How To Fly With Your Baby

The holiday season is here, and with it brings the promise of travel — to visit friends, introduce grandparents to the latest (and greatest?) addition to the family, or even to simply get away from it all with your nearest and dearest.

It is so important for babies to meet and spend time with their grandparents. At the same time, we also want to be sure that baby is traveling as safely as possible, given how a crowded airplane — not to mention a bustling family gathering during the winter — can be an easy place to get sick. With this in mind, we strongly recommend that your baby receives his first round of vaccinations before flying — these are traditionally given at two months old but can be done as early as six weeks. 

Once everything is settled and you’ve actually made it on the plane, here are some precautions you can take to ensure a safe, pleasant flight for your baby:

• Try and keep your baby entertained: walk her up and down the aisles, bring some toys along for the flight, etc. The plane cabin is a new, strange environment for your child, and it can be a comfort for her to have some familiar items and toys along for the ride.
• To improve air circulation, try opening the overhead vents. 
• Pro tip: give the baby a pacifier or something to eat before takeoff and landing — the chewing motion helps mitigate the uncomfortable effects of pressure change in the ears (this is why you often see people chewing gum before takeoff).
• In case of a surprise fever, bring along some basic medications like ibuprofen and Tylenol! 
• We’ve all borne witness to some less-than-pristine airplane seats in our time. Considering your child’s still-developing immune system, it’s always a good idea to take extra precautions and wipe down your seats before sitting down.
• We do not recommend using sedatives (e.g. Benadryl) to calm your baby down or put him to sleep before the flight. 

Although flying with your baby may seem like a challenge, it really can be quite manageable, and it is, of course, worth the trouble to unite your child with his or her extended family or to experience your first of many family vacations. Wishing you and yours a warm holiday season from all of us at West End Pediatrics!