I’m back from my Alabama visit!  I caught the last flight from Atlanta to Baltimore last night.  It is a good thing too because  each flight after it was cancelled, due to the weather. And boy, do I have some tips to share about flying with an infant. Of course, I had to go and learn them all the hard way.

Best things about my trip:

• I got to visit with family.
• I got to hold a precious newborn.
• I spent time SITTING on a sofa.  : )
• The food!  Oh, the food!!!  We had Arby’s!!!  We had Swiss Cake Rolls, Fage Greek yogurt–my very favorite, but I’m usually too cheap to buy it, pizza, and oh!  Goldfingers chicken!!!  It was a party in my tummy.  : )
• We went through many of Granny’s things, mostly clothes, jewelry, and cards that she’d saved.  I brought home a few beautiful broaches that will remind me of Granny each time I wear them.

The visit part was awesome.  The flying part was where the work came in.

Have you ever flown with an infant?  It’s not really my favorite.  While waiting to board one flight, this nice, well-meaning lady came up and talked to me.  She said, “Just wait….” and I must’ve had a look on my face that let her know this wasn’t actually my first rodeo, because she stopped and said, “Is this your first?” Of course, you know I explained that I have four, but she went on to say how much easier it is to travel with just one, rather than two or more.

Well, yes, that’s true, BUT that does not negate that traveling with even just one infant is difficult–especially when you’re traveling ALONE with the infant.  Oy.  I have flown with four different babies at different times over the years–usually without Alan–but also a time or two with him.  It’s much easier when both parents are present.

Here are a few lessons I’ve picked up over the years on flying with infants:

#1. Ergo Vs. Strollers    

While I use my Ergo often, I’m not really the queen of baby carrier wearers.  I have trouble fastening them by myself.  I also have back issues, so I can’t wear them for very long at a time.

On my flight down south, I decided to only use the Ergo. I didn’t even take a stroller with me because I figured I can travel rather quickly that way. After all, I had a crazy short layover in Atlanta.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THAT.

If you love wearing your Ergo, fine, but I highly recommend that you have a stroller with you. Have the stroller for when your back starts to hurt so badly that you become super jealous of the people in wheelchairs.  I spent a few minutes there at the end, fantasizing over riding in one of those wheelchairs, let me tell ya!

While in Alabama, I went to the store and picked out the most awesome little almost-umbrella stroller I have ever purchased.  HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS:

I used this stroller on the trip home, and I didn’t bother with the Ergo.  It worked much, much better, and I won’t spend two days with an achy back as a result of it either.

#2.  Food

Food is the number one way to entertain little ones on an airplane.  JD is pretty messy with his food, so for him I used a bottle of apple juice.  My kids have to drink apple juice for their bathroom issues, so it’s a guilt-free tool for us.

JD still doesn’t really take a bottle, so he mostly gnawed on it, took sips here and there, and played with it.

Breastfeeding usually solves a lot of problems too.  Don’t be afraid to breastfeed your baby on the airplane.  People, in general, are very understanding, and if they aren’t, who cares?  Babies have to eat whether your seat mate is weird about it or not!

Which brings me to point #3:

#3. Breastfeeding on an Airplane….

Oh, the joys…I have this weird problem:  When I feel nervous or uptight, my milk STOPS.  It just won’t let down for the baby.  No milk = mad baby.

Have any of you other breastfeeding mommies had this no-let-down- when- nervous problem?

On my first flight, I was walking down the aisle, looking for my seat. All I could see in the area I were men.  “Noooooo,” I thought, “Oh, please, no, oh please, no, don’t let that be my seat next to the pretty man,” because it really looked like it was.  I did not want to have to breastfeed next to the handsome man.

I was lucky.  My seat was right in front of his, right beside a SUPER sweet girl, about my age.  PHEW!!!!  She was awesome.  We had such a good time talking, I really wish I’d caught her name.  She was a kindred spirit.

All went well with the breastfeeding.

Yes, I use a nursing cover.  I forgot mine, so I had to use a blanket, which is only a little more difficult.

