Cooper got baptized yesterday here in Vail and all of our families (minus a few) were able to come. It was a special day and it's been a fun weekend, I'll be sure to share pictures soon.
The other day I counted up how many flights Cooper has been on , and Y'ALL, it is FOURTEEN. This child has flown 7 round trip flights in his 17 months of life. I had so much anxiety on that first flight (which, by the way, I did alone), however I've realized people are nicer than you expect, the kiddos are manageable, and if all else fails all airlines offer wine for sale.
Here's some of our strategies on smooth flights with the babes:
Flights by Age0-5 months - it's easy peasy. This is by far the easiest time to fly. The white noise of the plane calms the kiddos, and it's pretty easy for them to fall asleep after a full stomach. He slept each time he flew during this time period.
*Make sure you have a breast or couple bottles readily available for feeding.
*I also suggest that you have a nursing cover because even when your babe's not nursing, you can keep him or her covered when they are sleeping.
*Have a pacifier handy.
*Try to have baby sucking on way up and way down. If you can't don't stress. On Cooper's first flight he refused the pacifier, fell asleep before we took off and at landing, and was just fine.
*If you wear your baby just note you can't wear them while flying. Such a bummer, as the first time I flew he fell asleep in the Moby Wrap and I had to wake him up to take him out for take-off.
6-12 months - this is has been the trickiest age for us. Not quite walking, some babes will be crawling, but they are all super busy.
*During this age we did a lot of interactive singing games. You've heard them- "Wheels on the Bus," "Pat-a-Cake" and "This Little Piggy."
*He was really into things he could grip and touch. Bring any good "gripper" toys you have.
*I kept a bottle handy during this age (with backup formula to boot).
*I walked the plane a lot, or would hold him in the back of the plane until he fell asleep.
*During this time the app that saved us was called "Kidzongs" - which plays tunes like '3 Little Monkeys' and 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. Coop loved it!
[caption id="attachment_1711" align="aligncenter" width="384"]
The moment every parent dreams of.[/caption]12-18 months- for us, Cooper stopped sleeping on a plane around this time (unless we had a really long flight).
*I keep him out of the seat (i.e.: my lap) as much as possible before take-off. See that picture at the top of the page of him on the floor? Kinda like that.
*The key for flying during this age is to have a variety of attention-suckers. We pack books, toys that are transportable (but don't have a ton of little parts) and an iPad with fun toddler-friendly apps.
*Apps. Let's talk about those. Cooper only likes two so far: "Phone for Kids" and "Bubbles."
*Have TONS of snacks. We pack Little Tots pouches, goldfish and/or any snack that takes the most time to eat. If your kiddo is big on milk then pack extra, as they don't sell whole milk on the plane.
18-plus-we're not there yet, but this will be the time I introduce DVD players and a lot more apps. That's right, folks, electronics.
Timing and Choosing Flights
We love flying Southwest Airlines because their cancellation policies are great, they are rarely delayed and you can pick your seat. People are always nice, but they'll pass up a lady with a baby every time until they absolutely have to sit down. This often results in an empty seat next to me - which is so nice for a busy toddler or as a place to put your car seat.
During the younger months I would try to book flights during nap time- up until around 5 months. However as he has gotten older that has changed; I try to book during times where there are likely to be less people flying and the flights are typically not full. Because he is so busy this is the ideal time to have a bit more room.
Other little extras
This may sound obvious - but always give yourself extra time. You'll have to change diapers, make/heat bottles, and Lord knows what else.
Happy Flying!
Lauren
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