Airplane Ear Protection For Babies & Infants When Flying

Flying with a baby or infant can be a stressful experience for both parents and the child. The high altitude and cabin pressure can cause ear pain or discomfort, making the flight even more challenging. Fortunately, there is a solution that can help ease the discomfort of flying for your little one – ear protection headphones.

But with so many types and brands of earplugs, earmuffs and headphones available, how do you know which ones are the best for your baby or infant? You don’t want to risk using a product that might not fit properly or irritate their delicate ears.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the best infant and baby ear protection for flying on an airplane, so you can make an informed decision and ensure a smoother flight for you and your little one.

Best Baby Ear Protection For Flights

Here are the top infant and toddler earplugs and earmuffs for flying.

BANZ Earmuffs Infant Hearing Protection

These earmuffs are specifically designed for infants and toddlers and offer one of the highest noise reduction ratings (NRR from 28 to 31 dB, depending on your chosen version). They’re designed to reduce sounds and help with pressure changes in a baby’s ears while flying on a plane.

Based on various customer reviews, BANZ Earmuffs Infant Hearing Protection is highly rated for its noise reduction capabilities, design, and adjustability. It is a valuable accessory for infants in noisy environments, including flights.

Many parents have reported that their children, from as young as four months to two years old, have comfortably worn these earmuffs in various scenarios, from outdoor concerts to metro commutes and hockey games. One parent even mentioned that their child could sleep through a loud hockey match, indicating the earmuffs’ effectiveness in noise reduction.

The design is another aspect that parents have particularly liked, with some buying the earmuffs purely based on their aesthetic appeal. This is a plus for parents who want functional yet stylish accessories for their children.

Lastly, the earmuffs are adjustable and can fit infants of different sizes. One parent noted that their two-year-old child, who is on the smaller side, could comfortably wear the earmuffs with room to grow.

Given the positive reviews and the earmuffs’ features, they would likely be helpful on a flight to protect an infant’s sensitive ears from the loud noises of the airplane.

Alpine Muffy Baby Ear Protection

This is a great choice, especially for babies under 6 months. The headband does not push on the vulnerable fontanelle of a baby’s head (the soft spot at the top of the head). It also features noise-reducing foam inside the headphones to help block out the loud noise of a plane.

For a young infant (under 6 months), these are recommended as the best headphones for babies due to the special strap that secures them around little heads without pressing on the ‘soft spot’.

The Alpine Muffy Baby Ear Protection has received positive reviews from parents using it for their infants on flights and other environments with high noise levels. Parents praised the earmuffs for their effectiveness in reducing noise, allowing babies to sleep peacefully even in noisy environments, such as during a hockey game with loud horns and cheering fans.

Many found the earmuffs to be comfortable for their infants, with adjustable sizing that allows room for growth. Some reported their children happily wearing the earmuffs without trying to remove them. The earmuffs were also appreciated for their stylish design, particularly the Pink Doodle color.

While the earmuffs were generally well-received, some parents initially had concerns about their babies’ reactions to wearing them for the first time. However, these fears were allayed as their children became accustomed to the earmuffs and enjoyed wearing them.

Friday 7Care Baby Ear Protection (0-2+ Years)

These earmuffs are lightweight and durable. They do not specifically advertise to prevent the build-up of air pressure in a baby’s ear while flying, but their cushioned-cup design helps reduce the effects of take-off.

Read this testimonial we received from a user:

The Friday 7Care Baby Ear Protection earmuffs have been a lifesaver for our family’s frequent flights. As new parents, we were apprehensive about our infant’s comfort and the potential harm from the loud engine noises during flights. The 7Care earmuffs alleviated our concerns remarkably.

The earmuffs are designed thoughtfully, considering infants’ sensitive and developing auditory systems. They effectively shield our little one from the harsh noise of the airplane engines, allowing for peaceful sleep even at 30,000 feet. The adjustable fit ensures they can grow with our baby, and the soft padding offers additional comfort.

Initially, we were unsure how our baby would react to wearing the earmuffs, but to our surprise, she did not try to pull them off. Instead, she seemed to enjoy the calm it provided amidst the hustle and bustle of air travel.

Aesthetically, the earmuffs are delightful with their sleek design and vibrant color options. They are not only functional but also stylish accessories for our young ones.

The Friday 7Care Baby Ear Protection earmuffs are a valuable investment for parents who frequently travel with their infants. Their effective noise-cancellation, comfortable design, and stylish appearance make them indispensable to our travel kit. We highly recommend them to any parent looking for a reliable solution to protect their baby’s hearing during flights.

BBTKCARE Baby Ear Protection Noise Cancelling Headphones

The BBTKCARE Baby Ear Protection Noise Cancelling Headphones are an excellent investment for parents who want to ensure their infants are comfortable during flights and other noisy environments. These headphones provide effective noise cancellation and are designed to fit snugly and comfortably on your little one’s head.

