Traveling with A Baby- Your “Pep Talk” Post

March 10, 2013

Last week I took a long weekend trip to Atlanta…Micah was my travel buddy!
Almost 4 months.. it was his first flight and I was feeling a little anxious.
I have flown a few times with each of my girls when they were little…
but no matter what I’m always a little bit anxious before flying with a baby!
I know I’m not alone with that. But as I planned my trip I realized I just needed to relax..
All I needed was a little pep talk…which I gave myself silently
as I sat in the airport waiting for my delayed flight. ;)
PHOTOS ABOVE:
top left–micah was kinda excited about the airport.
top right–doesn’t get much better than quiznos and sophie the giraffe
while waiting for your delayed flight!
bottom left–Thank goodness for my k’tan..
could wrap him up without it dragging all over the floor.
bottom right–He’s tiny enough to lay down in my lap and look up at me on the flight..
He liked stretching out and looking up at me!

For any mama about to fly with a baby…
this is my pep talk for you! (and tips :)
1. You are an awesome mom. Seriously awesome.
2. That’s not sweat from wrestling your baby and gear to get to the airport…
you’re glistening. big difference.
3. Do NOT give your baby to the overly-friendly older woman in
the bathroom who says she’ll hold him while you pee. NO.
Wait for the big stall. I bring my stroller with me but I admit I’ve used the restroom with a baby in a wrap before. you do what you gotta do ladies.
4. The security people love babies..and if you smile instead of be grounchy while you try to juggle taking off your sweater/shoes/purse/car seat all while holding a baby…
they USUALLY help you.
5. The Security People have NO CLUE how to break down your stroller…
even 3 men and a woman won’t be able to do it..so just tell them the last people couldn’t do it and they usually just push it through rather than look like a fool.
The car seat goes through the scanners easy enough.
6. Babies cry. Everyone knows it. It’s not like your baby is the
only baby in the world that cries.
7. If you don’t have the seat you want (I like window seats or full rows)
Check in online and change your seat if possible.
Or at the gate you can ask about moving.
8. Doesn’t hurt to ask!…The last flight I had a window seat…
but then there were open seats so I asked the flight attendant
and I moved to a row all to myself!
9. Bring toys for baby… a jingling toy is a better sound than a crying baby.
I’m pretty sure the people sitting around you will agree.
10. Bring a baby carrier. My K’tan was a lifesaver. He fell asleep right before we boarded and then right before landing..and I was able to put on my wrap while sitting in the seat and then walk off the plane with him on me asleep!
11. Sitting in the back is a gamble. On my flight home I sat in the back and at first the noise made him fussy. He cried. Loud. I was that mama. BUT…after a few minutes it lulled him to sleep and he slept the WHOLE FLIGHT. So.. it was worth it.
12. YOU CAN DO IT!

BOOM. you got this.
I’m going to post more about my trip to Atlanta later this week!
I was in town for a few reasons… but one of them was to meet my new little niece Violette!
Her mama is my sister Valerie of BLANQI.
It was so fun getting the two babies together while they’re so little! 
MY WELCOME HOME COMMITTEE 
We kinda missed each other. not sure how micah feels about the reunion. ;)
After the initial shock He was all smiles and giggles.. which made my big girls so happy!
My next trip with Micah is coming up soon!
We are heading off to BLISSDOM in Texas. Longer flight…
SO…this post is just as much a pep talk for myself. ;)
If you are stopping by from the blissdom facebook attendee page
say hi so I know you were here!

  • Hayley
    March 10, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    That baby of yours is SO precious! All of your children are. I’ve been reading for a while now, just thought I’d say Hi!

  • Nancy Holtzman
    March 10, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    Great travel tips with baby. Loved the cousin photos – two beautiful babies interacting!
    See you at Blissdom.

  • Darcy
    March 11, 2013 at 12:40 am

    I’ve traveled with my daughter when she was 18nmos old but also had hubby with me. But.. on my way to Blissdom with my 3 month old by myself. Hoping it goes smoothly because some people can be really rude about crying babies… I’ll need another pep talk next week ;)

  • newestedwards
    March 11, 2013 at 8:03 am

    What a great list! Thank you for calming my nerves. These flights to BlissDom are going to be the longest of my life. ;-) Hoping for happy babies all around!
    Caroline
    Chocolate & Carrots

  • Heather @ Cookies For Breakfast
    March 11, 2013 at 11:12 am

    OMG is he the cutest or what?!?! The wrist rolls!!! Eep!!

    You are a brave soul – I am sooo scared to fly with Ben whenever we take him on a plane for the first time!

  • Ashley
    March 12, 2013 at 9:10 am

    Thank you SO much for this post! I am preparing to fly with my five month old in a couple of weeks and am freaking out! She is not the easiest baby, so I’ve been playing every worst case scenario in my head. I needed your pep talk and I may print it out to repeat to myself, haha!

  • Natasha
    March 12, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    I needed this post…but I need the “How to fly with a 3 month old Baby and a 3 year old all by yourself!”
    I’ve flown many times with our daughter by myself…starting when she was 6 months…I know she’s a good flyer…every year I join my parents in Arizona for at least a week…and I’m heading there at the end of the month…and of course this year we have a new baby…so it will be me and the kids flying all by ourself (I just meet up with my parents there because they live 13hrs away).
    I’m just hoping that Vyla will be as helpful as possible…and that there will be some good Samaritans willing to help me out as I struggle to push a stroller and a cart full of luggage and carseats through customs!

    Natasha ~ TashaDelrae.com

  • fun4families
    March 17, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    Great article! My daughter who has twins got the whole air travel thing down to a science.. God Bless her.. here is an article she wrote about flying with babies.. it may be of interest to your visitors and you too! http://www.celebrationideasonline.com/traveling-with-infants.html
    Lots of good tips and suggestions!