We will be getting on a plane with a 22 month old embarking on a 9 hour flight to the UK...........once we get there we will be with family but getting there is what is stressing me out to no end.....my son will be a lap child since he is still under two....I can't wait for him to be 2 so that hubby can start shelling out some cash for his tickets :-)
my question is:
1. He doesn't like to sit still and the last time we were on a 3 hour domestic flight it was sheer craziness until he dozed off - how do I keep him entertained?
2. Is it okay to give him benadryl if he gets too upset - we have never done this before.....I really don't know if it is even ok....maybe I will call his dr and ask as well.
3. What helps with Jetlag and time change once we are there.....we are catching a night time flight that gets there early in the morning....do you think he is automatically fall in line with the new time zone?
4. Since the flight is so long how do I keep the milk good? He will need 1-2 bottles..........
Any other helpful international travel tips are appreciated.
TIA!!!
Thanks everyone for your helpful responses......we did originally check on tickets for the LO but they were $750 roundtrip.....so I had to relectantly agree to pass on that....I think in the back of my mind I was going......this will be the last trip we have to worry about this anyways....since he is turning 2 soon!
The more I hear about it the less I like the benadryl option. I will call the airline and ask about the seats, the milk and see how full the plane is....sometimes if the flight is not so busy they will just give you an extra seat........keeping my fingers crossed! Also going on Amazon to get some travel toys!
Not so comforting if I am alreayd wishing this vacation was over :-)
Are you not wanting to buy him his own seat? Because you certainly do not have to wait until hes two. You can strap his carseat into his own seat and I would think he could nap better that way.
No, its not illegal to give him benadryl, but I wouldnt. I have taken it a couple times to get to sleep myself and I felt like a weirdo the next day. Wouldnt give it to my kid if I didnt have to.
Wow, I would never, ever consider a flight that long with a lap child. You can buy a seat for a child under 2... you do know that, Right?
It is much easier on EVERYONE if the child has his/her own seat. It is also much SAFER for everyone.
No, we never drugged our daughter. You never know if benedryl will make them sleepy or wire them up. Plus, you can't expect to keep him drugged for 9 hours.
Best wishes for a fun trip.
Well, it sounds like your husband doesn't want to spend the money on the airline ticket, right? As the date approaches, I'm buying a ticket now will be even more expensive than your own ticket...but you could inquire if there is an infant rate. The seats are so cramped on an airplane that it will quickly get uncomfortable for you to hold him in your lap and sleep even while he's sleeping.
For whatever reason, whenever we've flown outbound on an evening trip, it's been more difficult for us. I always hoped they'd quickly fall asleep since it's close to bedtime, but I think they get too excited or overwhelmed by being on an airplane that it never went as planned. We just flew to California (only 4 hours compared to 9) with our youngest child (almost 17mos), and it's just a very difficult age for kids to fly. They're too active and into exploring and don't really have the attention span for a movie. She didn't want to stay in her car seat, and while she was mesmerized by an episode of Sesame Street that we downloaded/purchased, she only watched because the headphones bothered her too much. That was the first time. On the return flight, she kept trying to grab the ipod and push the buttons.
Bring lots of snacks and even treats. Buy the single-serve milk boxes (Starbucks always has them); they're ultra-pasteurized and don't even require refrigeration until opened. Include his favorite books and quiet toys.
It will be a very, very busy flight for you and your husband to keep him happy and entertained..and that's even if he has his own seat. Your son will need constant attention and play.
As soon as you land, let him sleep the first day but curtail his sleep so that you can start getting him on local time.
Sorry -- I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but it's just best to be prepared and know what to expect. As I said, you can keep him pretty happy but it will be a lot of work, especially if he's an active child, because you have to keep him fairly contained on an airplane and there just isn't a lot of space for anyone.
Good luck!!!
we just did a long haul from NY to Aus. 26 hours total travel time. DS is 22 months. Some tips-
1. soft quiet toys. we used the alex toys stringing trucks, a magna doodle, a coloring book, and a toddler travel set by Lauri.
2. we packed a DVD player but little one kept pushing buttons so that wasn't much use to us on the plane.
3. we took turns walking him up and down the aisles.
4. we packed lollipops for the take off or landing, but that didn't prove necessary.
5. we had a balloon so we could have something for him to chase at the terminal.
6. he slept his usual times and then a bit extra.
7. the night flight to Aus worked our well for us. We are struggling with jet lag now that we have returned.
8. our sippies are insulated and we can have milk for 3-4 hours in each without insulation. the stewards were able to provide us top ups of milk and water as needed.
9. bring plenty of diapers, plenty of wipes, and a change of clothes for everyone traveling.
10. smarties, M&Ms, grapes and other busy food treats are helpful to pass the time.
11. consider rotoring in a nap for yourself, on days 1 and 2 of your stay in Europe. A cranky, jetlagged, overtired parent makes for a rough trip.
Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
I would absolutely say no to drugging your child so he will be more manageable.
Benadryl dries you out and the dry air in the plane will make this even more painful. Benadryl is made to dry up runny eyes, runny nose, and to stop hives. If he does not have any of those symptoms the Benadryl will just dry him out so much he might get a terrible bloody nose.
My thoughts would be to get on the plane in the evening or just at his bedtime so he will fall asleep naturally. I would also consider getting him his own seat so he could sleep in his car seat. You don't really want to have to carry him asleep to the bathroom with you each time you need to go.
If you don't get a seat for him then laying him on your shoulder and snuggling him should be a nice time for you both.
