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Items for Baby

momof2-2
Explorer C

Wondering about the rules for items in the carryon for a baby.  Can I bring bottles of formula and/or breast milk?  The amount I need to travel will be over the limit.

Does the rule change if it is frozen when i board?

What if I bring the powder formula and water?

 

5 REPLIES 5

Re: Items for Baby

CareforNOLA
Frequent Flyer A
Solution

Good luck with the travel and you can bring formula as long as you notify TSA in advance and submit to extra screening.  TSA rules are here: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children

 

You may or may not need a boarding pass for the baby depending upon whether a seat was purchased. https://www.southwest.com/html/customer-service/family/baby-on-board-pol.html

 

Southwest allows family boarding after the A group and A-list Preferreds who may not have gotten an A # boarding pass. 

 

My personal tips: 1) make sure the infant is thirsty/hungry when the plane takes off.  That is when drinking is most important to equalize inner ear pressure.  I see many moms who feed babies while everyone is boarding because they are hoping to keep them quiet, and then when take off happens, their ears pop but they are full and do not want to drink.  Try other distractions while people board as long as possible instead of offering a bottle.  2) carry some ziploc bags - for storage, for trash (esp wet trash) and one with a few cheerios for a baby (7-12 mos) gaining a pincer grasp as they will try to pick up the cheerios from outside the bag which teachs them that they can't always believe what they see ( but open the bag and reward with cheerios outside the bag now and then so they can see how it works).  good luck!

Re: Items for Baby

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Great write up from @CareforNOLA

I'll just add a couple things, first that the TSA screening is pretty quick and non invasive. They may ask you to open a bottle and might swab things like they do for other bags or sometimes people's hands, but thankfully they've gotten more sensitive about parents flying with infants.

 

Secondly, bring sanitizing wipes. I'm always amazed at people who eat off the tray tables which are usually quite gross. Not a knock against Southwest, airlines just don't have the time or manpower to clean between flights.

 

Last item for now, try to pack lightly and be aware that you only have a small amount of space at your seat. Find a bag that will go under the seat so you have quick access to items. You can check a stroller at the gate which will keep you from having to carry everything, but you'll want to be able to grab your baby and items quickly when it's time to check the stroller and board the plane.

 

Have a great trip! 

Re: Items for Baby

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

Tray tables build up immunity @TheMiddleSeat!

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Items for Baby

TheMiddleSeat
Aviator A

Lol @DancingDavidE, I'm a slight germophob and read too much about flying. Just google'ing "tray table bacteria" is frightening! Perhaps a little exposure is beneficial for kids, but I'll pass. Being in the middle seat all the time I get more than enough exposure without the tray table. 

Re: Items for Baby

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

In general if something is frozen then it's okay for TSA or at least in reasonable quantities. 

 

To clarify, the requirements are only for when you go through TSA, if the frozen items are melted by the time your board that is fine, and if you brought powder though and bought water inside the airport that would also be fine.

 

 

Fluids for the baby would be tested for anything in an open container such as bottles or thermos, so the main thing to watch out for is a sealed container such as shelf-stable milk which we've had mixed success with - some TSA stations pass it through, others had to do a screening of my wife's person since we obviously didn't want to open it which would make it "not so shelf stable" milk. They can allow that to pass through by taking samples from your body and the side of the container and testing those for any traces of what they are looking for.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.