Screaming in the skies

Remember the days before You had kids, when air travel was something to almost look forward to? I used to think of it as enforced chilling out... sitting down, watching a movie, enjoying a glass of wine. But I confess I used to look around at my fellow passengers in the departure gate, picking out the Babies, toddlers, and the sneezing, coughing sick people... and I'd will them to be sitting at the other end of the plane from me.

Carla and Max

So I suppose I had it coming. Fast forward to my life as a new mother and the first time I embarked on a plane trip with my three month old baby, Max. You guessed it, I was THAT woman with THAT Baby who screamed from Auckland to Sydney.

I was organised for my journey with Max. My bag was stuffed with spare clothes, spew rags, toys, wipes, baby Panadol, wraps, dummies etc. etc. I'd prebooked a good seat, I'd read up on how to travel with Babies, I had done everything I could to make it a successful trip. But Max had other plans.

The screaming reached fever pitch as we hit Sydney airport. The queues had never seemed so long and slow. At one point I shoved the suitcase, myself and Max into a parent’s room in a desperate attempt to feed and calm him down. No joy. So I pushed on through and finally made it to the exit ramp where my partner was waiting. And as I flung our screaming first born into his waiting arms he said three words which no woman ever wants to hear in public. “Your tit’s out’. Yes... after my failed attempt to feed Max I’d been walking around with my right nipple on full display to the world. Perfect.

I share this story not to scare the living daylights out of anyone or put You off travelling alone with your baby. In fact, I recently did the journey all over again with Max at six months old and he was an absolute dream!! But I did want to share what the experience taught me, should you ever be in the same situation:

• People, most of them anyway, are kind. I was blown away by how lovely my fellow passengers were as I tackled this screaming terror in the skies. The women around me in particular were sympathetic and constantly offering to help. One gorgeous lady even took Max from me for 15 minutes and tried to settle him, giving me time to fill out our arrival forms and throw back a stiff whiskey (kidding...). 
• Be ready for anything. I was so glad that I was organised and had all the essential Baby supplies I needed to try and salvage the situation. They may not have helped calm him this time, but they gave me something to try.
• Your Baby is his own force of nature. I’ll never know what Max’s problem was that day. Sore ears? Over-stimulation? Wind? Just a bad mood? Who knows. The experience reminded me that as much as I can guide, teach, support and love him... he is own person, even at three months old, and I will never be able to control him. 
• It will end. Like most parenting catastrophes... it was only a temporary blip. I can even laugh about it now!

xo Carla

Author Bio - Carla - a half Kiwi, half Brit chick, who now calls Australia home. She’s currently taking a break from a career in communications to be a first time mum to Baby Max. Carla and Max live in Sydney with Daddy Ben and their two crazy cats, Ash and Pixie. Carla and Ben blog about Max's daily exploits at www.maxbuxton.org..

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