For those of you who have your children home with you for the holidays – Congratulations!
Now that the holidays are upon us, you might find yourself traveling with said children. In Jack’s first year, we took six planes, all over the country, and two trains from Massachusetts to New York and back. We became instant experts on traveling with an infant.
If you are going to fly with an infant under 14 days old, get a doctor’s note! I called the airline we flew with Jack, and asked them if I needed one. The customer service rep said no. Imagine my surprise when we were almost arrested for not having said note. It’s a long story, but the point is, even if the airline says you don’t need it, get the note.
Thinking along security lines, it’s best to have your child’s birth certificate or adoption decree. I have to say that we never needed it, but you never know when a TSA employee will get a bit overzealous.
Speaking of overzealous TSA employees, make sure that sippy cups are empty if you bring them through security. Bottles are generally acceptable, though you may have to open them for the agent to smell.
A soft carrier, such as a mei tai or a ring-sling, is incredibly useful for infants and toddlers. Oh, we brought a stroller too – to push the carry on luggage in while I carried Jack. Depending upon the location, you may be able to keep the child in the carrier while you go through security. But you will have to take the child’s shoes off. I definitely recommend the stroller/sling combo.
As for car seats, if you’ve purchased a seat and if you have a very young infant who might actually sleep, bring it on the plane with you. However, if it’s a short flight or the child doesn’t like his car seat, check it. I also recommend bringing a car seat as opposed to renting one when you get to your destination. Car seat rentals can add up to the price of a new car seat!
Speaking of car seats, most states do not require children to be in car seats in cabs or hired cars, or in public transportation. When we were in New York City, we would have been hard pressed to get a car seat into the cabs, had we chosen to use one. The cabbies there go quick.
Note that many trains do not have seat belts, so bringing a car seat on a train is really more dangerous than it sounds.
The younger the infant, the easier it actually is to travel with them. They sleep a lot. It’s nice. When they get a bit older, they want to look around. They’re easily distracted by the passengers around them, and they don’t understand why they can’t go where they want to go. Bring quiet, appealing toys that don’t roll too much. We always have one or two new toys for Jack to discover when we fly.
Here are some hopefully helpful tips:
- The Mayo Clinic has a few words about traveling with an infant.
- The TSA maintains its own guide to Traveling with Children.
- Travel for Kids offers a helpful article about traveling with infants under age one.
- There is even an entire web site devoted to flying with kids.
- Each airline has its own policies about car seats, strollers, and lap children. Check your airline’s web site or call their customer service line for more information.
And remember, do not put the baby through the x-ray machine!
