Posted by We just got back from taking our four month old on his first 5+ hour flight across the country to the east coast. Here are 5 tips that helped make the flight easier with the baby as a breastfeeding mama.
#1 Bring A Nursing Pillow
Young babies fly on your lap and 5+ hours of holding a baby in a cramped seat is rough. Having my Boppy nursing pillow with me was a lifesaver. It made it more comfortable for him to breastfeed, to sleep on, and to just hang out on my lap and play. I would consider this absolutely essential.
#2 Bring A Nursing Cover
I love my We Are Amma “Cocoon” nursing cover. It’s lightweight, breathable, and stylish. Having this with me provided not only privacy to feed but also created a cozy, distraction free, space for him to sleep since there are so many lights, people, and sounds on the plane. The breathability of this cover means we don’t overheat and it doesn’t get too stuffy in there like with other covers.
#3 Sit In The Window Seat
Some may debate me on this and say an aisle is better for walking the baby up and down. But I never got up from my seat with him once. My strategy was basically to try to get him to sleep as much as possible on my lap by keeping the boob in his mouth.
I like the window seat for the privacy it provided. It kept us from being bumped by carts and people going up and down the aisle while he was sleeping or nursing, and it was more comfortable for me to rest my head against the window to sleep with him.
What about getting up to change his diaper? On the red-eye there, I didn’t change him at all on the plane. He slept most of the time and I just waited until we got off.
On the flight back, we were lucky enough to be able to have the whole row (they moved someone to a new seat). So we changed him on the middle seat.
#4 Use A Good Baby Carrier
My son hates his carseat and doesn’t like being in his stroller for long. For us, baby wearing is where it’s at for getting around the airport and through security. I invested in this LilleBaby carrier for this trip and I couldn’t be more pleased. My back didn’t hurt, he was a lot more cozy. It has a pocket to store things and a sleep hood. Perfect. Being hands free meant a lot more mobility for me, and no stroller meant a lot better mood for him. Plus you can walk through security wearing him.
#5 Keep Clothing Simple
It’s hot outside and cold on the plane. I prioritize comfort over style when it comes to long plane rides. Plus, we need something easy to nurse in.
My solution is leggings (with a pocket for my phone), nursing tank, t-shirt, sweatshirt, socks, and slides. It’s not fashion forward, but it lets me regulate temperature, nurse easily, get quickly through security, and be super comfortable in my seat.
For the baby I put him in a sleeper onesie. The kind with long sleeves and feet covers (I like these rib knit stretchy ones from Old Navy). I did not want to fuss with any socks or two pieces, etc., and he’s comfy and warm on the plane. I brought 2 extra sets in case of blowouts. Plus a regular onesie to change in into if it was way too hot at our destination.
Something I didn’t have but will definitely bring for the future is a car seat travel bag to keep our carseat clean and protected when checked. Not all airlines provide plastic bags to cover it, I wish I had one on this trip!
Hope this helps!