On my return flight, I DID have to sit next to a man, about my age, and guess what happened?  I felt uncomfortable, as he was not a dad yet, so I knew he was probably uncomfortable, and my milk would not let down.  What is wrong with me???  Am I the only one with this problem???  Tell me I’m not the only one!!!  Ugh.

THANKFULLY, the lady I mentioned before, that I’d talked to at the airport, who’d said, “just wait until you have two kids”, appeared out of nowhere, and rescued me with a strand of Mardi Gras beads!  JD  was in Heaven with those beads.  Thank you, bead lady!!!!

God provides.

I simply fed JD later, after we landed at the airport, in a carefully selected seat near a window, across from a nice grandparent-ish couple.  Halfway through the feeding, this young man behind me–that liked to look around, but I’d forgotten all about him–suddenly said, “Oh, sorry!” looking at me….apparently he’d gotten a peek.

There was really nothing to say to that…..so we’ll move on.

#4. When the baby fights sleep, and the crying begins….

The very last flight was when JD started to lose it.  Don’t worry, I didn’t cry, but JD sure did.  Whatever you do at home to quiet a crying baby is what works on an airplane too.

Joshua was the type of baby that never cried once, the airplane just lulled him to sleep, and I thought flying with babies was so easy.

JD was more difficult, but he only got really upset on the very last flight.  We were sitting by the “We’re not talking here,” type of guy.  Boo fun.  I do not like sitting by non-talkers.  Holding the baby with no one to talk to is lonely.  The talking soothes JD, so without it, I was left with sleepy-grumpy-poopy JD.

We’ll talk about the poopy part in a minute…..

As it turns out, it’s perfectly acceptable to stand up, rock your baby back and forth, and even sing to him.  : )  Can you picture it?  Yes, I had to resort to all of these things, but at least he went to sleep.

#5. Diaper changing on an airplane:

Somehow, JD always chose to do his business ON the airplane.  Great.  I handled this 3 different ways, all which worked just fine:

A.  On a flight where the back row was empty, I snuck back there and used that row to change his diaper where no one could see us.

B.  On a flight where I boarded first, so the seats around me were all still empty, I hastily laid JD in my lap and changed him right there.  Thankfully, it was just a wet one.

C.  JD went full-on messy diaper during our very last flight, so I just marched him down to the airplane bathroom.  Do the plane bathrooms have changing tables?  Um, no.  I put the lid to the toilet down, sat there, and changed a seriously poopy diaper right there in my lap.

This would’ve all been a lot harder with a Daniel-sized toddler.

#5.  EARS

If your ears are bothering you, their ears are probably bothering them.  I tried to keep a pacifier in his mouth for this, as it never happened when he was hungry. In the past, I have done the whole feeding during the descent thing.  The descent always seems to be the worst for ears. JD seemed to handle it best lying down, rather than sitting up.

***************

 Our journey was quite the adventure.  I do have this knack for getting myself into scrapes.  On the way home, I ran into a major snag when I couldn’t find my car in the parking garage.  

Advice to myself:  Always write down your parking space number.  

I spent ten minutes wandering around the 1st floor of the garage in the freezing cold because all I remembered was that I parked on the 1st floor, to the left of the elevators……I didn’t realize there are 4 different sets of elevators….

 I ended up with a cold, hungry baby, getting back on the shuttle bus, not really sure where to look next.

Guess what happened next?  Remember my post about the kindness of strangers?  I ran into some more angels-in-disguise.  Their names were Bob and Jan.  They were a grandparent-ish couple, and they asked me if they could drive me around the garage until we found my car.  We found it right away because I remembered exactly how I’d turned into the 1st floor and driven to the third row.  Phew!  Thank you, Bob and Jan!!

Again, God provides.  Be silenced, all ye who credit coincidence; there are few accidents.

Okay, so my next big goal is to start making better decisions so that I’m not constantly requiring help from strangers!!!

The post Expert Tips for Flying with an Infant (that I learned the hard way) appeared first on Stories of Our Boys.

Why does grocery shopping always turn into the most interesting day of the week?  It sounds so simple, and it is so simple–when I get to go alone.

