Scuba trip with an infant

[Patience]

Thank you to everyone who offered their advice. We have returned from the trip, and I have to say, it was a wonderful experience for all three of us.

Herman, you will be happy to know that although the baby did accompany us, she didn't bother anyone on the aeroplane! She slept, nursed, and cooed through all four flights! She fussed for less than five minutes on the second flight, while we were taxi-ing from the gait. The people behind us claimed they weren't able to hear her.

We hired a local nanny, from an agency recommened by the proprietor of the hotel. She was wonderful, and very patient with the baby and with me. (I was very anxious leaving her with anyone, even though I spent time with the nanny before leaving her.)

I came back to the hotel after the boat dives to nurse, so I was never gone for too long at a time.

We did make a quick trip to the emergency room on the second day. I don't give Claire extra liquids at home, and didn't realise she'd need more fluids in the tropics, although it makes sense. A few ounces of diluted apple juice later and she was back to her usual sunny self!

I was certified for nitrox for this trip, and did my first deep and wreck dives. Awesome!

Again, thanks to everyone for their great advice, and to FredT and ScubaBabe especially, for help with the nursing question.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I am somewhat surprised at the intolerance expressed towards children on airplanes. Lets not forget that we were all little ones at one point in our lives. Babies cry, dogs bark, birds crap on your car, its all part of life. The next time a baby cries on the plane offer to help. Make funny faces. Joke with the mother. Believe me she feels all those ugly stares and nasty comments. Impress evryone around you with your tolerance and good humor and not impatience and idiocy. You'd be surprised. You will feel better and so will the people around you.

 

[GearHead]

A little tolerance goes a long way. And as for infants, so does a dose of Cold Medicine on a long flight.

I know, some of you may cringe at the thought of "drugging your kid" but it kept him asleep, happy, quiet, and problem free for most of a 6 hour flight from Seattle to Miami on our way to Little Cayman. For the rest of the flight he was awake and happy, as were the rest of the passengers.

Every time we've flown since then with our son (now 2 yrs old) and new daughter (5 months), we've use Cold medicine as needed , and without fail on every flight at least one person mentions "what little angels" we have once we've landed.

AquaTec mentioned some great wisdom regarding the pacifier for infants, and gum for older kids to help with pressure. Those are great options.

And Patience, I'm glad you had a great trip to GC, and that the nanny worked out for you. I think cost-wise, that's a good way to go. We're lucky in that my Mother In Law lives in another city, and joins us on vacations to babysit her grandkids while we dive, etc. OK, wait, that didn't come out quite right. What I meant is that we're happy to have her along on all of our major trips!

You can check out my profile pic to see my son and me sharing a beverage at the Little Cayman Beach Resort bar.

Cheers,

Rick

Tim Ingersoll once bubbled...
I am somewhat surprised at the intolerance expressed towards children on airplanes. Lets not forget that we were all little ones at one point in our lives. Babies cry, dogs bark, birds crap on your car, its all part of life. The next time a baby cries on the plane offer to help. Make funny faces. Joke with the mother. Believe me she feels all those ugly stares and nasty comments. Impress evryone around you with your tolerance and good humor and not impatience and idiocy. You'd be surprised. You will feel better and so will the people around you.

 

[Patience]

I hate to admit it, but I did have cold medicine in my bag on both flights. I thought that the pain reliever component in it might help her if she was uncomfortable during the trip. The sedative in it would have made everyone else happy. Fortunately, she didn't need any, so I was spared any possible guilt I might have felt at drugging my child unnecessarily. (I don't intend that as criticism for anyone who has gone that way either!) A child in another section of the plane was screaming for quite a while -- poor lamb. I don't think I would have felt any guilt in dosing her if it would have brought her any relief. She obviously wasn't any happier than the passengers around her.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

We have travelled with our little ones since they were born (now 6 and 4). We always bring the cold medicine and use it when needed to relieve the child and those around us. It works, it works quickly, and it relieves all concerned. It is a harmless way to help a hurting child which is exactly what it was intended for.

