Screaming babies on the descent

If you have noticed, the most likely time for babies to start hysterical screaming fits is at the end of the flight.  Sometimes it's do to missing naps and being overtired, but more likely it's due to the changing pressure building up in the babies ears on the descent into your destination.  Here's a few tips I have used to almost entirely avoid any pain or discomfort.

1. For very young babies, try to plan feedings so that in the last 30 minutes of the flight they will be happily sucking away at a bottle or breast so they keep that jaw moving and allow the pressure to release.  Usually that means no feeding for at least an hour before.

2.  For babies that are old enough for chewing some real solids, plan snack time for the descent.  Again, no feeding or drinking for at least an hour or more before.  They need to keep that jaw moving.  Our favorite is fruit snacks for the older babies and kids, but crackers, cheese, granola bars, sucking on sippy cups, and anything chewy works.  As soon as you start feeling any pressure in your ears, get them chewing immediately.  The pressure really only lasts for about 15 min, then you can enjoy the rest of the descent.  Use your ears as your guide.

3. If your baby is sleeping at this time, it's your choice to wake them or not to try to feed them.  Most of the time my twins would sleep through the descent with no problem, but I had them both wake screaming one flight (must have been an unusually quick descent) and once they feel the pressure as pain, it is very hard to get them to release the pressure.  All I could do was try to massage around their ears to try to help relieve the pain.

4. If your baby has been congested, I would recommend talking to your pediatrician about a decongestant that should be in full force during the last 30 min of the flight.  Congestion just makes the pressure build up worse.  If your baby is too young, you could at least try a nasal aspirator to clear our as much as you can before the descent.  The people sitting in your row are going to love watching that.

Being proactive about the pressure has worked for me every time.  It can for you, too.