Traveling with a 3 mo old
Moms View Message Board: Parenting Discussion: Archive July-December 2004:
Traveling with a 3 mo old
I'm new to the board, so I apologize if this has been an old topic...
My husband and I are traveling (by plane) on 2 long flights and was wondering if there are any "seasoned veterans" on flying with a 3 mo old. Do we bring out carseat on the plane? We have a Bjorn...just not sure on the logistics and what works easiest for both parent and child. We have to bring our carseat anyway (as of now) and didn't know if we could check it in, etc. Need real life answers from real life moms! :-)
You should check the carseat, and carry your baby on the plane, it is SOOOO much easier! Also, make sure you have something for her to suck on, if she doesn't use a pacifier, make a bottle before hand, or nurse him/her during takeoff and landing so her ears will pop. She may just sleep right through it all. I've flown a total of 5 times with my DD in the last year, and she's done beautifully! if you take the careseat on board with you you'll have to buy an extra ticket for her. Just call the airlines and tell them you have a "lapbaby." That does have to be on the ticket. HTH
Thanks a bunch!
no problem! Have fun on your trip 
I disagree and think you should buy her a seat and use the carseat. Her safety is way more important than the extra expense of the ticket. Take off and landing are dangerous and she needs to be restrained. You could experience turbulance and she could go flying out of your arms. In the event of a crash you are instructed to put your lapbaby on the FLOOR. If you try and hold her she will most likely go flying from your arms with the force and not only is she in great danger then, but so are the other passengers as she becomes a human projectile. She could also become a human airbag for you if you manage to hold onto her.
Sure, it's not fun lugging all that stuff on, but it's the only way to do it and be as safe as possible. You would never ever get over the guilt if you didn't buy her a seat and something happened to her as a result. Her life is worth even the most expensive ticket. (Also, some babies find it comforting to be in their familiar seat and she might sleep the whole flight for you ensconced in her nice, safe, little seat)
I agree that buying the extra ticket and having the baby in a car seat is much easier and safer. If these are long flights as you have stated, the baby and you will both be more comfortable with your own seats. The safety factor alone always made us get her a ticket, but comfort is much better for both also.
I must not have read the long flight part, mine were only 5 hours, since it's a long flight I'd get her a carseat and have her fly that way. A lot of the times if you're flying internationally then they'll let your little one fly free anyway.
Flying with a carseat is not going to make the baby any safer in the event of a crash. Think about it ... This is not a car on the road, but a plane in the air! The baby will be just fine resting on Mama - especially if she's used to being held and snuggled in a Bjorn.
Save the money, the aggravation and the physical stress and just take her in her Bjorn.
Ame
I agree that in a full out crash that a car seat wouldn't help at all, but in the event of turbulance or a emergency landing, the car seat would be the safest thing for the baby. If you want to take the safety out of it completely than on comfort alone I would take the seat.
As already said above, for the sake of safety and comfort, bring the seat.
Personally I would get a seat too, if finances allowed. The reason is potty breaks, at that age she will likely sleep most of the time, if you need to get up and go potty wouldn't you rather leave her undisturbed instead of trying to pass her to daddy? Also I just like my hand free, the seats are tight anyway, this will give you a little extra space too!
I would also take a carseat for you baby. We traveled with my youngest ds when he was just 2 weeks old. I made the mistake of not bringing one and using his Bjorn. They actually made me take ds out of the Bjorn when we took off and landed. The flight attendant said they were not FFA regulated and I could only use it in the air. Also, like others mentioned above, it is much safer to have your child in a carseat. You can always take him/her out and snuggle if you need too. After that first flight, I always used a carseat when my dks were small.
I had to fly with the twins when they were just over a year old. I couldn't afford 2 extra seats, and head to fly from Austin to Philadelphia for a funeral. I bought a seat for one, checked the other carseat, and held the other. It was NOT easy, The flights were packed, and we were all very uncomfortable. Granted my kids were older, and more squirmy, but still not a great experience for any of us!!
I would take the seat. It is safest to have the baby in a carseat during take-off and landing and during turbulance. I did a lot of research on this prior to flying with a 15 month old and a 3yr. old a few years ago. Plus, I would rather have the carseat with me instead of having it go with the checked luggage-they are pretty tough on luggage and I would hate for something to happen to my carseat. A lot of airlines offer 1/2 price seats to children under 2 so I would check into that. They don't post these fares online-you will have to call the airline directly.
I've flown with my son when he was 10 days old, 11 months and 20 months and I never brought a carseat. If you do bring one make sure it will fit in the airplace seat. I think the tag will say if it fits or is FAA approved or whatever.
When my son was 20 months old we were going to Italy, Crotia and Bosnia and carseats were not typically used in the cars and buses and taxis over there (no seatbelts) and lugging around a car seat that I could never use would have put me over the luggage allowance. He had his own seat on the plane for the NY-Rome flight, but no carseat.
If you have to assume the crash landing position in the plane you will be required to lay your baby on the ground at your feet (with your head between your knees) and many people argue this isn't remotely safe bec the baby can slide away from you. I don't know what you do with a baby in a car seat during a crash landing position.
It's your call on the car seat. I would feed the baby during takeoff and landing to help the ear pressure thing. Course, this is easier if baby is not in the carseat and you're just holding him/her.
I flew with my daughter at 3 months old and it was actually easier at this age, then when she was a toddler. She required breastmilk and a few toys. I brought her carseat but she was in my lap most of the flight. I fed her on the way up and on the way down and she did fine.
Late chiming in because I was away on vacation. As a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician I have to add my two cents.
Buy your baby a ticket and have her ride in her car seat. She WILL be safest that way.
