Nik and I are headed out to San Fran for a little b-day celebration for my dear Mommacita. She'll be celebrating in "the land of fruits and nuts" with her five daughters and one very lucky grandson.
So here's my solicitation for all the advice you can give on flying with a baby. Endow me with your knowledge!
5 comments:
I pretty much nursed Logan the entire time we flew. Worked like a charm.
you know, i'm wondering the same thing. i'll be flying in august with just me and the 6-week-old babe. i hear it's pretty easy at this age because they sleep a lot. and i've also read you should nurse when you take off so the pressure change doesn't bother them.. so i'm hoping that won't weird me out so much by that point, nursing in front of strangers.. good luck!
I forgot to tell you a couple of things that work for me (sorry if there are repeats). Nurse (at least) as you take off and as you land (this will help with his little popping ears). Because you will likely be nursing between/in close proximity to strangers (I've done it tons of times between two large men), you will want/need a nursing apron/hooter hider. This will keep everyone more comfortable. Bring an extra shirt for yourself (and twoish extra onsies for the little guy) in your carry on (just in case of fire-hydrant vomiting or some kind of code brown episode). Pack a couple of extra diapers (two or three more than you think you will need for the time frame you will be in the air...just in case). Make friends with the flight attendants; by so doing, you will have to someone hold the little guy when you have to use the bathroom. I have gone on a plane holding kids before, but the bathroom is just such a small, awkward place it will be nice to have a friend to take him while you make yourself comfortable. Bring a front pack (this hands-free devise makes the traveling through security, the using of the toilet, the putting stuff in the overhead etc. more doable when traveling with tinies without assistance). Bring a magazine/book for yourself maybe he will sleep the entire time and you will want some kind of diversion. Pack very few toys and only pack ones you don't care about loosing (babies think everything is a toy and they are rarely interested in the toys you bring specifically for them: you can make toys out of the paper in your magazine; you can use your jewelry/fingers as toys; you can use the fabric of your shirt as toys; you don't want to worry about loosing a favorite toy)...Don't be afraid to sing to and/or rock your baby if that is what he wants. After take off don't feel bad about hanging out in the galley with the flight attendants to rock your baby to sleep for a while. Be prepared for your babies schedule and your schedule to be out of whack. You are shaking up his world (and consequently your world) and crossing over several time zones. He may be a little crankier and sleep a little less, but by getting on the plane you already made the decision that being with your mom and sisters is more important to you than a couple of hours of sleep and/or comfort. Enjoy your time even if you have a tired, cranky baby. Don't try to stick to a nap/eating schedule, because then you will spend all of your time in the hotel and no fun. Training Nik to go with the flow and adapt to the situation he is in will be an invaluable lesson in the long run. (And babies are really adaptable). Don't worry about your looking too cute or his looking too cute because you will likely have a variety of bodily fluids (or fluid like substances on both of you throughout the journey). Medicate your baby (if the Tylenol/pain killer recall is over by then). Seriously, what harm is a little medication going to do in the long run especially if it helps you catch some ZZZZZs or maintain your sanity? Also, to make this a sample of formal writing and ensuring a circular thought process/intro and conclusion along the same lines (I am kidding) it will help with the ear popping in the take off and landing. You will both do great! Good luck, have fun and I miss you tons!!!!!
Yea I'll second what 'McDonalds' said, good advice all around.
With such a little guy, nurse on take off and landing and maybe he'll sleep the whole flight ;)
WOW! McDonalds needs to write a book! ;) I 3rd the nursing thing taking off and landing, it totally works. And often times mine just fell asleep. Plus, he loves to just hang out there, so you'll be good! ;)
AND, basically just GET there... because there'll be 10 happy, eager, and loving hands to help you recoup when you get there!! Mine are of course, included in those!
I can't WAIT to see that little man!!! Kiss on those cheeks! Oh yeah, I'm excited to see you too. But just get use to being sidelined for your kids! ;) Love you!!
Post a Comment