Bella Cullen

So our flights are booked to Toronto and 7th September is the big day. We're flying with Air transat from Manchester.

We'll being flying with my husband and I, our 16yr old and 6yr old daughters and our newborn baby. She'll be 6-8 weeks at the time of the flight (I'm due 4th July but she could be late). I know you are allowed to take your pushchair up to the door of the flight which is fab and we've booked end row seats for the 4 of us who have bought tickets. We can't have front row seats as air transat count these as emergency exit seats so under 16s can't sit there.

Does anyone have any tips for surviving a flight with such a small baby? Is there anything we need to request? I've never flown with a baby before and i'm worrying a bit now. It all feels so real!

withabix

Take a dummy. You and your fellow passengers will be glad you did.

Ear popping will probably make your baby scream on the way up and the way down. The sucking action on the dummy may help 'unpop' the baby's ears and stop the screaming.

Aviator

http://www.healthychildren.org/Engli...with-Baby.aspx

bats

Drug it

Former Lancastrian

Cargo hold

Bella Cullen

I'm unsure if she'll have a dummy. I will try feeding her as suggested in the link given. I will have a sling with me to put her in after take off and landing as it'll help soothe her (so I'm told).

In terms of other passengers we'll do whatever we can to make it as quiet as possible but newborns and babies in general are unpredictable most of the time!

Flossie and Jim

Anything that will help her suck on the way up and the way down whether it be a dummy, bottle or the 'real thing'

I believe that Air Transat has a bassinet in the bulkhead - if its not too late give them a call and see if you can switch seats and book one. You can't use it during take off, landing or turbulence, but at other times it will give you a rest from holding baby - well worth it on a long flight!

Take twice the amount of nappies and changes of clothes you think you need - you can never have enough baby wipes (there WILL be a blowout if you don't!). Same goes for formula if you need it (we took some ready made stuff in prepacked cartons - was fine travelling UK/Canada but Canada/USA they made me open every one and taste them so check the security pages of the airports you are travelling through to see what they do/don't prefer)

Mine was 5 months last time we went so we took a few little toys she was interested in too - not sure that would apply to your little one.

Also, a good sling is handy in case its a trek to pick up the pram.

Good luck!

Dashie

Yep, we've flown Transat with both of our boys as babies. In the middle bulkhead section at the front, there it a bassinet that they can attach to the wall in front of you. Try and get this if you can. Even if baby won't sleep in it, you can put stuff in it. Last time I sat there with my 3 year old and the baby, children are fine in the centre section.

Definitely feed. Best way to make their ears pop is sucking. If you're breast feeding, best not to use a dummy so early of you can help it, and many won't take one anyway. You can't drug a baby that young to my knowledge. A sling is a great idea, you may not get the pushchair back when you leave the plane, we only have once at Heathrow, never with Transat or at Toronto.

We weren't allowed to take any cartons of formula through security, we had to decant what we could into bottles ready and that was it. However, we were able to buy more of the exact same brand in Boots after passport control. The other option for that is to take powdered formula in pre-measured pots, or a pot that gives you sections. This they were fine with, although getting boiled water was a hassle. So glad I breastfed the second!

For you, however much you would normally drink on a flight, treble it if you're breastfeeding

We had a bit of crying with both, but to be fair, the majority of people were human and very understanding, so I wouldn't worry too much there - a lot will be listening to the film anyway. Similarly, we had no negative reactions to needing to feed, or when I was travelling on my own with 2, people were more than willing to help me when I needed it.

Jackandvictor

I flew with a 7 week old on Air Transat to Vancouver, which is a longer flight than what you are planning. We did arrange to have the bassinet but he never used it. Great coat holder though! I thought he would have slept most of the way but the wee so and so decided to stay awake. I was breast feeding and thought taking the aisle seat would be best, to give me room to feed etc. This was awkward, not for the other passengers sakes , rather every time I went to feed him on that side, the trolley went down the aisle and I needed to keep bringing him over.
No problems on the flight and he never cried, much to the other passengers relief I am sure!
I did get told off for attempting to change him on the floor at my seat...nappy changing in a skanky toilet you can't swing a cat in and on a tray was my least favourite bit of the journey

MarylandNed

Got to be very wary of doing that:

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21977785

Cabbagetown

Just wondering, is there a legally defined age, as of when a newborn can be brought on board a plane?

Dashie

I think it depends on the airline, but it's very young, only a few days I think. They do, however, need the correct documents and ID to fly, which takes longer.

Bella Cullen

There are some fantastic suggestions here. We'll be taking up a row of seats so she'll be passed between daddy, me and her 16 yr old sister (the 6 year old would like to be able to hold her but that's a no no).

I will endeavour to keep my fluid intake up as suggested as I hadn't even thought about that.

In terms of slings I'll have a stretchy sling as well as a more structured sling so I'll pack both in her changing bag (if they both fit with all the nappies/clothes we'll need!

Most airlines require them to be a minimum of 7 days but I've seen it be as much as 3 months on some (after inoculations).

I am fretting about it. I guess that's to be expected with a big move and a new baby

Thank you again.

Dashie

Absolutely normal to stress a bit, been there, done it, doing it again if this one ever decides to come out and meet us

Curious though - which airlines ask for vaccinations? They're not a compulsory thing in most countries, so not sure how they'd enforce it or what their reasoning is? That, and the age recommendations for vaccinations vary from country to country too.

scrubbedexpat091

It varies by airline. Of the major North American airlines (US big ones AA, UA, Delta and US Airways + Air Canada)

AA- Infants 2 days and older are permitted.

Delta will allow infant under 7 days on most flights with a doctors letter.

United doesn't permit infants under 7 days.

US Airways seems to have min. age restrictions.

Air Canada 7 days.

Air Transat 7 days.