Britax Boulevard

For parents who are wondering whether or not to take your child’s car seat on an airplane, I highly recommend it! Do not assume your car seat is FAA approved though, make sure you verify this information (you can check the car seat manual or the manufacturer’s website). We did not purchase a separate seat for my son; however, since our planes were not full, Southwest Airlines allowed us to bring his Britax Boulevard on board.

My husband easily installed the car seat next to the window and my son did not disagree about being strapped in. This proved to be invaluable for our trip out of Orlando since we sat on the tarmack for 2 hours waiting for a storm to pass then another 30 minutes when we returned to the gate for a malfunctioning toilet. My son actually slept soundly in his car seat during most of the chaos. I was hoping he would sleep the entire flight to Washington, DC since I strategically planned our flight during his nap time, but the delay threw everything off.

He did really great though, only cried for a few minutes at take off due to the pressures on his ears. I tried feeding him and offering a drink; however, he didn’t want either. A mom with two young boys was sitting near us and gave my son a Tootsie Pop and said it may help his ears. The lollipop was too large to fit in his mouth, but it definitely distracted him from the pain. After a few minutes, I was able to strap him back into his car seat and keep him entertained for the rest of the trip.

On my previous post Flying With A Toddler, a fellow mom blogger left a comment about wrapping toys for her children. I took her advice and wrapped 5 new toys in tissue paper. Thank you Katie, each package kept him occupied for 15 minutes! He had a blast shredding the tissue paper and then discovering his prize inside. I also packed a few of his favorite books and some fun finger foods, so he was a happy boy.

In all seriousness, I do not know what we would have done without the car seat on the airplane. My son is a squirmy toddler and there was no way I could have held him still for that long. He would have driven me nuts! Even though it is a pain to carry along the car seat, my advice is to do it anyway. Your child will be much more comfortable and safely restrained. We used a GoGo Kidz Travelmate to roll it through the airport which lightened our load tremendously (we also strapped our son in it and pushed it like a stroller). I plan on posting a product review in the very near future.

I was also very hesitant about renting a car seat at our final destination. I have heard horror stories about car seats being filthy dirty as well as in poor condition. Having my son’s car seat also brought me peace of mind.

Do you restrain your child in a car seat while on an airplane? Do you bring along anything special to make your child more comfortable while flying? I’d love to hear about your experience.

Thanks for stopping by The Unemployed Mom.

I am starting to get a bit nervous about an upcoming trip my family has planned. It has been six months since we took our son on a plane and at that time, he was still breast feeding which made life so much easier. He could have some milk and fall right to sleep in my arms. Now, he’s not a cuddly baby and is constantly moving so this trip should be interesting.

I don’t want to be “those” parents with an uncontrollable child (you know exactly what I’m talking about, the ones you shake your head at). I am praying my son will be well behaved and if not, I may have to order a mimosa or something to calm my nerves!

I have received some great advice about packing toys and introducing new ones to peak his interest. Also, snacks are vital and I plan on taking a nice variety. I’m wondering whether I should purchase a portable dvd player, but I know he won’t let me put headphones on him (he cannot stand hats so what makes me think he’ll agree to something on his ears).

We did not purchase a separate seat for him but are hoping the plane is not full so we can have a row to ourselves. If this trip turns out to be complete chaos then we will definitely consider spending the extra money on our return flight. He does great in a car, so I’m wondering if having him confined in his car seat would make traveling a bit easier.

I purchased a GoGo Kidz Travelmate to push him through the airport in his car seat. I refuse to spend $50 per day to rent a dirty car seat so we’re taking his with us. The Travelmate will allow us to roll him right to the plane. Like I mentioned previously, if there are extra seats I will take the car seat on the flight (his Britax Boulevard is FAA approved). I made sure to confirm this fact instead of assuming like I did with his infant car seat on his first flight to NYC.

Any additional advice for flying with a toddler? I know I probably just need to relax, but I hate the thought of disrupting others. Thankfully, the flight is less than 2 hours and I scheduled it during his nap time. Let’s pray my strategy works out!

Thanks for stopping by The Unemployed Mom!

My husband and I love New York City and took our son when he was 5 months old. My poor husband almost developed an ulcer worrying about how the flight was going to go. We didn’t want to be “those” parents that everyone stared at because of a screaming baby.  I booked an evening flight hoping my son would be sleepy and I kept his naps to a minimum that day.  My diaper bag was stuffed to capacity with everything ranging from toys to baby essentials.

