Airplane Travel with Infant

I just flew with Mack for the first time last month and he was 8 months old. The bottle thing worked wonders. He had his bottle on the way up and he didn't even flinch. I also had plenty of snacks on hand (thus baby mum mum things) and he had plenty of toys and snacks to keep him occupied for the 2.5 hour flight. The ride home was a little trickier simply because the people sitting next to us (we were in the middle seat) did not speak a word of English and we couldn't communicate at all, that was a little rough trying to explain I needed to get out to change him LoL. My other suggestion is bring along your own changing pad mat, it's torture trying to change a poopy diaper in those bathrooms and you'll definitely want the mat to lay him out on while your in there!

Thanks so much Darcy....so how in the world do you even change a diaper in that little of space...I am so hoping Nathan holds out during the flight until we land :) but I will bring my mat and I got an aisle seat....am happy about that....so, they let you take the bottles through security right? I am just going to get the pre-maid ones but wanted to check on security stuff....ugh!

I actually brought along my container with the pre-measured formula and we use the Playtex drop in system. I bought the bottled water after I went through security and then mixed/shook it up while we were on the runway and gave it to him. I'm sure you can bring the pre-made ones as long as they are under a certain ounce size, but I don't know the exact rules.

And yeah, changing a poopy diaper in a broom closet sized space is not the easiest LoL, especially with a child who was just learning how to move around and wanted to go EVERYWHERE! But was worked it out! On the way home we actually were bumped from our flight (It was actually a blessing because we got two free airline tickets, a free night's stay in a hotel, and $30 of meal vouchers for the night) and Mack ended up sleeping on the airport floor for two hours LoL. I have pictures, he was so cute all snuggled up in his blanket, but you just do what you got to do. You'll make it through!!!

I will likely bring my similac premade in bottles as a back up but someone told me you can bring those premade bottles and put in separate baggy.....I hope that I can....it will be so much easier.....

Oh wow on getting bumped....I love doing that but it may suck with a baby....glad you made out okay....we got bumped last year on my way back to MT for my brother's wedding....I was 6 months pregnant and VERY hormonal....my little brother and niece and I ended up sharing a hotel room (interesting) and flying into another town in MT and had my dad drive further to come get us....was a fiasco but my little 2 year old niece did fine....I was the biotch....lol.....but we made it to the wedding all fine with a few hours to spare....just more nervewracking....

You still doing PC? I know I never ordered before but was thinking of a few things again the other day....

For sure Email anytime if you want to chat about it! I've actually got something going in in a few days as it's our breast cancer awareness month with the pink products so I could add it to that. Let me know if I can help

Ann

I think if you take pre-made bottles, they'll probably make you taste them before getting on the plane with them...if they let them through at all.  As you mentioned....it'**** or miss at the airports on what they'll let through, depending on the mood of the airport people, I think.

I think Darcy's suggestion to put the mix in the bottle, and buy a bottle or two of water on the other side of security to fill them up is a good idea.  Either that, or even since your tap water is drinkable in the U.S., you could fill it up at any fountain or sink.  I miss drinkable water sometimes...it's so convenient...

Yea, and I so do not want to try the formula....lol....I will have both prepared.... :)

So, I have never asked you this....how long will you be away from the US...any plans to come back soon?

I'd be the same way...'You want me to TASTE it?!  Uh...I don't THINK so!'

I don't know right now how much longer we'll be overseas.  We're sort of in a holding pattern right now to see if we're going to get another foreign post or if we're heading home.  I'd like to do one more and stay in one place for four years.  My DS is 14 and finishing 8th grade in July...so wherever we went next, I'd like to stay until he can graduate...then we can go back.  If we get another post...it'll be either another Asian one or Europe.  They both have pluses and minuses.  I should know in the next month or two.  It's frustrating not knowing where we're going or when...especially because I have three cats and have to organize things to get them ready to go...which is more of a pain in the nether regions than the actual move.  Thank God for internet shopping...at least I can get my shopping fix vicariously for most things.

Oh wow....I hope your son can get through graduation at one place too....am sure that would be tough at his age to change....man you have a lot of experiences though....how cool....let us know where you end up and I will keep your kitties in my thoughts.....am sure it is stressful on them too....and yea, where would we be without internet shopping...OMG.....

All in all, he's pretty good with the moving.  Indonesia is his third country overseas...we left the U.S. when he was 5 years old...and most of the time, whenever we're scheduled to leave, his friends at the schools are also leaving (they're international schools), so it usually works out ok...except the move to Indonesia.  I heard for a good 8 months, 'I was HAPPY in Belgium...I LIKED Belgium....I had FRIENDS in Belgium.' He's made a great group of friends here, so he'll miss them, but his friends are all scheduled to move around the same time we are, so he won't want to stay (too much) anyways.

We have been proceeding w/the cats as if we're going to Europe because they have the most restrictive requirements.  You have to get the rabies vaccine, wait a month or so, do a blood test...then three months from the blood test you can bring the cats, versus most other places, you just get the rabies vaccine and a health certificate from the vet and you're good to go.  My DH took them in Tuesday for the blood test.  My American cat (13 years old)  was OK with it...not happy but OK...didn't try to fight too much.  My Ukrainian cat (9 years old)- that is about 20 pounds - scared the guys at the vet, because they'd never seen a cat as big as him (Indonesian cats are small-medium sized with crooked tails)...but he is the easiest of them all...then my Indonesian cat (1 1/2 years old and MY cat and spoiled rotten) was last.  She tried to murder them all.  It took four men to hold her down while the vet took the blood and did the microchip...one for the hind legs, one for the front legs, one for the body and one for the mouth/head...and she peed on them.  A few weeks ago when we did the actual vaccine (they had to do two rounds for her since she'd never had it before) my husband was home and held her down for the first round...she bit him and peed on him.  The second round, I had her...and she bit me (drew blood and left scars!) but didn't pee.  Needless to say...she does NOT like vets/shots.  It's funny...she's the sweetest little cat any other time...sleeps w/me every night, in my arm, on her back with her arm around my neck...but try to give her a shot and she turns into a psycho cat.