No one wants to be stuck on a plane with a crying baby. Even the baby’s own parents probably wish they’d left their little one at home the moment they begin to wail. If a baby starts crying in a restaurant or other public place, their parents can always take them outside until they quiet down. That’s not an option when you’re on a plane. No one’s going anywhere until it lands.

Can you really blame a baby for throwing an in-flight tantrum though? Even for a fully-grown adult flying can be a nerve-wracking experience. Being in a loud, confined space with a bunch of strangers isn’t exactly pleasant, after all.

Flying can be painful too at times. If you’ve ever been on a plane while trying to cope with a head cold or worse, you already know full well the toll that flying can take. Depending on the severity of your ailment, the plane’s pressurized cabin can make you feel 10 times worse. Just imagine how that must be for a baby who has no clue what’s going on to begin with.

In her article 6 Tips to Help Relieve Your Child’s Ear Pain While Flying, PopSugar contributor Laurel Niedospial describes how she felt when flying with a sinus infection: “It felt like my whole head was being crushed, and the only thing that brought me a sense of comfort was knowing that it would be over once we touched the ground.”

Unlike the rest of us, babies don’t realize that these feelings of discomfort are temporary. “All they feel is pain,” Laurel writes, “and as parents, we want to prevent that from happening more than anything.”

If you’re a new parent or will be one soon and plan to travel frequently with your child in tow, take a page from Laurel’s playbook. Her article features a series of useful tips for helping kids cope with in-flight ear pain.

For infants, Laurel recommends a pacifier. While it might seem obvious, a pacifier does more than just stop a baby from crying. The sucking motion can actually help alleviate the pressure in a baby’s ears, providing them with much-needed pain relief.

Parents can also help their babies cope with ear pain by having them drink plenty of water during the flight. The benefits are twofold: swallowing helps to open the ears up and staying hydrated wards off the negative effects of dry cabin air. When all else fails, medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen might be just what the doctor ordered.

Parents of older kids have it a little bit easier. Simply give them something to chew or suck on, such as gum, a lollipop, or a mint, and they should feel better in a matter of minutes.

Unlike babies, older children can also be taught the Valsalva maneuver. Although you might not know it by name, chances are you’ve done it many times before. Ever pop your ears by closing your mouth, pinching your nose, and trying to exhale? Then you already know how to perform the Valsalva maneuver.

If you’re child ever begins to cry mid-flight, don’t panic. Just try some of these simple, effective solutions to see which works best for your young one. They’ll appreciate it along with everyone else on the plane.