There is a produst called "Diaper Doublers" that really help with quick changes. It's an extra pad that lays inside the diaper and can be whisked out easily if the mess is contained on the pad. It also doubles the absorbency of the diaper so you don't have to change as often. This isn't always a good thing, but it is helpful when traveling. I used to find them at Walgreens.

Great advice above. Bulk head or not, I doubt it will make or break the trip. I'd pick not bulkhead, as I like to have everything at arm's length. But that's me.

Re: crying. Your baby's two month old cry is a LOT different from, say, a 10-month old. Much less energy and much less volume. I wouldn't worry too much about it. There is a great "baby faces" book that is fun for that age, and also the "black and white" book by Tana Hoban is fun. Maybe those will keep baby interested.

Re: changing. How long is this flight, anyway? Assuming you will change the baby just before boarding, and you can change again just after landing, will it kill you to just skip changing while on the plane? I mean, if there's a blowout diaper, then you'll have to do it, but otherwise, waiting a few minutes till you can get to where you can spread out and change easily shouldn't really be that big of a deal.

I think you will be fine since you are thinking this all through. Relax and enjoy! I've flown with a 3 week old and an 8 week old (not at the same time) and it was a breeze. Really!

The diaper will smell to others and you need privacy to deal with it. Even if it's a short flight, you have to be prepared for the possibility. I breastfed during take off (I had lap baby not in his own seat) but I always made the mistake of starting too soon. You really need to wait until you are taxi-ing because the wait on the ground can be longer than you think. People around you will ignore you if you don't make a big deal and are discreet. Good luck! It's very awkward but it'll be OK. Oh! I agree, no to bulkhead, and if she cries, everyone will have to cope somehow.

I agree to changing baby in bathroom...IF there is a changing table. If not, do it in the seat as quickly as possible, using baggie to dispose. Changing a baby on your lap in that tiny lavatory, especially if there is turbulence, could be too risky for the baby. Better safe baby than happy seat neighbors. They'll get over it; you won't get over dropping your baby on her head in the lavatory!

Additionally: You can check your stroller at the gate. Just ask the gate agent for a special tag. When you get up to the actual plane door, there will be someone there that will take your stroller and place it in cargo. When you get off the plane, it will be there waiting for you! Don't make the mistake of checking it as regular baggage...it can be a long haul to the baggage claim area with a baby carrier!

One more tip...my daughter once leaked in her last clean outfit. I found the hot air hand dryers in the bathroom at the airport to be my saving grace. Rinsed her pants out in the sink and placed them over the hot air tube. 2 minutes, they were dry!

Good luck!

I think your fellow passengers will love you if you bring a box of cheap earplugs from the drugstore and hand them out if your baby starts crying. Hell, I'd stand up and give you a standing ovation if you did that.

But I agree with what somebody else said. A lot is forgiven if your fellow passengers see you trying to calm your baby down. There's nothing that pisses me off more than a mother that is sitting there clueless while their baby screams in pain from its ears not popping.

As for the bulkhead, a baby screaming there is a lot more noticeable than a baby screaming near the back where the engine noise takes the edge off a bit.

Finally, my nephew is breastfed but will sometimes take a pacifier in an emergency situation (e.g. a plane). You might want to bring one as a potential last resort.

"Changing a baby on your lap in that tiny lavatory, especially if there is turbulence, could be too risky for the baby. Better safe baby than happy seat neighbors. They'll get over it; you won't get over dropping your baby on her head in the lavatory!"

I completely agree with Sarge56. I seldom see baby changing tables in airplane bathrooms. Nor have I been in a bathroom large enough for two people to help. It would be dangerous to try to support your very young baby's neck and back while wiping and changing baby.

I'm with Enzian. I nursed our babies upon take off and landing and it was a God-send. Changing a nursed baby's diapers in your seat is so much easier than the bathroom. As you well know, the diapers of a nursed baby don't really smell and the bathroom is not really a clean place for your precious darling.

Bulkhead is good if they're toddlers so they can stretch in front of you but since you have an infant, you'll want the space under the seat in front of you for storage.

Try to relax so your baby can relax and not sense your tension. You'll be fine as long as you're nursing your little bundle.

Crying helps with the ears and the pain. While it might be tension causing to have a crying baby, it will be over soon.

If she cries unconsolably she's just going to cry that way. I was on a flight back to SFO from Boston and the mom had a serious nose bleed. The baby was crying a great deal. MY SO dealt with the mom and I got to walk the baby in the aisle but had to pass her off to any number of folks who wanted to hold her as well including some really nice guys. I do think folks understand stuff happens including noise when flying with a baby.

I agree with other posters that, as long as you are doing what you can, other passengers will be sympathetic. This has always been our experience when flying with babies!

Both of my sons were also exclusively breastfed and never had any interest in a bottle. I tried to time it so I was nursing for landing. They didn't seem to have as much trouble with takeoff. We also tried putting a little water in a straw, covering the end, and letting them sip that. (I suppose a dropper would work as well.)

My first son never had any trouble napping on planes - he was just a much more relaxed baby. The second one had a really hard time falling asleep - he would get overtired or overstimulated. I found that a good swaddle, plus a light blanket on his head, worked to calm him down.

This is kind of ridiculous...also for the second one we dragged across the country a toy that seemed to always calm him at home. Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly small...it was a stuffed bunny that sang songs. I guess we did what we had to If you have any toys that are "guaranteed" soothers, it might be worth dragging them along too!

I would probably skip the bulkhead. We tried it on a trip to Germany with the older kid, but didn't use the bulkhead at all.

