Flying with a One Year Old

I'm getting ready to fly with my 4 year old and 2 year old. I was thinking that fruit chews would be good for the ears. I think I"m also going to go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of inexpensive toys for them and they only get them when they're on the plane - that way they'll be new and more exciting! Good luck!!

Don't forget a change of clothes for him and maybe for you if you can fit it. You never know what will spill. I like to put some toys away before the trip (or buy some cheap new ones) and get them out as "new" for the trip. Does he like stickers? You may need to help him, but that may keep him busy. Bring a little spiral notebook for him to stick them in. And more diapers than you think you'll need in case of delays. Good luck.

Hey there T.!
I fly out to California with my 3 year old and 10 month old quite a bit. I always bring a little carry-on back pack (the one's that have weels so he can pull it himself) with treats and activities. I always have a coloring book and let him color with colored chalk instead of crayons. That way if he marks on anything it can easily be wiped off. I consulted our pediatrician about his ears during flying and he said to give them a tiny dose of dimetap and benedryl. I really does help. They have never complained about their ears at all. Well, good luck with the flight!!!

-K.

Sippy cup and a lolly pop for take off and landing. As for entertainment that is challenging, but colors, books, blank paper and any favorite toys you can think of, light small stuff is best of course. Good luck!

Depending on your child, this can be challenging. Make sure you bring lots of snacks. Give him a bottle or sippy cup during take off and landing (since you cannot bring lots of liquids through security, be prepared to buy some once you get through). Allow your self a lot of time to get through the airport. If you are sitting waiting at the gate, let hime run/crawl around to his heart's content. There are so many new things for them to explore and it tires them out!! On the plane you may want to pull out a new toy that will hold his interest for a while. When my daughter was that age (we flew a lot), she loved just crumpling up paper. we would pull the inserts out of magazines, ahd loved holding as many as she could etc. Also, the good news is that a plane can have the same effect as a car, so he may go to sleep! I also used to sing songs and play wuth her hands. We still do those things on planes and she is 4. Good luck.

All I can say is don't give him anything to eat or drink unless he asks for it first. I gave my then 1 yr old a sippy cup to help with his ears during take off and he threw up all over me, himself, his blanket, and the car seat! They had to give me a garbage bag to put it all in, except of course the seat which even after wiping it down smelled like puke the rest of the plane ride.

Best thing for the ears is have him drink a bottle/sippycup/nurse during take off and landing.

As for the entertainment, bring toys and if you have a laptop bring movies if he is into watching them, bring toys for him.

Good Luck

I will be leaving in 13 days and flying with my 27mth old. We have a laptop and got movies downloaded for him to watch.

Hi T., two of my cousins are both captains for a major airline. Since they have great flying benifts they can fly anywhere they want to go for free. With that being said, frequently they will hop on a plane (they are in Texas) and take their daughter to to the other grandparents house (in Memphis) to baby sit for a few days. Since she has became so used to this she will automatically stick her thumb in her mouth when the pressure changes. This has helped alot with this. She's not usually much of a thumb sucker, but some how she has discovered this. Anyway hope this helps. Not that I want your baby to become a thumb sucker (if he already isn't), but that's the only thing I could think of. Good luck!

We flew with my daughters to Oregon when the eldest was 3 1/2 and the twins were 1 1/2. We had safety suckers, sippy cups, a change of clothes for each of them, and plenty of diapers and wipes. We also brought coloring books and AquaDoodle coloring books. The AquaDoodles were great, because when the flight attendants asked if the girls wanted anything, we asked for water. Most of it got poured in sippy cups, but we filled the AquaDoodle pens with it as well. The kids were amazed that they could color with this one marker, and things would turn different colors in their book.
I will caution you that there is a cheaper version called WaterWorks that is not as good in quality. Definitely get the AquaDoodle brand.
We wish you happy flying!

I flew with my 1 yr old many years ago and I made sure he had a sippy cup and cherrios to eat and I encouraged him to take many sips at take offs and landings. I don't know how much over 1 your child is but if he's on the older side than suckers are good and even gummys (juicy stuff makes him swallow more). Hope that helps!
C.

Make sure you give him a bottle as you are taking off. Which means, don't feed him until about 2 hours before your flight. That way when you give him a bottle he'll fall asleep as well.

Make sure take lots of books :}

i was going to give you my advice, it looks to me Gale has nailed it! good luck and have fun!!!

Check out About.com travel with kids. I get their web letter and they have a ton of links for pre, the actual trip, etc. I have flown with a 16 month old and 2 1/2 year old to FLA. I bought new little toys from the dollar store, wrapped them and gave them 1 at a time-also, scotch tape, keys, and a portable DVD player with wiggles, dora, etc. We don't watch much TV (hardly at all), so the DVD player is a real treat.

Be sure to have a bottle, sippy cup or empty bottle that the attendants can fill up on the plane for take off and landing. Gently pulling on the ear lobes can ehlp too-just no too hard.

Let the child walk to the restroom with you and back-most won't mind in mid flight. GOOD LUCK!

