Do pacifiers help with flying?

Pacifiers Ease Ear Discomfort Constant swallowing keeps these tubes inside the ears open. The ear pain that many of us experience when flying occurs because the Eustachian tubes get blocked. Encouraging your child to suck on a pacifier can also help relax them in an unfamiliar environment.



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Keep your baby or toddler buckled. Buckled snugly into a car seat or other approved restraint is the safest place for a baby or toddler on an airplane, especially in case of unexpected turbulence. Your child is used to being secured in their own car seat the entire time during trips to the store or zoo.

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The best time to fly with kids The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three.

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Use a Pacifier or Bottle During Takeoff and Landing The sucking action can neutralize ear pressure and calm—so pacifiers, bottles, and other sucking toys work, too.

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Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen about 30 minutes before takeoff or landing. Or, use nasal spray or drops before takeoff or landing. Follow package instructions exactly about how much medicine to give your child.

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They may be in pain because of pressure changes at takeoff and landing; they may be tired and find it difficult to sleep without their normal surroundings; they might want to move around instead of being stuck in a confined space or they might be disoriented and scared.

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For kids (especially babies and young children), it can feel especially odd and even be scary at first. But it's a common, normal part of flying. This sometimes uncomfortable sensation is related to pressure changes in the air space behind the eardrum (the middle ear).

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Helping children prevent airplane ear
  • Encourage swallowing. Give a baby or toddler a bottle to suck on during ascents and descents to encourage frequent swallowing. A pacifier also might help. Have the child sit up while drinking. ...
  • Avoid decongestants. Decongestants aren't recommended for young children.


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Your baby's ears. Changing cabin pressure during a flight causes temporary changes in middle ear pressure. This can trigger ear pain. To help relieve the discomfort in your baby's ears, offer your baby a breast, bottle or pacifier to suck on during takeoff and the initial descent.

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Use the feeling in your own ears to determine when to give your baby something to swallow, or feed your baby when you see the flight attendants preparing the cabin for takeoff or landing. If your baby is sleeping soundly, don't feel you need to awaken him; he'll be fine.

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Breastfeeding during take-off and landing can help to ease your child's discomfort. Your child must wear an infant seatbelt while you breastfeed. If you're planning to carry expressed breastmilk onto the plane, check with the airline beforehand about any restrictions on carrying liquids.

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If the restroom doesn't have a changing table, you could try changing your baby on the toilet seat, taking care to keep a hand on your baby at all times. Use a disposable changing pad. Another option may be changing your baby on the cabin floor, but be sure to ask a flight attendant's permission first. 22.

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Water for babies is allowed in reasonable quantities in carry-on bags. Remove this item from your carry-on bag to be screened separately from the rest of your belongings.

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Benadryl - Many parents ask about giving Benadryl to their child before a flight to promote rest and sleep. This is not necessary. Benadryl does not necessarily cause a child to sleep or sit quietly. In fact, it may cause a child to be hyper and/or irritable.

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Mountain Travel With Newborns: Travel to places below 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) is safe. Brief drives over higher mountain passes are safe. If your newborn is not healthy, don't travel above 8,000 feet (2,438 meters). Your child's doctor should give the okay first.

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On long-haul flights, you can request a bassinet/sky cot for your baby to sleep in. You'll need to book a bulkhead seat (a row with no other seats in front) to get those though. Contact the airline as soon as you know you're travelling to see if you can reserve one (Flying with a baby, 2018b).

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Air travel increases a newborn's risk of catching an infectious disease. Babies born prematurely, with chronic heart or lung problems, or with upper or lower respiratory symptoms may also have problems with the change in oxygen level within the air cabin.

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FLYING WITH AN INFANT: WHEN IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL WITH A NEWBORN BABY BY PLANE? In general, doctors recommend you wait to fly until your baby's immune system is better developed. This could be as soon as one month for full-term infants, though most doctors recommend anywhere between three months and six months.

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Technically, most airlines require you to show proof of age for your lap infant. This can include a birth certificate, passport or sometimes hospital or immunization records. In reality, most airlines will not ask you for that information unless your baby looks like a toddler who could be past that second birthday.

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