Infants/air travel/feedings/dehydration

October 15, 2008

Posted in Travel
Tags: Airplane, Dehydration, Travel

My posting that has received the most comments — comments often laced with skepticism — are my statements that:

• In-flight dehydration is a myth; and
• Feeding infants frequently during air travel is counterproductive and may make them uncomfortable.

Please see my answers to the skeptics.

In-flight dehydration is a myth!! It doesn’t exist. Yes, it is frequently repeated by travel writers, in advice columns for parents, and by physicians. But that does not make it so.

Adults erroneously interpret their in-flight parched mouths and throats as dehydration. This dry feeling results from air conditioning removing most of the moisture from the cabin air.

Dehydration means that the body has lost fluid, is no longer functioning optimally, and is in need of replacement fluids. Dehydration can occur only with one (or more) of the following: severe and continuous vomiting and/or diarrhea, heavy exercising in a hot environment, profuse sweating, and no access to drinks.

Air travelers are at rest, in a cool environment and not ill. And fluids are available, making dehydration virtually impossible.

Yet adults are advised to drink eight ounces of fluids for each hour of air travel, and parents are told to give infants frequent bottles or breast feedings. While such advice is not harmful for adults, it may cause problems for infants. (For adults, it may even be beneficial, forcing them to walk to the lavatory which helps minimizes swollen feet. Note that swollen feet are signs that the body is retaining, not losing, fluids.)

Feeding infants frequently during flight is counterproductive. At cruising altitudes, lower cabin atmospheric pressure causes air — in the cabin and in our stomachs and intestines — to expand by about 20%. For adults, this expansion causes mild bloating. But infants’ organs are far smaller. The act of sucking and the additional (and unnecessary) milk adds bulk, further expanding these organs. At home, overfeeding makes infants uncomfortable and irritable. Likely, in flight, overfeeding makes them feel even worse.

The takeaway message: Do not feed infants more often in flight than you do at home. Bottles during takeoff and landing may be beneficial to prevent ear discomfort — but this has not been proven. More about that in a future communication.

Posted in Travel
Tags: Airplane, Dehydration, Travel