!
Hai , I am planning to travel with my 6 month old baby from boston to india. It’s long hour journey ..will it be safe fot my baby pls let me know thank u
Perfectly safe for baby, but a long flight required lots of preparation–not the least of which includes enough food and diapers. Good luck!
Hello to Everyone
i am travelling in April with my 5 months old baby. i have no idea how it ll be with 5 months old. Is it safe for baby to travel like 13 hours flight? Can i have some information regarding this situation please? Thank you
13 hours is a long flight, make sure you’re prepared with enough food and diapers, and hopefully you won’t be flying alone so you can take a break!
Hi Corinne! I will be traveling to Abu Dhabi and Dubai from San Diego. I have a 4 month old son who screams and fights sleep all the time! I am also thinking he is very colicky because he is very fussy all the time. I am kind of waiting it out till he is 6 months so that he is a bit matured, or does it really matter? I know I should purchase his own seat and also I am planning on taking a stroller that turns into a bassinet just in case he falls asleep. Also the thing is my little one won’t sleep unless he is swaddled and hears white noise, otherwise he will be screaming at the top of his lungs! He is the most fussiest baby in the world! Do you think I should still pursue my travel plans? Also since it’s my first time visiting this country, I don’t think we can take tours cause I have a fussy baby! What should I do? Is this trip worth going to?
I don’t think waiting will change much! If it’s any consolation, airplanes are quite noisy and you may find the hum of the engine kind of works as a white noise machine–certainly you can swaddle and hold him. You might be better off seeing if you can arrange for a car or taxi to do your own tours at your own pace. That way you can call it quits if baby is not cooperating and at the very least you can operate on your own time frame. Good luck!
Aww thank you Corinne! Yes I agree with you in regards in doing our own tours or taxi to get around, that would be the best thing to do! I will see what I can do to make it work, if not I guess I will wait till he gets a bit older.
We never purchased a seat for our son until we had two. Honestly, if we had he would have just ended up in mom’s lap anyways. And he has always been a great traveler. He’s quiet, except for fits of giggles, never cries, and sleeps for most of the time.
Unfortunately we had one incident with a guy being disgusted at my wife breast-feeding when he joined us in our row. She was even completely covered. For all he knew she was doing magic tricks under there. But he made a disgusted sound, and ultimately asked to move. I had to bite my tongue very hard.
Hi there,
I just came across your site and thank goodness! I love all the information and it’s been so helpful in getting ready for our first flight with a baby!
I exclusively pump for my 4 month old and i’m nervous about flying with pumped breastmilk. I tried calling the airline I’m flying with but honestly they didn’t help much at all they just said I can bring some.
Any idea how much I can bring? How I should store it? I have a small cooler bag for it but should I put it in bags? or bottles? Help!
Wowza–good for you for exclusively pumping. The rules about breast milk are the same for any other liquid when traveling with an infant under 2. You aren’t restricted by the amount you can bring, but it’s easiest and best if you keep it all together in whatever vessel you prefer. Bring as much as you think you’ll need and extra to see you through any delays. Will baby take the breast or do you supplement with formula at all? Would be ideal if you had some kind of back up as well.
My son’s first flight (cross-country) wasn’t until he was 6 months old. Luckily he was always very well behaved. We didn’t bother buying him a seat for his car seat as he always wanted to be on mom or dad anyways. We found breast feeding helped a lot at take off and landing, he never cried. Also, he generally just fell right asleep for the duration of the flight.
But of course there was one issue with a guy who was supposed to next to us being very displeased with mom breastfeeding (even though it was even under a cover). But we’ll just leave that be.
Awesome to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Corinne. I have a 3 month old and she will be just turning 4 months when I travel with her and my mom to Michigan. It is a 2 hour time difference. Currently she sleeps through the night…10pm to 7am. I am very stressed/worried that she will be thrown off and stop sleeping through the night. For istance, our flight out leaves at 7am…when she would usually wake up, but we will have to leave for airport around 430 am so, I will have to get her in carseat to airport etc. I am worried that waking her for the travel to the airport will mess up her full night sleep schedule I am exclusively breastfeeding and nurse to sleep at night, but she is such a good night sleep I don’t want to undo that….suggestions? Thoughts?
Hi Reyna!
