Flying with a new baby...

Hi girls

Has anyone flown far with a new baby? We are in Wagga Wagga, NSW and have my sisters wedding in Perth, WA in November...just over two months after our bub is due... The doctor said there is no medical reason why a baby can't fly but I'm just wondering if anyone has done it and how easy/hard was it?? Is travelling so far with such a young baby likely to be very hard?? Once over there we'll have my parents and grandparents staying in the same house as us so they have offered to help look after him/us... ;)

I'm curious to hear any stories that might make me feel better about it or help me decide we shouldn't even try... ?!?!?!

Thanks in advance!

Sherie

I've only travelled by air with an older baby, but I have often thought it may actually be easier with a younger one. I think the best thing about flying with a younger baby is they may not be as "alert" and interested in everything going on, and when you are bf you can do that during take off and descent so that bubs ears aren't as badly effected.

With Matilda we have flown from Brisbane to Sydney twice and to America. I found when she was more mobile & walking around at 18 months the hardest time to fly, but at 9 months her biggest complaint was being strapped to us. We flew a few weeks ago and she was fantastic. Next to us was a couple with a 3 month old and a 3 year old and the baby slept the entire time after a feed on the way up. She said they actually planned the trip to fit in when the baby was most likely to sleep so that she would sleep in their arms.

We flew with Gus when he was four months old between Sydney and Adelaide and return. It was perfectly straightforward - in fact MUCH easier than we had anticipated. We just made sure he was hungry enough to be fed a decent amount of EBM on the ascent and then gave him a dummy to suck. He fell asleep in our arms for most of the flight and was asleep for the descent - on both flights. Was really very easy. We checked the pram into the "checked baggage" for oversize items (like surfboards/guitars etc) and then relied on our Baby Bjorn for moving about the airport. Was really very easy. It was nice to have my DH with me for this first flight just to make everything run extra smoothly.

We flew with our two babies when our son was 18 months, and our daughter was 3 weeks. I held my daughter, and she fed and slept, and very calmly, too! Our son was more restless, and I felt sorry for my husband, who's legs were quite cramped. Flying with a newborn was a piece of cake though. :)

I flew from Brisbane to Sydney with Maddy when she was 9wks old. She was an angel and fed & slept both ways. :) If you can, bottle/breast feed baby on take-offs & landings as the sucking motion helps with their ears.

I did the trip pretty much on my own and had 1 carryon, two bags in baggage & a pram.

HI, I havent flown with a baby but used to work for an airline. When you make the booking let them know and ask a few questions. Such as can you have a bulkhead seat (much more room), can you have a bassinet(on some of the larger planes they have these). Basically just talk to them and they should be able to help you out and let you know about excess baggage etc. All the best with the actual plane ride and your sisters wedding.

Love

Hey Sherie, almost snap here!!! My brother gets married in country vic late oct 4-6 weeks after bubs arrrives here in Perth!!. We did alot of travelling with DD when she was young, and we found it quite easy. It's particularly easy if you are bf, to help with the popping of ears you simply feed then going up and down in the plane (or use a dummy). Also for ease of amount of luggage, we arrange for the pram to be loaded at the boarding gate, you go to special check in for this, and as bubs is so small he will be able to sleep in the pram too instead of having to take a portacot.

Have fun and best of luck

I travelled to Bali with Maddy when she was 9wks old, not a problem I fed her when taking off & when landing, no problem.

I was squished into a seat next to a large chubby guy on my way to Bali (even though they assured me I had a bassinette!) He let me have the aisle seat though, which gave me a little extra room...
On the way back to Melb, I had the bassinette & Maddy slept there for a while, but it was really easy!

Sherie, You have absolutley nothing to worry about.
I flew from Germany to Glasgow to visit family (stopover in London) when Ben was 6 weeks old. I was so worried because although i fly alot, this was the first time with Ben. He was so good. Slept all through the flights. We brought his car seat on board, as we have a bottom part to our pram that the car seat just clips onto.. Anyway, we organized for the bottom part to be brought to us when we were leaving to plane.. That was a nightmare though. The people were so very rude and unfriendly in London. Plus, we had to go up and down so many stairs.
To avoid the pram stress, I suggest taking bubs in a carrier (eg: hugabub or baby björn), i really wish someone would have told me to do that.
One thing i would also advise is, dont fly alone with a baby. I would have been so lost if i didnt have my mum there helping me (dh had to work).

Good luck with everything. And dont worry, its really not as hard as you may think!

Having flown a fair bit (not with DS) i have observed many other parents travelling with their babies.
The flight from Wagga to Sydney (if flying by QANTAS) will be your hardest leg. 1hr in a Dash 8 aircraft, which doesn't provide much room. (especially Fri-Sun). I'd try and travel mid week so you have a better chance of having a double seat to yourself.
The flight from Sydney to Perth (whether it be direct or a stop over somewhere) will be much more pleasant. More room and if DS gets irratable then you can at least stroll up and down the aisle.

Mick

Wow, thanks everyone for the replies!!! It's such a great comfort! :)

We're hoping to drive to Canberra and fly direct from Canberra to Perth to avoid two flights each way (the driving time would work out similar to the Wagga-Sydney flight time & waiting anyway).

I really do feel confident now that we can do it...thanks so much! :)

Sheree - good luck with your flight and the wedding too! :)