Boarding a plane with a baby has a way of instilling panic into parents and fellow passengers who fear a long flight with a crying infant.
The issue made headlines last spring when Canadian singer Sarah Blackwood of the band Walk Off The Earth was because her young son was crying loudly. The airline said her son was causing "safety concerns."
In 2010, a crying three-year-old on a flight became the centre of a lawsuit. An American tourist settled with Australian airline Qantas, after claiming the child's screaming left her with hearing damage.
But before parents with young children write off any and all airline travel for the foreseeable future, CTV’s medical expert Dr. Marla Shapiro says there are things parents can do to make travelling with baby a less stressful experience.
Don't unnecessarily medicate babies
Parents will sometimes give young children a dose of an acetaminophen drug to help with any earaches that babies may experience during takeoff or landing. The medication could also sedate the child.
But Shapiro warns that it may also have the opposite effect.
"The reaction could be idiosyncratic," Shapiro told Â鶹´«Ã½ Channel on Tuesday. "The child can get more hyper from the medication, and you don't really want to medicate your child unnecessarily."
Don't over-feed babies
Parents are often guilty of overfeeding babies while flying.
"If your mouth feels dry on a plane, it's often because of the air circulation, but it doesn't mean you're dehydrated," Shapiro said. She said overfeeding babies may be a cause for colic, which is marked by long periods of crying in otherwise healthy, well-fed babies,as opposed to making babies calmer.
Shapiro added that the change in air pressure while flying could result in 20 per cent more air in traveller's guts, so young children will likely feel bloated while flying. She said excessive nursing or drinking from a bottle could result in babies swallowing even more air, making them more uncomfortable.
Shapiro said allowing babies to suck during take-off or landing could help minimize painful pressure changes in the ears, "but don’t necessarily feed them throughout the entire flight."
Simulate a calm environment
Shapiro recommends lightly covering a baby with a blanket to block out excessive noise and light.
"Every time you move, the baby is moving with you. So you want to be calm" she said.
Keep in mind that the flight is only temporary
"The most important thing to remember is that the flight has got an end point," Shapiro said.
She recommends that parents introduce themselves to the travellers sitting around them, and if their child is having a rough time on the flight, try explaining to your seatmates that you’re doing your best.
"Introduce yourself to your neighbours, and recognize that they may be a little worried," Shapiro said.
