Flying with INFANTS

The trip back to Manila was excruciatingly painful. I wanted to get some sleep and was really cold. There were four infants on-board but that of my seat mate was crying and shouting all throughout. I don't blame the baby. I understand that babies tend to cry to supposedly call our attention to address their discomforts. It seems to me that the parents wasn't at all aware of the repercussions of the cabin pressure on infants especially during take off and landing. If we adults aren't immune to these, so are the infants. 


During Takeoff:

Cabin pressure changes as the the airplane gains altitude. Some babies may experience ear pressure discomfort because of this. Feeding your child during takeoff will help relieve the pain. The pressure change may also cause the baby bottle to squirt some of its contents as you remove its cap. It is best to hold it upright as you open it to let some air in.

Bring a snack or toy to keep your baby busy once you are up in the air. If the baby gets bored, especially on long-haul flights, you may try walking up and down the aisles for a change of surroundings. Most babies are lulled to sleep when the airplane is cruising. Have a travel pillow or rolled-up blanket ready so you can rest your arms when he does.

Many airplanes have a changing table in the lavatories, so you don’t have to worry about diaper changes. To be sure, ask the flight crew ahead of time so you can come up with a ‘plan B’ in case the aircraft you’re on doesn’t have one.

Relax and enjoy the plane ride. Babies are built to be carried around, and it should not be limited to land travel. Always keep your composure to be able to effectively handle unpleasant situations that might come up.