Drug Free Ways to Calm a Fussy Baby on an Airplane

No one likes being trapped next to a crying, screaming baby on an airplane. If you find yourself sitting next to a kicking, crying little booger baby you could always ask to change seats. Unless of course that booger baby belongs to you. We took our son on a flight from Chicago to Hong Kong and back when he was a little over one year old. Here is my advice on what to do when it is your child being fussy on an airplane.

Ignore the grumpy people that are sitting around you. Face it, if you were in their place you would probably have a sour face on too. Unless someone says something nasty directly to you, just let it go. If they want to play the passive aggressive, lets talk about how much it sucks to be sitting near a baby for such a long flight, game amongst themselves just let them. Fight any urge you may have to kill them with kindness. It never works and in this situation and it will only escalate the passive aggressive behavior.

Locate the kind people that are sitting around you. These people will be the ones you catch making silly faces at your baby. They are not demented, or at least I hope not. Kind souls will mind their own business and sneak in some cutesy interaction when your baby is looking at them. Be nice to these people, they have the potential to really help you during the flight. The best scenario is to have kind people spread out in a circle around your baby so that no matter how cranky the little one gets, whichever way your baby moves there is a kind and goofy face.

Whip your boobies out whether you are comfortable nursing in public or not. In my experience nothing calms a crazy baby better than a nipple in his mouth. Breastfeeding in an airplane bathroom sounds awful to me. There is barely enough room in there to change diapers. They are certainly not super clean or comfortable. I always nursed my son on the plane, without leaving my seat, and especially during take off and landing. If there are people around you that have a problem with breastfeeding children in public, add them to the grumpy people list and ignore them.

Walk your walkers up and down the isles a few times throughout the flight. If your baby isn't walking yet, just carry her up and down the isles. Adults and babies both get bored when they are sitting in the same place, hearing the same sounds, and seeing the same things. When your child seems like they are getting restless, go on an adventure to another part of the plane. It will also give the grumpy people in your area a break so hopefully they don't become more agitated.

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