Flying from Delhi to Portland (Maine) with 2 stopovers- Delhi->Amsterdam (~8 hrs flight, 3 hours stop at Amsterdam) Amsterdam to Detroit (~9 hrs flight, 2 hours stop at Detroit) Detroit to Portland (ME) (2.5 hrs flight) Pls advise how to protect baby's ears. Any other imp things to take care of?
Air Travel - 3 Answers
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1 :
i was just on a flight with my 4 month old to detroit from italy, her ears didn't bother her, but if you're worried have her suck on a pacifier or feed her during take off and landing.
2 :
Your baby will actually naturally protect their ears better than you. When my kid was a baby she travelled all over the world and took it better than me. I would have a bottle prepared to give her during the climb to cruise and the descent as swallowing helps the transition to and from pressurization. Talk to your pediatrician about getting some children's benadryl and see how much is safe for your baby to take. This will help keep your baby from becoming congested and will assist him/her in sleeping on the plane.
3 :
I'm a former Flight Attendant and I fly a lot now with my three children. All of mine flew internationally for the first time at 4 months old. It's a great age. You don't have to bring any messy food, he doesn't crawl yet and best of all, he wont ask how much time is left! Actually, ear problems with babies on flights is rare. You read flying tips to say to give the baby something to drink or to suck on for take-off and landing. This is actually a myth. The baby's ears have MUCH more time than that to adjust. If your baby is sleeping or doesn't want to drink during those times, please don't force or wake him. By contrast, if your little one has an ear infection or other blockage, NO amount of sucking or swallowing will relieve that pain. The best way to make sure is to visit the doctor a few days before flying. If your child's ears are healthy and infection-free, he should have no problem with the pressurization. Doctors do recommend to have a baby awake at the *top* of descent (not landing which is too late). http://www.aap.org/patiented/flyingbaby.htm http://www.entcda.com/AAOHNSF/earsandaltitude.htm The safest way, or actually the ONLY safe way to fly with a baby is to have him in his own seat and attached with a car seat. Car seat rules vary from country to country so check your airline's website for more information. Here is the FAA page on the subject (pertains to all U.S. companies); http://www.faa.gov/passengers/fly_children/crs/ Just some other tips on flying; -Be sure to have a good baby carrier. Front packs like the Bjorn are uncomfortable but hopefully you already have a sling, wrap or pouch. These are best for this age. -For a formula fed baby, I really recommend using the bottles with plastic liners. Traditional bottles are too difficult to wash onboard because of the kind of sinks on airplanes. I premeasured the powder and rolled them up, placing the rolls in a ziplock bag. Then I threw the liners away as I used them and only had the ring and nipple to clean. -Be sure your baby does not need the bottle warmed. Get him used to a room-temperature bottle before leaving. This is unnecessary health-wise and a real pain to do while travelling. I warmed many bottles on my flights but I wasn't there in the check-in line, the security line or the waiting area! Babies do great with room-temperature bottles. -Bulkhead seats, the ones with the wall in front, are best for children. If you don't have a seat for your baby, sometimes there are wall-mounted bassinets. These are no replacement as far as safety is concerned for a car seat but convenient if available. -Bring 1/3 more of everything your baby needs in this time frame. They go through more diapers when traveling. For more information, nine years ago I wrote an article on this subject. It's based on both my personal and professional experience of flying with kids. It's totally non-commercial and other parents from around the world have contributed; http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com An edited version appeared on the Expat Women website in December; http://www.expatwomen.com/mothers/flying_with_children.php You have a very tight connection in Detroit. Two hours to get through customs and immigration is not very much time. Hopefully your Amsterdam flight will come in early so good luck with that! Have a good flight!
