3 mos. old and we are flying to Ohio

The babies turn 3 mos. on Aug. 29th yeah!!!!...BUT... we are flying from FLA. to Hudson, OHio on Friday to see family and friends. I am sure the visit itself will be a nightmare and I will probably have fifteen thousand panic attacks - however, I am looking for any advice you brave souls may have about flying with 3 month old infants.
My children are dear little things but Lily goes from happy to raging mad in about 2 seconds and does not cry so much as scream. She is basically inconsolable unless you swaddle her in her miracle blanket, put her in her crib on her side on her sleep positioner, and stick her binkie in her mouth. None of this can I do during a 2 and a half hour flight.

Help, any ideas? Also, we are bottle feeding formula. What is the best way to travel with the formula without it going bad and where on earth do you change diapers on the plane?

Thanks,
Amy

 

I have no advice, I just want to say that you are a BRAVE WOMAN! I hope everything works out ok.

 

I know its not the same, But i flew with my DD when she was 3 months old all by my self on a 6 hour flight. Give them some baby meds to make them sleep. 2 hours isnt really that long. You can still swaddle on the plane and changing diapers is very difficult.
It gets hard when they are about 2. I flew from houston to LA with my DD when she was 2.. Let me tell you i was in TEARS...

Goodluck!! A little meds never hurt to make them sleep on the flight..

 

hopefully it is a direct flight! ia gree, you can still swaddle on the plane, so take that with you. maybe take some extra back-up pacifiers too, just in case (ours feel in the BATHROOM while trying to change a diaper on a closed toilet seat- eww!!!!)
as for the formula, we flew a few months ago to reno (with a connection, about 8 hrs. travel time- i was scared, but it went fine!!) and we bought cans of premixed ready to feed formula. that way we didn't have to worry about refrigeration or mixing anything. i don't know how much yours are drinking, but the ones we got were 8 oz, which was perfect b/c that is what they took. you would only have to take enough for the one feeding, but maybe a couple backups just in case of delays,you know? you can then just buy what you normally use when you get to hudson. (i'm in cleveland, BTW!) I think you will be surprised that they do ok. i think the loud hum of the plane helped mine to sleep, esp. at that age when they are not mobile yet.
pretty much you jsut do the best you can. if she screams, what is the worst that happens? a bunch of strangers you will never see again will shoot you dirty looks, but that's it!!!! life will go on for all involved.
the hardest part is going through security. you have to take them out of their carriers and put the carseats and stroller through the x-ray machine, plus get out your infant food for them to see. PLUS your shoes, etc. It's quite a production! anyway, good luck.

 

Since we just got back from our first vacation with the ladies I can answer your questions!!! This is from my very limited experience.. we had a 3 1/2 hour flight, but with taxi-ing and general delays it was more like 4 1/2 hours from the time we boarded to leaving the airport at our destination. That along with getting there really early (anticipating a hassle at security) made for a long day!

Here is what we did... We wore the girls in their Bjorn's. Fortunately my SIL had car seats and a stroller for us so we didn't need to bring one, but if you do, I check them with your luggage if your kiddos are comfy in carriers. This will make going thru security SO much easier. We were able to wear the girls right thru security. Make sure wear shoes that easily slip on and off since you will have to take them off and that can be tricky with a baby on board. Also, I made sure I had all the liquids (remember the regulation- I believe its no more than 3oz containers in a quart size bag), on the top of the diaper bag so I just got that baggie out while waiting in line. For the bottles DH and I really debated how to do this. If you get the premixed stuff, you will have to take that out of your bag too and have it go thru the scanner separately (but its not subject to the 3oz restriction). What I ended up doing was putting the powder in the bottles and then we bought bottled water once we got thru security and I mixed the bottles at the gate. I also bought those 'sticks' of powder that have enough for 4oz bottles and kept those in the diaper bag in case I needed to mix more bottles on board.

As for changing diapers, I'm sure it can be done but for a short flight (anything less than 5 hours is short to me), I would just change them right before boarding in the airport bathroom and then after deplaning at your destination. This is what we did. If you have to change them on board, there is a pull down changer in the bathroom.. just bring your changing pad, wipes and one diaper in with you since there isn't enough room for the diaper bag.