We took our portable DVD player. It worked wonders but we were also on a lot longer flight and I had 2 of them that were very young and we were flying from Germany to the states. I used sippy cups and binkies for take off. My daughter ended up on the way back from the states having an ear infection and I didn't know it and she screamed for 13 of the 17hr flight that was terrible. There is a liquid that you can put in a childs ears that numbs the ear cannal, I honestly cannot remember it anymore as my kids are 11 and 10 now and we haven't used anything like that in years the last time we flew was 3 years ago so they were a lot bigger. When we took off and landed 3 years ago we gave them gum because that is what I do or have a soda in a bottle. They don't let you take much on the plane with you. If you have the baby in a car seat and their own seat sometimes it is easier, if the baby is riding in your lap you want to sit right in the front between 1st class and coach, as they have the little cardboard bassinet things that they can put together and up by the wall on the floor and the baby can sleep. We did this with our daughter on the way back to Germany and it made things a lot easier since she was smaller then her brother and he was in his carseat.

we flew from Honolulu to LA back in Agust and we had our little girl (at that time she was 6 months old) in her own seat in a car seat. I gave her a bottle right before take off and right before landing and it worked perfectly. She only cried a little during the flight and that was only because she had a wet diaper...she was great.

My husband and I took our first child to INdonesia when he was just a little over 1 year old. It was something like 36 hours of flying and layovers and then 10 months later we did it again in reverse so I know the apprehension you are feeling. My best advice is to bring plenty of toys for him. Don't present them all at once though, just bring out one at a time and when he is bored with one, give him a different one, putting the first away. We also gave him his pacifier when we took off and landed and he never had a problem with his ears. If he still takes a bottle, you can give that to him as well, basically sucking is the key to relieving the pressure. Also, if he has a favorite blanket or toy for sleeping let him have it for the flight to comfort him and so he'll sleep. If you haven't booked your tickets yet, try to schedule the flight for around naptime so he is good and tired and will sleep on the flight. The sound of the engines works wonders for them to sleep. A big thing is also that you relax adn not be nervous as he will pick up on it and then will be more fussy. Make it a fun trip, show him out the window, play peek a boo, whatever it takes for him to be entertained. Pray too that you get sympathetic seatmates! Look around and see if there is anyone nearby who is "flirting" with him and play up on that. New faces that are friendly can be very distracting and can make your life a whole lot easier. Change his diaper just before flying so you don't have to do it on flight. There are changing tables above the toilet in most planes though so it's not impossible to do. Definitely bring a change of clothes for him and you, just in case his stomach doesn't like flying and well, you know! It happened once to me! Hope this helps!

Dont forget snacks too!

We have flown with our son a few times and keep a small bottle just for the take off and landings with his favorite juice. You can also pick up an ear plug called "ear planes" that really help.
As for entertainment, nothing beats a portable DVD player and couple baby einstein videos. :)

For take off and landing have him sucking on his bottle or sippy cup, the sucking helps not plug up their ears. Just bring some small toys he likes to keep him busy or maybe a dvd player and cartoons. He will still want to wiggle around though. My 2 girls did (1&2 when they flew)
Mel E

My brother in law mentioned asking the pediatrician for a certain kind of eardrops that help with "popping" and ear pain. I do not know what they are called, but I'm sure the pediatrician would. Good luck!

Breastfeed or give him a bottle. That always worked for my daughter.

Bring his car seat and put him in it. It feels safe since he is used to it and might sleep in it. Pacifiers are great or bring him something to drink. They usully allow it with the child, or bring a cup to get him something. This will help with they taking off and landing. I brought a bag full of small toys that my son loved. Also books were helpful. I had baby eistein cards and we played with those. I sang songs quietly and let him look out the window. Good luck!!

Take books & a portable dvd player with PLENTY of cartoon or educational material. As for the popping hold his nose & blow into his mouth to pop his ears....trust me he will let you know if his ears are hurting. Good luck to you & God Bless!

If your son uses a pacifier I would give it to him during take off and landing - or if he still takes a bottle let him drink during that time. We flew with our son when he was about 1 1/2 years old and I bought a few new toys and didn't take them out until we got on the plane. Another thing would be a portable DVD player - if he'll sit through Baby Einstein or any movies (w/ headphones too) that would help also. Just try to do things that he enjoys and don't fret too much if he crys - you can't help that. Enjoy your trip.

Hi T.,
What I've found helps is if you can get one of those portable dvd players that helps, books, games, and so forth. Also for the popping of the ears issue try bringing some suckers for your child. Between him being able to suck on some candy like lolipops and so forth alone seems to help, then the fact that he's swallowing upon each time he sucks on it that helps the popping issue. Good luck!

Hi T.,

We flew when my daughter was 1. She still nursed so I nursed her when we were taking off. Our Peditrician told us it was just the taking off to worry about not the landing. You could take a sippy cup or some snacks. We took a portable cd player and some baby einstein movies and then some other toys and crayons and it worked. Good luck, enjoy your trip.
J.

When I fly with little ones, I have a bottle. Sucking on the bottle helps pop the ears regularly. And a doddle book and small toys. M.

Hi T.,
My daughter was 6 months old when we took her on a plane, she fell asleep during the take off and it never bothered her. On the landing coming back she was awake, we tried to feed her something toware while chewing her ears would pop, well she got a little fussy but as soon as we landed it was gone. So I guess I'm suggesting to feed or give him a bottle so his ears will pop. Hope this helps. Have a safe and fun time.
J.