More info:
Airline Travel and Child Safety
Last month I traveled with my 3 year old. It's not the same as a baby but just wanted to let you know that you can check your car sear as luggage. They put it in a clear bag, it's great for when you get there and need one. I would just keep the baby on your lap. Good Luck!
I don't recommend checking car seats in as luggage. Most importantly because children are safer flying IN them but also because I've read horror stories of car seats being damaged during transit as cargo.
Taken from CPSafety.com
Airline Travel and Child Safety
Proper use of an approved child restraint system (CRS) on an aircraft enhances child safety in the event of turbulence or an accident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommends that all children who fly, regardless of their age, use the appropriate restraint based on their size and weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I buy a separate seat for my child when he can fly on my lap for free?:
- Safety: Turbulence, sudden stops and emergency landings present a huge risk to the lap child. First, in severe turbulence, it is unlikely that the parent would be able to hold on to their child. It is very likely that the child would be tossed around the passenger cabin and sustain serious injuries or even be killed. Second, in emergency landings, parents of lap children are instructed to wrap their child in blankets and place the child at their feet. Children have died in survivable landings when they were thrown through the cabin. Unrestrained children also pose a hazard to other passengers - when a 20 lb child is thrown through the cabin in an accident, he would have a force of 1000 lbs (at only 50 mph, much more at higher speeds) when striking another person or object. Third, parents who are able to hold on to their children in a sudden stop or collision will very likely end up using that child as a "human air bag". Children have actually been "crushed to death" by the parent on whose lap they were sitting.
From the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement on Restraint Use on Aircraft: "Occupant protection policies for children younger than 2 years on aircraft are inconsistent with all other national policies on safe transportation. Children younger than 2 years are not required to be restrained or secured on aircraft during takeoff, landing, and conditions of turbulence. They are permitted to be held on the lap of an adult. Preventable injuries and deaths have occurred in children younger than 2 years who were unrestrained in
aircraft during survivable crashes and conditions of turbulence. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a mandatory federal requirement for restraint use for children on aircraft. The Academy further recommends that parents ensure that a seat is available for all children during aircraft transport and follow current recommendations for restraint use for all children. Physicians play a significant role in counseling families, advocating for public policy mandates, and encouraging technologic research that will improve protection of children in aircraft."
- Convenience: Your child should be used to sitting in their car seat every time they are in the car. An airplane ride should be no different. It may even be easier. A lap child will not understand the need to stay in your lap and may want to get down and run around the passenger cabin. Not only does this pose a risk to your child, but it can be a hazard to other passengers and flight attendants who need to go down the narrow aisle. While it will be difficult to hang on to a child who is squirmy and cranky in your lap, it may be very easy to entertain a child in their comfortable, familiar car seat. Many children also fall asleep in their car seat, making the trip more pleasant for parents and passengers alike.
- Child Safety Seat Issues: The best way to get a child to happily use a car seat is to use it all the time, every time. Make no exceptions. If the child isn't buckled in, the car doesn't go. Using a car seat on an airplane only serves to reinforce the "no exceptions" policy. And since a child who has used a car seat all the time, every time, since day one is used to being in it, they won't notice any difference on an airplane (and may travel better than a baby who's suddenly forced to stay on your lap).
More info: Air Travel and Child Safety
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FAA Child Passenger Guidelines
Tips for Safe Air Travel with Children
Proper use of an approved child restraint system (CRS) on an aircraft enhances child safety in the event of turbulence or an accident. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommends that all children who fly, regardless of their age, use the appropriate restraint based on their size and weight.
Before You Fly:
Ensure that your CRS has received FAA approval. Check for a label reading, "This restraint is certified for use in motor vehicles and aircraft."
Check the width of your CRS. While airline seats vary in width, a CRS no wider than 16" should fit in most coach seats. Even if the armrests are moved out of the way, a CRS wider than 16" is unlikely to fit properly into the frame of the aircraft seat.
Ask the airline if they offer a discounted fare for a child traveling in a CRS. Purchasing an airline ticket (discounted or full fare) for your child is the only way to guarantee that you will be able to use a CRS.
Check with the airline to determine their busiest days and times. By avoiding these times, you are more likely to be on a flight with an empty seat next to you. In many cases, airlines will allow you to seat your child under two years of age in your CRS in the empty airplane seat without having to pay the airline fare for the child. Be sure to ask your airline for its policy regarding an empty seat.
If you purchase a ticket for your child, reserve adjoining seats. A CRS must be placed in a window seat so it will not block the escape path in an emergency. A CRS may not be placed in an exit row.
If you need to change planes to make a connecting flight, it can be very challenging to transport a CRS, a child, and luggage through a busy airport. Most airlines will help parents make the connection if they can arrange for assistance in advance.
Choosing The Correct CRS:
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding use of the CRS. Do not place a child in a CRS designed for a smaller child. Be sure that shoulder straps come out of the CRS seat back above the child's shoulders. Fasten the aircraft seat belt around the CRS as tightly as possible.
The FAA recommends that a child weighing:
under 20 pounds be placed in a rear-facing CRS.
from 20 to 40 pounds use a forward- facing child restraint. Although the safety technology of forward-facing child restraint systems in aircraft is still developing, cur-rent restraints offer dramatic improvements in protection compared to lap-held or unrestrained children.
over 40 pounds may safely use an aircraft seat belt.
Reminders:
Use an approved CRS when traveling to and from the airport, and when you arrive at your destination.
The safest place for a child on an airplane is in an apporved CRS based on the child's weight. While booster seats and harness vests enhance safety in automobiles, they are banned for use during taxi, take-off and landing. Although they are permissible for use during the cruise portion of flight, they do not afford the same level of protection as a hard-shell CRS.
In the United States, supplemental lap restraints, "belly belts," are banned from use in both automobiles and aircraft.
Trina
Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician
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