I thought I did my research and knew what to expect for traveling with a baby.  I was not aware that my son would need a birth certificate to prove his age.  The airline representative let us proceed since she could tell he was under the age of 2 (otherwise, we would have needed to purchase a seat).  Getting through security wasn’t too bad, except the car seat was very difficult to fit into the X-ray machine and TSA wasn’t exactly helpful.

Once we arrived at the gate, we asked the airline representative to modify our seating assignments so the three of us could have a row to ourselves. I was relieved when our request was granted because I knew I would have to breast feed and wanted as much privacy as possible.  

We were shocked to learn that people with children are not allowed to pre-board.  All those years we spent traveling and complaining about families boarding the plane first and now it was our turn and we receved no preferential treatment!  What a bummer!

I made an assumption that my son’s expensive car seat was FAA approved and decided to take it on the plane instead of checking it. Bad assumption, it was not a FAA approved car seat so the attendant went ahead and gate checked it for me.  

Before take-off, I discreetly began feeding my son.  I knew the change in cabin pressures could be worse on a baby and feeding him during take-off and landing would help.  To my surprise, he quickly fell asleep in my arms and didn’t wake until 45 minutes before we were supposed to land.  As soon as he woke, I heard an all too familiar noise…a grunt and then a very loud bowel movement.  I couldn’t believe it, we were in the home stretch and then something like this happened. The smell was horrendous so I grabbed all the diaper changing essentials and headed towards the restroom. I was shocked to discover the airplane did not have a diaper changing station inside the restroom.  The attendant told me I could use an empty row of seats to change my son, which obviously didn’t offer the privacy I expected.

I unhooked my son’s brand new Ralph Lauren outfit and was mortified to find a poop explosion (yes, it was all the way up to his neck).  Thankfully, my son laid very still and allowed me to wipe him down and put on a fresh diaper.  Unfortunately, his designer outfit didn’t survive the explosion and was thrown away.  I picked up my baby wearing nothing but a diaper and carried him back to my husband.  I knew there was a fresh pair of pajamas in my diaper bag and asked my husband to dress our naked child while I properly disposed of the mess and washed my hands.

By this point,  I am a sweaty mess from the stress!  I couldn’t wait to get off the airplane and find the car we had reserved.  We typically just grab a taxi, but I wanted to make sure we were not rushed while installing my son’s car seat. It is not a rule in New York to secure your child in a car seat while riding in a taxi; however, I was not comfortable holding my son and taking such a risk.  

The car service worked out great and before I knew it, we had arrived at the W Union Square.  Upon check-in, we requested a crib to be brought into our room so we could get the little guy to sleep.  I was very excited to see the General Manager had left a beautiful cheese platter and bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to welcome us (it helps to know people in high places).

We quickly gave the baby a bath and settled him into the crib. Unfortunately, he kept banging his head on the railing while trying to get comfortable and began to cry (his crib at home had a bumper).  We didn’t want to disturb other hotel guests and decided to let him share our King size bed.  Needless to say, I hardly slept a wink because I was paranoid that we’d roll on him or he’d be suffocated. 

If you are traveling to NY with a baby, Union Square is a fabulous location. It’s not quite as active as Times Square, but there are terrific shops, restaurants and stores (including Babies R Us and Whole Foods). Most importantly, the 14th Street-Union Square subway station is right in the middle of it all.  I only wish my son didn’t find the singing subway panhandlers so amusing, he kept making eye contact with them and smiling.

We were able to visit all our favorite stops during the trip (Central Park Zoo, Magnolia Bakery, Century 21, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Times Square, 5th Avenue, etc.), but we returned to the hotel more than usual so baby could eat and nap.  Instead of packing our Bugaboo Cameleon stroller, we brought our BabyBjorn baby carrier so my husband could strap the baby to his chest. I couldn’t imagine trying to get the stroller up and down the subway stairs or pushing it through the crowded streets. The BabyBjorn was definitely the best choice.

We had a great time in NYC. I am happy to report there were no poop explosions on our return flight home, everything went smoothly.  Hopefully my experience will help other parents prepare for their first trip to NYC with a baby. 

Thanks for reading my blog.  I look forward to reading your comments outlining your baby’s first flight experience.  Please be sure to bookmark The Unemployed Mom and check back often!