 

[Patience]

You are obviously the voice of experience. Does it get easier, or harder as the children grow? Do you still use the cold medicine? I'm glad to hear that it works quickly. That gives you the option not to use it if the child doesn't need it, but to bring relief post haste if it is needed. I'm glad I didn't need it this time, but I think that was just luck. The next trip might be an entirely different experience. I worked hard at keeping her happy and quiet, but she was obviously comfortable. If she hadn't been . . .

 

[herman]

Tim Ingersoll once bubbled...
I am somewhat surprised at the intolerance expressed towards children on airplanes. Lets not forget that we were all little ones at one point in our lives. Babies cry, dogs bark, birds crap on your car, its all part of life. The next time a baby cries on the plane offer to help. Make funny faces. Joke with the mother. Believe me she feels all those ugly stares and nasty comments. Impress evryone around you with your tolerance and good humor and not impatience and idiocy. You'd be surprised. You will feel better and so will the people around you.

All well and true but in return for our tolerance and assistance, would it be possible to return the favor with some courtesy and respect? I don't have any problem with people traveling with children BUT I expect the children to behave and I expect the parents to take the necessary measures to insure they do. A child whimpering some or a minute or two of crying is not a problem. Kids will be kids just as dogs will be dogs and I think we all understand this. I totally ignore my dog barking now and then but if he starts barking all night long or heaven forbid, starts waking up the neighbors I will put a stop to it, I owe it to my neighbors to keep my dog quiet. I enjoy entertaining childern and have done so many times. I am usually the adult that is found in the floor rolling around with the kids and having a blast doing so. I am no kid hater, far from it.
That being said, I don't feel I should have to set for HOURS listening to a baby cry to the top if it's lungs while the mother just sits there with a dazed look on her face. Or have the back of my already uncomfortable airline seat kicked by some bored brat for hours while his mother sleeps. (I have had both happen on more than once) My patience and tolerance wears pretty thin after a couple of hours of this. Is asking parents to keep their children reasonably quiet and behaved really asking too much?

 

[Patience]

Herman,

I think we can all agree that it's never pleasant listening to a child fuss. We are all biologically programmed to be bothered by this, to ensure that we react to provide for the child. Not to mention it's just plain annoying!

The moral of the story may not be to leave the child at home, but to learn what you need to do to keep your child, and your fellow travelers, comfortable and happy.

Tim, GearHead, AquaTec and Rick all had some great suggestions for travelling. It seems as though everyone can enjoy the flight if the parents plan ahead.

For a mother to sleep on the plane while the child fusses seems just plain irresponsible. The problem wasn't the child in that case, it was the mother.

Claire received a lot of positive attention from practically everyone while we were travelling. Thanks again to everyone for their great advice.

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Well said Patience. Have you ever considered a career as a mediator?

 

[FredT]

herman once bubbled...
I realize that this is hard to do and I am sure that many people are going to dissagree with me but as someone who has spent several HOURS beside a baby screaming to the top of it's lungs on a crowded airplane, PLEASE leave your baby at home. I understand the child does not understand why his ears hurt and that you can't always keep them quite but is it right to make me suffer for hours? Long flights are not the place for a baby.

There is no excuse for a screaming baby on an airplane if the partents have a clue.

Step one is to be sure mama is breast feeding the kid, then be sure to hang him on a nipple for the sections of the flght when the plane is changing altitude. The feeding suction opens up the tubes and allows the kid to equalize. Since young'uns tend to sleep after feeding that handles the middle part of the flight. If someone else on the plane has a problem with feeding in public they'll just have to get over it.

We took our son James to Grand Cayman when he was 6 minths old, and one set of grandparents. Diving with Sunset house the boat would radio the hotel where we were going for the SI, and grandparents would bring James to the closest beach for brunch. The Boat would pull u to couple hundred yards of the beach, or closer, and Jeanne just swam in and did the mom thing, then swam back out to deal with another dive. Worked great!

It was also the easiest trip back through customs I've ever done while "traveling with seven elephants". When the agent asked about baby food, Jeanne pointed to her chest, real fast wave through after that.