Hello, this may have been covered already, but I don't see any specific posts addressing this topic, so here it goes. We are taking our first plane trip with our 3-month old this weekend (first child). It's only a 2 hour flight, but wondering what we should make sure to remember to do. A couple of specific questions:
1) What do we do with our stroller? I've seen people before who gate check them when arriving on the plane. Do the strollers get smashed up or otherwise abused based on your experience when you receive them back in the baggage check?
2) What do you end up doing with car seats? Also gate-checking them or just checking them with your regular baggage a the counter?
3) Any other tips while flying would be great.

Thanks in advance for any responses. I tried calling the airline with this info. but they were really not much help

With a 3 month old, chances are they'll sleep almost whole way.

In terms of your questions,

1)You shouldn't worry about gate checking it. You hand it to them at the plane door, and they will return it to you a few minutes after you arrive at the jetway. Wait on the plane a few extra minutes as it sometimes takes a little bit for them to bring the strollers to the plane door. (If I can, I usually ask the flight attendant by the the door to let me know when the strollers get there. This way, we're not blocking the jetway as people are trying to get off.)

2) For our two year old, we purchased a really light car seat which I'll carry to the plane and he'll use it in flight. When he was youner, and now with our infant daughter, we have the car seat that snaps onto the stroller. If you can, I'd suggest carrying it to the gate and gate checking it and retrieving it with the stroller.

3) In terms of tips, as your child gets older, I'd definately think about getting them their own seat, especially for longer flights. If possible, get the bulkhead as there is a bit more room and you may be able to let them at least sit on the floor and play. Also as they get older, think about hiding a few of their favorite toys a few days before flying and breaking them out in flight. We've also purchased a few new toys and books before leaving. The biggest enemy you have is boredom. Prevent that, and things usually go fairly well.

Hard to believe how much HARDWARE you have to drag around with any kid under about 3-4!

Some people dismiss the idea as overprotective and needlessly expensive, but I strongly recommend having a seat for the baby into which you strap the car seat. The odds aren't great but even though it's a short flight, there still could be sharp enough turbulence to shake the baby out of you arms, esp. on approach if you have to come down through storms, etc. On longer flights, the altitude is higher and you may fly over bad weather but you may also get clear-air turbulence, which can be severe and injure anyone not strapped down.

Other tips -- make sure you have things for the baby to suck on, even if you are breast-feeding. This is to help him/her equalize airpressure in the ears, so take a small bottle with water or Pedialyte or whatever and perhaps a pacifier. Probably the single most certain cause of problems with babies on planes is ear pain from the pressure -- their ears are more sensitive and they don't have ear-clearing reflexes set up yet.

I second the suggestion to get a seat for the baby and putting him/her in it for the flight. They are used to traveling in the car in the seat so why not a plane? You are more comfortable and it is the safest way to travel with your child. Two hours can seem like an eternity with a fussy baby.
I also recommend traveling with extra clothes for you and the baby. Just in case of delays and accidents.

Cassandra is correct!

Talk with your doctor, then leave the baby home with the sitter.

Has anyone sver seen a baby thrown in the air from turbulance? If a child is in the carseat screaming uncontrolably,should they still be picked up or left in the seat to avoid injury?

Happy Waiter, we're worried that if we leave our children home, they will turn into a bitter, sarcastic and uncaring pr*ck, like yourself. BTW, Mom approve of your spitting in people's food?

I agree with a person who said talk to your doctor. And follow his advices. I don't agree with leaving the baby at home. All it takes is a careful preparation, a bit more diapers as usual, more wipes, and more liquid to drink.

see post on most embarassing travel experiences, my post followed by lots of advice on what to bring.
1. You will "gate check" the stroller, and that means you take it thru security to the gate, and have the gate agent give you a tag to fill out with your name, etc. You get a boarding priority because you're traveling with a young child, so you go down the jetway with the stroller and then collapse it right at the end of the jetway, prior to your getting on the plane. Be advised that there are many, many stories of people who just for one reason or another don't get their stroller back, so (a) if it is a really expensive one, or (b) it's one that the carseat fits into, you may want to rethink that plan. What we did when our son was that young was check the carseat and base as luggage. United lost the stroller, and that left us without one that the seat fit into. Best to take the backup stroller if you can.

2. Don't gate check the car seat. It's just more to schlepp down the airport and you will most probably be waiting for other luggage anyway.

3. If you have a bjorn, that really really helps if you hit rough air. it also helps many times for ease of walking around the gate area/plane.

4. For the immediate future, no worries, but if your child is anything like ours, spend the extra dough and buy him/her a seat when they're at about 10 mo's to 1 year. That's when you take the carseat on the plane, strap it into the seat, and you can sort of have a decent flying experience.

5. Bring 2 changes of clothes, plenty of diapers and a million wipes. What we did was take the wipes out of the hard plastic box and put them in ziplock bags. speaking of ziplock bags. take about 10 and put them in the outside portion of your diaper bag. When there is an erp, or a poop, double bag all the wipes and diapers in the ziplocks. That goes a looooong way toward showing your fellow passengers that you really are considerate of their sense of smell, and the recylced nature of airplane air.

6. If you're breastfeeding, that's actually the absolute best way to stop the crying, avoid formula -- in our experience it turns into a foamy shake if there's choppy air, and you'll be wearing it.

7. Avoid a feeding right before takeoff (i.e., try to wait if they're about to board) and right before landing. See above.

8. Bring a light knit cap, esp. if traveling at night, as plane tends to cool down substantially.

9. Our overall travel experince with our young son was that people on most airlines, be they passengers or crew, or reservation agents, were unbelievably helpful and understanding.

10. Have fun, they grow up so fast!

I agree with most of the baby loving posters. Be sure to take extra clothes and anything you couldnt live without (for you and your baby) for 24 hours in case your luggage gets lost. From personal experience, I can tell you, you dont want to run around for replacements if that happens. Enjoy your trip and take pictures so you can show your baby where s/he's been later on.

the only think i disagree with at this point is taking a car seat. guaranteed the kid won't be in it very much, will probably sleep the whole time, and as it's only a 2 hr flight save the ducats and purchase a seat when s/he is about 6-8-12 mo's old. that's my 2 cents.

If you at all can, buy the baby its own seat. Turbulence can very easily throw a baby out of its parents arms, and children die from survivable plane accidents (like the plane hit a truck while taxiing) because they get thrown into the bulkhead. If you decide not to buy the seat, absolutely do not check your carseat with the luggage. You will have no idea how banged up it gets in the cargo hold and it may be unsafe. At least if you gate check it it's not handled as much. As far as the stroller, yes, it may get a bit mangled being gate checked. I consider it the price I pay for the convenience but certainly don't use a stroller where you would be crushed if it got ruined.

Not my personal experience, but a friend travelling with an infant went through the the change of clothes she had in her carryon and was in her nightgown by the end of the flight - had lots of fun walking through the airport to baggage claim in her jammies - LOL. So yes, 2 changes of clothes for you and the kid.

Thanks for all the good advice from everyone (except for the Happy Waiter, as usual). Tonight's the big night- I'll let everyone know the results (and keep my fingers crossed). I have a feeling we're going to be walking through the airport looking like we're preparing for a 3 week trip rather than a 3 day trip with all the extras we'll be lugging around