Our girls did great on both flights. We gave them bottles on take off and landing for the first flight and then they slept most of the time. On the return flight we were stuck on the tarmack (sp?) for awhile and Meara was a bit fussy, but not bad. She ended up falling asleep before take off so DH didn't give her the bottle (don't wake a sleeping baby!!!), and they were both asleep for landing so neither got a bottle and their ears seemed fine.

If I were you, I'd change their diapers and swaddle them right before boarding, give them a bottle during take off and they will probably sleep the whole time. If they don't, try a paci, and if that doesn't work, its only 2 hours out of your life. If they cry, they cry. They are babies and people will either understand or give you dirty looks, but who cares.

Good luck!!!!!! -Leighann

 

Our first trip with our DS was when he was just 3 months old from PA to Vegas. We used our snugli to carry him around so we had a free hand. We were on a plane with a baby changing table in the restroom, it's located above the toliet and just drops down. (Some airlines have them, others don't, the ones that don't I would take DS's changing pad and put it on the little ledge next to the sink, my foot on the closed toliet lid to add a little extra security if he rolled. For the short flights like this one is going to be for you, you could just change them right before getting on the plane and unless they have a BM, change them once you land and get out into the airport.


Formula we took 2 mixed bottles with us on his first trip, on the latest trip I took 3 mixed bottles and just used ice packs in an insulated bottle bag. They kept the whole time (from PA to CA) Other times I just had 1 premixed bottle for take off and then just had the powder formula already pre-measured in a formula dispenser. You can get water after you get through security or even once on the plane, ask for a cup of water for bottles.

Have a good trip, try not to stress that will just make it harder on you.

 

You have gotten some great advice already! Good luck and have a great time!

 

Thank you for all of the great advice and encouragement!

Many people recommended that we purchase the water after we get through the gate...is it okay if we do not use nursery water?????

Thanks!
Amy

 

i always just use filtered/bottled water when making my formula. haven't had any problems or sick kids yet!

 

you definitely don't need nursery water to make the bottles up. I use just plain old tap at home and when we traveled bottled or fountain. My son has never been sick and he is almost a year old now.

 

You have nothing to worry about. We flew from Okinawa to Tokyo to Seattle to Chicago to Washington DC in a span of 2 days with our twins when they were three months old (just three weeks ago). Here are three tips:

1. Give a pacifier (or bottle feed) during take-off and landing (especially landing) as the suckling will help negate any ear-plugging from the change in altitude.

2. Feed them before boarding. You can change them too, but prioritize feeding as you can always change them on the plane while waiting for the rest of the passengers to board (provided you get to board early). You change them in the bathrooms. They have changing tables the fold down off the wall. Try to use a handicap bathroom as you'll have a little more room. Also, bring your changing pad (or a disposable one) so that you don't lie a baby on the bare table.

3. Ours slept a lot. The vibrations and sounds helped make them sleepy. Your should too on such a short flight (we flew 16 hours or so total). So plan on a blankie for each and keep the sunshade over them to block the lights (if using infant seats for them).

You'll do just fine. Once the flight attendants see your cuties, they'll help you if they can and stick up for you if someone complains that your baby(s) is crying.

Erica

 

My oldest has done 7 transatlantics and several domestic and international flights. The twins have done 1 international flight to Jamaica (4 hours), one transatlantic (8-9 hours and 7 hours time difference) and recently to Denver (only 2 hours).

It's a pain, but doable. My kids tend to sleep very little on planes, even my twins fight sleep which makes it hard work, but I consider everything under 4 hours short and easy. It's the long haul with the time difference that makes me crazy thinking about it. But then looking back, it wasn't too bad after all. Just prepare well in advance, be flexible and accept that travelling light no longer exists.

With regards to medication; I've used Benadryl many times, but some children will get very wired, so it's not something that you should use without ever trying before. I only use it at location to battle jet lag ... in flights I don't even go there ... it's no good.