She may get thrown off for a day or two, but at 4mos you will have plenty of time to get back on track. The night before your flight, put her to bed in her travel clothes (should be comfy enough for sleep anyway) and if she is like mine were, you will have a few hours yet before a diaper change is necessary. Lift her straight from her bed into the car seat, and (fingers crossed) she won’t stir too much. If she stays awake, she may drift off again as you drive to the airport or when your flight is taking off. Try to stay on schedule for the remainder of the day, even if that means waking her from a nap that she went down late for. Stick to your usual routines while you’re away and you may have a few “off” days but it shouldn’t take too long to get back on track. Good luck!!!
Hi, I’m flying from CA to NYC on Saturday with my 4.5 month old. I am very nervous about the almost 6 hour flight. I am nursing so don’t have to worry about bringing food. However what other staples besides diapers and wipes do you recommend for a 6 hour flight with a baby that age?
Will they let me nurse during take off and landing ?
Hi Allison! If baby will not be in his/her own seat, they will ask you to hold baby in a specific way during take-off and landing, which some believe to be possible to nurse in that position, but it’s not your traditional “cradle” hold. But the pressure may not affect your baby’s ears so nursing during that time is not a must. It is the act of swallowing that helps, so if baby takes a pacifier make sure to have one (or several) on hand and it might be a good idea to invest in one of those clips since they tend to get dropped so often. At 4.5 months you don’t have to really worry about toys or games or snacks, but don’t forget a change of outfit for baby and at least a clean top for you as well, because whatever mess baby may make, it will likely be on your lap 🙂 Have a great trip!!
Have you had any issues when using a infant carrier/car seat and having the seat in front of the car seat not being able to recline? Going on our first trip (flying Southwest) and dreading having to tell someone that they can’t recline their seat.
If you are traveling Southwest (or any other US airline governed by the FAA) your infant’s need to be rear-facing overrides any reclining “rights” PLease read this post: https://havebabywilltravel.com/2014/10/20/using-car-seats-planes/ and print out the FAA regs. so you’ll be prepared once you’re on board. Good luck!!
Hi Corrine. Thanks for the great info. I am a little confused about my situation. I don’t have an infant car seat. I have a kind of bulky 3 in 1. I normally carry my 4 month old in my wrap when we are out and about. I will be traveling from GA to MA. I don’t know if I should bring my lightweight stroller or my car seat in which I would purchase this TRAVELMATE car seat travel stroller. Although he prefers to be in my wrap, occasionally he doesnt want to be in it so Id like to bring something to put him in and it also helps when I have to use the bathroom. I’ll be traveling alone with him. Thanks for all your good tips.
Hi Carolina!
I agree, the bulky 3-in-1 isn’t ideal to travel with. Did you buy him a seat? It might be worthwhile to invest in a lightweight car seat used specifically for travel, but you can’t bring it on board unless you’ve purchased him a seat. Also, if you’re traveling alone you won’t want to leave in in the car seat alone while you went to the bathroom. Do you have a more structured carrier than the wrap to use? I know I “wore” my kids in the bathroom more than once. Not ideal but thank goodness for elastic waist pants!
Hi, Corrine,
Great tips! I’m traveling solo with my 3.5m/o. I don’t see anything about carseat bases. Obviously, I will definitely need to bring a carseat to get her around Texas, but do I need to bring the base for the carseat as well? A base, carrier and stroller, plust carry-on, diaper bag and ergobaby carrier seem like A LOT to travel with solo! Also, do you know if the airline will count my lightweight overhead stroller (mtnbuggy) as a carry-on? I am hoping they’ll let me check-in the carrier at the gate, but i’d like to keep the stroller and my carry-on with me, as well as the diaper bag. So much! I’m already dreading this trip, but I would love to bring baby with me if it isn’t going to be toooo overwhelming and stressful. /c:
Hi Brenda! Best bet is to use an infant carrier car seat that can also be used without the base. The install might be a bit tricky, but is just as safe as when installed with the base. Good luck!
Hi.. we are to deliver a baby in Nov 18 to 24 and want to know if I can take the baby after three months on a 24 hour travel through flight ?
It will be a long flight for everyone, most especially you! But it is totally fine, just be prepared to be tired 🙂
Hi
I am planning for a trip with my 4month boy and the flight is for 3hrs layover for 1hr then flight for 1hr and then a by road for 5hrs will it be to hectic for my baby and what all can i do to make the journey most comfortable for both of us keeping in mind that the baby is just satisfied with breastfeeding
He should be ok–at 4mos. he will not yet be mobile and the fact that he is exclusively breastfed also makes things easier. YOU will need to make sure you eat and drink enough to keep up your supply. The layover and short flight will be hectic and will probably zoom by. During the first flight try to rest as much as possible. If you’re on the road in a car, see if it’s possible to stop occasionally to feed and change him. Good luck!
