Traveling with a 5 month old - flight question

I fly all the time from NY to Florida and I always have the car seat for my youngest! I have the Chicco Keyfit 30 and it’s FAA certified so I don’t have a special travel car seat which is great because my daughter is already used to it! She falls asleep easily in the car and an airplane is surprisingly similar with that age, I always time her bottles with takeoff so it helps her ears and sets her up for a successful nap. I’ve flown with 3 months-2.5 years old, if you have any questions you can always message me! 🥰🩷

Unless you buy your kid a ticket whether or not you’ll be able to bring the car seat on the plane is hit or miss. They will let you do it if they have a spare seat, but if they don’t, they won’t and then you gate check it. And I’ve never had issues with that. I used to travel with an infant all the time. It’s actually not as bad as you think and I never had my car seat or my stroller damaged the times I did have to gate check. Actually, I always gate checked the stroller. And something about the noise that the plane makes always made my son fall asleep. Turns out it worked for my daughter as well.

@Darlene honestly my plan was to buy a first class ticket and have him on my lap if i do check the car seat in or buy a ticket for him so he can have his own seat with the car seat. I really don’t want anyone seating anywhere near us because I’m trying to minimize sickness or anyone trying to play with my baby. I’m so paranoid 😭😭.

@Jeanette okay thank you so much, that makes me feel better 💕💕. I will look into that car seat. I’m hoping to have a different car seat that i can use strictly for flights.

I used to travel back-and-forth from Austin to Boston with my son. I would always take my stroller with the car seat through security and they would always give me shit about it, but they can’t stop you from doing it. Also, I was unable to breast-feed so I had to bring bottles full of distilled water and bags of formula that were pre-measured and I swear to God they always thought it was cocaine. But I always got through it and I will say probably the best thing was that baby carrier where he was up against my chest. I forget what it’s called. He’s seven now so that stuff is long gone from my memory. Also, if you don’t go first class, just know that if someone has the opportunity to move away from you and a baby they will. They’re always afraid the babies are gonna scream and cry the whole time. My son was a dream. But here’s something crazy that I didn’t think of till just now… He pooped two or three times on every flight. Have a full diaper bag!

Changing them in the bathroom on the plane is actually not that bad at all. I thought I was gonna be a nightmare, but it wasn’t. But man, he pooped two and three times on each flight. I don’t know if it was the altitude or what

@Darlene Omgg thank you for this lol, i didn’t realize babies on plane make people run away 😂😂. Also, i can imagine how much of a pain it is to carry all the food and water and having to explain each time. Oh my gosh, thank you for reminding me about the lavatories. I think it’s the worst thing in the world. How do you even change the baby there. Do you have to sit down and do it on your leg? Or is there a changing table there? I don’t think i have ever noticed one in there. Can i change my baby at my seat instead?

girl is there a way that I can private message you my phone number and I will tell you all of the things

Although I just saw that you’re incognito. Is there a way you can contact me and I’ll give you my phone number? Cause the first time I traveled with my son… Oh my God… I was a hot fucking mess. And thank God for some really really nice gate agents and flight attendants.

Omg you’re bringing back memories for me. The first time I brought him on a flight he was three months old and it was a 6 AM flight I think? The flight attendant felt bad for me and she held him while I tried to get the diaper bag and the thing that I had strapped to my chest and whatever else I had shoved under the seat and he spit up all over her. I felt so terrible and she just said it’s OK. I needed to get this dry cleaned anyway. Smh. I was mortified.

Anyway, if memory serves, they do have something in the bathroom to change the babies and it is more difficult to change them at your seat. At least it was for me. And I’ll say it again the flight attendants were all so sympathetic to a mom alone on a plane with a baby so you’ll be totally fine. It’s really not that bad. It’s just a matter of trying to fit everything that you wanna bring on that plane in your diaper bag so that you’re not carrying more than one bag plus the kid. And if you’re bringing the stroller buy one of those bags that you put the stroller in and I was used to chuck diapers and anything else I could fit in that bag because they gate check it and they don’t charge you for it When you check in At least they didn’t when I was traveling with my kids so I would put all kinds of stuff in that bag because it’s huge, but it does really help keep your stroller and if you can’t bring the car seat on, they have one for a car seat too,

And if you take it all to the gate, they don’t charge you to gate check it and you get it back when you’re getting off the plane so it’s right there for you. That’s the best way to go. I’m gonna see if I can find a link for the bags.

I don't have advice, but have fun!! I love Aruba. Been taking our girls since they were 2 years old. Such a family friendly island. So fun.

I have flown a lot with my child. Nurse on the way up and on the way down to help equalize the pressure. Also you can nurse him to sleep on the plane I’m sure. It’s worked every time for my lo

@Darlene omggg i can imagine the stress but im very glad the flight attendant was very helpful and sympathetic.

@Darlene okay thank you so much, this was super helpful 🥹

@Darlene okay i will order this one, it seems to have the better review, thank you 😄