Traveling can be challenging with babies as their usual comforts and daily routines are disrupted. If your family is soon taking flight with a baby, you may wonder how your baby’s ears on a plane will handle the pressure changes in flight. Knowing what to expect when it comes to your baby’s ears on a plane will help you better prepare for how to handle flights with a baby. In this blog, we will cover why your baby may feel ear discomfort and some ways you can help provide relief and protect your baby’s ears on a plane.
Changes in pressure during flights can cause your baby’s ear some discomfort or pain. For adults, this pressure can make it feel like our ears are plugged and can even muffle sounds. This effect is much greater for babies as they have less developed eustachian tubes, making that pressure feel even greater.
The ear pain or discomfort babies feel in a plane is only temporary. For children and infants who may be suffering from a cold or ear infection, the change in pressure on an airplane can become even more painful or longer lasting. It’s often recommended to delay travel in a plane if your child is experiencing ear pain or infections. It may be best to check in with your care provider if this is the case.
Infants and children can experience more ear pain simply because their tiny ears and eustachian tubes may not be fully developed. This, in turn, makes the pressure we as adults feel even greater on their ears during a flight. While many adults have experienced this feeling before, it is new for babies and kids. Be mindful that this sensation can be scary for your little one and can heighten their reactions. As you will read more in detail below, allowing your baby to cry can help aid in relieving this pain.
Baby’s ears on a plane can experience temporary discomfort or pain. This mild pain, to be expected for babies, is typically accompanied by some or all the following mild symptoms: pulling on the ears, fussiness, and crying. While these symptoms are temporary, they certainly don’t make traveling with a baby any more manageable. Read more as we discuss ways to keep your baby comfortable and achieve a more peaceful flight for all.
No parent wants to see their baby in discomfort. To protect your baby’s ears on a plane, you can do a few things to aid in relief for a baby’s ears on a plane. Some of the most common methods for relieving a baby’s ears include feeding or using a pacifier. By doing these things, you can reduce the pressure on your baby’s ears.
While there are a few things parents can do to help ease the pain in their children’s ears or try to prevent this discomfort on the flight, there also are some ways to prepare before flying. Since feeding can help a baby’s ears on a plane, you can adjust their feeding schedule around your flight time. This may allow you to time their feeding during take-off and landing, those times of greatest discomfort due to pressure changes. The Tushbaby Carrier can be worn while seated and doubles as a breastfeeding pillow in flight. Consider traveling with a Tushbaby to make traveling with a baby easier for everyone.
There are certainly a lot of noises during travel, from general plane noise to take-off to even chatty seat neighbors. If you’re worried about the loud noises of a plane, you can certainly pack along some baby-safe earmuffs.
But do earmuffs help baby on planes?
Earmuffs can be used for hearing protection and noise reduction, which can help ensure your baby (and you) can rest peacefully on a longer flight. Earmuffs can also potentially reduce discomfort caused by changes in air pressure, so be sure to pack them along in your carry-on or Pack.
Methods for helping your baby clear the pressure from their ears include ear muffs as mentioned above, as well as using pacifiers or breastfeeding during the flight. Tushbaby’s Paci Pod allows you to keep your pacifier handy for those moments of higher pressure during the flight. Simply clip your Paci Pod to your Tushbaby hip seat carrier, your purse, your Pack, or even your carry-on. This will save you from ruffling through your baggage for that pacifier when you need it most—and ensure it’s not somewhere at the bottom with all the gunk.
For adults, there are many tips and tricks for ridding that nagging clogged ear feeling on a plane. For babies, there are a few ways to help them get rid of the pressure or pain they feel in their ears. Both feeding and the use of pacifiers can help alleviate the ear pressure that is causing pain for your little one. While this one might not be a parent favorite, allowing your baby to cry will also help clear up your baby’s ears. The opening of the eustachian tube through crying works much as it does for us adults when we yawn or even chew gum on a plane.
When we feel that magical ‘pop’ feeling in our ears on a flight, it can alleviate some of the pressure or pain felt from flying. Your baby may experience that same ‘pop’ or clearing by doing some of the methods we have mentioned. Breastfeeding, using pacifiers, and even allowing your baby to cry may all help your baby’s ears on planes to provide that ‘pop’ of relief.
As we mentioned, breastfeeding is a great way to soothe your baby and prevent pain in their ears on an airplane. By feeding your baby during take-off and descent, you can help ease the pain during the greater pressure changes in the cabin during those times. This might leave you wondering how to best breastfeed your baby comfortably on a plane. Finding a comfortable way to feed on a plane can be tricky, but Tushbaby has you covered. Using Tushbaby’s hip seat carrier for breastfeeding support gives your baby a comfortable resting place as you breastfeed at your seat. Not only will your Tushbaby offer excellent support for breastfeeding, but it will also help make traveling through airports while carrying your kid much easier. For more tips on confidently breastfeeding in public, read How to Nurse in Public.
From baby carrier to breastfeeding pillow to parent-hack fanny pack. . . Tushbaby is a must-have for traveling with a baby. Order yours today!
Flying with a baby can be a stressful experience. Not only do you have to worry about whether or not you've packed everything you might need to keep baby entertained during the flight, you also need to make sure their ears are protected from the changes in air pressure.
Here are some tips to help protect your baby's ears when flying.
Choose the Right Flight Time
One of the best ways to protect your baby's ears while flying is to choose a flight time that works best for them. If possible, try to book a flight during your baby's nap time or at night when they are more likely to sleep through the majority of the flight. This will help reduce any discomfort they may feel due to changes in air pressure.
Use Pacifiers and Bottles
Pacifiers and bottles can be great tools for helping babies equalise their ear pressure while flying. The sucking motion helps open up their Eustachian tubes, which allows air to flow more easily through their inner ear and helps prevent discomfort from changes in air pressure. Make sure you bring plenty of pacifiers and bottles with you on the plane so that your baby can use them as needed throughout the flight.
Try Ear Muffs or Ear plugs
If your baby is particularly sensitive to loud noises, consider using ear plugs or ear muffs while flying. This will help block out any loud noises from the plane and reduce any potential discomfort caused by changes in air pressure. Make sure you get ear plugs or muffs that are specifically designed for babies so that they fit properly and provide adequate protection.
Give Them Something To Chew On
Chewing is another great way to help babies equalise their ear pressure while flying. Offer them something soft and safe to chew on, such as a teething toy or mitten with chewable protrusions on, which will help open up their Eustachian tubes and allow air to flow more easily through their inner ear. Just make sure whatever you give them is safe for them to chew on!
Take Breaks During The Flight
Finally, if possible try taking breaks during your flight so that your baby can move around and stretch their legs a bit. This will help reduce any discomfort they may feel due to changes in air pressure as well as give them an opportunity to move around after sitting in one spot for an extended period of time.
Taking breaks during long flights can also be beneficial for parents who need a break from holding their baby!
By following these tips, you can help protect your baby's ears when flying and ensure that everyone has a more enjoyable experience, but don't beat yourself up if things don't go as planned. Babies are fairly predictable, however, when they're not, your amazing parenting skills and instincts will do whatever is needed and somehow, we'll cope!
Lots of gLOVE,
Jodine x