Anxiety is what I'm feeling about our upcoming airplane ride to Oregon. I'm anxious because of the potential of this occurring on the teeny tiny plane:
There we'll be, attempting to pacify our screaming baby, with a very limited amount of space to bounce, walk, or sing her into a less frenzied state. And people will stare and we'll pretend like we don't care, but really, I do.
Delaney has made some great improvements these past two weeks, and I've heard that going on vacation (while very much needed) can often put you back at square one. But, millions of people have traveled with a temperamental baby, and you never hear about that on the news. I'm sure we'll all survive.
Any words of advice? And please don't tell me to drug my baby with benadryl. That's just not going to happen.
17 comments:
My advice? Don't sweat it. If she cries, it will be hard, but babies know when their mommy and daddy are tense and stressed, which will only make it worse. And if people give you nasty looks, just smile (and maybe give them the finger if you think it would help. :))
Oh yes, the bathroom is a great place to hide. It might be small and not entirely sound proof, but it's about as private as you can get.
Oh my sweet worry wart,
despite what may or may not happen, you really must not try to live in your prediction of things to come. no need to make a 2 hour plane trip a 100 hour one by worrying before or after. i've never known you to be a pessimist...lets still hope and pray for the best. she may surprise you. she may mortify you.
i think that is a big "welcome to motherhood." :)
and maybe you should take the benadyrl? :)
oh. and you can hire me to be the Delaney bodyguard and bitch-slap everyone who sends her a dirty look.
OR we could pack out the plane with tons of friends.
OR maybe Delaney needs a private jet...
Well, I've done my share of flying and I don't remember a single flight without a crying baby. It's normal! Take offs and landings are usually the hardest on their little ears. Just make sure she has something to suck on during these times.
Hopefully we'll see you at the Worldbeat?
As a medical professional I say, drug your baby with baby tylenol for the decent. Do it 1hr before you land because the decent to land takes 30 mins. Imagine 30 mins of your little ears hurting. The tylenol also helps to relieve anxiety in Delany, which is great!! You can also drug her for take off too if you like, we do this for Audrey and it seems to work.
Baby motrin works just the same but a bit stronger, not much...
Advice- Sleepy Wrap! Technically you have to take her out during take off and landing- but other than that you should be golden! Mason traveled perfectly in hers, even wore her when i was 5 months pregnant!
I don't have advice...but don't you love swaddling when they lock their knees an straighten their legs? It makes is so much easier. Hang in there, and let me know how it goes.
we've done all our flying with Ben during his nap times, and he's slept through every flight. So I'm probably not much help in the what-to-do-if-she-starts-screaming department. But I do suggest trying the nap time in the future.
I totally get your anxiety, by the by. Ben was colicky, and I pretty much never went anywhere with him unless I had to because if he was awake he was probably screaming. We're getting on a plane in a week, and I'm freaking out already too.
Good luck. :) Just remember, it won't last forever. The plane will have to land eventually.
breath and pray.
Karen...I flew by myself with Audrey when she was 3 months. What worked best for me was pacifying her by breastfeeding. On a normal day, I wouldn't feed her any time she fussed, but on the plane I threw all that out the window. I put her on my boob more than normal just to comfort and pacify her (and me!).
I do recommend giving her something to suck on when the plane begins to descend. I waited too long one time and Audrey was inconsolable because her ears hurt so much.
And, keep in mind that 2 hours on a plane to Oregon is much better than 2 days in a car, even if we now become the people that no one wants to sit by who they give disgusted looks to. It's humbling, but really...you come to a point where you don't care anymore!
Blow a kiss to my family while you're in beautiful Oregon country!
we have been there, karen. our first trip on a plane with her was when she was 3 months old. we did give her baby tylenol (to help with ear pain, headache, etc...) and these all- natural teething tablets (she can have them now even if she is not teething - they just help calm). also gave her a couple of gas drops for any gas pains she may get. did all of this before we got on the plane.
nurse her on takeoff and landing.
bring a couple of blankets and changes of clothes and diapers (in case of blowout - happened to us!)
pray over her and have a team of people praying for you guys as you are traveling.
and finally do your best to soothe her - and focus on her, not those around you. most of them have probably been in your shoes or will someday. when you land - give everybody a big smile and say, "hey, thanks for being so patient with us. i can't even imagine being (insert age) old and flying."
you are going to do great!
Not a parent but just had a two day meeting on the "celebrity" baby syndrome. It is the current belief that babies don't cry, sleep through the night and as a mom you can be back to your "regular" life in 6wks. It was really empowering conference. As a society we need to support our parents in every way instead of giving them evil looks when their babies cry. I agree with your friend if they something just flip them the bird! They are what is wrong with the world not Miss. Delany. See you guys on Sunday!
i have traveled a lot with Xander & found a few things that are helpful:
as soon as you find your seat "move-in" by placing all of the things you may need quickly in the seat back in front of you or in between you or on top of the diaper bag (sometimes it even helps to have a smaller bag inside your big diaper bag for those things you need quick- pacifiers, bottles, favorite toy...)
Feed her on the take-of & descent, even if she just ate- it helps to relieve the pressure on her ears & usually puts them to sleep
Don't try to keep her awake in the airport so that she sleeps later on the plane- that always backfires! (and then they get over-tired or anxious & don't sleep at all!)
Really, truly, seriously- most of the stares you may get from other people are coming out of sympathy (not annoyance) so try not to take it personally. Most people just feel bad for you & can probably empathize...BUT be prepared with a short quippy comment ahead of time in the unlikely event that someone does say something like this:
rude passenger: "will you shut that kid up?"
you: "She is obnoxious & annoying because she is in a lot of pain & doesn't understand what's going on...What's your excuse?!?"
(or maybe something nicer...but it always helped me to know what i would say if anyone ever said anything...which they haven't & we have flown with Xander like 6 times. Everyone has always been sweet & compassionate when he cried)
whoops! didn't mean to leave a novel! ;)
Nurse, nurse, nurse!! Seriously, what worked for me is breastfeeding often. I think it helps with their ears for take off and landing as well. It was like magic- but my baby was always way into nursing. There was no way I was going to give unnecessary drugs either (JMO). Good luck!
Jaime Stream Ries
We took Soren to Dallas, Salt Lake City, and then Oakland in one trip (yay for connecting flights...). Ditto on the breastfeeding-- if you can time it during the take off and landing, it helps their ears a lot, and that's a big part of it.
Otherwise, Soren only really cried once, and who cares what people think. I've been on enough flights and had to put up with someone else's stupid baby. It's MY turn now! Payback, suckas! Hear MY baby cry this time!!
I walked through the aisle with Soren when he got cranky. It got a little cramped and i bumped some elbows, but really, what are you gonna do? Just do what you can, people will get that, and if they don't, screw 'em.
Book the flight during nap time or red eye. Caleb and Jo always fall asleep because of the vibrations (just like in the car). Good luck.
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