Survive Plane Rides With Small Children!

Airports are not the most people friendly places already. Add travel with an infant to the mix and you may wonder how you can get through the experience both sane and safe. Travelling by air with children can be challenging, but planning ahead can reduce parental stress.

After all, you don't want to be the parent with the screaming baby and you're not sure what you can bring and if you can handle luggage, car seats and a stroller. Don't worry, parents have been flying with babies for decades.

Since 9/11, airlines and airports have tightened security and added procedures that should help keep us safe. Of course these procedures also make travel more complicated, especially for parents trying to bring little ones through crowded airports.

Follow these tips and you'll survive:

Select seats in advance
Either when booking the flight, or in some cases you can select seats and print out boarding passes online 24 hours before your flight. (Remember that kids can't sit in the exit rows.) Find out if your flight offers pre-boarding for families with babies.

Seats for baby
Babies under two can sit in your lap, but are safer strapped into their own car seat, many airlines will discount a seat for a baby by 50%.

Combined car seat stroller units are the most convenient way to get that cumbersome gear on board. Make sure the car seat is FAA approved for use on planes!

Keep your stroller
Until the last possible moment, the stroller gives you mobility in the airport, it can carry a lot of your stuff and if your flight is delayed, your baby has a comfy place to nap. Typically you can keep your stroller until boarding, and then check it just before you step on the plane.

Diapers
Bring three more diapers than you think you'll need. Also bring zip-loc bags for any soiled clothes.

For babies
Bring several changes of clothes, and extra clothes for yourself if possible. An extra t-shirt for older kids can come in handy, too. It seems to be easy to spill drinks on planes!

Drinks and liquids
For bottle feeding babies, bring ready made formula, or powdered formula to be used with bottled water. Security rules forbid liquids in sizes over 3 oz., but formula, breast milk, and juice CAN be brought if you're with a baby.

As for water, currently, security rules don't allow you to bring a bottle of water through the security gates, but you can bring an empty baby bottle or sippy cup, and then buy water once you've passed the security gate. (Check latest rules for what you can bring on the plane.)

Snacks and food
Bring snacks onboard, very few domestic flights these days serve any meals, so be sure to feed the kids before your flight and/or bring snacks along.

Parents traveling with babies are allowed bring onboard baby food in cans or jars. Also, considerable time may pass before flight attendants can bring around drinks, so try to have a drink on hand, see above, if you're traveling with a baby, if you're with a toddler, buy bottled water after you pass through the security gate.

Food storage
Bring along a plastic food container for storing a half eaten or an untouched meal, for later. For example, on long flights meals are still provided but kids are sometimes fast asleep when the food is served. A food container is also useful if you grab a meal in the airport and your child only eats a bite or two, take the rest on the plane.

Clean ups
Bring baby wipes even when traveling with older kids, to clean up dribbles down shirt fronts, spills, etc.

Entertainment
Take plenty of amusements, inexpensive novelties, in three layers of wrapping work wonders. Books, ones they haven't seen before, teddies, and coloring things are great too. Treats can be priceless, too.

Timing the entertainment
Don't give out your loot (treats, toys, etc.) too soon! Make sure to hold back enough surprises to last the whole trip.

Extra tip:

To avoid ear pressure problems, have babies either nurse, or suck their bottles during take offs and landings. Small kids can suck on a candy or chew gum to help relieve the pressure.