Maybe it’s been a hot minute since you flew with your infant or you are planning on flying sometime soon. I want to share with you tips and tricks I did to help when flying across the country with my son recently.
*Note: We flew Delta, so please be sure to check with your airlines specifically on their policies.
Flying Tip #1: Determine how you want your child to fly.
I knew I wanted to have my baby in the carrier and in my lap for the flight home to my family. Children under 2 years old fly for free {within the US} if they fly in their parent’s lap. If you want your child to fly in your lap, you will need to add your child to your plane ticket as an Infant-in Arms. *Note: You will NOT be able to check into your flight on your Delta app if you have an Infant on your ticket. You will need to check-in with the ticketing desk and get printed tickets for you and your baby.
More on Infant Travel with Delta
Flying Tip #2: Pack the diaper bag smartly and efficiently.
Even if your baby spits up a lot and has major blowouts like my baby, don’t overpack your diaper bag. I packed everything in groups in plastic ziplock bags to make it easy to grab and clearly see what I had.
-Bag #1 contained diapers and wipes.
-Bag #2 contained 2 extra pajamas, 2 bibs, and 2 burp clothes.
-Bag #3 was an empty bag specifically for dirty outfits. When my son had a blowout, I washed his outfit and put the outfit in Bag #3 to keep separate from everything else.
-Subsequent bags in your diaper bag can of course include medications, butt cream, small toys/books, or whatever you can think of.
Having everything divided made my life SO MUCH easier. Thank you, TikTok for that traveling hack! *Also, your diaper bag does not count as a carry-on bag with Delta.
Flying Tip #3: How to pack a stroller and/or car seat.
You can fly with your car seat and stroller for free on Delta. You have 2 options for traveling with these items: 1) You can either check them in at the outside or indoor desk when you check in with your infant or 2) You can carry those items through TSA and gate check them. We did option #1 since I carried my baby and his milk. Regardless of whatever option you do, I would recommend buying these protective bags. It makes it easier to carry these items through the airport and protects your Stroller and Car Seat if it gets tossed into the plane.
Flying Tip #4: Breastfeeding/Pumping Mommas – READ THIS
Feeding while flying can be stressful because TSA and your airline are 2 separate entities with different rules/guidelines. Please read the TSA’s guidelines on flying with milk. The biggest takeaways are to have your milk bottled in 4 oz increments (not in bags) and to notify TSA from the beginning that you have milk. I carried a lunchbox with 4-ounce breastmilk and formula bottles prepped and a frozen ice pack.
Flying Tip #4a: Take advantage of Nursing Rooms/Pods
If you haven’t flown since before Covid, you may not be familiar with Nursing Rooms or Nursing Pods. These are a BLESSING to visit once you make it through TSA. Depending on your airline and airport, look to see if there are Nursing Rooms. In Detroit, there are nursing rooms in Terminal A near the International Flights wing for Delta. You call a number to receive an access code and there is usually a large space to nurse, pump, or just take a second to breathe. Not all airports have Nursing Rooms, but they may have Nursing Pods. I would recommend downloading the app Mamava to look for a Pod if a nursing room isn’t available near you.
Flying Tip #5: Take advantage of early boarding.
As the airline calls the different sections of Boarding, take advantage of Pre-Boarding with or without a car seat. You will be the first on the plane and take your time with the baby. (Double tip: If you are flying within the US, you do not need their Birth Certificate.)
Tip #6: Be sure to protect the baby’s ears.
The last tip includes protecting your baby’s ears. Be sure to either feed them or have them suck on a pacifier on takeoff and landing. I also bought these to protect my baby’s ears and he did really well with them. The plane did a really good job of providing white noise for my baby, but I did have a portable white noise machine JUST in case he woke up fussy.
Of course, not everything will go perfectly to plan while flying with an infant, but you’ve got this momma.
