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Flying the long haul with a toddler. Tell me your stories!

2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,286
edited March 2014 in All Encompassing Trip
On the eve of a trip to see the in-laws in West Australia with our 10 month old. Made the trip 7-8x over the last 14 years or so but never with a baby. This is madness! Calling all you international travelers, thumb type me your best and worst stories, and send along happy travel vibes to the three of us if you would!
www.cluthelee.com

Comments

  • redrawredraw Posts: 1,284
    Good luck m8!!!!
    My best advice is to do feeds on take off & landing.
    The rest of the flight, just hope for lots of sleeping....
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  • redrawredraw Posts: 1,284
    And don't worry about what other passengers may think if your youngster does make some noise - they will get over it....
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  • BinFrogBinFrog Posts: 7,309
    Good luck. I'm actually bringing our 3 1/2 year old to AZ on vacation in April and leaving my 1 year old with my wife. We'll go as a 4-some next year....didn"'t want to deal with the flights and time change with a 1 year old who is a bad sleeper and needs constant entertainment.
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  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    New toys to keep her hands and developing brain occupied. Suction toys that stick to the tray tables are good for a while.

    Is she teething? If so, she'll need something for that. If she's still nursing, the feeding at takeoff and landing is key for the pressure on her ears. Bottles are good, too, of course, but there's a little more, um, coverage of the mouth (less air getting through) so that the ears are relieved a little easier with the boob.

    Good luck, buddy!

    And next time have the in-laws, who I assume do not have a baby/toddler, make the trip to see you. Hell, our in-laws live in the next state, and we barely make that drive to see them because it's so tough.

    Finally, if all else fails, Benadryl (but only as a last resort).
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  • shetellsherselfshetellsherself Posts: 8,818
    edited March 2014
    Skip the stroller. Use a baby carrier instead.... Something that can double as a cozy blankie. Definitely feed on the way up and down. Ear popping can't be explained to a 10 month old. Hopefully, he/she will sleep some. Diaper changes are no fun on a plane, sorry to say. Bring a clean set of jammies for baby bc a blowout of some sort is likely. Maybe taking a clean shirt for you and your wife would be a good idea too (we all know what happens when blowouts occur) Will they still let you bring on unopened, packaged snacks? I remember packing favorite munchies in my carry on. Toys should be soft and not noisy (avoid jingling rattles, squeaky squeezer toys etc). Other passengers really don't like noisy toys or being clocked on the head by a wooden block. Will the baby have his/her own seat? I never bought a seat for a little one that age bc I could just hold them on my lap. I remember when they were suddenly too old for that (maybe 2 years, can't remember for sure) it was soooo nice to have a place for them to sit and just spread out a little. Have fun! I actually think a 10 month old is pretty easy to travel with. 3 years is the tough one and don't get me started on the 14yo!
    Post edited by shetellsherself on
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  • JTHJTH Posts: 3,238
    Pack plenty of diapers -- like, way more than you think you can possibly use.

    We got stuck on the tarmac with our first kid when he was about 9 months old and we ran out before the plane ever took off.
  • oysterjaroysterjar Posts: 1,235
    JTH said:

    Pack plenty of diapers -- like, way more than you think you can possibly use.

    We got stuck on the tarmac with our first kid when he was about 9 months old and we ran out before the plane ever took off.

    We never traveled internationally with our kids as babies but New England to Florida in both a car and a plane. As JTH said above pack plenty of necessities. Benadryl as a last resort for a upset kid but hopefully they sleep a lot. Make sure you and the kid move around in the cabin if the flight is more than two hours when they wake up. It'll be fun and you will never forget it.
    Wind this thing up.

  • JTHJTH Posts: 3,238
    Ooh, benadryl, yeah... But if you've never used it before, make sure you test it out first. With our same kid (on a different flight) we gave him some and it didn't have a sedative effect on him. It did the EXACT OPPOSITE!

    It works as a sedative on our other two, though.
  • rollingsrollings Posts: 7,124
    edited March 2014
    Keep the regular sleep, eat, & otherwise schedule before the trip.

    I thought it would be a good idea to have my then one-year old NOT nap before the flight,....thinking that he would sleep more and better during the flight.....

    DIDN'T HAPPEN. He screamed and cried for about 1/2 hour. That was not fun! No, not at all.

    I agree with the extra diaper post, and also, make sure he or she is drinking or eating or otherwise swallowing during take off and landing.

    Have a nice trip!

    Post edited by rollings on
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,286
    All went well - she slept 12 hours of the 15 to Melbourne. Plenty travel left though - jet lag throwing some interesting curves. Thanks for all the tips & encouragement!
    www.cluthelee.com
  • The JugglerThe Juggler Posts: 48,893
    i would avoid malaysian airlines
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  • Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    Glad it went well. We took our then 16 month old with us to the Philippines a few years ago. It was about 30 hours of travel time! Were you able to request a bulkhead seat with a baby bassinet? We had that on all but our last leg and it helped us a ton!
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  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,128
    A little red wine in the grape juice works like a charm! At least that is what my dad told me.

    and +1 on Malaysian Air LOL

    Just be prepared for the kid to cry. It happens. Usually right next to me on international flights!
  • oysterjaroysterjar Posts: 1,235
    The Juggler said:

    i would avoid malaysian airlines

    Sound advice for the day
    Wind this thing up.

  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 29,497
    don't sit next to some old racist guy who might wanna slap the kid if hi's crying , it happened here in the states last yr some old fart actually slapped someone else's kid ....
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  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,190
    BinFrog said:

    Good luck. I'm actually bringing our 3 1/2 year old to AZ on vacation in April and leaving my 1 year old with my wife. We'll go as a 4-some next year....didn"'t want to deal with the flights and time change with a 1 year old who is a bad sleeper and needs constant entertainment.

    Play RUSH and the problem is solved. I took a tripb10 years ago with then 6 year old daughter to Disneyworld. I flew down from MD then drove from S Florida to the madness of a place. Just the two of us we had a great time. We went everywhere for 4 days till midnight when they shut down the place. The toughest thing was at the end of the day my daughter was lights out , somewhat heavy while I was loaded down with stuff. Many saw my plight and lender me a hand, to this day she still remembers the trip.

    Peace

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  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,286
    Thanks for all the tips. Arrived back in LA today. Overall she did well on the flights - the new teeth she popped, being completely out of her routine thing wasn't so great. Hell to be honest!
    www.cluthelee.com
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