Your DH chose not to buy the seat for the child, correct? If so, then make him hold baby on his lap some of the time. I would not give him benadryl. I would give him some small, soft, quiet toys and snacks. I would bribe him with videos. I would try to keep him entertained vs drugged. He may do better than you think if you can get him to sleep. My DD was 3 the last time we flew and she did better than the rest of us on the trip because she napped on the plane and in the car. When you say milk are talking cow milk or breastmilk? Find out the TSA regulations for what is allowed - which may vary on the TSA agent - and use those guidelines. If he is drinking regular milk, then just bring the empty bottles and ask the flight attendant for milk on the flight. Call the airline to find out how to order a child meal in advance, and how to make sure he has milk on the flight.
When you say sheer craziness, what did you bring for him? Did you and/or DH walk him around the plane (not let him run)? Did you and DH sit together? Did you pass him back and forth? Did you let him run around a lot before the flight? We made DD walk to the terminal to wear her out.
If you decide to give him Benedryl, first try it at home. Not everyone gets sleepy from it. It is really important to give the right amount for his weight. Too much can be dangerous. About the milk, they have lots of good food storage stuff and lunch pails that can keep stuff cold for a long time or you could find out from the airline if they can put it in their fridge on the plan. Get another seat on the plane if there is any way you can. This is a long flight for anyone.
Another poster posted a question about getting her DS back on American time. She said he was fine while there with the time difference but is having a very hard time now that they're home.
I think it has something to do with gaining hours when you go as opposed to losing hours when you return.
Anyway, no tips on the flight other than ear plugs and duct tape (LOL!) but the time thing on the trip shouldn't be a problem. The problem will happen when you get home!
Have a great trip!
I recommend a baby bjorn or front pack. Not to carry him..,but it's so useful to have him in when sitting on your lap. Of course loosen the straps so it's not tugging on your back. But then you can have your hands free.
Bring a portable DVD or iPad. Bring new books or toys.
If you decide to try Benadryl....do a trial run at home. This med can also make kids hyper. It would really suck to learn on the flight.
Bring a small cooler/insulated lunch box on flight with milk.
And pray there is an extra seat......or buy him one anyway. And bring the car seat on the plane. I cannot stress enough how much easier it is to have your toddler strapped in a car seat in the plane. The car seat makes all the difference. If you want an easy lightweight one that fits in an airplane...the cosco scenera is perfect and only $40.
Ugh, sorry your husband doesn't want to buy the extra seat. I know it's expensive but that is a long flight. Make sure your husband is holding him half the time!
Be warned the Benadryl could make him wired, NOT sleepy. It affects everyone differently. I wouldn't even chance it.
Other than that, a portable DVD player, lots of his favorite snacks, and an ipod/headphones with kid music, whatever he likes. And if he's not used to having candy a couple of lollipops will go a long way, he will be happy and quiet sucking on those!
My kids were breastfed so I really can't answer the bottle question. At his age does the milk still need to be heated? Otherwise a small insulated bag with an ice pack should be sufficient.
Good luck and have a great trip!
I would swing for the extra seat. The last time I flew with my son as a lap child was well before he was 18 months. When he was 18 months we flew cross country (5 hours), one way was a red eye. He did great for the red eye but it would have killed me and DH to have managed without the seat. We did keep him up late before the flight (we left at 11:30 pm and he needed to be awake for us to get him to and through the airport) so he was ready to fall asleep on the plane.
We generally brought books to read to him and a few toys and stuffed animals to keep him entertained whenever we flew. The plastic drink cups the flight attendants provide are an amazing toy for that age. Happily for us, DS has always slept through most flights. We purchased milk at the airport for immediate use. If you are breast feeding - not a problem. I do not know if international flights carry milk as a beverage option. Since your son is 22 months old, I assume he can also just drink water. If your son sleeps through the flight, I would think you should be fine with the time change. The way back might be a bit trickier, but you won't be under any time pressure then. I never medicated my son to fly.
I assume you have a passport for him - they will check. Most baby carriers are NOT considered safe on airplanes. The flight attendant would rather the baby be on your lap, than in the carrier - at least for take off and landing. We were not able to bring a gel pack on the airplane to keep formula cold - but things may have changed (DS is 6 now and it is not an issue anymore). Simple insulated bags do not keep liquids cold for long enough.
I flew to South Africa with my 22 month old son as a lap child, and that's twice as far! The trick is to call the airline as soon as you can and request the 'bulkhead' seating. They typically reserve that for passengers with babies. The bulkhead gives you more floor space so that as long as it's not a bumpy ride, he can sit on the floor and play or sleep. My son was into Thomas the Train, so I bought a little travel track and some new trains to keep him entertained for as long as possible. They also have kid shows on the tv monitor (I think they even had Baby Einstein when I flew) and that helped quite a bit. As far as a sleep aid, I would use Meletonin before benadryl because it is more natural. There is also something called Calms Forte for kids that is homeopathic which can help calm a fussy child. Also make sure that you bring more diapers and changes of clothes than you think you need. Honestly, because it is a night flight, you shouldn't have many problems, and get him out into the sun as soon as possible to help adjust his time clock. You can also continue to give him a bit of Meletonin at bed time until he gets over jet-lag. As for milk, I brought formula powder and just asked for bottled water to mix it up, they can even give you warm water if you tell them what it's for. You'll be fine...happy travels!
A thought on the milk - dos he have to have milk for that one day? Would he be willing to drink water? If so, you could just take his empty sippies and not have to deal with refrigeration OR scrutiny screening issue.
