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A mother who shared footage of her crying baby on social media during a three-hour plane ride has sparked a debate on TikTok about traveling with a baby.
In the viral video, which has 28 million views, Jess Spaulding (@jess.spaulding) tries to calm her crying daughter Charlotte. By the end, she cries too.
Spaulding admitted she felt “increasingly defeated” during the trip, but said she wanted to share the video so other moms know it’s not their fault if they can’t stop their baby from crying for long periods of time.
Spaulding tried to calm the situation by telling her baby: “We’re never going to see these people again. Everything is going to be OK.” However, she also told her followers that she felt like everyone on the plane hated her and that she “felt like crying with her.”
In the caption of the video, Spaulding details the situation in more detail: “This post is not meant to scare anyone away from flying with their baby. It just goes to show that sometimes you really DO NOT HAVE CONTROL over your baby’s crying.”
“A lot of people here know that Charlotte is a happy baby who doesn’t cry, which is often the case. That being said, there are times when you can try EVERYTHING and she just won’t stop.
She continued: “I wanted to post this to remind moms going through this that it’s not you. You didn’t do anything wrong and you’re not bad moms. Cheer up, moms! It will keep getting better, that’s what I’ve heard.”
Spaulding's post quickly sparked a debate on TikTok, with comments divided between users who called the situation their “nightmare as a passenger” and others who sympathized with the mother. One person wrote: “I'm really sad that no one has offered to help.”
“Flying with a baby is crazy,” wrote one disapproving person, while another commented: “Thank goodness you managed to constantly document this with your phone. That probably made the baby feel a lot better.”
Meanwhile, one empathetic viewer wrote: “Every time I hear a baby crying and feel upset, I remember that the mom probably feels even worse.”
One cabin crew member was even quick to warn Spaulding that she might not have had to handle the situation alone, writing: “As flight attendants, we are always here to help if you need a break. Never be afraid to ask… most of us can’t wait to hold babies in our hands!”
Another supporter added: “Noise-blocking headphones are my own responsibility when I enter a confined space full of strangers. No problem with me, dude.”