One thing to check when you board is where you can put the carseat. Some flight attendants do not allow you to put them in certain seats. It's a pain to get it all set up and then have to move it after you're settled!

Good luck!

hi AZWildcat- Congratulations on your new precious one!

the following article has some great ideas for flying with an infant - like sitting near the engine
(noise factor will help lull baby to sleep) I thought it was a good suggestion have a great trip

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ur_infant.html

....umm I don't know where that clown guy came from I was hoping for a happy face guy....ha

One other thing I thought of last night is to be sure you get to the airport plenty early. I know it kind of goes without saying, but babies will sense if you are anxious or tense and it will get them worked up as well. Unfortunately, I've found that it's harder to get the baby calmed down for the rest of the day! If you have plenty of time and try really hard not to be stressed, the baby will be happier too!

Hello AZWildcat, I have been flying with my now 1 year old daughter since she was 2 months old. My husband has been able to fly with us on several trips but I have flown with her alone about every other month so her grandparents can get their fix. Here is what I know to be true:

No, you do not have to buy a ticket for her until she is 2 years of age. When she turns 2, you can call the airlines directly and ask for a toddler discount. When there is no one seated beside you, you can bring aboard the car seat. Just ask the attendant at the gate about the seat next to you and they may even move you to give you that extra seat. You have to check in here anyway to get a ticket for the stroller which you leave by the plane's entrance. When you land, wait by the plane door and they will bring up your gear.

Now, when you check in your luggage, you want to make sure your ticket says "infant in arms". Also, they have always sat me in a window seat in an even numbered row. I was told this is there protocol.

The part I dread the most is going thru security when I am traveling alone with our daughter. Strangers, usually men, help me but I have also done this juggling act alone. After you have put your shoes, jacket and whatever else on the conveyor belt, you have to hold your baby and boarding pass in one arm while the other hand you are collapsing, restraining, lifting the car seat/stroller onto the x-ray line. After you get thru, do it all over in reverse.

Yes, you can breastfeed during take off and landing. Once the plane gets in the air, my daughter usually falls asleep. Since I am sat by the window, trying to crawl over 2 strangers with child and diaper bag in hand to get to the bathroom is almost impossible. It is my experience that some planes have changing "triangles" that fold out of the wall, some do not. Unless you have a smelly diaper, just wait until you land. I have had to change my daughter in my lap before. Placed everything in a ziploc freezer bag, then a grocery bag to have the flight attendant tell me she can not dispose of bio-waste. I put in the diaper bag then thru it away at the first trash receptacle in the airport.

Don't be the last one on the plane. Most are not hot. It is going to take time for you to get settled.

Flying with a baby is challenging and most people on the plane know that you are doing there best to not disturb them. Just do your best and you will be fine.

I've never understood why a child with her own seat is required to use an FAA-approved car seat but a lap child is considered safe dangling free on a parent's lap. A crash or really serious turbulence would rip a baby right out of the strongest pair of arms. I've always felt more comfortable using a Baby B'Air harness with a lap baby (or while feeding a baby outside of the car seat) but FAA (and 2-out-of-3 flight attendants) don't allow its use during take-off and landing. Isn't that when a secure harness would be most important?

As for your other questions: just let her suckle a little whenever she cries and during landing. Use your own best judgement about where to change the diaper but pack your carry-on as if you were going to be stuck on a Jet Blue plane for 10 hours. And make sure to buy mom a big bottle of bottled water once you clear security to stay hydrated on the plane. Ask the flight attendants for water too - frequently.

Of course, I shall get all kinds of firestorms, but to voice the thoughts of MILLIONS of the politically incorrect....

...no one appreciates a crying child, and will wonder why you cannot deny yourself a few years of travel until that child is socialized enough to travel. Let's not deny yourself in any way, just because you have a child who will be uncomfortable in confined circumstances.

Any number of travel studies shows that the most annoying event to travel with is a crying child....but perhaps the advent of on-board cellphones might top that one.

Madame X - don't know if you're a troll or not but you're obviously not a mother. A two month old baby doesn't have the lungs to cry loud enough to be annoying. A two year-old, yes, a two month-old, no way. Lighten up.

Since your baby is only two months old and doesn't require a seat you will be able to hold her and feed her.
Continental (not sure what carrier you are using) offers changing tables in the bathroom's.
Enjoy your trip.

I would agree on the waiting to change the diaper until you land unless it's smelly or your baby is easily suceptible to rashes, etc. or using the bathroom if possible.

If you do have to change the diaper in the seat, please use a blanket or towel between her and the seat - mostly for her safety (they don't get cleaned very often) but for accidents also.

When you change her, do so from the aisle seat facing towards the window - that will reduce the number of passengers noticing.

Please be quick with putting the diaper into a plastic baggie (yes, they all really do smell for those not accustomed).

Also, don't comment on the quality of the diaper contents - the rest of the plane doesn't need to know about her "precious poopie" (I knew someone who did that with every change).

Most mothers I know are very good at discreetly breastfeeding (and those that aren't do it on purpose), so I wouldn't worry about that - if you turn towards the window, there will be less chance for a weirdo to ogle you.

I agree with the comments that as long as you are trying to comfort the baby, most people are OK with the crying. If your baby does cry, please put down the book, magazine, etc. and don't just ignore the crying - you don't have to stop it, just let your fellow pax know that you are aware that it is a discomfort for them as well as the baby.

Oh Good Lord!

Who are you Oh Good Lording to TTess?