LO (9 Months) and I are going to be taking a short one hour flight, but the last flight I took with him didn't go over so well, especially during the landing portion where he scream-cried for probably the longest 1.5 minutes of my life ever! Hahahaha. I know him well enough to know he won't nurse during that time, and he normally doesn't use a pacifier. He doesn't suck on his fingers either, so I'm wondering if there are any other solutions to deal with the pressure changes. I was thinking maybe a piece of fruit? Put some sunflower seed butter on a pacifier? Would these ideas work, and what have you tried?
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I don't have any LOs but my ears pop like crazy when I land. I'm really worried my future LOs will have this problem.
What about creating a game that gets your LO to open up his mouth (big yawn) to release the pressure. That helps me. Off the top of my head, maybe create a game called "silent animals." It's called silent animals because you pretend to be an animal but without making a noise. You could see if he could mimic a lion or a tiger. That would help with getting him to yawn.
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I'm assuming your LO also won't take a bottle?
Anything that gets them to swallow more should help relieve the pressure; so I would try something sticky on the paci if that will help your LO to take it.
Does your LO like those pouches of food? Maybe he would suck on that and eat it during landing?
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These are for 1+ years old, but maybe check with your pediatrician about using http://www.amazon.com/Earplane-Plugs-Airplane-Travel-Child/dp/B000052XG5
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We are flying in 3 weeks and I'm terrified if this. LO only nurses for 3-4m, won't take a bottle! She will be a few days shy of 8 months.
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I had pumped some bottles for the plane, even though my LO is BF. It was great, if she wouldn't nurse I gave her a bottle and it worked well.
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I use lollipops. I know it's not good for kids to have candy but its the one thing I could get my kids to suck on. One for take off and one for landing. It's messy and drippy but I can still hold the stick (unlike hard candies) and I just keep wipes on hand. You could also try letting him suck on a big piece of dried fruit like those big dried mango slices.
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I always tried to anticipate those times and started nursing well before he got worked up. We flew at that age and I nursed 5/8 takeoffs and landings and he only cried once. Same this time around at 16 months, he never cried this time around.
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@cranberryapple: I think giving him a bottle would be your best bet if he won't nurse.
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@sorrycharlie: How did it go with your LO on your flight? Hope it went well!!
Our flight was at noon, and DS wouldn't go down for his first nap, so that was not a good start. I did manage to get him to nurse during the take-off, and he only took to it because he was actually hungry and was getting antsy/fussy. During landing was when the longest 15 minutes of my life occurred! There was definitely a change in the cabin pressure - it seemed more than usual even for my ears. I whipped out the sippy cup and the food pouch, and that stopped him from crying for a few seconds at a time. It was my first time using one of those food pouches and I had no idea they were so liquid-y, so it was really messy. Sadly, those two ideas were a fail for us and nothing I did calmed him down from his scream cries! Thankfully, during the very last bit of the landing, a passenger across the aisle played peek-a-boo with him, so that actually worked. OMG, I dunno if I can do it again!!
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Can he drink water out of a water bottle/cup? (Ours could take sips at that age). If so, have him regularly sip water during the landing. Bonus: he might think it's a fun game.
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@cranberryapple: oh gosh, so sorry that it didn't go smoothly!!
I got really lucky, I think. Our flight to Orlando was at 12:50, and LO was due for a nap right at that time. I nursed her going up, she fell asleep for about 35 minutes. After that, she woke and wanted to play - which was the "worst" part, cause she gets bored pretty quick with certain toys. But we managed. I was terrified to land, cause of her ears..and offered her a 1:1 juice:water (she won't take milk from a bottle). She half drank it, half people-watched but was totally fine. When we stood up to deplane, the people behind and in front of us couldn't believe how good she was.
The way home, our flight was supposed to leave at 7:15..but was delayed over an hour. The worst part was the ride to the airport..she hadn't napped since checkout at 11, and it was 5pm..so she was screaming, I was stressed and not letting down fast enough, she'd escalate, rinse and repeat. she finally fell asleep, slept the whole ride and til security.
She was starting to get overtired and whiny waiting to take off (almost 830 by this point...she normally goes to sleep at 630!!) but the second I nursed her she fell right to sleep and slept the entire flight.
I'm not banking that it'll be easier the next time cause she'll be mobile by then! She can't crawl or walk yet.
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We stopped nursing at a year and we've taken a good number of flights since. I just brought a straw cup full of water and every time I felt like I needed to equalize myself I'd offer him a sip of water. He always had a sip so it was like he knew what he needed to do!
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