  This week I was bound and determined to do the good ol’ fashioned grocery trip with baby + a toddler thing.  Daniel loves stores, and JD is such a sweet baby, so no problem right?

heh-heh

 It all started when I got JD’s shots the day before, and I let them also give him a flu shot (half dose).  Yes, I do realize he was 8 months old for his 6 months shots.  Life is hard, people.  The immunizations clinic was cool with it, so really you can be cool with it too.  ; )

  John David is still not himself.  I blame the flu shot.  I got up three times with him last night, and he has stopped eating solid food.  I really hope this little guy feels better soon!!!  I’m doing all I can to help him.

  Soooo….since JD was needing extra TLC, I KNEW what had to be done.  The Ergo baby carrier!  “No problem!” I thought,  “I use it all the time.”

JD loves the Ergo.

  At least that’s what I thought until I got to the store and remembered that I’m the Ergo retard that can’t put it on by myself.  Where are Joshua and Caleb when I need them?  Oy.  (Thankfully, little Dan stood there patiently while I moaned and complained and fidgeted).

  Eventually, JD was all strapped in and I made a terrible realization.  It wasn’t right.  His foot was hung up on the side, and I couldn’t free it.  The lower back clip was all twisted, and I couldn’t fix it either.  I CAN’T bend that way!!!

  What’s a girl to do?  I was determined to buy these groceries.  I marched us in, straight up to the “Information” desk and requested some help.  There I met Angel #1.

  She got his foot un-hung and the clip un-twisted.  It still didn’t feel right, but I proceeded forward, spent 10 minutes looking for the “car that you drive” buggy for Daniel, finally found him one, and headed into the produce section……where I met angel #2.

  She was a mom much like myself, and she had three children with her for her shopping day.  Drat.  Outdone.  She’s got the Ergo on properly and 2 kids, under 5, in the buggy.  I look like a newbie.

  Some how she could tell my carrier wasn’t on right.  She came over, and man, I don’t know what she did, but she did it RIGHT.  She adjusted like 4 different straps:  zip, zam, swish, and then she said, “Jiggle him up a bit,”  (which he didn’t love, as he was already settling in for his Ergo nap), and wow.  Instantly, I felt better.  It was perfect.  I thanked her profusely, felt like a pitiful school child that has no idea what they are doing……and continued my grocery shopping.

  I’ve been doing this for 8 years, but let’s face it, sometimes as moms of littles, we MUST rely on the courtesy of others.  Oh, I’m not done.  There were more angels.

  All went well until it was time to unload the buggy onto the belt.  The problem with the “car driver” buggy (with the steering wheels up high) is that it’s a 2-level basket for your groceries, one up high, and one at the floor level.  Have you ever tried bending over a sleeping baby to reach the floor level one?  I had not really thought that through.

  THANKFULLY, this beautiful woman that I had seen earlier and thought, “Oh, we’re in her way, and we’re probably getting on her nerves, as she has no toddlers, but she’s getting on MY nerves dodging around me like that,” swooped in and started unloading my buggy for me.

  She said, “Oh, I’ve been there.”  I was so thankful (and ashamed for my negative thoughts from earlier) that I could have cried, but I didn’t.    We’ll call her angel #3.

  Then angel #4 swooped in and said to #3, “You’re next in line, so go ahead over there, and I will do this.”

  Then the cashier got testy with the baggers for not doing this and letting the customers do this…..

  Let’s just say it was a HUMBLING experience.

  You know how you hear people talk about “people today” and how rude our society has become and such?  I completely disagree.  I’ve been a mom of littles and a military wife for long enough that I have OFTEN had to rely on the generosity of total strangers, and let me tell you:  “people today” can still be amazingly kind and helpful.  Sometimes it’s just hard to know HOW to help, but sometimes (like yesterday) I run into people who just know exactly what to do, and they do it.  Here in the suburbs I know a lot of people that still go out of their way to help others, and I am learning so much from them!!!

  You can spin just about anything in a negative or positive direction.  I’ve had too much help from “people today” to say anything negative about them!

  Sometimes I get so busy, I forget to notice others who need help, but I’m so inspired by all the kind acts that I see everyday.  I pray that I, too, will step it up and be one of these angels among us!

The post There ARE angels among us, and most of them are just people. appeared first on Stories of Our Boys.