Flying with a baby

[Ref]

My common law DH and I are going to finally take the plunge next year after 10 years of being together. My brother and his new wife may be prego now which means the baby will be due just a bit more than a month away from our wedding. He lives about a half a world away from us (literally). My question is, at what age can a baby fly? I will miss my brother and his wife terribly and so will the rest of his family. We would all like to meet the little guy/girl. It would be great if they could fly, but it would be about a 11 hour flight.


Thanks for your help
Ref

[jilly]

I don't think there's any set age that a baby can fly.  My DH and I flew out to Seattle with our DD when she was 2 months old.  She did better on the flight than SD, who was 5 years old at the time.  Before we bought the tickets to go, I did discuss it with the pediatrician.  He said there was no constraints on her flying.

Advice on flying with a baby: make sure the baby has something to suck on when taking off or landing as this relieves pressure on their ears.  My DD used a pacifier and I think that's what helped some.  Plus, the fact she slept most of the flight didn't hurt either!  Also, check with the pediatrician and see if they can give the baby Benadryl or something like that.  That will also help with the ears...not to mention the sleeping!  I didn't give DD anything but her pacifier or a bottle.

[joni]

We flew 3 weeks after our son was born and pretty much monthly thereafter.   For safety reasons, I would recommend them getting the child it's own seat, especially for an 11 hour flight.  Make sure that the car seat is approved for airlines before boarding.  Many times the safety sticker on the side of the seat will state whether it's airline approved.

Our son is now 4, has about 15,000 frequent flier miles.  Under 2, technically you can sit the child on your lap and don't have to buy a seat.  We have never done this.  When we would book a trip, we would call the airlines and find out the recent history of the flight as far as capacity.  If it were a flight with less than 70% capacity, we wouldn't buy him a ticket and gamble that there would be a "free" seat for him, which there always was.  

If the flight ran more on the full side, we would buy him a ticket.

[Kitty C.]

Ask your brother to talk to the pediatrician, but there really shouldn't be any restraints on an infant flying.  Having a pacifier or bottle on take-offs and landings is crucial for their ears, tho.  

When DS was 1 month, we flew from Sacramento to IA, with a SIX hour lay-over in Phoenix (LONG story!).  As long as he had a bottle or pacifier in his mouth taking off or landing, he never said a peep.  In fact, there was a toddler a few rows ahead of us who was very fussy.  At the end of the flight, a very nice business man turned to me and said 'You'd never know there was another baby on this flight'.

And with the length of their flight, I strongly recommend buying a seat specifically for the baby and having a car seat for him/her.  I don't know of any parent who can hold their child for 11 hours straight and the parents will need to rest as well.  But I would also recommend getting up and walking with the baby ocassionally in flight, as the added motion will be an extra soother.

But bottom line, I'd defer to the pediatrician.  A lot will depend on the delivery and how well the baby does immediately after.

[SadStepMom]

Just one thing to add, when I traveled with my son, and my husband wasn't with me, I found that having a snuggly (the front backpack) made things 1000 times easier

[MixedBag]

11 hours -- are they in another country?

I flew when I had 6 weeks to go (against the doctor's wishes), but I knew I would be O.K.

After I had the baby, we were in England, it would have taken some time before I could have gotten her a passport issued and stuff and by then she would have been about 2 months old....

Age wise -- by the time they get a passport, I think the baby will be fine.  Make sure MOM will be doing fine too.  I remember that I thought I was feeling fine after a month or so and then my body reminded me that I had just had a baby!!  -- Take it easy on the lifting and walking stuff.....

[Mediator]

I agree with others and just a tech note: You can take along your stroller (with built in car seat) and have it brought to you as you disembark the plane.  You can then have it easily available to you while inthe ariport.  They stow it in luggage but it is the first to come out and special handling will bring it to you.  when we flew with our son we made sure he was hungry and breastfed him during the lift off and landing (those are the critical times).  The feeding provides both comfort and allows for ear equalization since the baby will be swallowing.