Is traveling with a baby easy?

Traveling with baby is intimidating, but it's certainly not impossible. In fact, family travel expert Corinne McDermott believes traveling with an infant is often easier than traveling with an older toddler. “They're not mobile, they're not wiggling and they're eating and sleeping around the clock,” she says.



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The best time to fly with kids While you can't always fly at the optimal time (based on your child's age, that is), it's great when you can. 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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12-18 Months Old Once your child starts walking, all bets will probably be off unless you are blessed with the chillest of children. One year olds are often highly mobile yet totally uncontrollable, making for a potentially dangerous travel combination.

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Take regular breaks Try to take a break every 2 to 3 hours for a day trip and every 4 to 6 hours at night to change diapers or soiled clothes, or to feed your baby. Never attempt to breastfeed in a moving car. Before hitting the road, be prepared and know where gas stations and rest stops are on the way.

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While babies typically develop their immune system around 1 month, most pediatricians would recommend waiting until 3 to 6 months for travel, she said.

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This is one of the toughest ages to travel. 1-year-olds are just starting to assert their independence. They want to do everything themselves and they want to get down and explore, but they have very short attention spans and can do absolutely nothing to be helpful.

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Early morning flights are usually less bumpy, which means more time letting your little one out of the car seat to explore the cabin (a must for new walkers). If that isn't possible, and you've got a by-the-clock napper, book a flight that coincides with nap time.

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Millennials between 23-38 seem to be the age group that travels the most with an average of 35 vacation days a year.

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This often means that a newborn should not fly until they're three to six months old. However, these dates can vary greatly from child to child. Some pediatricians will allow some babies as young as one month old to fly internationally. Always check with your pediatrician.

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O'Connor said that as a flight attendant, she'll often sit down with a mom whose baby is crying and encourage her, ask if she needs something or just start a conversation about the baby just to move the focus from the tears.

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Unfortunately, babies don't quite understand how to cope with (or avoid) that unpleasant sensation. As a result, they may get irritable and cry—especially during take-off and landing. Parents and guardians traveling with infants can get ahead of this ear pain and the tantrums associated with it by planning ahead.

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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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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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If you think your toddler is likely to cry, yell and be noisy on the plane, you might want to book seats near the back of the aircraft. This section of the plane, behind the wings, is generally noisier, thanks to the engine, and the background hum might cover the sound of your child.

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Traveling with baby is intimidating, but it's certainly not impossible. In fact, family travel expert Corinne McDermott believes traveling with an infant is often easier than traveling with an older toddler. “They're not mobile, they're not wiggling and they're eating and sleeping around the clock,” she says.

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