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Flying with a sling

post #1 of 33
1/2/08 at 11:52pm
Thread Starter 
Does anyone know about flying with your baby in a sling. We are going to Florida at the end of January (tagging along on a business trip with dh) and our youngest will be 7 months old. I planned on using our New Native sling because it is the easiest to nurse him in and switch sides and positions. He also sleeps in that one the best. What's the deal about not wearing the baby during take off and landing but ok during cruising.

Any advice or info would be great! Thanks!

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post #2 of 33
1/3/08 at 12:44am
If you actually bought a seat for the infant for his car seat to go in, then he has to be strapped in. But if he is sharing the seat with you, technically, the flight attendent wants the baby out of the sling. I asked why once and she said because they wouldn't want me to squish her during a crash. And I said as opposed to baby flying through the plane cabin?? : Anyway, it is kind of luck of the draw. Sometimes I'm asked to take baby out of the sling and sometimes I'm not. I've noticed that the attendents tend to look the other way if you are already nursing when they do their final walk through before take-off. Good luck!!
post #3 of 33
1/3/08 at 2:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdInAZ View Post
If you actually bought a seat for the infant for his car seat to go in, then he has to be strapped in. But if he is sharing the seat with you, technically, the flight attendent wants the baby out of the sling. I asked why once and she said because they wouldn't want me to squish her during a crash. And I said as opposed to baby flying through the plane cabin?? : Anyway, it is kind of luck of the draw. Sometimes I'm asked to take baby out of the sling and sometimes I'm not. I've noticed that the attendents tend to look the other way if you are already nursing when they do their final walk through before take-off. Good luck!!
YEAH- what was that movie with J-lo and baby bubble who died in the crash.

I've always thought it was very flawed logic that forced me to remove the baby from the sling. I always throw a blanket over the baby, so it looks like she's nursing so they don't bother me about taking her out.

When DD#3 was 4 mos old she nursed/slept through a 6 hour flight. The people in the seats around us were so surprised that there was a baby right by them and they didn't even know. Thanks, Mayan sling makers.
post #4 of 33
1/3/08 at 3:04am
Your baby is definitely safer in a car seat on the plane. Why are infants the only things on the plane that don't have to be safely secured? People must be buckled and luggage has to be stowed, but babies aren't worth protecting? I don't think so!

Anyway, I loved my sling for getting through the airport (you almost always have to remove the baby when you go through security). I put the car seat on a 2-wheeled luggage cart, strapped the carry-ons on top, and wheeled the whole shebang through the airport with one hand. With the baby in the sling, I still had one hand free for doors, paperwork, etc. It worked GREAT.
post #5 of 33
1/3/08 at 5:37am
My experience flying across Canada on Air Canada was that they made me take my ds out of the ring sling and stow the sling with the carry-on baggage. I wasn't allowed to have him in it at all during the flight. :

A friend, who travelled with a different Canadian airline (Westjet) was allowed to have her lo in the pouch sling the entire time, takeoff, landing and everything in between.

Guess who I'll be flying with next time.

Oh, and if you weren't aware, you generally have to take baby out of the sling to go through security. Everyone I've talked to had that experience, regardless of whether there were metal rings involved or not.

HTH
post #6 of 33
1/3/08 at 6:01am
I think it mostly depends who you fly with... in Aug I flew from UT to Alaska (3 flights) on Alaska/Horizon Air, and nobody had any problems with my wearing my 7mo through security, in the plane, etc. Just last month I flew with him again (now 11mo) again on Alaska, and again, no issues... I had heard that they would want me to take off baby and sling to go through security, so I had done that (metal rings on my sling--sent it through the x-ray machine in the bin along with coats and shoes etc). But in the plane, yeah, I don't have the money to buy a ticket for an infant that can go on my lap... and I figure if he's on my lap, he's safer in the sling than out of it! I didn't get harrassed by ANY flight attendants or anybody. One stewardess saw me nursing as we were taking off (we were back row on a little plane, so she was actually sitting almost exactly next to me) and she commented that lots of moms nurse during takeoff/landing, because it's a good way to help the baby's ears adjust to the altitude changes...I hadn't thought about that, but since then I always try tog et him to nurse when we're taking off or landing. :-)
So, yeah, I've heard horror stories about having to pass the baby through security separately from you (ie, can't carry them through, have to hand him/her through to another person) and stuff like that. I have gone through security at three airports now though--Juneau is super easy going, Seattle is super paranoid, and Salt Lake is somewhere in the middle...I went into it figuring I would just do whatever they asked, but I didnt have any troubles at all.
post #7 of 33
1/3/08 at 12:58pm
I flew over Christmas with dd, but didn't try to keep her in the wrap during the flight because she wanted wiggle room. Wearing her through security didn't cause any problems, but I was traveling alone through small airports with lots of baggage and an otherwise mobile child-- the security people took pity on me.
post #8 of 33
1/3/08 at 3:16pm
We flew on a red-eye from CA to OH and I had DS in the mei-tai so we could both get some sleep. I undid the mei-tai for take off, as I had heard that you weren't supposed to have them in there for it, but then tied it back up once we were in the air. I did throw a blanket over us though. I have to agree that on our other flights when DS was nursing and they came through the cabin they seemed to glance by us quickly.

