Flying with an infant in plane

[reemasams]

I am wondering about flying with a one-month old infant for a four-hour trip in a small private plane. The smallness of the plane seems to be better than commercial in terms of less germs abound, but I am also concerned with the noise and turbulence and lack of pressurized air. Any guidance? Would it be better to go commercial?

[staceychev]

Personally, I would selfishly go commercial because small private planes make my motion-sick tendencies kick on high gear. Also, you can't get up and walk around as easily (if it's the "small private plan" type I'm thinking of). We took DD on two four hour trips (so I guess that's 4 actual flights) in her first year on commercial airlines--one when she was 3 months and one when she was 6 months. She did great for both.

[sarahtdubb]

Originally Posted by staceychev

Also, you can't get up and walk around as easily (if it's the "small private plan" type I'm thinking of).

That would be my concern. As an infant, my babe needed to be up and walking around, we could NOT survive a 4 hour plane ride if we couldn't stand up and walk around. you probably know if your baby could be sitting for that long!

[meemee]

you know its really hard to say - because here personality matters.

i have been travelling with my dd since she was 2 weeks old. short flights, long ones, as an newborn, infant, toddler, older - and its her personality that makes her an awesome traveller. i have never had a hard time with her. before walking as long as she had my boob she was fine. after that if she had willing strangers to talk to she was fine. well she has had access to both so she has always travelled well.

as an infant she nursed most of the time - even on 13 hour flights. i did hand her off to the flight attendant when i had to go to the bathroom because even today seh does not like the sound of the flush (even at 7 its hurtful to her ears). sometimes she cried because she didnt want to be handed over. but i would do it for just a second while i flushed.

the key is nursing or pacifier while take off or landing. v. important for the pressure in the ears. again if you travel frequently your kid will figure this out. i didnt have to focus on this after dd was 6 months old. she either yawned or nursed.

there are certian sounds my dd didnt like and its high pitched ones that got her. the others - constant drone in the plane was no big deal.

however if there is something your child does not like, there is nothing really you can do about it. you just have to put up with the crying i have heard other babies do on flight.

make sure you have enough cchanges of clothes and diapers.

[ithappened]

I'm curious as well since we're planning on visiting my parents which is about a 15 hour flight (not counting layovers) when DS is around 5/6 months old.

[Biscuits & Gravy]

I flew w/ DS when he was 6 weeks old. It was not a small private plane, but it was a small commercial plane. He nursed on take-off and landing, and slept while we were in the air. As far as the noise goes, the plane was basically a giant white noise machine. It was really not bad at all.

[Shana R]

Last weekend I flew with my 8 week old son to Canada and back. All four flights were in small commercial planes and he did fine with them. I nursed him on take-off and landing and he had no problems with the pressure. He was very quiet and peaceful for the flights but I can't say the same for our layover on the way up to Canada. We missed our connection because the first flight was delayed. I was stressed and hurrying around and I am sure he picked up on my stress so he cried more than normal, but as soon as we were on the plane we settled peacefully into our seat. I even had to wake him to nurse! The noise and turbulence were not a problem for him. Might be different in a small plane, though.