03/06/2026
Part 2 of 3, make sure you catch the first step in my feed! Comment “FLYING” to get the full plan.
Flying with babies is possibly the most stressful part of traveling with children. And yet you often can’t do one without the other. I’ve been flying with my kids for 10 years now and this is the 3 step game plan I approached every flight with. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. Ultimately you know your baby and your situation best, so trust your gut.
Step Two: Feed them on the way up
I’m not advocating that you starve your kid all day. Make sure they’ve eaten something earlier, but we want enough time between that meal and your takeoff that they will be hungry. I’ve never met a toddler that didn’t want a snack, so this mostly goes for baby’s feeding windows. Hopefully all that running and playing and maybe crying has worked up an appetite. But we want to wait until you are actively taking off to give them something to eat. That meal can be a bottle, breastfeeding, some gummy snacks, gum for older kids. We just want their jaw moving and their throat swallowing.
This does 2 things. 1) It keeps them occupied when they need to be in your arms or buckled in their seat during a time that could potentially be a little scary. 2) The act of chewing and swallowing will help their ears adjust to the air pressure while you are ascending.
This can also be done on descent, which is when my kids always struggled with air pressure changes. Massaging their ear canal can also help their little ears to equalize. And unfortunately, so can crying. But remember, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THESE PEOPLE AGAIN!!! So do the best you can on descent and keep telling yourself it’s almost over.
For links to my favorite kid travel items check the link in my bio. Please save, share with a friend, and follow me for more information about traveling with your kids!
.ai