I don't know about security, because we just carried him until we were past it so we didn't have to worry about it.
post #9 of 33
1/3/08 at 4:46pm
I don't think you're "suppose to" have a baby strapped onto you during takeoff and landing. But once a blanket is over you as if you're nursing, no one seems to want to bother you.
post #10 of 33
1/3/08 at 5:30pm
The thing is with wearing them during takeoff and landing, if something happens, they basically become your airbag. I'll look it up, but I know I read somewhere that your baby was safer flying through the air and landing on the floor than having your bodyweight slam into them. Hmm...maybe someone who frequents TBW could find it?

I traveled every month with my children until just recently and the sling was a lifesaver. A total life saver - I couldn't have done it without it. The NN is a good idea b/c sometimes they'll let you leave them on through security and since it has no metal, you're good to go. I always used a ring sling and had to take it off, but it's not too much of a hassle to put back on.
post #11 of 33
1/3/08 at 6:21pm
It's definitely a great idea to bring a carrier, no matter what they make you do w/r/t security and take-off/landing. My add'l .02 is to wear slip-on shoes that are easy on easy off, so that you don't have to put the baby down to get your shoes on and off through security.
post #12 of 33
1/5/08 at 3:06pm
Quirky, thanks for the shoe tip, we are flying in a week or two, never even thought about that. I'm going to put easy off/on shoes on my son too!! I hate taking off my shoes. . . it is so annoying.
post #13 of 33
1/6/08 at 1:24am
No one told me to take my baby out of the sling when I flew with him at two months. he was in the New Native as well. i didn't even have to remove the sling for security (although they wiped me down for "explosive residue" *sigh) Maybe the policy depends on the airline but no one said anything to me at all except, "aww, how cute, you wouldn't even have known he was here!"
post #14 of 33
1/7/08 at 2:51am
It's FAA policy, though enforcement depends totally on the flight attendants on your flight. Regardless, the sling is not going to keep your baby safe in the event of a crash (yes, most plane crashes *are* survivable!) or turbulence. Only an FAA approved car seat will do that.
post #15 of 33
1/18/08 at 3:14am
i've taken dd on 2 trips (6 flights) with ring sling and have never been asked to take her out. except through the metal detector.
post #16 of 33
1/18/08 at 11:54am
We did six flights over christmas. Two international and four domestic. I had two plastic rings and made myself a 'no sew' sling. In almost all cases the security asked me to take her out. I replied with "there's no metal at all, you're welcome to pat me down and she's asleep right now." In all cases they just let me walk through, ran a hand over the sling and let me on my way.

I also wore strapless mules so that it was real easy to take my shoes on and off. All said and done I made it through security easier than my husband with a computer and tied shoes.

Oh if you bring a bottle with you (i had my pump and empty bottle in my carry on) make sure you put it seperate on the xray belt.

If you get to the airport early (it's first come first serve) ask at check in for the bulk head and a basinette. You cant use it during take off or landing but its nice during the flight.

-luv
post #17 of 33
1/18/08 at 11:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdInAZ View Post
If you actually bought a seat for the infant for his car seat to go in, then he has to be strapped in.
We had purchased a seat for babe for four of the six flights. In all four cases she nursed for take off and landing and was never required to be in her carseat. This was American Airlines.
post #18 of 33
1/19/08 at 4:49pm
Personally I wouldn't want to squish my baby to death in a sling so regardless of whether they tell me to or not my baby is going to be out of the sling for take off and landing. That would be like sharing a seatbelt with your baby, not a good idea. The best, of course, would be for them to be in their carseat the whole flight just as they would be in a car. There's always a chance of turbulance during the flight as well.
post #19 of 33
1/21/08 at 8:25pm
I've seen a woman wearing there child with what looked like an airline approved thing. It was like a harness for the baby and then a strap that looped around the mom's belt. If they allow that then why wouldn't they allow a sling. Like you ladies said, it must depend on the flight attendance.
post #20 of 33
1/22/08 at 1:25am
That's the Baby B'air, and it's NOT approved for take off and landing.
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