We can all agree that travelling/traveling with a little one can be challenging. Before we see the 10 ways to keep your baby from crying on a plane, let me just remind you that you are doing a good job with your kid and no matter how the journey turns out, IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT.
I had such a smooth sailing with my first son who is almost 5yrs now. He is the best kid to travel with. He loves the trips and never watches anything while cruising on air. I have taken more than 20 flights with him and not just short flights around Europe. He prefers window seats cause he loves the takeoffs and landings.
My “stressed travel parent mode” checked in when I did my first trip with my now one year old son. He is the worst kid you could travel with. On our first flight, he cried for everything, was uncomfortable with the aircraft, needed changing way too many times and wanted to grab each passenger. I almost pulled my hair out on our 9hours journey that turned into 24hrs because of some delay.
From this first experience, I had to come up with ways to keep my son from crying on the rest of the flights.
- Do you remember how you get a temporary ear block due to the pressure change during takeoff and landing? Well, this is one of the reasons why your little one will scream. To avoid this, Please use a pacifier, bottle feed, or breast feed the baby during take off and landing. The sucking action can neutralize ear pressure and calm.
- If your little one has a congestion or is bothered by ear pain, you need to see a pedeatrician a day before you fly. The paediatrician might give you some medication like Ibuprofen.
- Get 3-4 completely new toys that he/she will discover during the flight. The excitement of opening a new toy after every few minutes during the flight will buy you some time.
- Walk, Walk, Walk. Take a few strolls up and down the aisle with the baby. This will calm them for sure and it’s a good way to get your blood flowing on a long flight.
- Check the diaper frequently and don’t let them get any diaper rash. This is one of the reasons the Little one would be irritated, Get ahead by making sure he/she doesn’t get a diaper rash.
- Relax – Yes I said it! Relax because your baby can feel your stress and is feeding off you. It might sound crazy and unrealistic for me to tell you to relax when your baby is annoying everyone on the plain for hours. The truth is that most people on that plane are parents and they can see that you’ve tried your best. Just calm yourself down, hold your baby as gentle as possible and let the baby cry after everything you’ve tried has failed. The baby will feel your calmness in his/her distressed moment and will eventually calm down. I went to the back of the aircraft where the engine is loud so not many people could hear my boy screaming.
- Please carry enough food for the baby. Baby food is allowed on board by any airline. You can carry as much baby food and drinks as you need. All they might need to do at the security check point is a quick test to see if it’s really baby food. Carry any food you think your baby likes. I once made Ugali and stew for my older boy cause that’s his favourite meal.
- Planes can get cold sometimes. Carry extra layers of clothes just in case you’ll be in one of those cold planes.
- If your child is old enough to understand any sort of TV show or music, bring an electronic distraction and remember to fully charge it.
- In some airports, you will find kids play area. Try not to sit at a boring place waiting for your flight time. If your child is awake during the waiting period, find out where the kids play area is and let your little one enjoy.
Have a lovely flight MAMA/PAPA you’re a Star.
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Thank you so much for this info momma..I am already stressed for my flight tomorrow with my 14month,last time we travelled he was 4 months ,long flight and he did so well,hoping for the best this time round now that he knows how to say No!!🙆..Any idea if they allow formula?the tins are so big or do i need to carry a small batch of the formula..
They allow a whole tin if you want to carry. All the best fellow mum and let me know how it turns out.