To avoid ear pain, babies should suck during takeoff and landing
In the tail of the plane, all the babies seem adorable , and you entertain yourself by making them carefree sweethearts. However, when you get close to your seat and you see again those chubby cheeks that you wanted to pinch a while ago, you tremble
Flashforward to a few years later. You still love to travel, you still flying usually, but now you are the one who leads, or the one who leads, the lovely baby . If you tremble, it is at the thought of your little one getting to scream inconsolably in the middle of the trip, and the inevitable? consequences: that everyone around you starts to glare , maybe like you did a while ago.
To avoid that bad shot and have the happiest trip possible, we talked to a traveler with a lot of experience in flying with babies, and with a pediatrician , who is also a mother.
Gone are those days when you suffered if a baby touched you nearby.
ALL BABIES CAN TRAVEL, EVEN THE LITTLE ONES
To begin with, shield yourself from comments from relatives and acquaintances, of the type: "Oh, but you're going to take it on a plane, with the small what it is". Yes, you are going to take it . And the experts support you: "Babies can travel by plane No problem, there is no medical reason that contraindicates it", explains Mª Angustias Salmerón, pediatrician at the Ruber Internacional and La Paz hospitals.
"It is important to know that each company has its particular conditions to travel with them, and that I advise that read carefully before buying the tickets, because there can be big differences. For example: if they admit that baby check suitcase or if the company provides cradle for the flight," she continues.
In this last respect, Aena indicates that babies you have the right to carry hand luggage, and she also warns that they can travel through Spanish territory without documentation, although "we must be attentive to the rules of each company, because some ask for Family Book " .
Father and son entering the hell of the plane
The only period to avoid the first 48 hours of life, So small newborns are not allowed to fly. Likewise, according to what Salmerón tells us -author, in addition, of the blog **My mother is no longer a pediatrician**-, the best thing to do is to wait for the first week of life when it comes to short trips, and even the three weeks on flights of more than nine or ten hours.
The reason for doing it this way is not focused on the baby, but on the discomfort that turbulence and landing can cause a recent mom. And as for the time that children can fly, she clarifies that There is not limit : those necessary.
After the first 48 hours, all babies can travel by plane
FIRST OF ALL, PREPARATION
"What I usually advise parents is that plan well the trip; that they always acquire cancellation insurance , because you never know with a baby. also try avoid the scales , so that the route lasts only what is necessary -the flight time- and that they avoid more than one landing and take off (which are usually the most uncomfortable them)", says Salmerón.
To overcome these two trances with the greatest possible success, the professional recommends that the little ones suck "breastfeeding, bottle or pacifier" , because in this way we will avoid being plug your ears and the consequent pain that this entails.
In addition, since the environment on board is very dry, it is necessary to keep babies well hydrated: "can be produced itchy eyes, dry nose and, in infants, increased risk of mucosal dryness, so it is important to offer breast or bottle feeding frequently. In the case of flights of more than three or four hours, the use of physiological saline in the nose and eyes (a few drops) is very useful to alleviate this dryness".
Better to avoid the scales
As for clothing, it is essential that it be "breathable and comfortable, preferably cotton" . Likewise, it is necessary to avoid that they go excessively warm . "It is preferable to take several layers to adapt to the temperature inside the plane", explains the expert.
And of course we can't forget "diapers, diaper-changing cream, wipes, food, change of clothes and paracetamol in drops just in case."
The pediatrician also tells us that we must bear in mind that the plane "is a different environment than usual, where the baby may feel uncomfortable or weird ". To mitigate this feeling and make them feel more insurance , recommend wearing in arms or use a ergonomic baby carrier , "especially useful when traveling alone", as it leaves our hands free.
From the age of three months, it is also convenient to carry some toy to entertain them. Yes indeed, no screens , because, according to Salmerón, "its use in children under three years of age is harmful, so it is not advisable to use them even on a flight".
The screens, prohibited
EXPERT TRICKS
Corinne McDermott, author of the family travel blog Have Baby Will Travel , begins by making something very clear: how much More smalls be the babies, more calm will be the trip. Since newborns barely move and they sleep a lot, the mother considers that it is relatively easy to fly with them.
Of the three to six months the greatest fear she had when traveling with her children was that they would not adapt to change, since they had a routine very consistent. However, she assures that they never had any problems.
Don't panic: they will adapt to change
As for the toys to wear to entertain them, she notes, "During this stage, they are just as happy playing with the seat belt than with anything you bring for them.
Of the six to twelve months , Corinne advises bringing several servings of solid food and snacks that they especially like ("I'm talking about food that your children only enjoy during the holidays or on special occasions; after all, Aren't the holidays a special occasion? ") .
At this stage, moreover, she does consider it important to carry his toys favorites for them to have fun, as well as trying to match the flight schedule with the NAP of the baby or with the time frame of the day in which she is usually happier.
Between the ages of one and three, things get complicated, in her opinion, because babies begin to move more. During this period, the mother considers it useful to read to the children travel books , so that they become familiar with the flight and with the behaviour that she "expected" them during it.
On the other hand, despite advice from experts, Corinne use the iPad or the inflight entertainment service to keep your children quiet During flight. Mind you, she tries to do it like last resource her, although she confesses that there have been times when using them from the first moment she has avoided some other huff from the age of two.
Reading stories about travel could be a good idea
BUT... WHAT IF NONE OF THAT WORKS?
You've brought more than one change of clothes (Corinne says one is never enough), lots of diapers, toys, food and, finally, everything you have thought of that your little one may need. However, it does not stop twist and shout, and you feel that the whole passage is looking at you. To do?
"As a parent flying with a baby, you need to be prepared. Usually you can guess why your baby is crying; maybe he's tired, he's hungry, he needs a diaper change... If you've taken all of those things into account and he's still upset, he may be suffering ; don't be afraid to use baby pain relievers if you suspect that his ears hurt. But even if you can't determine the source of the crying, try to comfort him it's all he can do," the mom tells us.
Although we know, rationally, that this is all that can be done, there are those who have very bad at times like this, because she feels that she is bothering to the rest of the passengers -something that is aggravated with certain disapproving glances -. Is there a noise limit a baby can make before they they scold us ?
To Bub and Megan's mom, no "I think it's very unfair that a father has to worry not only about the comfort of his children, but also by that of the rest of the adults in the passage. People who are "annoyed" by the noise of a baby they need to mature . Imagine how different the flight experience would be if a passenger try to help to an exhausted father, instead of shooting glances or hiss ".
What if we lent a hand to parents with babies instead of looking down on them?
She, however, considers herself lucky, Well, she has not had to endure many of these behaviors, since she assures that her babies do not usually cause "problems" during flights. In fact, she claims that both Europe as in Latin America, companies and passengers seem to understand much better than "children are children".
"In North America, there is a misconception that the little ones have to behave perfectly in public, to the point of not taking them out of the house in case they don't. Babies are people too! exclaims the traveler.
Perhaps that is why one of the airlines that has dealt with this matter is American. JetBlue, a low-cost company, launched an ad in 2016 in which they film a royal flight with four little ones among the passengers.
Before taking off, from the loudspeaker, you hear: "We know that when we travel with babies and they cry on the plane, it can be a tough time for all. But this will be the first flight in which l cry babies will be a good thing : Every time one of them cries during the trip, they will all receive a 25% discount on your next ticket; in other words, four cries are equal to a free flight ". The slogan of the campaign?: "We give you a reason to smile every time a baby cries.