Planes, Ears, and Babies: A Survival Manual

I can usually find an empty seat next to a baby because babies tend to cry more than other passengers do. There are physiological as well as emotional reasons for this. Here are some of those reasons – along with some things you can do to help bring your baby out of stress.

Aching Ears. Take-off and landing – and the resulting barometric changes - can be particularly hard on babies. Our Eustachian tubes equalize pressure between the middle ear and the outside atmosphere, acting as valves. As they let tiny amounts of air in, our ears “pop.” Relief! But if they stay clogged, the pressure just painfully builds.

Babies’ ears clog up more than adults’ do. This is because babies’ Eustachian tubes are shorter, and they don’t angle down. There’s a lot of wiring and plumbing to cram in that baby cranium, and there just isn’t room for those little Eustachian tubes to do anything but stick straight out. One of the reasons young children are so prone to ear infections is that their Eustachian tubes aren't angled well for drainage.

But you can help by gently tugging on them. As the Eustachian Tubes subtly lengthen, they "unkink" and open, allowing them to do their job again. Of course, you can’t reach into your baby's middle ear! But you can use the ears that stick out on either side of your baby’s head as handles.

Try it on yourself! Gently but firmly, grasp the “bells” of your ears with the thumb and index fingers of each hand. Slowly, steadily, pull out, at about a 45 degree angle downward. You might notice that one ear “wants” to pull a little bit forward or backward – or even around in a circle! Sometimes, the two ears “want” to go in slightly different directions. When you notice these things, always take the suggestion your ears are giving you. And if you don’t notice anything, just gently and firmly do the pulls. It can help you feel more awake and alert.

When you try it on your baby, also be gentle but firm. The angle of the pull may be different – almost horizontal.  Begin by pulling those little ears straight out from your baby’s head. As children grow into toddlers, the angle begins to descend. So be willing to suggest a little downward motion, if the flow is there. Like any skill, it takes practice - so don't worry if you don't "feel" anything at first. Just keep a state of open awarenes. The more you do it, the more intuitive it becomes. And the exercise will help you "tune in" to your baby in other ways as well.

This technique helps with earaches of all kinds – and it also is an excellent prevention measure! Giving the Eustachian tubes a little daily pull helps them to stay smoothed-out, drained, and clear of infection. It’s easiest to practice when baby is happy! But necessity is the mother of invention – if your baby is already crying, you have nothing to lose.

Sucking. We often chew gum or drink water during take-off and landing to make our ears “pop.” Nursing your baby, or giving her something to suck, can help equalize pressure in her ears.

There are other benefits, as well. Sucking is a rhythmic motion, and the stronger the suck, the more it palpates the roof of the mouth. As the roof of the mouth rises and falls, the sphenoid bone lifts. This bone is shaped like a butterfly, with wings that reach out to the temples and a body that rests on the back of the skull. When the sphenoid lifts, dopamine flows. Dopamine is a hormone that makes us happy. It’s one big reason kids like to suck their thumbs – it activates the sphenoid, that dispenser of good-feelings.

Uncurling the Ears. In my last entry, I talked about the energy pathways in the body. These meridians are dotted lines, made up of “points” – nodes where the energy comes together. Guess where there is an especially dense concentration of these nodes? That’s right, the ear.

To simultaneously energize and calm your baby, gently pinch around the circumferences of her little ears. It’s a little massage, created by gently uncurling the edges. It doesn’t hurt, and it can stimulate relaxation all through the brain. It’s a great way to reclaim attention, in any situation. I just uncurled my own ears, and suddenly this computer screen is a lot easier to look at! (A great resource for simple, brain-based activities like this one is The Brain Gym Teacher's Manual by Paul and Gail Dennison).

Flight attendants tell you to put your own oxygen mask first. It’s not a bad suggestion – try all of these activities out first on yourself! As you deepen your own level of calm, your baby will experience it, too. The best way to get your baby out of stress is to let go of your own.