Great tips,but I dont believe I would be this fortunate with my 5 almost 6 month old.My mom is wanting to fly my lo anf I to Dallas to visit.Its only a 1-2hr flight I believe,from Midland to Dallas,however my babygirl dont do well being in such close quarters,with strangers,or loud noises,and is not consolable when she gets to crying and screaming,in fact it makes it worse,no matter what I do.Nothing works,not even breastfeeding her.I have tried everything I could think of.
Hi, Sharee… If possible, try to book your flight at a time when she is most cheerful and easily distracted. If you try to go at nap times and she’s over-stimulated it might make things worse. Best of luck to you!
It’s my first time going on vacation with a baby. He will almost be 4 months. We are going to San Francisco..I’m not sure what to do when we go sight seeing. We aren’t renting a car it will be cheaper to taxi or Uber than pay for hotel parking . So do I just take his stroller that his car seat can sit on and use that while going around the town? I was told not to take my big stroller and just take an umbrella stroller. Idk what to do. Advice is needed
Hi Stacia! It depends on how big your “big stroller” is. Something like the Uppababy Vista is considered big but if the seat’s off and the car seat can snap in the frame is not bulky at all and could fit in the trunk of your cab or Uber. If you’ll be doing lots of walking and sightseeing, a stroller that you like pushing and your baby finds comfortable to ride in is key. A decent umbrella stroller that reclines is great for older babies and toddlers, but at 4 months your little guy will need extra support and comfort. Another option is to buy one of those frames that are not strollers at all but specifically for snapping a car seat into, but I don’t know how those will be for you if you’ll be putting a lot of miles in sightseeing. Always a good idea to pack a lightweight carrier or sling as well to give you and baby another option. Have a great trip!!
Hi Corinne, flying with 6 month baby from Boston to manila in Jan. Concerned that we’ll mess up his sleep routine. Our flight is 1:30 am and arrives 6 am in Hongkong. He is breastfed and we have not started solids. Should we start solids soon? We will be back in Boston after 4 weeks so he’d be 7 months by then. I am traveling with my parents and sister, but without my husband. Wonder what we should prepare for the flighy as well.
Your trip sounds amazing! You will be gone for a long time, and I would probably think about starting a few solids–maybe ones that you can take with you or won’t change formulations much between countries like instant cereal or ripe, mashed bananas and avocados. At 6-7mos. their main nutrition is still breast milk or formula but this will get him used to the idea. Your routine will certainly be off for a few days, but keep in mind you can’t force someone to sleep but you can (sometimes) keep them awake. In a perfect world he will sleep for much of the flight, but if not he will certainly be tired and ready to nap at (likely) odd times. Once you arrive try to keep to local time as much as possible right away. And keep him busy with lots of fresh air and daylight when he’s supposed to be awake and keep lights and stimulation low when he’s supposed to be sleeping. Good luck!!
Oh yes, if you will be needing his car seat and stroller while you are in Manila, you should definitely bring them with you–unless you can borrow or rent what you’ll need when you arrive.
Also should we take his car seat and stroller? He has a bassinet reserved on the plane.
Hi,
I’m flying from North Carolina to California with a 9 yr old and 5 months old. I chose to ergo baby carry my daughter. How does take off and landing work?
TIA
Hi Nicole! For takeoff and landing you will have to take your daughter out of the Ergo and hold her in the “burping” position on your lap. Have a great flight!
Hello,
I really like your site and it has been very helpful in preparing for our trip.
My husband and I are planning a trip to Europe and at that time our son will be 16 months old and we will have our other son who will be 3 months old. So, we were planning on bringing a double stroller with one car seat on board. How would that have to be checked in?
Also do you recommend that we get one seat for the car seat and have our 16 month old in our lab or get two seats? The flight should be around 8 hours or so…We were told that the airlines offer a bassinet type gear for infants who are 3 months and that the bassinet is placed with us. Do you know anything about that?
Anyway before we make the commitment and purchase the tickets we wanted some advise…Any advise or info you can offer us would be greatly appreciated. Thank you…
Georgina
Hi Georgina! If you can swing it, I definitely recommend purchasing at least one additional airplane seat for your sons, and you will have to install a car seat for whichever baby will be sitting in it. The bassinet is a great option for your littlest one, but I’m not sure which car seat you were planning on bringing on board. Certainly you can get the bassinet for your little guy and bring on board a convertible seat for the additional seat you purchased for your older son. If you still need to bring a car seat for your little one you could gate check that along with the stroller, although I recommend using a padded travel bag to protect it. Best case scenario is you get the bassinet AND additional seat for your older guy. Usually they are in the bulkhead seating area which usually costs a bit more, but some airlines (still) don’t charge for this (which is nice!)
