A pilot has revealed two simple tricks to stop babies crying on planes – but parents are warning against using one of them.
Jimmy Nicholson, The Bachelor star turned airline pilot, shared that babies often cry during takeoff and landing because they experience an unusual amount of discomfort.
Therefore, parents can calm babies by breastfeeding them during these times or giving them an ice cube to suck on.
“When a plane increases in altitude, the gases in the body expand similar to when a balloon is released,” the 34-year-old said.
‘When you descend, gases leave your body through your ears, nose and butt. As adults we can swallow or chew gum and that helps get rid of the gases inside our body.
Jimmy Nicholson, star of The Bachelor turned airline pilot, shared that babies often cry during takeoff and landing because they experience an unusual amount of discomfort.
Nicholson stated that self-soothing was “a little bit more difficult” for babies.
“Breastfeeding babies during the descent helps them do a Valsalva,” the pilot said.
The Valsalva maneuver is a forceful attempt to exhale against a closed airway, usually performed by closing the mouth and plugging the nose while expelling air.
“The sucking and swallowing motion removes gases trapped in the ears and sinuses,” he said.
The second step, which has been described as controversial, was letting the babies suck on an ice cube to help them unclog their ears.
Since ice cubes pose a choking risk, parents are advised to avoid them in children under five years of age.
Nikki Jurcutz, founder of Tiny Hearts Education, said people often think ice cubes are not a choking hazard because they “will just melt.”
A pilot has revealed two simple tricks to prevent babies from crying on planes
However, the mother-of-two explained that a child would still be deprived of oxygen for up to ten minutes if an ice cube got stuck in their airway.
Instead, parents can offer their child a pacifier during takeoff and landing to achieve the same effect.
Nicholson previously shared his best flight tricks, including how to upgrade to business class.
Some parents shared their experiences in the comments.
‘Bottle on takeoff and landing every time!’ said a mother. ‘I think it works best about a minute or two after takeoff. I would be afraid of the ice cube and I would suffocate.’
“Use a pacifier if your friend uses one,” another recommended.
“Absolutely no ice cubes for children under five; honestly, there are nurses everywhere,” one woman said.
