Traveling with an Infant? Here’s How to Keep Them Comfortable on a Flight
Traveling with an infant, especially for the first time around, may feel like treading into unknown territory. The best chance you have is to make all necessary arrangements beforehand. The first flight with your infant should ideally be with friends or family or even both. Some airlines provide flight group bookings where additional members can be added as close as a week before the departure date! You may wish to consider these group bookings for flexibility. Here are some more steps to undertake.
Flying with your Baby: Things to Keep in Mind
Pack Right: A child will become more irritable if he or she is uncomfortable or hungry. Carry ample baby food in your cabin baggage. Also keep extra diapers, wet wipes, at least 3 sets of dry clothes, utensils for preparing baby food, warm water flasks, and medicines handy with you. Preparing a separate cabin bag for your child is best. That way, you have a one-stop solution for all your infant-related needs. Check with your airline for special luggage allowances. Some airlines allow you up to 7kgs of extra cabin baggage free of cost so that you can carry everything you need. Ask airline staff for assistance while nappy changing. Some airlines provide tabletop attachments in the lavatory for this purpose.
Book Seats Early: Book your seats, early so that you can choose ones with extra legroom. You can opt for the front row for more leg space and easy access to the lavatory. Exit door seats also provide more legroom but are not advisable when traveling with an infant. You would also want your friends or family members to sit together so that you can reach out for help if needed.
Focus on Take-off and Landing: Your airline will provide you with a special extended seat belt for securing your infant during take-off and landing. Also, feeding your child during these times will help in adjusting to altitude and managing ear pressure pains. Sucking onto a feeding bottle or breastfeeding is ideal for soothing ear pains on the flight. For older infants, a lolly or a Popsicle is also a good idea.
Naptime is best for Long Hauls: If it is a long-haul flight, consider flying during nap time. Since your child would be habituated to sleep during that time, they will easily dose off on the flight. You can make them comfortable with a cap to cover the ears and a small blanket for snuggling in. Some airlines will offer infant blankets on board. You can check with yours. It is an ideal situation since you and your child can rest for most of the journey.
When you make your flight booking, check with your airline for rules and regulations to be followed. Airlines may require you to get in touch with customer care for a medical certificate if your infant is less than 7 days old. An identification certificate will be needed for infants above 7 days old. You will need to carry a copy of the birth certificate as proof. Keep all documents handy for checking at the airport.