Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

So we are planning a trip to San Diego for when my DS will be about 4 months old. I have a few questions that I need help with:

1 - Should I bring a birth certificate/form of ID with me to the airport? Are they going to want to check ID for the baby?

2- We won't be purchasing a seat for him - will he be ok on my lap? What if I want to put him down? Should I bring the carseat?
Where do I change his diapers - do they have a changing station on plane bathrooms?

3- Should I bring a carseat with me? I was thinking of bringing the Snap N Go. Should I bring these on the plane or check them?

4- Where will the baby sleep? He currently sleeps in his bassinet but are in the process of transitioning to crib. Do hotels supply cribs? Should I bring a Pack n Play?

Thanks for helping this first time mom !

Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

I took his BC but didn't need it.

I had DS on my lap to FL and he was fine...slept the entire way. Did not have to change a diaper so I can't help you there.

I did not bring the seat cause my parents had on in FL for me

My parents had a PnP....most hotels have cribs or PnPs. I would call ahead and see so you can bring your own sheets if you want.

Re: Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

Re: Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

You don't need ID for the baby.

Same as pp, DS was on my lap to Florida. He was older though, 10 months, so he was a bit squirmy. But it wasn't that long of a flight so it wasn't too bad. If you have a carrier, like an Ergo, that might help so that if he falls asleep you can still have your hands free.

We didn't have to change a diaper due to it being a short flight, but I'm pretty sure airplane bathrooms have changing tables.

We brought the carseat but checked it as luggage b/c we didn't need it in the airport. We just used our City Mini. If you are going to use the Snap n Go in the airport you can gate check it and the carseat.

Your hotel should have cribs. You can call and check.

Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

How old is LO? DD is 7 months and I've flown w her 11 times. I've flown Southwest, AA and Delta.

The ID for the baby is to prove LO is under 2. I've never needed it, but I always bring a copy.

I've never bought DD a seat but with the exception of one time she's always had her own seat. If there's even a single extra seat, they can usually move things around so you have the seat next to the empty. For this reason, I always bring her car seat. The way I work this is I bring her car seat and snap and go. Once I get to the gate I say to the gate agent " I need to gate check the stroller and, if the flight is full, the car seat". They then check if full and if not she gets a seat. The agent doesn't have to do this, it's at their discretion, but I've never had one refuse. Then once you get on, car seat is strapped in ( I never bring the base, but some do) always in the window seat and rear facing.

Most airplane bathrooms do NOT have changing tables. Pee diapers, I leave til landing. Poop diapers I ask the flight attendant if I can change in the rear galley. My diaper bag has a flip down changing pad so I dO it on that.

Where the baby sleeps depends on the age. DD slept in her car seat until about 3 months, from 3-5 months in her car seat snapped into her snap n go. Since 5 months I've had her sleep on the floor on blankets and just lay there til she falls asleep. Hotels often have cribs, but I am too afraid of them being unsafe to let DD sleep in one.

Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

You are supposed to bring a copy of the birth certificate for lap kids but I have never been asked.

You can only bring thr carseat on board if you have a seat for your dc. They will be ok on your lap. We have flown numerous times and have only had an extra seat for DS on one trip.

Most airlines I have flown have had changing stations in the bathroom. They fold down over the toilet.

You can gate check your stroller and carseat.

We usually ask for a crib and bring our own sheet for it when we stay somewhere.

Re: Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

I went international so a bit different but it was long haul.

I needed a passport as id.

I asked for a seat with a Bassinet. At the bulkhead airlines generally have larger trays and give you a bassinet(basically a box) to put on it for the baby to sleep in. we had a 7 hour flight as DS slept the whole way there and lay content stretched out in the bassinet on the return. It was great to have somewhere to put him.

There was a changing table on the flight but only had to use it on the return as i figure he sleeps all through the night and doesnt get changed for 12 hours so he would be ok for 7 hr flight.

My family had a bassinet at home for me. But i bring the pack and play everywhere we go now.

Re: Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

I'd bring a copy of his BC just in case--I saw someone denied getting a boarding pass for their LO bc they didn't have the BC with them (domestic flight). Better safe than sorry!!

Re: Mommies that have traveled by plane with their LOs... come in!

We always take the birth certificate and/or passport but they never ask for it.

When we flew internationally, we did have DS's passport out.

I would gate check the car seat because you will need it in San Diego.

Travel with a baby is pretty easy.

Travel with a toddler is a whole other story.

Message edited 7/9/2012 11:22:12 AM.