We're going on our first flight with baby this weekend and I'm wondering about ear-popping. *MY* ears pop like crazy and I know that at takeoff, baby has to be upright on my lap. Do babies experience ear-popping? Does it hurt? How do you deal?
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I've taken LO on 6 flights (3 trips round trip). She's never had ear pain. Just make sure you nurse at take off and landing.. or give your LO a paci so she can suck on something. Heard it helps with the popping!
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Does the baby have to be upright?! I've never had a problem nursing at take off. All of the flight attendants are strapped into their seats too, so nurse away!
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@chopsuey119: LOL! Good point! It's not like they'd know, right?? Hahaha.
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Sucking and swallowing definitely helps with ear popping at least it helps me. Whenever I suck on a hard candy, it totally helps me
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@Mrsbells: Oh, I chew gum and it helps. I meant that my ears pop but at least I know how to unplug them - I was more wondering about how babies handle the popping.
Thank you for the suggestion, though! -
We just got back from LO's first flights. I pumped milk for her so feeding on the plane would be more convenient. She was asleep during takeoff both ways so the popping didn't bother her. On the way down I started to feed her right before we started the descent and she was fine. I definitely recommend giving her a paci or milk because it'll help her and keep her distracted.
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Yep, make sure you are feeding LO on take off and landing and they will be fine.
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I just got back from our first trip with LO. I was concerned with the ear popping thing that I always read about. But she ended up feeding before we took off and didnt want a bottle during descent and was completely fine. Our flight was packed with families and I noticed around us that none of the kids were feedin or with their pacis as well. I don't want to say its not going to be a huge problem but somehow I get the feeling that it's over exaggerated.
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@anewme: Yep. I don't think it bothers babies much at all. I try to nurse at take off and landing, but skipped the take off nursing when we recently flew. She was perfectly fine!
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I agree with anewme. On one flight, our son fell asleep during the takeoff taxi, so he didn't get fed. He was fine.
You can also hold their nose lightly, the action makes them breathe out, which pops their ears too.
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As it turned out, LO fell asleep just as we were taking off so she was fine...When we landed, she was just cranky from not napping so I don't think her ears bothered her. We'll see what happens on our way home!
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I know this is kind of threadjacking, (sorry!) but I was just wondering what age you guys were told it's ok for babies to fly? My dh's uncle flew home from Germany for Christmas with his 6 month old even though their doc over there had said babies mustn't fly before 9 months- something about pressure. Is that in line with advice you have received? With these babas due in may, it'd be nice not to have to wait until February to go somewhere!
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@aunt pol: I was never told when I should/shouldn't fly with LO. At LO's 4-month appointment, I told her doctor that we intended on flying when she was 6 months, and Dr. just said, "Nice! Have fun!" My friend flew with her baby when she was 2.5 months.
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Interesting. I wonder is it a European over protective thing so...
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Have Fun Rubies! Looking forward to reading about it
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Like everyone said, nursing, pacifier or sucking on something helps. My LO did fine on her first flight @ 6 months. But the most recent one (@ 14 months), we had a not-so-good pilot who descended a bit sharp on two legs of the flight (had a stopover) and all the babies on the plane were screaming including mine. It was horrible cause all the sucking, swallowing didn't seem to ease the pain at all.
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We might be flying overseas at the end of the year, so I'm glad to read these tips! LO will be around 21 months old, am I am crazy for considering such a long trip with him?
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@aunt pol: I'm also in Europe, and we were cleared to fly after the first two rounds of immunizations, which were completed at 6 months.
@boogs: not at all! I think at 21 months though, you're bordering on the edge of not being comfortable with a lap child. My son was fine as a lap baby at 6 months, but omg, not even a consideration at 12 months, too wiggly!
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@looch: The good news is that if we agree it's an all expense paid trip from my inlaws, so I would get that extra seat (saying LO needs it) so we could have a whole row to ourselves, haha!
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@Boogs: Totally agree with you! It's a lifesaver esp. when you want to eat something!!!!
Thank you for the suggestion, though! 
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