Hope I actually helped and didn’t confuse you further!
No no no no no.
Do not fly with your baby unless you have no choice — as in you’re moving or emigrating. Do not torture hundreds of people for hours and hours because you can’t accept that babies have no self-control and that this will affect your life for some time.
I am a mother. I have needs, and I take care of them. I also recognize that I live in a society with other people. When my child was an infant, she was a big screamer for a long time. So here’s what I did: I recognized that there would be many years in which I could sit for hours in coffeeshops, and fly places with my child, but that this was not that time.
A few days ago I was on a two-hour flight with an infant who screamed like its parents were strangling and beating it for an hour. Every damn person on that plane had to share in the anxiety and unhappiness for a solid half hour at each end. It became clear that the baby was reacting to cabin pressurization and depressurization — its ears hurt, poor thing, and all because its parents were so selfish that they couldn’t wait a while to jet off again.
Some of the people on that flight may have needed sleep. Some may have been traveling with migraines, or nausea, or some other kind of pain worsened by having to listen to screaming that went on and on and on. NOBODY needed the stress those two parents generated by bringing their infant along.
DON’T DO IT. It’s selfish and anti-social. Wait till your child is older and can travel well — you’ll enjoy your family vacations then without making everyone else pay.
Might I suggest these for the next time you have to venture out into society: Noise Cancelling Headphones
Hello
Corinne
Nice Article you share with us.
Needs to know you What to pack in the diaper bag ???
Diapers – 03 – 04 depending on how long the journey is. More if your baby has looses or poops more often than others.
Wet wipes – Buy a small pack for travelling purposes or keep aside a packet of wet wipes that has been used 75% to optimise the space in your bag.
Washcloth – 2 or 3
2 X Change of clothes for the baby to be on the safe side (depends on how long the flight is).
Cap in case it gets cold for the baby in the flight
Extra blanket
Medicines – as mentioned above
Small pack of baby cream
Rattles
Pacifier
Expressed breast milk in a bottle (if you don’t want to breastfeed on the flight) or formula, if formula fed.
Bib, if carrying feed in a bottle.
Mosquito roll on or patches, for travelling after.
Hand sanitiser
Nursing bib or shrug, if not wearing already.
Comb and other essentials
Hand cream for the mother (you can use the baby cream as well)
Lip balm for the mother
Small bottle of drinking water (use when water not available at the airport or flight).
Wet bag (for soiled clothes or if using cloth diapers).
Nursing pads for the mother
2 zip locs, just in case
Any other essentials of the mother (carry your essentials also in the diaper bag and travel light).
Mosquito net for the stroller / car seat for travel later.
Ring Sling, if you’re a baby wearing mother.
Change of clothes for yourself and the person accompanying you (if).
Hi Corinne,
I read everything what your respond to concerning mothers for their infant child.
All of it made sense. I’m the GrandPa of my granddaughter… thanks for the advise your answered does answered the questions.. 🙂
Have a good day ma’am…
GrandPa
Hi, I’m new to this site but it all seems so insightful we are planning a trip to Vegas for October because my husband has a conference there so we decided to bring my friend that has a baby 12 days younger than my own to help with baby and watch her for a night or two while were there my question is if were only taking a taxi to get to and from the airport do I need to take a carseat my biggest dilemma being that it would then mean wed have to take two cabs 3 adults and 2 6mo olds
Hi Bethany! As strange as it may sound, it’s perfectly legal in most cities to ride in the back seat of a taxi with a baby or toddler on your lap. So there is really no need to bring a car seat if you would just be doing those two trips and you are comfortable with the idea of doing that.
However, I’m sure in Vegas you would be able to hire a car service or arrange for other airport transfer services like a shuttle bus. With the car service you could likely arrange to have one with a car seat installed. With a shuttle bus, car seats typically can’t be installed anyway.
Hope this helps and have a wonderful trip!
I have recently booked a flight, hopefully this prepares me enough for the flight !
Tell us how it goes, Lana! Have a great trip and stay safe 🙂
So helpful Corinne! Our first flight with baby is a casual 6 hour flight. We have our work cut out for us! These tips were helpful to make me feel a bit more at ease in the planning.
Have a great trip!
” Flying with a baby is a major headache on its own. I wouldn’t say I like flying as it is, but things become all the more difficult with a baby. “
I really like your site and it has been very helpful in preparing for our trip.