The first time I flew with my baby, her butt exploded as we were landing. I was sitting with my totally happy 8-month-old on my lap when the stranger next to me removed an earbud and pointed at the baby: “She’s got a, a…” She didn’t finish her sentence because there were no words.
“Something about the altitude with babies and even older kids and toddlers, they just explode when they’re in the air and blowouts happen,” says Jenya Love, a newborn care consultant at Harmony Baby Concierge in Dallas and mom in Oak Lawn. And this is just one of the reasons that traveling with babies is challenging.
From feeding to changing to lugging everything you need around, flying with a little can be arduous as best. But being prepared and knowing what to expect—and your rights—can make flying with your baby easier. Here are our top tips and insights to get you in the air with as little turbulence as possible.
Remember, you have a right to be there as much as anyone else, and so does your baby.
Flying with Baby Basics
You won’t need an ID for babies traveling domestically, but any person—even a baby—traveling internationally will need a passport.
Families traveling together will need to pay extra to choose seats if they want to sit together on most airlines, and there’s no exception for young kids. But that’s slowly changing. See the Department of Transportation’s new Airline Family Seating Dashboard for details on which airlines do or don’t guarantee adjacent family seating for kids 13 and younger at no extra cost. So far, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines and JetBlue, which all fly out of DFW International Airport, have stepped up to the plate.
You want to avoid putting babies in aisle seats due to the risks during in-flight drink service. Besides the tight squeeze down the aisle, flight attendants are also handling hot liquids in an unpredictable environment.
If the airline offers it, you may want to take advantage of family boarding, or pre-boarding, which allows families with strollers, car seats or children under a certain age to board before other passengers. But keep in mind, this could mean extra time on the plane with nowhere to go. For this reason, Fort Worth mom of two Kandi Patterson says she never boards early with a baby: “I would rather wait and be the last ones on, because you’re asking them to sit there and be still.”
When you check in, let the airline know you are traveling with a baby, and if you’re alone or not. Sometimes they can give you a hand if they have enough staff. You can also ask if there are enough seats to bring your car seat on board with you if you did not purchase a seat for your baby. Some airlines will reconfigure seat assignments to allow you to have an extra seat near you.
Getting Flight-Ready
To keep things as easy as you can, Love recommends babywearing as you make your way through the airport and packing your personal items in a backpack. “That way you’re not having to unequally shift your weight,” she says. Pack an extra day of everything in your carry-on in case you get stranded, including extra clothes for you and your little one. Dressing in layers—both you and baby—is helpful because planes can be both very hot on takeoff and very cold in the air.
For snacks, think about the mess factor, says Love. “Solids instead of purees. It’s a lot less messy. Bring some puffs or Cheerios. Even buttered noodles are a great way for them to get satiated, but not super messy.”
You also want to pack items to keep your little entertained. Gaston recommends window clings, ultra washable markers for coloring, and fidget toys to help entertain the baby during the flight. Make these special travel toys you take out only for this occasion. You get more mileage out of the toys by using ones they don’t normally play with. “Usually we’ll keep our airplane toys in a separate area [at home] so they don’t ever get to play with them,” says Capri Gaston, a Lake Dallas mom of three and frequent flyer with kids.
You can ship other items to your destination ahead of time instead of making an extra trip or packing things, suggests Fort Worth mom of two Kandi Patterson. “If I can Amazon, then I’m not having to go buy it when I’m there,” she says. She also takes advantage of equipment rental when she can. To make things easier, look into services that will deliver strollers, car seats, and more right to your door. Just make sure any car seat or rental is TSA-approved for airline travel. It will have a sticker on the seat that says so.
Know Your Rights
You can go through security while babywearing but be prepared for a little extra scrutiny—most airports will send you through the old-fashioned metal detector and then hand-screen you with a wand.
If you’re bringing breastmilk or formula, let security know. You do not need to worry about the 3.4-ounce liquid rule. Formula, breastmilk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food, including puree pouches, are considered medically necessary liquids, and are allowed in your carry-on bag. This also applies to breastmilk and formula cooling accessories, such as ice packs.
And if you’re a breastfeeding mom flying without your baby, you have rights too: Your child or infant does not need to be present or traveling with you to bring breastmilk, formula and/or related supplies.
Also remember you have a right to breastfeed anywhere the public is allowed to be. It can feel awkward to breastfeed sitting so close to a stranger once you’re in the air, but it’s better than having a screaming baby. If you do want some privacy while nursing or pumping, look for lactation rooms in airports. Both Dallas-Fort Worth International and Love Field airports have designated nursing rooms. While traveling, check Moms Pump Here for a searchable database of lactation spaces in airports around the world.
Make Connections with Fellow Passengers
Even with the best laid plans and preparations, meltdowns happen. And there’s a chance your child could be that kid wailing on a plane 30,000 feet in the air. So make some allies.
Gaston says she tries to make eye contact with people and be approachable for anyone offering help, even when she feels like she’d rather be invisible. “People want to help people. So if you get another mom or an older adult that’s sitting near you—somebody’s grandma or somebody’s mom—they know that traveling with kids is hard,” she says. “I’ve had a little old lady who didn’t even speak any English sit next to me and, not being able to talk with each other, we were still able to communicate enough for her to say, ‘I want to hold your baby.’ And she held my baby for 30 minutes on a flight.”
Remember, you have a right to be there as much as anyone else, and so does your baby. “If they don’t like what they’re seeing or hearing, tell them to get EarPods or close their eyes,” says Love. “Children are part of society. They’re humans, they’re people. They have equal rights.”
RELATED: How to Prepare for Traveling with a Child Who Has Autism
This article was originally published in October 2023.
Top image: iStock
