Flying with bb Juvan at 5 months
Just came back from our trip to OKA!
We took a red eye there and day time flight back - we did top up $$ to get the first row seats so that there was more space and leg room and it really helped us to take our items more easily and slow bounce bb to sleep during the flight - will recommend!! Rating the good and bad:
Red eye flight:
✅ sleep pressure is there for bb - airplane is dark, easier to make bb sleep
✅ contact naps helps bb stay asleep hah
✅ for some reason bb didn't really feel the change in air pressure much -> maybe sleepy?
❌ stressful because scared bb disturb everyone
❌ parents do not really get to sleep 🫣🫣 next day sleepy af
Day time flight:
✅ less stressful since it is not sleeping time for adults
❌ bb only took cat naps
❌ need to constantly entertain - bb cannot sit still/fussy - T I R E D for parents
Overall I think the red eye was less tiring! 🤣
Traveling with a 5-month-old baby certainly brings unique challenges, especially when it comes to choosing between a red eye and a daytime flight. From personal experience, upgrading to first row seats is a game changer. Having extra legroom and space not only allows you to manage all your baby essentials more comfortably but also helps in rocking or bouncing the baby to sleep without feeling cramped. This is especially useful during longer flights like the 5+ hour journey between Singapore (SIN) and Okinawa (OKA). On red eye flights, the environment tends to be darker and quieter, naturally encouraging the baby to sleep. The 'sleep pressure' from the dim cabin lights and the consistent hum of the plane can be very soothing. Contact naps — holding your baby close as they nap — helped my baby stay asleep for longer stretches. Interestingly, my baby didn't seem to be bothered much by the changes in air pressure during takeoff and landing, possibly because he was asleep. However, parents shouldn’t underestimate the difficulty of the trip; trying to keep the baby quiet can be nerve-wracking because you don’t want to disturb other passengers, and the adults often end up exhausted the next day due to disrupted sleep. Daytime flights, on the other hand, felt less stressful since it wasn't typical sleep time for parents like myself, but the baby only managed cat naps and was more alert and fussy. This meant constant entertainment was necessary, which was tiring for us. Babies at this age find it hard to sit still, so packing enough toys and planning interaction activities can help keep them calm and distracted. Overall, in our experience, the red eye flight felt less tiring despite the challenge of trying to keep quiet, largely due to the better sleep opportunities for the baby. Plus, the use of first row seats significantly eased the trip by providing extra space. For anyone planning to travel with a young infant, consider your baby's sleep schedule, your tolerance for sleep disruption, and the perks of seat upgrades. Flying with a baby isn’t easy, but with preparation and realistic expectations, it can be a smooth journey.