Their adjustable design ensures they can grow with your child, fitting babies as young as 4 months old and accommodating growth beyond 2 years. Parents have tested and loved the headphones in various noisy settings, including outdoor concerts, sporting events, and city commuting, underlining their versatility.

They have consistently proven to be effective in blocking out the noise to the point where infants can comfortably sleep through loud events. The colorful, eye-catching design is a plus, making these headphones a stylish accessory for your child. However, please note that while many parents have found these headphones effective, individual experiences may vary depending on the child’s comfort and tolerance.

3M Kids Hearing Protection for Flights

3M is a renowned brand that manufactures reliable and innovative products across many industries. Their Kids Hearing Protection line is designed with children’s specific needs in mind. The earmuffs are designed to reduce harmful noises without completely shutting out ambient sounds.

They are lightweight and adjustable, making them suitable hearing protection for children of various ages and sizes. The padding in the ear cups ensures comfort, which is crucial for long flights.

Snug Kids Earmuffs

Snug Kids earmuffs are another well-known pair of earmuffs for your child when flying.

Many parents have been satisfied with the product’s performance in noisy environments such as concerts, public transport, and even hockey games. They report that the earmuffs fit well on infants as young as 4 months old and effectively blocked out disruptive noise, allowing their children to sleep peacefully.

The earmuffs also appear to be comfortable, stylish, and easy to adjust for growth

How Do I Protect My Infant’s Ears When Flying?

You can use several methods to protect your infant’s ears when flying. The main concern is the changing cabin pressure during the flight, which can cause temporary changes in middle ear pressure and trigger ear pain. Here are some recommended strategies:

1. Feeding: Offering your baby a breast, bottle, or pacifier to suck on during takeoff and the initial descent can help equalize the pressure in their ears. If you bottle-feed, ensure your baby sits upright while drinking.
2. Pacifier: Similar to breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, a pacifier can also work since the suckling helps neutralize the ear pressure.
3. Avoid Sleeping During Takeoff and Landing: We don’t swallow as often during sleep, so keeping the air pressure in the middle ear equalized is harder.
4. Hydration: Make sure that your child is well-hydrated throughout the flight. Airplanes have very dry air, which can cause nasal congestion and worsening ear pain.
5. Medication: If your child is congested from a cold or allergies, prepare at home by asking the doctor for an antihistamine or decongestant to be used during the flight. If your baby has a real cold or ear infection, discuss with your pediatrician whether you should give him an infant pain reliever or postpone the flight.
6. Avoid Flying if Sick: Avoid flying with a baby with a cold or ear infection, as it will increase the chances of ear pain. If you must travel with a sick child, talk to your doctor to see if you can get ear drops to help ease the pain.

Remember that these are just suggestions for protecting your ears when flying, and it’s important to consult with your healthcare provider about what’s best for your child’s situation.

Can flying damage a baby’s ears?

Flying can cause temporary discomfort or pain in a baby’s ears due to the pressure changes that occur, especially during takeoff and landing. These pressure changes can make it feel like the ears are plugged or muffle sounds, a sensation which may be more intense for babies due to their less developed eustachian tubes. This can understandably be a scary experience for a young child.

However, it’s important to note that while flying can temporarily affect hearing and cause discomfort in a baby’s ears, it does not cause permanent hearing loss. The pain is caused by the eardrum stretching due to changes in pressure, but this is not a long-term issue.

If your baby is experiencing a cold or ear infection, the change in pressure on an airplane can exacerbate their discomfort or pain, so it might be best to delay travel if possible. If you must fly, consult your child’s healthcare provider for advice.

To mitigate discomfort for a baby when flying, you can try feeding them or offering a pacifier during takeoff and landing to help neutralize the pressure in their ears. If airplane noise is a concern, baby-safe earmuffs could be used for hearing protection and noise reduction.

Keep Your Toddlers Ears Safe on the Airplane

Meg Collins, the author of the Flying With a Baby e-book, advises how to get to your destination with sanity. If you are traveling with an infant or a toddler, their car seat is the best option for the flight. Attaching the car seat facing forward will help minimize motion sickness and allow them to enjoy the flight more.

Although your child is crying, it is unpleasant, but remember that not all passengers can hear the cry; however, when the plane is not too loud, you can remove the earbuds so that your child’s head and ears can rest from the heat, weight and pressure they may feel while wearing.

Also Read:

Easy Ways To Pop Your Ears

Sources

• https://www.alpinehearingprotection.com/kids/flying/
• https://www.macksearplugs.com/product/flightguard-airplane-pressure-relief-ear-plugs/
• https://www.2idiotstravel.com/best-baby-headphones-for-airplane/