[BlissMom]

I have heard that baby's can scream on the plane ride home because their ear tubes are so small and the pressure is quite painful. Is this true? If so, what have you tried that works to relieve the pain in flight????

Thanks so much!

[Vicki H]

I was always told to give a baby a bottle during take off and landing, the sucking helps with the pressure in their ears.
We did this with our son and there was no screaming.

Vicki

[teachsafe]

Make sure that you have a bottle or sippy cup for them to suck on(or paci) and that should relieve the pressure. Just anything to make her swallow will relieve the pressure. And if that doesn't work you could always give her some benadryl and knock her out JJ

[lakimnafite]

We also use the baby nose spray used for stuffy noses. It opens the sinuses. Then, like the others said, make them suck on the bottle during take off and landing.

[beccakinn]

Dear Blissmum
Our bio son is 3 at the end of June and has taken 91 flights in his life! He did his first at 7 weeks as we live and work abroad.
As others have suggested, always have them sucking and swallowing on take off, in particular (at least by the time you depressurise on landing it's almost the end of the flight.) Also, particularly if there is a hint of a cold, a decongestant can help. Ross only had dodgy ears once, and fortunately that was on a short flight from Stavanger to Oslo.
Happy flying!
Beccakinn

[PamelaC]

Our daughter (2 years old) would not drink out of a sippy cup, so we gave her goldfish and crackers to eat both taking off and landing and that seem to do the trick, she never cried.

Pam

[tchr_678]

We were told the same as many others .. bottle, juice box, fruit snacks. Something to keep them chewing for a while. Our boys didn't have any problems, but I had them eating gummy bears the entire time!

[GCS]

We've traveled quite a bit with our kids now and eating/drinking during the landing and takeoff seem to be a good solution. This is when the pressure is difficult to equalize (like a diver) and when they have problems. Once up and about it shouldnt be a persistant issue.

When we travel now, I do give my kids a hit of Benadryl. I spoke to our doctor about it and he feels it is fine for the few times a year they travel. Not only does it help clear the ears (sinuses really) it makes them sleepy. I usually end up with two snoring children within the hour.

I did not do this on the way home from Russia. I wouldnt give the kids any medication before having them checked out by their pediatrican first. God forbid there was a reaction of some sort. But it is something to keep in mind for later travels.

Christina

[votemom]

frequent swallowing seems to be key.

also if you don't know how the child reacts to benadryl (it can make some kids hyper), you could try children's dramamine (chewable).