tips for flying with an infant

Nathan and I survived our first flight alone...and it was nearly two months ago?!?!  Where has the time gone?  I remember preparing myself by asking friends and others any tips they had, reading blog posts, and saying lots of prayers that things would all go smoothly.  Our trip couldn't have gone better, and I wanted to share some of my tips in hopes that they are useful to some.  

1. Pack only the essentials in your diaper bag.  

Your diaper bag is your carry on and your new "purse" so it is essential to have what you need and nothing more.  I had two extra outfits, diapers, wipes, 2-3 teething toys (which didn't end up needing), a burp cloth, a book, and my wallet.  The rest of what I would need went into my suitcase, and I purchased diapers when I got to Reno so that I did't have to waste space.  

2. Wear your baby. 

I wore Nathan in the Ergobaby the entire time.  Getting through security was a breeze and they let him stay on me while I walked through the metal detector.  Afterwards, they swabbed my hands and I was good to go.  On the plane I had a flight attendant tell me that he needed to come out of the carrier for take off and landing, but that only happened once and the rest of our flights no one mentioned anything.  By having Nathan on me, my hands were free to grab my ID and boarding pass (or money for that coffee I definitely needed).  I could also quickly soothe him if he was fussy either at the airport or on the plane.  He also slept really well in the Ergo, which is something I was nervous about because he hadn't always done this.  

3. Decide where you want your stroller. 

I had Nathan's carseat and stroller with me since we would need it once we arrived.  Friends had suggested I gate check them, so I wheeled it through security and immediately felt overwhelmed.  Luckily I was wearing Nathan but they made me detach the car seat and put it on the belt, and they took the stroller through a separate section.  Once I arrived to my gate I was stuck there because I had my stroller since they don't take it from you until you are boarding.  This is convenient if your baby uses their stroller and I can see doing this once Nathan is older and walking, but for me it was too much.  Flying back I checked it all along with my luggage and immediately felt free.  This made security a breeze, and I could easily rest at the gate without worrying where my stroller was.  Once I landed home, these pieces came out at the "oversize luggage" bin which took a little longer than regular luggage.  

4. Have a pacifier on hand at all times. 

The pacifier is our lifesaver when getting Nathan to sleep, so I made sure to clip it to the carrier for easy access.  This helped him fall asleep once we boarded the plane, and it also was essential for take off and landing.  I had heard to have them either nurse or suck on something for take off and landing. Nathan actually slept through both landings and his ears never bothered him, which was a very big blessing. 

5. Get a window seat if breastfeeding. 

I knew that I was going to need to feed Nathan at some point during the flight, so I made sure to pull my cover out and put it in the pocket in front of me for quick and easy access.  Sitting in a window seat immediately gave me a "shelf" to put my arm as well as some privacy.  Nathan eats on one side at a time, so I made sure to sit on the side he would be nursing on.  The lady next to me at first thought I was going to give him a bottle and then turned away when I replied "nope".  It was tight quarters but no one saw a thing and Nathan was happy! 

6. Use the restroom before boarding. 

Find that changing table and make sure your baby is nice and dry before stepping foot on a plane.  Trust me :) 

7. Take a deep breath and relax!  

Everyone is so friendly, and of course you may get some judgy glances that read, "Oh great, you have the baby that is going to scream the entire time".  I loved proving them wrong when Nathan didn't make a sound and many commented they had no idea there was a baby near.  

I'm still figuring out how to not pack so much for Nathan, and Daniel always has to go through my bag and weed out what we don't need.  One little trick I use is for a sound machine.  Nathan sleeps with white noise every night and our lives depend on it.  Instead of packing it (trust me, I tried) I used a clock radio next to our bed we were staying at and turned it to a static station.  The only pitfall is when it is 3am and it randomly finds a station playing Taylor Swift's "Trouble"...trust me, you will never want to hear that song again!  

Safe travels.