Olivia lives far away from her grandfather from her father, cousin and uncles. The girl, who was born homesick for part of her family, started traveling early by plane. Her first trip was at six months of age, when we left Belo Horizonte and left for Uberlândia.
Yeah, who is a miner or has adopted Minas Gerais knows how the distances here are immense mountains. So better get used to plane early.
When can the baby travel by plane?
She could travel from the age of three months, according to the pediatrician, as she would have the main vaccines on time. Not coincidentally, this is also the time when babies can make their first appearances outside the home.
We prefer to take a little more time not only for her, but also for us. A baby completely changes our lives and, as much as you have read it before as I have read it, believe me, you only understand it in practice.
We opted to take the first plane trip with her a week before beginning the food introduction. As Olivia, until then, only breastfed, we had one less concern.
Breastfeeding is more practical than you can imagine, and when it comes to air travel, it is even more important to alleviate the discomfort of little ones during the flight. This is perhaps the most valuable tip I have for sharing my experiences with Olivia on high.
Tip: Suck During Takeoff and Landing
Do you know that pressure that sometimes causes a headache during the flight? Imagine this in a baby. Well, when you are big people, the tip is to chew gum to attenuate the difference in takeoff and landing pressure. As you may already know, babies don’t chew gum, so the tip is: bottle or breast as soon as the pilot authorizes the flight.
In addition to feeling safer, the movement of sucking mitigates (and much!) Possible discomfort. With Olivia, it was no different. As she was suckling, she was not frightened by the noise and we followed the trip smoothly.
The first time, she slept pretty much all the time. Also, we chose the first flight of the morning on the way out and the last time for the return. That is, we chose to travel at times when she would already be sleeping. What’s up?
When are the best times to fly with your baby?
When we talk about our daily maternal, we understand early on that each baby is really unique. What works for one doesn’t work for the other. Then we get frustrated. Did you identify yourself there? I know. I understand you. Therefore, I make it clear that there is no rule, especially to talk about the best time to fly with your baby.
With Olivia, we always opt for times when she is already dreamy so she doesn’t get bored and enjoy the best of life: sleep and travel. However, it is not always possible to find the perfect match between time and price.
So, those who fly with a baby must also have ways in place to entertain the child. Yes, they have a lot of energy and a lot of curiosity.
How to help your baby enjoy the trip?
The last time we traveled, Olivia was a year old and I thought she would behave like a six-month-old baby, very quiet. Yes, I was wrong and had to improvise. What I learn every day from Olivia is to be whole in my moments with her.
What does that mean? In addition to travel, whenever we are together, it is really necessary to be present. With that, I changed my gaze on the world and everything became endless possibilities for discovery and play.
On the plane, the feeding table turned a stage to play with disposable cups. She also loved to say goodbye to the clouds through the small window, but what made it SAME was the magazine available in her front pocket. She took it out and put it on, flipping through the pages, finally enjoying the trip with what we had in hand.
I kept the tip up and offered my chest as it took off and landed. It seems to be very quiet traveling with Olivia, doesn’t it? So nothing is as it seems. The issue of her safety is what worries me most when it comes to flying.
How to travel safely by plane for your baby?
This is a very controversial issue. As safe as planes are, there are no safety rules for what is most fragile on board: the baby. Traveling with a small child on your lap is not safe under any circumstances and it seems that we have no option.
When we traveled together, I chose to leave her most of the time in the kangaroo (sling would do). So I keep the belt buckled on me and give her a little more security.
From the time we flew, it worked and I managed to leave it most of the time. Sure, she wanted to get off her feet and stand on the head of the person sitting in front of her, but, as I said, it all turns out to be a great joke and learning when I’m really present at her time.
We love to travel because the world always teaches us what it’s like to have a child’s curious eyes. Being a tourist, we return to our origins. Everything is new. With Olivia in her arms, the trip has gained even more meaning from the moment we check in.
I hope this text encourages you to travel more. If there’s one thing I learn at MaxMilhas is that everyone deserves to travel more and with a baby is even better.