Flying with a 7 Month Old

Last week I had an opportunity to travel to North Carolina for a continuing education class for work.  My friend lives there (and about 15 minutes from the beach - bonus!)  We decided to make it a family trip but that Michael & Alex would come two days after Ethan & me.  When I booked the trip, Ethan hadn't started crawling yet & didn't mind sitting in your lap.  A few weeks later, he was fully mobile & wasn't a big fan of sitting still.  My anxiety about flying by myself with an infant skyrocketed.

Being the Type A planner I am, I made lots of lists, researched online & tried to think of every scenario to prepare myself.

One tip from others was to pack light.  I tried.  I put anything I didn't need while traveling in my checked luggage.  But I still had to take the umbrella stroller, Baby Bjorn, bag with diapers/toys/wallet/etc & breast pump.  An airline lost my friend's bag once when she had her breast pump in it & I didn't want to risk it.  I felt like I was weighed down with stuff but the stroller helped lug it all around. 

We didn't have any problems with our flights & Ethan did great.  Hurray!!  It helped that during our first flight, we sat next to an older woman that was smitten with Ethan & offered to help however she could.  She was already sitting when we got to our seat & when I told her we were next to her, she said, "Oh good, I was hoping to sit next to that adorable baby."  It immediately eased my anxiety. 

Here are some other things that helped during our journey:

Chewbeads

Ethan is constantly trying to chew on my necklaces & hair.  When I saw this necklace that is designed for babies to chew on, I knew it would be a winner.  He loved it & it was a perfect activity for him while sitting on my lap.  It's a pretty cute necklace, too!

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes

My friend Katie recommended this toy.  Ethan loved it & it wasn't too loud on the plane (it has two volume levels).

Yogurt Melts

Ethan seemed to like these but spit up peach colored goo on me toward the end of the flight.  I don't know if he ate too many or his stomach was upset from the flight.  He was happy while he ate them, though!

Assorted Baby Food Pouches

Ethan loves these things.  They're convenient & easy to carry.  You can carry them on even if they're more than 3 oz (but you might have to go through additional screening at security). 

Octopus Toy

Alex loved this toy when he was a baby & Ethan loves it, too.  We usually hang it from his car seat handle.  I hooked it to the diaper bag for our trip, so it was always handy when he'd get a little fussy.  Side note - I had no idea it was called Captain Calamari.  I kind of love it & plan to call it that from now on. 

Baby Bjorn

I didn't use this when Michael, Alex, Ethan & I all traveled home together because I could hand Ethan off to Michael when needed but it sure came in handy when I traveled with Ethan by myself.  I'd put him in it before boarding & when getting off the plane.  That way I was able to use both hands to fold up the stroller at the gate & put my backpack in the overhead bin.  Oh & I got a used one on eBay in great condition for a much lower price. 

Most importantly, I tried to relax & go with the flow.  I allowed plenty of time to get through security & to the gate, prepared ahead of time as much as possible & told myself I'd survive even if Ethan cried the whole time.  Luckily, he did great other than a little fussing & even slept a little on all the flights!  It helps that he's a happy baby who loves attention from his mama.  I enjoyed my time with him.  It's been awhile since I held him while he's slept!  I love those cuddles.

I'm not in any rush to fly with the kids again (it went so well - why press my luck??) but I am so thankful we were able to take this trip!