Phil and I will soon need to transport our infant on an airplane across the country. This stresses me a bit. It's stressful enough to arrange one's person and belongings through the juggernaut of check-in, body cavity search(es), and loss of feeling in one's legs after hours of being in cramped quarters. The idea of putting Amos through the same is making me a little queasy.
So, the question is, do we check him or do we put Amos in the overhead bin? Should we stuff him under the seat in a hard-sided carrier or a soft-side?
Seriously though, does anyone have advice about traveling with a 4-month-old? He's a great traveler and has an excellent disposition, so I'm not worried about that. I think I worry about situations such as sick passengers spraying their sputum on my child, ears popping, keeping other passengers from glaring at me because I'm quite evil for bringing a baby on board, whether we should present his birth certificate, and so on.
We'll be checking his car seat, since car rental places charge so much per day to use their car seats. I have questions here as well: do we wrap the car seat somehow, and in what? I don't like the idea of his seat bouncing down the luggage carousel with grit and grime all over it, just like my bags always seem to end up.
I'm sure there are answers to my questions out there on Ye Olde Internet, but I leave it to you, my pretties, to lead me astray... I mean, to the proper way of doing things.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Stow and go
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18 beautiful people muttered something back:
Actually, airplanes are perfectly sized for a man of Amos' size. It's full-sized adults who are all crammed in and folded up into origami poses. Maybe we could check ourselves and let the little man enjoy our seats.
I know this is going to sound too simple, but it really is (take it from someone who did lots of air-travel w/baby - although it was way pre 9-11)
Just take him. Don't worry about the germs....germs are out there ..he's going to get them anyway. His immune system is stronger than most adults right now. Don't worry about the other stuff either. Holiday air travel is supposed to be about planes with kids and babies and grandma. If anyone isn't big on baby stuff, they'll get over it.
Gate check the car seat. I see other families do that and it makes sense. You can also put it in a plastic bag so it can't breathe while it rides on the baggage belt. :)
I think what you'll find is that the noise of the plane (especially if you sit in the back or over the wing ...will lull him to sleep. If not, show him how to order a bloody mary
I'm flying to Nash-vegas on Thursday.... let's compare our schedules and maybe I can help you carry stuff?
A duffel bag for the car seat protects it from the grime and filth of checked baggage. (Why do suitcases get so dirty anyway? Where is all that filth coming from?) It also protects the straps from getting caught and damaged.
If you have a bottle or nurse him or give him a pacifier, the sucking helps the pressure in the ear equalize.
Baby wipes and Purell hand sanitizer are great for traveling. You can keep your hands and stuff your baby might have to touch cleaner. (I think you can bring one of those really small bottles of Purell on board with you.)
Just make sure you pack more diapers and wipes than you will need for the trip...you do not want to run out of those mid-flight...
For the carseat I would suggest clingwrap, just because I think it would be a whole lot of fun to wrap something in clingwrap.
And to stop his ears hurting, feed him during take off and landing.
Glare at everyone who dares to look at you sideways, and if Amos needs to puke, then aim him at the anti-child-on-aircraft people.
Defintely gate check the seat. What type of car seat is it? We bought a car seat shaped "duffle bag" at Babies R Us for our Marathon when we flew.Gate check a stroller too. You'll want it if you get delayed (not that you will, no, don't worry about that). Also, give him something to suck on during take off and landing to help w/ ear pressure. And pick up a couple of new baby toys, as well a couple of favorites, to entertain him. You'll be fine!
You can gate check the seat. You can also buy a cover for it - they sell them all over the place.
I've heard that it's a good idea to feed during take off and landing to help relieve pressure, and they also make those little ear-plug thingies in baby sizes. Search online for them.
And during flight is a good time to teach Amos how to flip the bird, if anyone gives you any shit.
This reminds me of the first Dooce post I ever read, and then passed on to you:
I Left My Baby In San Fransisco
If you go back to that one, you can peruse all the comments (back when she still allowed COMMENTS!) and you'll see a ton of advice.
There's also California, Here We Come for her "plan."
Just try to avoid the whole food poisening thing. ;-)
Let it flow, Let yourself go, Stow and Go that is the tempo. Maybe you just have him fly the damn thing.
http://www.kidk.com/news/11136686.html
check with stephen about getting stopped by customs, he may have good tips !!?? haha
hope you have a great trip
I think you must declare the baby at the gate, at least babies don't weight much so it doesn't effect your baggage allowance too much.
Maybe if you drink enough wine and pump, you could give Amos a sedation meal. It couldn't hurt to try, eh?
Phil "make room for more" - I think you have stumbled upon a great truth. Those seats are made for 2-foot tall infants, not actual adults.
Judy - Thank ya! I remember being annoyed sometimes by other peoples' kids, but Amos is pretty much quiet out in public. He loves to be out. So, if anyone dares to look at us funny just because we have a baby on a plane, I'm pretty sure I'm going to pop them in the mouth. And then get arrested.
Gate check: cool! I didn't think of that. I think we're sitting in the back on both flights.
Yes, let's coordinate our airport times! (But you really don't need to carry anything - you are too kind, lady.)
Julie - I just might have a duffel bag that works. Thanks! I'm going to look for a small bottle of Purell.
Veronica - I think I just might love you. Hahaha.
Kimberly - It's a Graco infant carrier, the bucket variety. You're great! I'll look at BrB if I can't find a duffel here at home. Need to go there anyhoo.
We won't be bringing our stroller. It's a jogging stroller, so too big for practical indoor use. We prefer to carry our lil' feller in our Baby Bjorn-ish carrier.
Lotus - I'll definitely be feeding him or offering up the binky during takeoff/landing. He's so good at signing 'mama' and 'dada' now that I just might teach him the bird. You are genius. Hahaha.
I will once again reference the all mighty Dooce. Thanks!
Bill - Hahaha. You are cruel and unusual. That article is going to haunt me. I'm going to bang on the cockpit doors just to make sure they are awake.
And get arrested.
Gareth - Yeah. Hey, Stephen. What position is best for a body cavity search? Downward-facing Dog, or Spread Eagle?
Stephen - You are wise. Maybe they make a duffel bag for carrying babies as well?
Kim & Todd - Oh, don't you worry. I already have that tip under control. Hahaha.
Give the kid a drink on take-off and landing. That helps w/ the ear-popping. We never had to present a birth certificate but I'd take one anyway. The baby will probably sleep most of the time anyway; that's been our experience.
Failing that, buy a drink for everyone around you and then no one will care if the baby cries.
There's a thing you can get that turns you car seat into a stroller btw, if you didn't want a separate stroller. It's like a dolly and you strap the car seat on it and it makes it a stroller. I'm not sure if it works with infant carriers but it might. I think One Step Ahead carries it. You definitely want a stroller.
We didn't take girlie on a plane until she was 20 months old...but we were too cheap to buy her a seat and on the way home from England our luck ran out and we had her on our laps for the whole 7 hours. We folded down the meal tray and sat her on that - it really helped take the pressure off our legs!
The best position for a body cavity search?
Just the basic hands on ankles.
Eden - I'm still wondering about the birth certificate. I read that we MAY need it if he's between one and two. He's only 4 months. Eh... hmm.
Buy everyone a drink? You are far too generous, haha. It's a nice idea, though. I might not be that nice.
Badness Jones - You present excellent ideas! Amos doesn't weigh all that much, but I'm guessing Phil and I will be playing hot potato by passing him back and forth for the 3 or 4 hours we're on the plane.
(Excellent name, by the way!)
Stephen - You are Mr. Practical. Hahaha.
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