Flying with baby

his first flight

So we just got back from a trip to Cali to visit family for thanksgiving.  It was awesome, and the weather was wonderful and it was so great to visit with our loved ones.  Flying, however, makes me all stressy and flying with an infant makes me even more nervous and anxious.  But I have to acknowledge that my baby gave us a break and did really well each time we flew, which has been twice now, to California and back both times.  My friends that fly with their babies told me that traveling when their children are infants is the best time, as opposed to when they are toddlers.  But I was still nervous because baby Z is teething and is especially cranky from about 6pm on.  On our first trip our flight was late afternoon and it wasn't so bad but on the way back we flew at night arriving in Seattle around 9pm.  But baby Z actually did really well and only got antsy and fussy towards the end but I was able to distract him for long enough.  The second trip was the same, we flew at night, which again isn't ideal, but ended up working out just fine.  In the way to Cali he fell asleep for about 40 minutes after I nursed him for 20 minutes so we only had to entertain him for about a half hour, which was no big deal.  Some of the things that I noted that make flying with baby easier are as follows: 

-travel with your spouse or another person if possible

-book a window seat for yourself and the middle seat for your travel buddy, that way you have a little privacy for nursing or feeding baby and if baby naps, also baby may like to look out the window

-make sure baby is full and happy before standing in line for security

-wear baby while going through security, you don't have to take him out of the carrier and you don't have to go through the imaging machine, just the metal detector and then they will swab your hands after

-you don't need to bring baby's birth certificate unless you are traveling internationally, just make sure you add an infant to your ticket when you purchase it

-if there is a family line for security, use it, ditto if there is a TSA pre check line where they swab your hands while you are waiting in line (but then you don't have to take off your shoes, coat, etc or take out your computer or bag of 3-1-1 items

-make sure to let the TSA agents know if you have a bottle of milk or formula in your bag before you put it through the scanner, otherwise it will raise a flag and they will search your bag

-you can fold down your stroller and put it through the x ray scanner if it fits, same with the car seat, but put it on the belt upside down so it fits through the machine

-if you can, don't feed baby while you are waiting for your flight (unless it's a long time like over an hour or however long your baby can go without eating, for baby Z, it's about an hour and he wants to eat again)

-as soon as you get to your gate, go to the desk and ask the representative for a tag for your car seat and stroller, you will drop them off at the door to the plane, they will stow them for you under the plane for free and then have them waiting for you when you get off the plane

-this is the time to ask for better seats if you want, or seats together if for some reason you need

-most airlines won't let you sit in the front row, the first seats after first class, I don't know why, and you obviously can't sit on the emergency exit rows with baby

-use the opportunity to board first, you will have a few extra minutes to get to your seats, stow your bags and get situated in your seat before everyone else starts to board

-most airlines won't let you takeoff and land with baby in the carrier, you have to take baby out and just hold them in your lap

-I brought some individually packaged sanitizing cloths and they came in very handy for wiping and sanitizing dropped pacifiers  and toys, the seats and floors of an airplane are filthy and probably germ ridden, you can also wipe down the seat back in front of you and whatever else baby might touch with his hands before sucking on them

-keep the diaper bag under the seat in front of you for easy access and make sure things like nursing covers, diapers, toys, bottles are near the top of the bag or otherwise easily accessible especially with one hand ;)

-if baby is a little older, bring a new toy to keep him interested, or grab a straw and lid from a Starbucks for a new, fun and quiet toy

-I found it helpful to pre apologize to the passengers around me for any screaming from baby, and every time so far people have been super nice and friendly and understanding

-nurse, feed with a bottle or let baby suck on a pacifier during take off and landing to keep baby's ears clear and avoid pressure build up

-give baby nummy snacks that don't make a mess if baby is eating solids

-just do what you know to soothe, calm, pacify, and entertain baby, whatever works to keep them happy on the flight

-the front bathroom usually doesn't have a changing table so use the ones in the back of the plane

-bring extra clothes in case of blowouts and leaking

-walking the aisle with baby may help to keep them happy, I had to do this on the way back home on the second trip

-be patient with baby and yourself, this is a new experience for both of you

That's all I have so far, I'm definitely not an expert as we have been on a plane 4 times total with baby, but this is just what I have experienced so far.  You will want to check the TSA guidelines as well as those of your airline online to double check the rules and be prepared.  Hope this helps in some way.  Also, does anyone else have tips to add?  What has been your experience?